Co-op shenanigans in area.
Figuring out that I might be spending a part of PAX West with some shut buddies, I used to be in the hunt for a multi-player targeted demo for the 4 of us to take a look at. When Devolver Digital reached out a couple of particular protection alternative that checked that very field, I could not rightly refuse to take a look at an upcoming sport from one in every of my favourite publishers. The title in query was STARSEEKER: Astroneer Expeditions, and although I’m not overly acquainted with its predecessor with whom it shares a universe, my buddies and I fortunately bopped across the co-op targeted world earlier than finishing our process and being whisked away off planet.
The demo located us proper in the midst of the motion, with an goal marker to go in direction of as we step by step discovered the controls and our capabilities as area station crew members. Crammed with vibrant and pastel-shaded colours, we labored to realize our first process of reaching the relay station. A lot of the enjoyable got here not from attending to the station however from bouncing world wide and enjoying with the totally different tools we began the demo with. My instrument could possibly be used to deform the bottom to create pits or tunnels or in its alternate mode may shoot a blast of air or vitality to propel enemies (or possibly buddies) ahead; one other good friend may shoot water from his package to wash off goop disrupting our progress or coating essential objects. I used to be left with no selection after we had completed all the demo’s important duties however to make use of my gear to launch my teammates off the mountain we had scaled. It’s this kind of freeform, emergent gameplay that Starseeker seems to experience.
After exploring the relay station, our subsequent objective grew to become the retrieval of a lacking sensor array, which luckily wasn’t too far-off. After all, the mission wasn’t going to be over that simply, and so our true check got here from scaling a close-by mountain whereas one in every of us introduced the array all the way in which to the highest. Our squad needed to work collectively to chase away enemies, create a tunnel that needed to spiral step by step upwards towards the summit, and carry the array alongside this path. The temptation for mischief was ever current, however we managed to withstand lengthy sufficient to get the tools up the mountain and activated, which signaled the conclusion of our work. All that was left was to traverse one other brief distance to our close by shuttles. Geared up with gliders harking back to Buzz Lightyear, we took a leap of religion and slowly made our means right down to the ultimate goal marker. Making an attempt to grab away our victory on the eleventh hour was a rocky creature, however our mixed efforts had been sufficient to push it away in order that we may make our escape.
The simplicity and freedom of the PAX West demo was one in every of my main takeaways, and it felt like I had solely scratched the floor of what could possibly be a very enjoyable however possibly much less demanding co-op expertise. I dare use the time period “cozy” right here, however loosely I believe it matches: the cartoonish visuals, the abundance of colour, the relative ease with which we may escape hazard. I can see the potential in Starseeker for a web based multiplayer expertise that I return to in massive or small bursts for the aim of chilling with buddies and dropping ourselves for some time on unusual planets in a linked universe. I’m excited by the prospect of a extra lowkey, much less pressure-filled journey with buddies, and in 2026 we’ll be capable of see and study extra as Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions prepares for launch on Change 2.
