Set Phasers to fun sci-fi fans, as Realmforge (Dungeons 3) and Kalypso Media just announced Spacebase Startopia and it's confirmed to be supporting Linux.
From the press release sent over by Kalypso Media, they confirmed it's "an all-new take on the 2001 cult classic" Startopia from Mucky Foot Productions. So they're going for the spiritual successor route by the sound of it.
In Spacebase Startopia, manage your very own space station, maintaining the three unique deck types, accommodating eight different alien races and defending against enemy invaders while also contending with the station’s sharp-witted and sarcastic narrator AI, VAL. Take on the final frontier by yourself as you strive to create the best trade and tourist destination in the galaxy in the challenging single player campaign and the versatile battle mode, or link up with up to four friends/frenemies in competitive and cooperative multiplayer modes.
They also sent along the announcement trailer:
Direct Link
Considering Dungeons 3 was pretty good and Realmforge did well with the Linux version, I'm pretty keen for this. I'm also a huge sci-fi fan, so this is exactly the kind of title I want to see.
Here's some screenshots Kalypso provided:
Interestingly, this is a title that Kalypso said is being "financially supported by the FFF Bayern", a company to promote media in Bavaria. Realmforge Studios are based in Germany, so it makes them a good match for it.
It's not due to release for some time though, as it's currently scheduled for Q3 2020. You can wishlist and follow it on the now live Steam page.
I hope Arona (or his descendant?) are in this game, very badly. VAL and Arona were the heart and soul of the first Startopia, and lent the game its strong English-humour character.
This is one of the only RTS games I played because it tricked me into thinking it was a management sim instead. Good though, because it meant that the mechanic was introduced slowly enough that even someone averse to RTS games could enjoy it.
Gods, the times I remember the mayhem of sandbox mode, eventually encroaching on my opponent on the other side of the station, security forces fighting one another, turret guns firing, the chaos!
Last edited by namiko on 19 August 2019 at 10:53 am UTC
Startopia was indeed a very nice and funny management game, and even though I didn't have a chance to test it against humain opponents, it featured enough features to kind of give a "direction" to your starbase as the solo campaign missions showed: hospital, prison, commercial center and so on.
I was expecting different strategies using those directions, but I think that was a bit too far away. And unfortunately, the fight part of the game was not really straightforward. I hope this part will benefit from this remake/sequel.
And Kalypso: I want a new Crookz (The Big Heist) while we're at it too with a lot of maps.
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