Void Bastards

Good loop, some comedy, great art style

First of all, don't let the lack of hours fool you, I've played the hell out of this game on the GOG version, and on Switch. Void Bastards is a game that I like to describe as not wasting any space. It's one of the tightest designed roguelikes out there, where all of the gameplay mechanics just work so exquisitely well together. But don't go into it expecting a standard FPS experience, as it's much more about strategy and planning than shooting, which is something more of a last resort. That's not to say that fighting is always difficult, but if you can avoid exhausting the resources on it, then you're better off for it. Player who embrace the game's format and personality will find it to be one of the most unique and addictive games of its kind. [h2]The Story[/h2] After an unfortunate run-in with pirate vessels which left all human workers dead or mutated, an enormous prison ship known as the Void Ark is lost in the mutating Sargasso Nebula. The ship's comforting, highly corporate, British-voiced AI rehydrates formerly desiccated prisoners and sends them out into the Sargasso Nebula to find the parts necessary to restart the ship's FTL drive so the ship can return home. [h2]The Game[/h2] The gameplay loop sees you taking the role of one of many possible 'clients,' formerly incarcerated (and for all intents and purposes, deceased) citizens, who come with certain traits, either positive, negative, or both. You travel to various ships in the nebula, looking for parts to craft whatever the mission item is, as well as parts to build/improve your own equipment. You can also find more basic resources with which to craft parts, rather than obtain them directly. What parts and resources you're likely to find depends not only on what type of ship you enter, but what module of the ship you're searching. CUBES are likely to have staples (a type of ammo) and clerical parts, HAB is likely to have food and related resources, FTL is likely to have fuel, etc. As you search each ship you'll also come across various terminals that perform certain functions, such as increasing your oxygen supply, showing you the location of all cached items, removing any negative effects such as radiation, and more. Additionally, each terminal has the option to pay merits for increased functionality, such as total immunity to all environmental damage, a permanent shutdown of security, seeing enemies on the map, etc. Before entering each ship, you're given information that lets you know what you can expect if you choose to board, such as enemy types, how many of each enemy, and certain statuses that might be affecting the ship in positive of negative ways. Some ships might have lots of fire, and are best avoided. Others might allow you to access special terminal functionality for free. Some of these ship traits roll in incredibly helpful ways. For instance, some ships will have one type of enemy be your ally...yet only have one enemy type, period. That means that all you have to worry about are security elements, and even then, your allies will attack them for you. Some information however, you're not given, particularly whether or not a ship needs to have its generator restarted before you can start looting and/or leave. While all of this is happening, you need to make sure you're collecting enough food and fuel to sustain yourself as you go, as running out of either will greatly affect your health if not replenished in a hurry. The game can admittedly be pretty stingy about both of these resources at times, though there are ways to stock up on both, such as requisitioning them from CNT ships. The star map also has its share of hazards, such as Void Whales and Pirates, the former being insta-death, the latter being likely death. These can be taken care of if you have a torpedo in your possession. There are other, less dangerous hazards as well, some that takes all of your food, and others that actually change your traits, for better or for worse. [h2]Presentation[/h2] Void Bastards presents itself in the graphic style of a comic book, complete with on-screen onomatopoeia when certain sounds occur. It's not the only game out there to do this but it's nonetheless a charming, cell-shaded aesthetic that works well with the overall setting. The overall theme of the game is that of oppressive bureaucracy, as the game offers a satirical take of an overly regulated business world, where all of the murder and mayhem is presented within the context of a standard, business day, complete with buzzwords, ludicrous red tape, and enemies which are essentially mutated versions of worker drones, Janitors, Executives, Pencil Pushers, etc. Your default gun, a pistol, is known as a 'regulator,' while the shotgun-type weapon is rigged up using spare parts and office staples as ammo, hence its name, the Stapler. Overall, the graphics, sounds, and themes all work well together to present the vision of a cynical, bureaucratic dystopia that manages to be more funny that depressing. [h2]Conclusion[/h2] Void Bastards is a game that rewards strategy over brute force and long-term planning over impulsive reaction. It's not necessarily going to offer flashy level design or the biggest game world, but for players looking for a tight, well thought out experience which offers more than just bullets and chaos (though there is plenty of that at times), the game may well prove to be one of those that's hard to put down, always tempting you to try just one more ship before you call it a day. It's already one of my favorite games of all time and while some may consider the gameplay loop to be repetitive, it's one I've happily come back to over and over again. I highly recommend that those giving it a try go into it with an open mind and be willing to embrace the game's methods and format, and for that, you'll be rewarded with one of the most fiendishly fun shooters and roguelikes out there.