It's time for lift-off! Captain your crew and find a new home for humanity in the Earthless demo, available to play now as part of Steam Next Fest!
We spoke to our Game Director, Hoi-Fung about the demo and what players can expect to experience! Here's what he had to say.
How would you describe Earthless to someone who's come across the demo in Steam Next Fest?
I think every sci-fi nerd has, at some point, wondered what it'd be like to be Captain Kirk and sit in that chair. How would you handle those tough decisions? Could you find that balance between completing your mission while also caring for your crew? That's Earthless. It's a game that strives to — at every level — evoke that fantasy of being a starship captain. And the roguelike genre lets you undergo these voyages where you never really know what to expect on each one. This is especially true regarding your crew, who have unique personalities that you'll have to constantly manage if you hope to make it to your destination.
For those who are super familiar with these genres, though, I'd say that Earthless is an elegant mix of different genres that defies simple descriptions. There's the roguelike deckbuilding that you know and love, but the grid-based combat adds a whole new dimension of strategy that makes Earthless feel very unique. And add to that your crew constantly chirping in your ear.
What advice would you give to players going for their first run in the demo?
Don't be afraid to take risks or make mistakes — especially in the beginning. It can be a lot of fun when things don't quite work out in your favor and even a bad voyage can still be a thrilling experience. More importantly, if you experiment and try new things you're more likely to stumble into strategies you might never have considered before!
Also, when building your deck, stick to just one or two general themes. Instead of always picking what seems like the strongest card at that moment, it's sometimes better to pick a weaker card that complements your other cards.
Lastly, don’t forget to use the tab to preview your enemies turn! Understanding what they are going to do is absolutely critical to being a better player.
What can you tell us about the enemies players will be fighting in the demo, the Lusks?
So, the story in Earthless is something we're very excited about and I don't want to give too much away! We really wanted to have the first enemy to have a nautical feel to them. They aren’t sentient but are an integral part of the galaxy's ecosystem. Think of them like the immune system of the galaxy - a common retro-sci-fi inspired concept.
How does the demo compare to the version of the game that will be available at the Early Access release?
Think of the demo like a little taste of what's to come when Earthless releases into Early Access in February 2024. You'll get a good grip of the basic systems, like combat, crafting, and crew management, and also get to experience several of the events like salvage sites, narrative encounters, and more.
A full Earthless run will consist of 3 star maps with 3 bosses. The demo ends after the first starmap/boss so expect harder difficulty when Early Access is out! Not only that, we will start to tease more of the story as we get closer to launch. Things aren’t as simple as they seem….
Early Access launch (and beyond) will introduce even more cards, enemy types, factions, encounters, upgrades — just a plethora of content to explore.
Play the demo and wishlist Earthless now!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2058960/Earthless/