Recent reviews by Zedalpha

Super addictive game, one that does not suck your brain away, but forces you to use it. I like the fact that combat is secondary, and building and organizing is primary. The visuals are wonderful, especially the difference in lighting during the various times of day (no spoilers!)

On top of that, the team has communicated well with the community, providing clear information about updates and changes.

Yes, the game was in beta a long time, but the result is an amazing game that is a joy to play.

I was expecting it to be another hum drum survival-post apocalyptic game.

I was pleasantly surprised that it was a lot better than my expectations.

Even though not completely in my native language (audio clips and signage) it did not take long to get used to hearing and seeing Swedish. I found the attention to detail to be amazing and the environments lush and visually stunning.

My only criticism, and this is a small thing, is that some buildings were obviously duplicated. If it hadn't been for some props being in exactly the same place, I would not have noticed it at all.

Very enjoyable game that I plan to finish.

A great combination of stress and relaxation. Nice that there is a sandbox mode, so one can get familiar with ship types. Wish the advancement of tech for tools was a bit faster, but it does lead to budgeting. All in all, a great game!

I've had this game a while, and couldn't seem to get into it... until now, that is.

I have become obsessed, discovering its intricacies and fighting an amazing array of enemies while mining for glory!

Be careful... it'll suck you in, too!

Impressive graphics, but they need a better translator.

I like goal oriented games, but when I tried this, the interface was barely functional. I could not even get through the first mission. It had been a month and a half before I could get the machines properly in place, but I could not change the recipe. Frustrated, I uninstalled the game.

Wonderful asthetic and gameplay.

This game came out when I was in high school. At the time, I wasn't into horror games. I played puzzle games like Myst, but this game relied so heavily on Quicktime clips, very, very goofy ones, that any enjoyment that came from solving the puzzles was wiped out by the low quality of the animations.

If the developers had taken the time to remaster this game, even to merely rebuild the animations using modern technology, it might have made it worth it to play just for the nostalgia value. As it is, all that was done was to record the low quality Quicktime videos to make them playable within more modern operating systems.

I acquired this game in a bundle, so I didn't feel too cheated, but charging $5.99 for a twenty four year old, unremastered puzzle game isn't anything more than a grab for money.

Note to self: I should really not play games that, if I was doing it in real life, I would be getting minimum wage.

I am beginning to think that the developer has a single engine with basic physics that they keep using for every game.

Not worth the $.33 I paid for it as part of a bundle.

I have a particular love for sandbox gaming. When I was a child, sandboxes on the playground were usually in a sad state, with weeds, cat poop, shards of broken glass, and the ever present feeling of grit under one's fingernails.
Every once in a while, though, I would find a sandbox that was well maintained, or, even better, a beach, and I would go to town building all sorts of things. Castles, moats, entire ecosystems.

Space Engineers is not only a well maintained sandbox, but one whose developers have somehow gotten their hands on a mind reading device of some kind, and are able to anticipate what I would like from the game, in some cases even before I know it myself. Updates seem to be about monthly, and each time they have added features I had either just said to myself, "Hey, wouldn't it be cool if...?" or I was just about to say that. Eventually.

As it stands, I have had the game for probably about six months, and have logged nearly a hundred hours a month, because a game this good is like being at an all you can eat Swiss chocolate buffet.

In addition, the game has a very well done collision physic, which balances out creation with destruction in a very satisfying way. It seems like the game would become all, "Build ships and run them into each other," which is possible, but it turns into so much more. There have been times when I have worked hard on a ship, and then accidentally run it into another ship I build, and said, "Oh well, time to rebuild" and it is still fun.

Current cost for the game is ~$20 on Steam (Link). So, if you like space, engineering, and looking up and realizing it is Monday morning when you sat down to play after work on Friday, this is the game for you. However, a word of caution, this has the capability of completely taking over your life, so I would definitely take in small doses, or your diet may end up consisting of Hot Pockets made in the microwave you installed under your desk.
Now, for the breakdown:
Playability: Once you get used to the maneuvering system, with a keyboard and mouse you will be flying around three dimensional space like a pro. Building in either creative or survival is pretty intuitive and straightforward, with almost nothing one has to bear in mind. The visual clues from parts are obvious but not unpleasant. The resulting ships are aesthetically pleasing and still functional.

Graphics: A mix of complex and simple that works quite well. The pattern on standard plates is a bit... interesting, but not unpleasant.

Requirements: Not too heavy, but my six core system chugs sometimes while watching a video on the second screen while playing.

Ah, my Hot Pockets are ready. See you later