Empyrion Takes Galactic Survival a Step Further
by Julie Morley
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Space simulation games have been a popular bunch as of late though each has been bringing something new to the table. Eleon Games Studio’s Empyrion : Galactic Survival may just be the most unique of the bunch I’ve seen as of yet.
Many space simulator games give the player the option to explore the universe and do as they please, but what about landing on these planets? Rather than pulling up a menu when the player approaches a planet, Empyrion allows the player to transfer from universe to individual planet without anything interrupting. That’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Let’s take a look into Empyrion, shall we?
Empyrion, which is developed in Unity3D is an open world space simulation adventure and survival game that allows players unlimited possibilities in the universe. Players explore the Andromeda galaxy and peruse as many planets as they wish, but there is a challenge, they must find ways to survive.
As for the player’s origins, long ago on Earth, an ancient spacecraft relying on Alien technology was found in the Antarctic. Earth was currently in a time of turmoil, covered in pollution, warfare, and resources were wearing thin. Humanity only had century left before it completely collapsed. So, naturally, this find of foreign, unlimited energy was an exciting breakthrough. Earth was desperate to say the least.
The scientists discovered it came from the Andromeda, their neighbor galaxy.
And so, with this alien energy source, a fleet of ships was created and a team was gathered under the name “Operation Phoenix.” They were designed to scour the universe and locate the sacred energy source in an effort to save their home planet. Upon activating hyperdrive, however, something goes wrong for one pilot (the player) and they get stuck in a different location in the Andromeda Galaxy, far away from the original landing point. The player is stuck on an unknown planet without an idea what to do.
The remainder of the fleet was killed during the phenomenon. Alone, the player must fix their ship, survive, and find a way to Empyrion, or paradise, for humanity.
From that point on, the player can fix and craft their ship with the various resources they find on the planet. Inspired by Minecraft and various world editing games, Empyrion allows players to manipulate the planet’s terrain and mine it for needed resources. From that point on, players can build virtually anything they want, ranging from additional spaceships to space and planetary stations to mining robots.
Aside from the creative pursuits in Empyrion, there is an important factor of survivability. The atmospheres on these planets differ greatly and certain necessities are scarce. Upon landing, players must immediately locate them and avert any inhabitants hanging about (which range in hostility and intelligence). If spotted, players will engage in combat and with their customized weaponry.
Luckily, for some, space can be a very lonely place but Empyrion brings in a multiplayer playability that strengthens this game’s presence in the space simulation genre. Following a similar story to the single player campaign, players can work together to build stations and explore the galaxy. And for those who are a bit adventurous, even go against one another in a PvP fashion.
Overall, Empyrion has a lot of features to look forward to that make it stand strongly in this genre. It’s unique, complex, and guaranteed to turn many heads. With the money acquired on Kickstarter, I’m looking forward to seeing this game become a reality.
[divider]You can learn more about Empyrion by heading over to its Kickstarter page. You can track the progress of the Empyrion Kickstarter by taking a look at our Campaign Calendar.
[author image=”http://cliqist.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/julie.jpg” ]Julie Morley is a freelance writer and comic artist from Spring, Texas. She attended the Academy of Art University for two years, studying Animation and Illustration. Whilst here, she learned about writing comic scripts, storyboards, and general storytelling. Since leaving college, she has been working on personal comic projects, stories, and illustrations. She aspires to release a self published comic within two years. For the majority of her life, she has been playing console games, typically being third-person shooters and sandboxes. Her favorite game of existence is Dark Cloud II (Dark Chronicle) and her favorite Indie game is Gone Home.[/author]
