This is one of those games that simulates a job, but not too closely. The execution follows the premise pretty closely: you're an astronaut who junks ships for money.

So, to start off with the bad: the storyline is very heavy-handed pro-socialist. Anti-capitalism, secret unions, corporate greed, and supervisory incompetence are all recurring plot points. I think that part is trite, childish, and the game (so far) has even worked in contravention of them: you're earning tons of money and on track to pay down a "debt" incurred at the beginning of the game. Maybe there's a twist, though, that'll come along later to derail you.

Anyway, the gameplay itself is really good. It's well-paced and a lot is either implied or builds on previously learned skills. I was priding myself on surviving several close calls until I finally needed a "spare" (the game's version of a continue) after a stupid mistake. The physics in the game were better than I realized, and when I used the gravity gun to try to push away something weighing several thousand kilograms (beyond the tool's capacity) of course it pushed me into a wall instead, crushing my suit and handing me my first death around eight ships into the game.

The music is really nice for the first few hours, but gets repetitive. The audio cues are really good, though, with a high-tempo track that drops in to indicate danger and HUD distortion for radiation. The overall "feel" of the game is very good, I just don't care for the story.

Anyway, it's a nice little puzzler. I strongly recommend playing open shift if you want a more relaxing experience. The other modes have a 15-minute timer and, along with an optional oxygen drain, I found that too abrupt to make satisfying progress in one session.

This is one of those games that simulates a job, but not too closely. The execution follows the premise pretty closely: you're an astronaut who junks ships for money. So, to start off with the bad: the storyline is very heavy-handed pro-socialist. Anti-capitalism, secret unions, corporate greed, and supervisory incompetence are all recurring plot points. I think that part is trite, childish, and the game (so far) has even worked in contravention of them: you're earning tons of money and on track to pay down a "debt" incurred at the beginning of the game. Maybe there's a twist, though, that'll come along later to derail you. Anyway, the gameplay itself is really good. It's well-paced and a lot is either implied or builds on previously learned skills. I was priding myself on surviving several close calls until I finally needed a "spare" (the game's version of a continue) after a stupid mistake. The physics in the game were better than I realized, and when I used the gravity gun to try to push away something weighing several thousand kilograms (beyond the tool's capacity) of course it pushed me into a wall instead, crushing my suit and handing me my first death around eight ships into the game. The music is really nice for the first few hours, but gets repetitive. The audio cues are really good, though, with a high-tempo track that drops in to indicate danger and HUD distortion for radiation. The overall "feel" of the game is very good, I just don't care for the story. Anyway, it's a nice little puzzler. I strongly recommend playing open shift if you want a more relaxing experience. The other modes have a 15-minute timer and, along with an optional oxygen drain, I found that too abrupt to make satisfying progress in one session.