StarDrive + Gameplay Videos

Since the large boom in PC gaming, there has been a resurrection or at least a larger focus of older genres, such as the 4X space titles. These grand operas of static gameplay that start with a small planet and eventually stretch to universal conquest can swallow time like a black hole. While Iceberg Interactive’s latest game called StarDrive isn’t different in the engulfing sense, it certainly speeds things up with real time gameplay. As it also features many possibilities, there will be a ton of content for players to run through.

As is customary, players start off with a chosen civilization, which can be customized with both good and bad traits. Each of them can colonize different sorts of planets, though that can also be achieved by researching new technologies. From just one planet, players are quickly urged to push their boundaries far into space by colonizing new solar systems.  As the first systems starts stretching the map, it becomes apparent how big this game can be. Up close, planets and their surrounding ships show off slick, shiny visuals, but it’s possible to zoom out all the way until even solar systems are but mere dots in the cosmic tapestry. This is a mere taste of what this game has to offer.

Looking into the first menus, StarDrive starts to unwrap the horn of plenty it serves up. Research tabs show off multiple fields of improvement, each with several branches of their own that can enhance an empire. These can be used, for instance, to construct more buildings in colonies, create more ships, colonize barren planets and so forth. Planets are divided in between their population tally, food production and amount of resources. An additional city map reveals how much space is left for additional buildings on a grid. Resources can be divided along a few sliders, which helps set the course of action for high production, science or ensuring colonies have enough food.

While that is not far from standard, the real game begins when looking outside of home. Other colonies start off weak and need transport routes to survive.  Now players must set up an area of operation for their ships to follow, where they can drop off resources or even people to other planets. After setting up an import and export network, it will probably be time to look into shooing hostile aliens from nearby planets, to grow ever larger. In the shipyard, ships can be built up from an amount of square tiles that will require power, weapons and additional resources to create a full-fledged vessel. These crafts can then be adjusted as to how they interact in combat, which enemies to attack in what fashion and how they handle themselves in a custom fleet. Again, this is but the surface of all possibilities already present in the game.

The point is that StarDrive offers a level of deep customization and strategy options. Menu interfaces are filled with sliders, tabs and buttons. Ships have limited ammo supplies that need to be repaired at designated stations, FTL drives allow for faster movement, espionage units can sabotage enemies and ground troops can defend the land or fly off into space to take over enemy fleets. Therefore, diplomacy with alien races will also require some finesse to uphold. With so many options to screw over another, civilizations with their own traits might be wary of strangers and for good cause. During negotiations, it will be possible to set up additional trade routes, forge treaties and ultimately absorb a race in a mutual federation. Talks can have different moods and these will also adjust whether leaders respond in a friendly fashion or will hold a grudge for certain demands. It’s quite the picnic.

As if it wasn’t enough to manage by itself, StarDrive throws all this possibility at players in real time. Gone are the turns of other 4X games. Instead, players manage their resources on the fly, as other people in their galaxy grow along at the same pace. Luckily, it’s possible to pause the game, but even then this grand strategy theater pushes players every step of the way. It’s quite refreshing to have such a swifter pace without losing out on versatility, but it comes at a price.

Complexity is both the boon and the curse of this game. On one hand, it’s astounding just how customizable an experience can be, but on the other hand it can be a lot to take in at once and that certainly as time presses on. More than once, some terrible planning error will cripple progress or even lead to a seemingly impossible uphill battle. The vast amount of ability that is immediately required from players will be overwhelming at first, certainly as some combat tactics are vital to understand in order to win battles. As these also alter frequently with new technology, a victory will be hard fought before it ever even appears. Random occurrences can also throw a curveball that requires readjustment. It’s going to be a tough race to the top.

Luckily, the gradual assessment and understanding of empire workings can be intensely gratifying, as tactics become more complex and victories start stacking up. Growing ever more knowledgeable and stronger is rewarding each time and that with the amount of things available is a feeling that will occur plenty of times. This effectively sways this real time version of Europa Universalis in space to the amazing side of complexity, rather than a frustrating struggle.

While it is true that StarDrive is very much a learning process, perseverance will reward players with an active strategy game that has tons of content to be discovered. With lots of customization and growth options, there is also a tremendous replay potential within a game that will already take quite some time to complete. It won’t be an easy ride, but it will be a gratifying one. This space game tries to bring some rather radical changes in set establishments and it looks like it’s going to succeed and then some.

 

Daav Valentaten, NoobFeed. (@Daavpuke)