REVIEW : Space Station Tycoon (PC)
I’m a massive fan of tycoon games. Some of my favourite things to do are building large automated factories, rehabilitating derelict aquariums, creating ancient colonies, and constructing tracks to a massive trainyard. I’ve even owned a lemonade stand. The one empire I haven’t conquered, though, is in the skies. So let’s shatter the ice and race to the heavens in Space Station Tycoon’s Early Access build.
Station in Space Tycoon does not begin from the beginning. You’re given a primary ring station with four arms that you can start building right away. Your mission is to expand this station and face the difficulties that lie ahead, both human and nonhuman. The only way you’ll be able to do so is if you’re also able to make a profit in the process. At its most basic level, you’ll be constructing the galaxy’s best tiny rest stop, but the real test will be if you can turn it into the best destination in the universe.
First and foremost, you must extend the station’s first arm and construct landing pads. Those pads will need to be powered, but some modest solar panels will suffice in a hurry. There’s nothing to do at your station, but on a long journey through the stars, everyone needs to stop and use the restroom, so you’ll at least make some money from fuel and dock fees. If you save enough money, you’ll be able to start adding more services to those two docks. A café appears to be a decent location to start because everyone needs a little pick-me-up before heading off to their next destination.
With a cup of coffee in hand, it was time to make sure I could protect this corner of the cosmos I’d carved off – it was time to erect a tower or two. So I gradually expanded my station, adding more power and solar panels until I had long-term parking hangars and could accept larger spacecraft. This could be a good idea!
Almost every building in the station has two or three renovations that could improve its efficiency. Spending materials can be obtained from numerous commerce ships that pass via your station. You’ll improve the AI’s upkeep, the efficacy of your power stations, and even the rate at which your guns fire. Each level of improvement necessitates increasingly expensive and uncommon products, so keep an eye out for trade chances on the landing pads.
A repair facility is a must-have for any good gas station, so that’s next on the agenda. Repairs bring in a lot of money, which allows me to start saving for high-ticket amenities like a restaurant or a park, both of which will attract more families rather than simply space truckers. It may cost a little money to put a billboard on the station’s exterior, but if it draws in tourists, all the better.
It’s time to…ahh dang it; it’s time for a radiation storm after I’ve got my economic engine up and running. Radiation storms and the occasional asteroid make quick work of the buildings on my station’s arms, and space doesn’t care about your intentions. To deal with those things, I’ll need to acquire shields, which will necessitate research.
Taking a left turn from profitability, I now need to set up a research arm to generate research points. I’m ready to start investigating base improvements and new technology currently that I’ve hired some scientists. These branches include upgrades to my armaments, utility pods, and commercial interests, albeit I discovered more fascinating blueprints with the traders on my various landing pads. Then, when the pirates arrived, I was ready to resume my profitability.
You’ll acquire numerous cannons that may be put on the tops of your station arms to protect against oncoming pirates and meteors as you go through the game. You’ll also build shields to save at least a small part of the area surrounding them, covering around five pods with an energy field that can repel the onslaught. Every time an attack or scientific misadventure strikes my station, I’m dealing with repairs, depleting my economy. It takes a lot of effort to run a radio station! To avoid going bankrupt, I take out a $3500 loan after I’ve bled completely dry.
Digging my way out by keeping my costs under control, I gradually expand my station, and my reputation among my neighbours improves. I started using marketing tactics to attract more visitors, finally getting to the heart of why I founded this station in the first place – aliens. I took my initial steps as an interplanetary power merchant after stumbling onto a construction schematic for an organic landing station. I have a ship repair shop, a bar, a fueling station, a motel, and enough weaponry to keep it all going. It’s not a horrible day at work, and the view is unbeatable.
I’d be sorry if I didn’t note how fantastic Space Station Tycoon’s music is. It has a thundering pace, and it fits the sci-fi vibe without going too far into odd whistles and Theremin sounds. I hope they provide the soundtrack as a download with the game; I’d want to listen to it while I write.
While Space Station Tycoon is still in its early stages of development, with a launch date set for early 2022, there’s already a lot to appreciate. There are over thirty buildings to play with, as well as drone missions to collect rare and exotic artefacts and a plethora of trading instruments, including a stock market, to help you establish your space station empire. In addition, a marketing engine allows you to plan out the types of individuals you want to attract, while a diverse arsenal of weapons will enable you to repel those you don’t. It’ll be a lot of fun and a great challenge, and I’m ready for it. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to run a station.
