Valheim‘s lead engineer and designer, Jonathan Smårs, is set to release an immersive space simulation game on Steam called Starpath, which will feature real-world distances and sizes. Starpath has already gained nearly 90,000 wishlists on Steam and is becoming one of the genre’s most anticipated games thanks to its intriguing gameplay premise.
In Starpath, players design and build their own spaceships before venturing into deep space. As an open-world space sim, Starpath does not restrict players in any specific way. Jonathan Smårs says, “[Starpath] is focused on the feeling of being in and exploring space. We are committed to giving you an authentic astronaut experience while still being focused on fun and creativity.”
Starpath Features
- DESIGN a spaceship
- EXPLORE the seamingly endless galaxy
- LOOK for signs of extraterrestrial life
- SURVIVE the perils of deep space
- JOIN forces with friends to explore together
- ENJOY the tranquility of space without the pressure of combat
Starpath Wants to Succeed Where Starfield Initially Failed
Players in Starpath need to plot their own courses for interstellar travel. One mistake could cost them their entire ship or lead to a slow and painful death in space. The developer says travel between stars, planets, and galaxies in Starpath will be seamless. The game’s official Steam page says, “Fly your starship through the solar system, the galaxy and beyond seamlessly using real-world distances and sizes.” If executed well, Starpath‘s realistic space travel could offer something many fans wanted to see in Starfield when it first released.
Realistic space events, such as asteroid impacts, can halt the adventure and kill players.
Starpath is not going to be a mere spaceship-pilot simulation either. The game will include survival elements that require players to monitor their spaceship’s fuel and energy. They will also need to tend to the greenhouse, which provides food and oxygen. However, the hazards go beyond hunger and suffocation. Realistic space events, such as asteroid impacts, can halt the adventure and kill players. The ship will also require constant maintenance and repairs, which may force players to leave the safety of their cockpits and deal with problems on their own.
As a space survival game, Starpath lets players scan planets, collect resources, and salvage useful parts from abandoned spaceships they may come across. But since Starpath uses real-world distances, traveling between points of interest can take quite some time. Players can pass the time by playing in-game minigames or entering cryosleep, which serves as a fast-travel alternative. That said, cryosleep increases the risks of intergalactic travel, as the ship could get hit by asteroids or crash for another reason while the player sleeps.
It might be too early to say anything about Starpath‘s potential. However, since it comes from the lead engineer and designer of Valheim, an incredibly successful indie game, expectations are high. Valheim recently exited early access and launched its 1.0 version, which received very positive reviews. The experience Jonathan Smårs has gained while working on that game should carry over to Starpath and hopefully help the final product live up to its ambitious vision.
- Released
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February 2, 2021
- ESRB
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r
- Developer(s)
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Iron Gate AB
