At the Future Games Show we got another look at Starmancer, the space station sim being published by Chucklefish. You’re an AI given control of an entire station and all its crew, customizing rooms and making sure there’s enough food for all your colonists. It’s all very pixel-chunky and everything snaps together or falls into place in a way that looks real satisfying.
But that doesn’t mean this is Stardew Valley in space. Starmancer has a sinister undertone. You’re encouraged to fill rooms with “cheerful paintings to remind the colonists how friendly and relatable you are, and motivational posters to let them know how much you value their productivity.” As well as space ports and laboratories you can build “incubators for mysterious eggs”. Your station might get invaded by pirates, or space zombies. And you’ve got the option of obeying your protocols, or going rogue.
Starmancer will be available in Early Access from August 5 on Steam.
