Ludography
69/100
Critics7 reviews
69/100
Metacritic15 critic reviews
More scores
Metacritic usersuser score
36/100
GameFAQsUnforgiving
5/5
Player reviews
57% positive375 reviews
Steam Deck
Verified
Runs on
Windows, Mac, Linux
Price
US$8.99

Where to get it

Spacebase Startopia cover

2021 · Realmforge Studios · Simulation · Strategy

Spacebase Startopia

Spacebase Startopia captivates with its original mixture of economic simulation and empire building strategy paired with classic RTS skirmishes and a good dose of humor. In addition to the challenging single player Campaign and the versatile battle mode, there are also competitive and cooperative multiplayer modes for up to four players. And as if maintaining the three Space Station Decks, entertaining the eight Alien races and defending against enemy invaders were not enough of a challenge, the dynamic narrator AI is not going to mince matters and commentates the events in a lovely but sharp-tongued manner.

Released
26 March 2021
Platforms
LinuxNintendo SwitchPlayStation 4PlayStation 5WindowsXbox OneXbox Series X/SmacOS
Genres
SimulationStrategy
Developers
Realmforge Studios
Publishers
Kalypso Media
Modes
Co-opMultiplayerSingle-player
Perspective
Third personBird view / Isometric
Themes
Science fictionSandbox
Engine
Unity
Age ratings
GRAC 12+CERO BACB PGPEGI 7ESRB E10+
Languages
Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Portuguese (Portugal), Russian and 1 more
Time to beat
16hmain story17hcompletionist

About

Startopia is a video game by Mucky Foot Productions (formed by ex-Bullfrog employees) and published by Eidos in June 2001, in which the player administers various space stations with the task of developing them into popular hubs. The game has a comical overtone, with lighthearted humour and cartoonish aliens. The game was re-released on GOG.com in September 2012 and was added to the Steam catalogue in October 2013.

Startopia was shortlisted for BAFTA PC Game of the Year in 2001.

›Story

"Help, we're all going to d... Wha... Oh, excuse me, it seems my system is no longer up-to-date – [old memory status deleted] – so, much better… WELCOME to the Spacebase Startopia! I'm VAL, your helpful and efficient Space Station AI!

According to my records, this Station hasn’t been used at all in the last 17 years! How very strange. Furthermore, it would appear that you are the only rational life form in this Sector. Well then, CONGRATULATIONS!

I hereby officially pronounce you Commander of this Space Station! Hopefully you will enjoy more success than your predecessor who, according to the logbook, er… ran into some wormlike Aliens… Oh, nothing to worry about!

To keep the same thing from happening to you, there's a lot you're going to have to do. Amongst others, there’s the development of further Sectors, maintenance of the three vital Main Decks as well as the customer acquisition and entertainment of our extraterrestrial visitors, who provide us with sufficient Energy for our plans for global improvement. Oh, and before I forget – it's probably just a bug in my security protocols anyway – but my sensors are showing just loads of enemy creatures in all of the other Sectors…

So, what are we waiting for? Let's get to work! Let us join forces to conquer space."

Players say

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

The player is tasked with developing a series of space stations according to the wishes of various employers. The game is set after an apocalyptic galactic war, and many of the stations are in a state of considerable disrepair. It is hinted that these space stations are essentially the last few space-based environments available to the denizens of Startopia, as most of them had been destroyed during the galactic war.

The player has no direct control over the aliens that wander about the station. Instead, it is the player's job to construct rooms and hire aliens to staff them. The rooms provide basic necessities as well as recreation, encouraging visitors to remain on the station and continue spending money. Each type of alien is suited to a particular kind of task, and individual aliens have a set of statistics that determine their value as an employee.

Reception

John Lee reviewed the PC version of the game for Next Generation, rating it four stars out of five, and stated that "Although a bit short on missions, it turns out to be a real kick to build your own luxury hotel in space.

Startopia received generally favorable reviews upon its release. It holds an average of 85% and 86/100 on aggregate web sites GameRankings and Metacritic.

Legacy

During the August 2019 Gamescom, Realmforge Studios and Kalypso Media announced Spacebase Startopia, a new game based on Startopia. It was scheduled to release on October 23, 2020, for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Microsoft Windows and in 2021 for Nintendo Switch, would include both competitive and co-operative multiplayer elements. After delays in production, the remake has then been officially released for all platforms on March 26, 2021.

Releases by platformdates and regions as published

PlatformReleasedRegions
Xbox One26 March 2021Worldwide
Windows26 March 2021Worldwide
Linux26 March 2021Worldwide
macOS26 March 2021Worldwide
PlayStation 526 March 2021Worldwide
Xbox Series X/S26 March 2021Worldwide
PlayStation 426 March 2021Worldwide
Nintendo Switch24 September 2021North America · Europe 24 September 2021

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Description adapted from its source, CC BY-SA 4.0.