Game review: Everspace 2 (PS5)

Everspace first came into fruition as a Kickstarter campaign, and the 3D space shooter successfully came out for most platforms in 2017. Due to the success of the first game, developer Rockfish Games immediately went to work on the sequel, simply called Everspace 2. 

While Everspace was available on PC and last-generation consoles, Everspace 2 is only playable on newer hardware. The sequel is only available to play on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. You'll need to upgrade your hardware if you are still playing on older consoles. 

I never played Everspace before, so Everspace 2 is my first introduction to this series. The first thing I have to say about Everspace 2 is that this game looks beautiful. It's really fun flying around in the vastness of deep space and shooting down bad guys. 

Everspace 2 doesn't always take place in space either because there are some levels where you get to visit different planets too. You never get to land on planets and explore on foot, but I do admire the change in scenery when you do some missions in the game. 

You don't have to worry about the load times being very slow because this game performs exceptionally well on the PS5. I do not think Everspace 2 would have been able to run on older hardware such as PS4, Xbox One, or Nintendo Switch because the game is so vast. 

Some newer players may also like Everspace 2 because the sequel does not share the same roguelike features of the first Everspace. The levels are not randomly generated, and you don't have one life in the sequel. I usually don't like playing roguelike games, so these changes
benefitted me a lot. 

Another thing the sequel does to make it more approachable for newer players is that it includes many difficulty settings. If, for some reason, the bad guys keep killing you, you're free to change the difficulty at any time if you're struggling with the many action sequences you have to partake in. 

As for the story, in Everspace 2, you assume the role of a clone pilot named Adam Roslin. Adam is currently on the run from the authorities, and his friend Ben is injured by some space outlaws. Adam then befriends a stranger named Dax, who is trying to keep a low profile and is also trying to get medical help for Ben. 

Without giving you many spoilers, there are a lot of twists and turns to the story, and many other people will join the party. That being said, Adam Roslin is still the only playable character/spaceship in the entire game. 
 
Speaking of the story, Everspace 2 uses cool motion-activated illustrations for its cutscenes. The illustrations are really detailed and look far better than the still images that were used as cutscenes in Redfall. 

In terms of gameplay, Everspace 2 is a looter shooter at heart, but most of the action takes place in space. As aforementioned, there is no boots-on-the-ground gameplay as the game strictly only allows you to pilot a spaceship during its 30-hour campaign. 

The game's map is very vast, as you can fly to many different solar systems and reach light speed. Travelling to different star systems doesn't take too long because your spaceship can travel very fast across vast distances of space. Most of the time, the game is helpful because a waypoint usually points where you need to go next. 

Controlling your ship takes a bit of getting used to, but the combat in this game is fast and very satisfying. I opted to play the game like an FPS so I could aim using the right stick and shoot using the right trigger.

That being said, this control scheme wasn't optimal all of the time because doing a barrel roll during the default setup is annoying. In the default control scheme, you need to hold the R3 button and turn left or right to dodge the roll. Thankfully, you can map the controls to barrel roll using the shoulder buttons instead. 

Aside from shooting normal bad guys, there are boss fights and enemy bases that you can destroy. Not to mention the game allows you to collect lots of loot too. Some of the loot you acquire can include armour or new weapons for you to attach to your spaceship. 

When you are flying and shooting, you will have to make sure you don't crash or use too much ammo. If you crash, you will need to spend money to get your spaceship fixed. Likewise, you will also have to spend money if you want to replenish your stock of missiles too. 

While Everspace 2 is mostly an enjoyable game, there are some parts that I didn't like going through. For one thing, there are many missions in the game where you have to search for a specific item or more. These types of missions are annoying because they don't give you a waypoint. Sometimes it takes me ages to find what I was trying to look for. 

Other people might also not like the repetitive missions that the game has as well. When you play the game for several hours, many of the missions feel the same as you travel to a specific location and have to find an item. Most missions, though, require you to kill a certain number of bad guys because you can continue. 

Aside from a few minor flaws, I still had a bit of fun playing Everspace 2 on PS5. The graphics are amazing, and the combat is fun, much like a Star Wars video game. This game is definitely worth playing if you love science fiction settings.
 
Verdict: 8.0/10