In games, there are few things more cathartic than taking something imposing and smashing it to pieces. Perhaps the opposite of survival games such as Minecraft, “destruct ’em ups” exist to let us do a bit of rewinding. In this day and age, we can all enjoy a moment of tearing shit apart for fun. Hardspace: Shipbreaker fits that kind of mold, and it’ll let you rip massive space vessels to bits when it hits PC and Game Pass on its May 24 launch date.
The crux of Hardspace: Shipbreaker is, basically, as mentioned. Your job is to salvage derelict spaceships in zero-g. Armed with specialized tools, you peel away armor plating piece by piece, all the while minding dangers such as explosive decompression. And maybe some explosions. Either way, it’s one way to get paid. Plus, it’s fairly relaxing — save for the decompression.
Taking apart ships in Hardspace: Shipbreaker is much like puzzle solving. You approach the procedurally generated ship, enter and explore, and then choose among the best tools for the job. Everything in the game is supported by a “next-gen” physics system, which keeps the lack of gravity in mind. As you progress, you upgrade your tools and other equipment, which leads to taking on even greater challenges.
It’s honestly in the name
Hardspace: Shipbreaker has been in Early Access for some time, but it launches next month as a day one Game Pass release. This news came earlier alongside the release date trailer seen above. Hardspace joins Bugsnax, which also got announced for PC Game Pass just this week. And soon, we should also know what games will be added to the service to round out the rest of April.
“With several classes of ships, from small transports to large freighters, each with procedural elements, every vessel is a unique and open-ended challenge,” reads the press release. “Use your creativity to tame an environment that is richly-detailed, reactive and merciless.”
