Scrap Galaxy Review

Building your own spacecraft can be hard. Sometimes you might not have the right parts to create your dream ship and you will have to make do. Another time you will just be in it for the laughs. For player two over there, it seems that rear-facing cannons are all they want. Personally, I prefer a cannon on each side and some oddly placed thrusters. Keep the enemy guessing. Then again, spinning out of control may be the fault in my design. You see here in Scrap Galaxy it isn’t so much about building the most graceful ship as it is building the most outlandish. Then battling to the death, but then again, what else would you do with a spaceship?

Welcome to the four-player, ship-building, battle world of Scrap Galaxy. I first got to play Scrap Galaxy back at the Sweden Game Conference and now that the full game is released I’ve been able to spend more time with it. That initial joy I had playing it at the conference with friends has only been made more clear thanks to the additional hours I’ve put into this wonderful title.

Building a ship that focuses on weapons is always the first idea most players will have but after some time with Scrap Galaxy you will be thinking outside of the box. For example, in one match one of my group built a ship that used their weapons recoil as a well to propel their ship forwards. Others would focus on armour, where possible, and some would just take thrusters and mines. Even though there is only a set number of different types of building blocks how you choose to use them is up to you. This is without a doubt the funnest part of Scrap Galaxy. Seeing what the game deals you and then building the best or even the craziest ship you can and seeing what happens.

Once in combat the results of your creative ship building come to life - for better or worse - as you battle it out. With controls that are simple to understand, fast to master and feel responsive even in the weightless void of space. You always feel like you are in control and able to react accordingly to whatever your opponents throw at you. Of course, depending on how you build your ship you may find the feel of the controls changing but that is to be respected. If you put few engines on a massive hulk of metal, then you can understand why your turning might not be as tight as another design.

Though the game is a local co-op title you will be happy to know that the AI is able to hold up to a human player with ease. From the design of their ships to the way they fight in a battle, the AI will keep you on your toes and help you learn more ways to play against your friends rather than just be cannon fodder. One of the most interesting parts of the AI is that you can set them up in a game on their own and watch them construct, battle and repeat. Beyond being an extra source of enjoyment it is also a fun way to learn different ways to build your spaceship.

One of the best elements of Scrap Galaxy is the solid performance throughout the game, regardless of how much is going on. With a 2D art style that is easy to read and allows you to keep track of the information, you need during a battle. This is accompanied by a fitting soundtrack and sound effects that aid in setting the tone and feel of the title and keep you in the zone during those frantic moments with friends. From launch to close, Scrap Galaxy keeps a smile on your face with its presentation and performance that helps sell this title.

All in all, Scrap Galaxy is a robust title that is a fantastic addition to anyone's collection of local co-op games. Moving forward it would be nice to see the inclusion of a few more block types and maybe an extra game mode or two to expand on the solid gameplay that is present. Take note that there is support for online play via a free service called Parsec but currently the title lacks multiplayer via Steam. This shouldn’t put you off playing Scrap Galaxy though as it has plenty of content at launch to keep you and your friends entertained for hours making it definitely worth picking up.

Scrap Galaxy is available for PC now via Steam.