How many days has it been?
Days have bled into weeks, and weeks into months. Months since the space station went up in flames, and by some fleeting miracle, you managed to survive by the skin of your teeth. You still couldn’t help but feel guilty- not everyone was so lucky; no one made it out with you in the emergency pod. It was a blessing and a curse. The only solace being you didn’t have to divvy up supplies, allowing the faintest flicker of hope at being able to last just a little longer: just long enough for a rescue.

A flame that soon extinguished when the reality of dwindling supplies and rations could no longer be ignored. The very thing that had been your saving grace is slowly becoming your metal-clad coffin. There would be no rescue. There are only two options at this point: Waste away with your dwindling rations, accepting your fate, or take your chance. There were whispers of a Moxora Outpost… transmissions with a promise of hope.

It may be worth the risk. Besides, you’ve got nothing left to lose. 

Thanks to the Yunadel Space Station meeting a tragic end...you're stranded.

Astrometica is a Space-Themed Survival Craft title developed by BeryMery/RockGame SA. Players familiar with titles like Subnautica will find the formula very reminiscent. If the unknown depths of the ocean are not for you, perhaps the vast expanse of space is. Currently in Early Access, the developers have obviously been hard at work ironing out some growing pains and balance issues, (the most recent being are-balance of the food and hunger depletion rates, which I was THRILLED to see) and adding additional polish to this fairly sound title. However, you really have to bring guns blazing to the table when it comes to adding another title to the already densely populated slog of survival-crafts on the market. Considering I find games like this a guilty pleasure, I was excited to jump in and see how it held up in its current state.

Humble beginnings. What little remains of your supplies, and a simple fabricator. 

 As previously mentioned, anyone who has previously played Subnautica will IMMEDIATELY draw the parallels between the two. It’s quite inevitable, as not only the building system is very much a similar experience, but the overall interface as well. You will craft things like air tanks, back packs, scanners, and other various components to build yourself a suitable environment to function in. Being stranded in your escape pod with bare minimum, it’s a steady grind of going out and collecting materials within range, working your way up to better equipment and tools that allow you to stay out longer, and be more efficient in how you gather. Again, a very familiar formula, especially when it comes to our dearly beloved Survival Craft. That being said, while there are many parallels that can be drawn when it comes to functionality and controls, as well as some of the UI, can it stand on its own? Is there enough substance here to make it a unique, enjoyable experience?

Some of the joy of exploration is finding beautiful, curious sights.

I feel like, in it’s present state, my opinion leans twords a resounding “Sorta?”. When a formula is so reminiscent, sometimes it can be difficult to accurately gauge the differences. The main player is, obviously, your location. Stranded in your escape pod after Space Station Yunadel is destroyed, and growing short on supplies, you opt to try and venture out and find any signs of help since your pod finds itself now stranded on a massive asteroid. It’s a fairly unique premise, despite the use of the “Oh no, stranded!” troupe, setting the stage for you to make your way through space, finding abandoned wrecks, bases and mines in your search. You will find a good amount of lore scattered through as logs and data pads, building up the story around you as you explore. Realistically, however, I found that I felt it was “More of the same, but different” – though that may not be a bad thing, ultimately.

Despite being relatively safe in most areas, it can become readily apparent when you're about to find trouble. 

The controls handle as one would come to expect from any other title in this genre, and I had no complaints the entirety of my time in-game. Responsive and intuitive, you really couldn’t ask for, or expect more. The graphics are par the course, and while not standing out, they do have that fairly realistic charm while having just the faintest touch of cartoonism that I personally find quite enjoyable. One thing I felt did stand out, however, was the musical score. While not utterly groundbreaking, it was easy to fall into the swing of things, and the mood, mining away at asteroids while enjoying the tone set.

Make your base your own! Build for function, fashion, or both.

One of the joys with a game like Astrometica, is it’s a very at-your-own-pace title. When I look for something to simply space out to (pun intended) and lose myself in for hours on end; this is one of the titles I found INSANELY easy to do so with. Building ultimately feels rewarding, and you have a fairly large amount of items you can customize your base with. Though, once you really start to dig into the story, and actively begin to seek a way forward to advance, I found there comes a point where it feels very easy to get lost, and not know what you’re suppose to do next. This, along with some shortages of needed materials (or in some cases, lacking good distinction between materials) were cause for some of the largest irritations I had. With the title currently being in Early Access, it’s something I expect will be addressed- along with other basics. Mainly, some of the explanations are a little to sparse and bare to really give players a hand up. I completely understand not wanting to hand hold, but there’s a difference between that, and explaining how in-game systems and tools work. Things such as how to change batteries in tools is skimmed over, and other minor issues like a laughably small inventory stack size are fairly common frustrations.

What exactly happened here?

Despite small inconveniences I’m sure will get addressed by the time Early Access draws to a close, for any fan of Survival Craft titles: Astrometica will be an easy choice. However, players in search of anything akin to a new and fresh experience, for the time being, may want to pass. While fundamentally sound inexecution, plot, and theory, it ultimately feels like “more of the same”, just in a different setting. This is not necessarily a bad thing, however. It entirely depends on what you’re seeking out of a game like this. If you “enjoy the formula” (much like some games follow something very similar to “The FarCry Formula”) this is ABSOLUTELY a no-brainer to pick up. It checks just about all the boxes someone such as myself could hope for: Solid visuals, story, enjoyable game-play loop, fun items to build, interesting pieces to customize your base with, and curious lore- you really can’t go wrong. Especially not with it’s Early Access price point, it’s not one for Survival Craft enthusiasts to miss out on.

Astrometica is currently available on Steam in Early Access for $19.99 USD.