Hardspace: Shipbreaker

Hardspace: Shipbreaker makes disassembling giant spacecraft piece by piece fun for a bit, but due to a lack of variety in its puzzle-like objectives it soon devolves into hard labor.

A satisfying disassembly sim wrapped in cutting workplace commentary, Hardspace: Shipbreaker is a gig well worth taking up.

I’ve even got my own clandestine spaceship that I’m slowly repairing. It’s an option for escape, but it’s also somewhat hollow. Once the ship is repaired, I’ll be “free” to start my own spaceship salvaging company — it’ll be the same dangerous work, but at least I’ll be my own boss.

Hardspace Shipbreaker's 1.0 release delivers a compelling work sim where methodically salvaging derelict spaceships is as enormously satisfying as it is thought-provoking

Impressive efforts with a few noticeable problems holding them back. Won't astound everyone, but is worth your time and cash.

A blue collar simulator-cum-puzzle game, where each ship feels like a mini-campaign, Hardspace: Shipbreaker is a truly unique and rewarding experience, if you have the time and patience to clock in and put in the work.

Hardspace: Shipbreaker is an intricate anti-puzzle game that delivers a searing commentary on corporate abuse.

Hardspace Shipbreaker does everything it wants to do, and does it well. The shipbreaking is fun, tactile, and rewarding. The story is humorous, thoughtful, and engaging. And the music is relaxing and thoughtful.

Looking up at the night sky often brings thoughts of what it would be like to go into space. While humanity has reached out into the cold dark, we’ve not physically been any further than our own Moon. With the first manned mission to Mars still years away, it falls to comic books, television shows, and video games to open this expanse. As such, we often get tales of daring heroes who battle alien threats or craft their own stories as hot-shot pilots.

The pure freedom that it offers you is impressive. The more you’re willing to invest yourself into taking apart the ships in different ways, the more satisfying it is. It just feels good to form a plan of your own and watch it pay off in real time as pieces of the ship gracefully peel away in the exact fashion you imagined in your mind.