For Those Who Would Rather Build Space Bases Than Go Next-Gen

Spacebase DF-9 is a game for people who think “Theme Hospital meets FTL in space” sounds like a good time.

While currently still in development, an alpha of the game is playable (you pay to get access, funding further development), and even taking that into account this is hampering my ability to get work done.

It’s essentially a roguelike space station building game. Picking a star system from an, ahem, extensive list, you start with three astronauts and some supplies. From there, it’s all up to you.

After you’ve got the basic stuff laid out – everyone needs air and food – you’re free to start kicking back and just…building a base. Positioning sleeping quarters, dropping plants, opening a pub. It’s great.

Everything runs on a grid system, and your crew will need to be looked after, not just in terms of keeping them alive, but keeping them happy. It seems a bit under-cooked now, but there’s the beginnings of an interesting – and often pretty funny – Sims-like relationship system at play, which can give you something to lok at/manage during downtime.

Challenge comes in the form of enemy attack. Sometimes an enemy ship will close on your station and invade, other times you’ll come across a derelict wreck which you can explore, though in doing so you’ll generally have to fight stuff.

Your combat options are pretty limited though, as you can only assign crew members to the security detail then tell them a general area to respond to, but again, this is an alpha. Early days.

In fact, most stuff is limited. As you’d expect, given this is nowhere near finished. There’s not much else to do other than build and occasionally die, and stuff like AI routines just aren’t ready yet.

Despite the missing content and a few annoying bugs (I CAN’T PLACE FRENCH FRIES SIGNS IN MY PUB PROPERLY WWHHYYYYYY), I’m already having a blast tinkering with my own space stations, scrubbing them then starting all over again with a whole new crew in a whole new system. Can’t wait to see what’s actually in the thing when it’s finished.

You can check out more, and access the alpha, at the game’s official site