Hands-on: Everspace 2 is an arcade-style space shooter that respects your time

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Nestled in one of the side booths at PAX East 2020 near D&D dice companies and colleges discussing gaming degrees, Rockfish Games is showing off Everspace 2, the sequel to its 2017 arcade space shooter.

As a fan of both Elite Dangerous and No Man’s Sky, I went into this with high hopes and left completely satisfied with my time at the helm of a quick, responsive spaceship set in a gorgeous universe.

Everspace 2 builds on the original title, while also introducing entirely new ways to play, with the team telling me this title focuses more on the open-world aspects, allowing players to explore a huge galaxy how they want. Unlike sim space titles like Elite Dangerous, Everspace 2 very much respects the player’s time, allowing them to quickly hop in and out of battles, missions, and more.

In Everspace 2, players will be able to upgrade and change various parts of their ship to fit their play style. This includes weapons, as well. In the game, enemies will have a variety of shielding and health, and having the right weapons for the job will make your time in the game much easier.

It was also noted during my time that the game will be a fully single-player experience with a robust story, free of multiplayer elements. It will be interesting to see how fans feel about that when many of the space exploration games on the market have heavy online elements.

Overall, from my limited time with Everspace 2, it was an extremely enjoyable experience. Being able to quickly pick it up and play helps keep the barrier of entry low and the gorgeous backdrop will quickly draw you in, as well.

Everspace 2 is planned for a 2021 release date on PC, Mac, Linux, Xbox One, and PlayStation 4.

What do you think? Does this game look like something you’d enjoy? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook.

Editors’ Recommendations:

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• Hands-on: MisBits is a wild game where you steal bodies to give yourself abilities
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Josiah Motley

Former KnowTechie editor.