Everspace 2
One of the recently added titles on Xbox Game Pass is Everspace 2, a space shooter that promised a "vivid open world" and "tons of loot" that started to sound like a dungeon crawler. Dungeon crawlers are always a fun genre to play as it's one of the easiest to "turn my mind" off and only focus on how much damage I do to waves of helpless enemies. Take that same concept immortalized by games like Diablo and place it in space. Suddenly, everything changes from a rather simple "3D action dungeon crawler" to a vast open "space crawler," if that's even a term.
Everspace 2 puts players in the cockpit of several space crafts, piloted by Adam. Adam is a clone soldier who has made enemies with various high-ranking people of power. These people want Adam and everyone close to him dead. Upon being captured and detained by a hulking figure known to Adam as "Gasmask," this act seemingly pisses off everyone within a million-mile radius as they all hone in on his location. Together, with fellow inmate Dax and other allies he comes across, Adam decides to take the fight to his adversaries.
The premise of being a scorned ace pilot with blood on their hands and enemies at their tail is similar to Chorus, another similar space shooter I covered over a year ago. There are many similarities between both titles and yet they are vastly different from the other. The combat in Chorus felt more action-based. I called it similar to an arcade game where you're dodging and barrel-rolling out of harm's way while blasting fools into scrap metal, floating in the galaxies.
While there are many epic battles that led to many close calls, like, the "one hit away from death with no shields" type of close calls, Everspace 2 depends on skills in the form of "devices." Certain devices cause EMP disruptions, which stun the enemy. There's also an emergency boost that allows players to perform sort of a "hit and run" tactic. What's more, is that each ship has a different "feel" to it. The small and nimble crafts may not take as much damage as the larger ships but they can get out of jams and heal if need be.
The larger crafts would do better with devices that increase firepower while making the player feel like they're playing "Dynasty Warriors in space." Of course, there are also crafts that are in between the heavies and the lightweights, but it truly feels as if I'm playing a dungeon crawler with different classes ranging from a "rogue" to a "barbarian." I'm sure if I play through the game enough, I will eventually discover a set-up that is akin to a "Wizardry" class, utilizing devices to attack from a distance.
Each area in Everspace 2 is separated by specific zones which can be accessed via warp travel. While there is a main objective, the player can take on side missions as well as other quests they may come across on their journey. However, it's best to exercise caution at a low level not to stray too far from an objective. I made the mistake of entering an enemy fleet and while I was successful in destroying their base, I was almost a shipwreck taking on an entire armada by itself.
Games that feature aircraft, whether it's in space or in the air, are always fun to enjoy as the threats are within a 360-degree radius. Players have to be concerned not only about what's in front or behind them, but also what's above, below, and out of sight. Thankfully, the lock-on and targeting mechanics in Everspace 2 is painless. I never lost track of my enemy but it was always a matter of who was in who's line of sight first. A sneak attack was ideal but if I already had the attention of the enemy, I could pinpoint where they were, create distance, and then attack when I was ready.
The layer of strategy involved in dogfights was what surprised me the most. Everspace 2 isn't just a space shooter you can go in to fights completely unaware unless you get to a certain point where you find a build that dismantles enemies in droves. Early game Everspace 2 made me feel like a small little star in a vast universe that I have yet to fully explore and it's something I can't wait to discover as I play through more. Players curious to try a unique take on a "dungeon crawler" in space should definitely check out Everspace 2 while it's on Game Pass.
Everspace 2 is available on PC, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, and Game Pass.