Starbound
Starbound is a 2D sandbox adventure game developed by Chucklefish, a UK-based game development studio. Released in Early Access on December 4, 2013, the game officially launched on July 22, 2016. Here are some key details about Starbound:
Gameplay
- Exploration: Players start as a character from one of several races (human, Apex, Avian, Floran, Glitch, Novakid, Hylotl) who crash-land on an unknown planet. The game encourages exploration across procedurally generated planets, each with unique biomes, resources, and lifeforms.
- Building and Crafting: Players can gather materials, craft items, and construct buildings or entire colonies. The game features an extensive crafting system where players can create items from basic tools to advanced technology.
- Combat: Players face various enemies, from wildlife to hostile alien species. Combat includes melee, ranged, and magic-based weapons, with progression through different tiers of technology.
- Quests and Story: While the game offers a sandbox experience, it also includes a central storyline where players work to unravel the mystery behind the disappearance of Earth, involving interactions with NPCs, factions, and cosmic phenomena.
Development
The development of Starbound was initially funded through a Kickstarter campaign launched in April 2013, which raised over $183,000, exceeding its $150,000 goal. The game was influenced by titles like Terraria and Minecraft, but with a sci-fi twist, allowing players to travel between planets and galaxies.
Starbound's development was marked by several delays and scope creep, with the developers adding features like space travel, ship customization, and procedural content generation, which contributed to its long development cycle.
Reception
Upon release, Starbound received generally positive reviews for its expansive universe, the depth of its crafting and building mechanics, and its vibrant pixel art style. Critics praised the game's creativity and the freedom it offers players but noted issues with performance, bugs, and the balance between gameplay elements during its Early Access phase.
Post-Release
- Updates: Post-launch, Starbound has seen numerous updates which added new content, improved performance, and refined gameplay mechanics. Notable updates include the introduction of the Frackin' Universe mod, which significantly expands the game's universe and mechanics.
- Community and Modding: Starbound has a vibrant modding community, with players creating and sharing mods that add new races, quests, items, and even entire new systems to the game.
- Future Prospects: Chucklefish has expressed intentions to support Starbound with updates and possibly a sequel or spin-offs, though no concrete plans have been announced.
Sources
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