Space Siege Demo Impressions

Rock, Paper, Shotgun brings us some impressions of Space Siege after checking out the action RPG’s newly released demo.

More positively – no inventory, and all the bunkum that traditionally goes with that system. Or rather there is, but it’s impressively streamlined into a simple currency/upgrade system that means your mind is on the game, not the OCD loot collection/comparison. This is a Diablolike (of sorts) that doesn’t want to be defined by what’s probably the most ludicrous stereotype of the genre. I can’t do anything but admire that – it’s incredibly brave to ditch the foremost reason so many people play this type of game. Of course, this demo is barely more than a tutorial, so it’s not out of the question that inventory Tetris will show up later. I do hope not.

The question is whether what you’re doing instead of item-juggling – the killing of space-beasts – is rewarding enough to receive so magnified a focus. If it remains as it does in the demo, then I’m not entirely convinced it’ll stay fresh. The Doom 3-like décor is humdrum, the beasts unmemorable and the combat, while fast and admirably close to actual-shooty (unlike Mass Effect or Tabula Rasa’s uncomfortable faux-shooty), is horribly hampered by those bizarre controls.

Personally, I’m not a fan of the apparent lack of items. Here’s to hoping the full version gives us more variety when equipping and customizing Mr. Walker.