Similarly, the player can harvest the plants in the Bio Deck for resources – however that has the drawback of not automatically replanting said flora, which hired Dryads will do (on their own time, of course). For example, I can suck up all the garbage visitors throw on the ground (seriously, these aliens are filthy creatures with how much trash they drop) and place it directly in the recycling center to produce energy, rather than wait for Fuzzies to collect the trash, drop them at the garbage bots, who will then bring it to the recycling center when they are full. The game instead gives the player the ability to interact with the world to keep them busy as visitors go about their visit or speed up processes. I did feel the game dragging as I was waiting for my (kind of slow) Fuzzies to come build a room, or as my station fulfilled mission objectives (like waiting for my doctors to cure 50 patients… how exciting). As of this review, there is not any option to speed up time – seemingly staying true to its predecessor, however a time control mechanic is almost standard in this genre by now. On the other hand, the pacing for Starbase Startopia can be a bit on the slow side. For those unfamiliar however, it is an interesting take on the base building/management genre taken to space.
The Sub Deck – where the magic happens.įor those familiar with the original Startopia, much of the game will come back to you as it plays almost exactly as the original did, with some changes and UI improvements. Opening a bulkhead costs energy however, and it is good to be prepared as oftentimes there will be plenty of garbage to cleanup (or angry bugs). Energy is then used to build up the starbase and expand not only the rooms but also the starbase itself – as a circular starbase, it is possible to expand and open sectors in either direction until the entire ring is open for use. Time to party on the Fun Deck!Įverything costs Energy however, which is earned from visitors spending their hard-earned currency in your starbase. It is also possible to create and save templates to be used later, if you create a room layout you are happy with and want to use throughout the game. Now if you are lazy like me, there are a few default templates for each room generally ranging in three sizes. They will have to be decently sized, as a variety of items will have to be placed in rooms – the aforementioned berth will need space for stasis chambers, HydroCleans, and slushie and chocolate machines. Rooms can be custom-made by dragging out walls to create any sized room, like in Two Point Hospital, for example. The plants that grow on the deck also provide various resources from food to minerals ( and occasionally contraband I mean not much else officer). Rooms are not really built on the Bio Deck, but terraforming can create different biomes and bodies of water that please visitors. The Bio Deck is slightly different, as it services visitors’ need for nature. Rooms such as discos, cafés and Black Hole simulators all serve this purpose. The Fun deck is where visitors go to, uh… have fun. The Sub Deck holds necessary buildings like berths (a place for visitors to fulfill basic needs, such as sleeping, cleaning, and eating chocolate).
Each deck has different functions and different types of buildings that can be built, as can be inferred from their name. The starbase has three decks: the Sub Deck, the Fun Deck, and Bio Deck. For those who are not familiar with the series, the core gameplay revolves (heh) around a circular starbase.
Spacebase startopia how to#
The tutorial plays in a serious of missions, gradually introducing new concepts in mini scenarios, such as how to build different rooms in the station, the different levels the station has, and abilities the player can utilize to interact with the game world.īut let us back up a minute and give some context. Even though I played the original Startopia extensively, it was a good refresher on the UI and the nuances of the game. With slick new graphics, an updated interface, and new missions, does Spacebase Startopia hold up on its own? Let’s jump in and find out! Welcome Onboard, Command-RĪs with most games I play, I start with the tutorial.
Spacebase startopia series#
While the original was co-developed by Mucky Foot Productions and My Little Planet and published by Eidos, it is now being developed by Realmforge Studios of Dungeons series fame, and produced by the venerable Kalypso Media, the “der Koloss” (pardon my poor Google translate dear German readers) German studio known for its simulation and management games. Now in 2021, Startopia is back as Spacebase Startopia, in a sequel/remake updated for a new generation.
It has been 20 years (wait really?! Weren’t the 90s only 10 years ago…) since Startopia released, a gem of a space station builder that combined sarcastic and pun-y humor, space-station building, and managing various alien species in one excellent package.
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