Underspace

Underspace is a space shooter with RPG elements, inspired both by other space shooters and the works of H.P. Lovecraft. The game was successfully crowdfunded on Kickstarter. It was developed by Pastaspace Interactive, an indie team led by Kevin Brock, known in the modding community as Trainwiz.

Plot

Underspace is set in the Croft galaxy, inhabited by various civilizations, gigantic space monsters, torn apart by interstellar calamities. We play as an adventurer, free to choose how to engage with the world.

Mechanics

Underspace is a third-person game. After creating a character (and choosing one of several available races) the player can start traversing

the game's vast open world consisting of various planetary systems. Traversing it aboard our spaceship, we complete quest for regular citizens and faction representatives, building ourselves a career.

We can become a miner, extracting valuable goods, a trader transporting resources to distant outposts, a pirate plundering other ships, an explorer discovering galactic secrets or a hunter, tracking down interstellar monsters. If we so desire, we can also delve into all these kinds of trade at once. There are many optional activities and boss fights scattered about as well.

Regardless of our chosen career path, we must watch out for danger lurking in space. These include aforementioned monsters (such as giant world-devouring serpents), ships corrupted by evil forces and living minefields; as well as regular hostile people. We must also deal with space weather, such as gigantic super-space storms.

Combat is fast-paced, requiring proper use of weapons, constant movement and avoiding maneuvers. There are dozens of different ships to choose from, fitting different playstyles, all of which can be customized to our preferences.

Game modes

Underspace supports singleplayer and multiplayer.

Technical aspects

Underspace doesn't impress graphics-wise. The game's atmospheric soundtrack was composed by Eric Britt - it's his first foray into video games.