Beyond the event horizon
The clear inspiration behind Starscape is the classic space shooter that is Asteroids, with its innovative physics-based gameplay marking it out as a landmark in gaming history. Starscape takes this concept and expands upon it a little to make a fun romp which offers heaps of blasting action but with a touch of depth. The plot finds you in control of the last space fighter attached to a research station known as Aegis. When Aegis's experiments into a new warp drive system go wrong and it ends up being blasted into another dimension, it falls to you to defend it from the hordes of vicious aliens that want nothing more than to see it destroyed. The game itself is a topdown shooter which requires you to defend the Aegis from attack. However, there's a bit more to it than that and you'll need to mine resources from nearby asteroids in order to research new technology. You can also call in the Aegis for help while also upgrading its defenses and keeping an eye out for survivors floating in space. Once you've mined all the resources in an area and beaten the boss, you can move on to the next area where you'll find new enemies to defeat. Starscape isn't an overly complex game but it does include a few nice extras which help make it stand out. The mix of blasting and mining is a good touch while the need to upgrade and look for survivors also means there's some variety which helps keep interest. The visuals are simple but the gameplay is compelling enough to keep you playing, making this is good choice for something unusual.
