It looks like there’s a brand new intergalactic adventure waiting for fans of the space exploration genre. The sequel to the indie sleeper hit Starcom: Nexus is almost ready to launch, which will no doubt be great news for the more than 50,000 players of the original game. Starcom: Unknown Space has been given a release date today, with budding astronauts needing to mark December 14 in their diaries.

The game comes from Boston-based indie developers Wx3 Labs, which has been working on Starcom: Unknown Space for the past couple of years, following the success of its predecessor. It looks as though the sequel will use the original title’s successful formula, inviting players to lose themselves in the game’s expansive story-rich open-world universe. If the open-world space exploration of games like No Man’s Sky appeal to you, then Starcom: Unknown Space looks like it might be right up your street. Those curious to take a first look at the style and content of the game can check out a gameplay preview right here, although there will obviously be a few spoilers in it. So, avoid watching if you prefer to blast off into outer space and explore for yourself.

The follow-up to Starcom: Nexus promises to offer a range of improved content and systems in Starcom: Unknown Space, which certainly looks to be the case from the footage we’ve seen so far. According to Wx3 Labs, the game will make use of jaw-dropping graphics, a brand-new ship-building system, and new worlds with plenty of brand new mysteries to discover. These mysteries will have plenty of story content for those who need something more to do than explore space for exploration’s sake. Starcom: Unknown Space will have a variety of alien factions for players to get to grips with, including a number of characters in each group to build relationships with.

In addition, the new ship-building mechanics should also appeal to those who enjoy a bit of custom engineering, thanks to its modular building system which allows for greater creativity and customisation. Weapons, abilities and the abilities of crew members will all be available as parts of the player’s tech tree are unlocked. Additionally, players will be able to unlock, upskill and upgrade to their heart’s content thanks to the game’s new skill-based crew system. This has a knock-on effect on gameplay, influencing ship capabilities, planetary exploration and alien interactions, for example. Considering there are more than a hundred planets and celestial artefacts to explore and learn about, it’ll be important to stack up on skills throughout.

The game will be launching in Early Access after undergoing six rounds of closed betas with hundreds of players already. It’s expected that Starcom: Unknown Space will stay in Early Access for at least six months, but it’s most likely to stay there for a year or longer. Players can get ready to explore the new galaxies that await on December 14, when Starcom: Unknown Space launches on PC via Steam.

Source – PR