by theygamesSpace Engineers 2 is certainly an exciting prospect. It’s been more than a decade since its predecessor first landed in early access, and now, more than six years since the full launch, it boasts a strong 89% Steam review score from almost 100,000 user ratings. Developer Keen Software House has decided that the time is right for a refresh, using all the knowledge it’s gained to reimagine its beloved space sandbox game from the ground up. After much teasing, the first alpha version is finally upon us, giving you access to its initial creative mode with plenty of toys to start, and many more on the horizon.
Back in 2015, our Space Engineers review proclaimed the interstellar sandbox game one you should “buy, unless you are bereft of even the slightest shred of creativity.” Keen Software House describes Space Engineers 2 as a game that “takes everything we’ve learned over the past ten years and reimagines the space engineering experience with more depth and creative freedom than ever before” in its new VRAGE3 engine.
This initial alpha slice features the game’s creative mode, one of the most popular parts of the original game. So what’s changed? The new ‘25cm unified grid system’ makes building and snapping parts of all sizes together much smoother. A modular copy and paste tool lets you grab certain combinations of elements and quickly replicate them to use elsewhere across your base, whether it’s a simple frame or an entire engine bay.
Your hand-crafted space suit is packed with features, including an inbuilt mag-lock boot feature making it easy to walk safely on surfaces under low-gravity conditions. Its inbuilt thruster boost also lets you catch up to any floating objects or ships that might be drifting worryingly out of reach. Dynamic fractures and debris make destruction more realistic, while ray tracing, global illumination, and tessellated terrain all contribute to a more beautiful game.
After launch, Keen Software House lays out its roadmap moving forward. Version 1.1 will introduce Steam Workshop support allowing you to easily share creations with other players. 1.2 focuses on improved mechanics and interface refinements; 1.3 will bring modding support and a VRAGE editor.
Things get bigger and bolder with version 2, which will let you explore planets and make use of new tools such as backpack and projection building alongside further progression enhancements. Version 3 is all about water – specifically, ‘planetary-scale volumetric water’ with ocean and river engineering, boats, and even submarines.
Beyond that, there’s even more on the cards as development continues. NPCs and a story campaign will be introduced, along with multiplayer. Keen Software House notes that it has plans for more vertical-slice updates that will expand other core mechanics and introduce additional features, but isn’t ready to reveal all of them quite yet.
The Space Engineers 2 alpha launches into early access on Steam Monday January 27, priced at $29.99 / £24.99. You can find it right here. Keen Software House says it plans for the early access period to last approximately three years, meaning it will last through the end of 2027, and notes that the price will gradually increase over time as more content rolls out.
If you need more ways to let out your creativity, I’d recommend the best crafting games as a great option, and the best building games will give you even more potential choices.
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