Above Earth

About

Above Earth is a single player simulation game. It was developed by Steven Eric Boyette and was released on August 30, 2019. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Survive in high Earth orbit on a damaged space station after a global calamity. Craft equipment, perform dangerous EVA maneuvers and repair the station.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+15

Skip User Reviews

69%

Audience ScoreBased on 36 reviews

gameplay4 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

The game features a visually stunning environment and a compelling survival concept that immerses players in a challenging space setting.
It offers a rewarding experience for players who enjoy high difficulty and resource management, with a sense of accomplishment as they learn to survive.
The developers are responsive to community feedback and are actively working on updates to improve gameplay and balance.

The game is extremely difficult, even on the easiest settings, with unclear objectives and a lack of tutorials, making it frustrating for new players.
Resource consumption is unbalanced, leading to rapid depletion of food, water, and other essentials, which hampers progress and enjoyment.
The game currently lacks sufficient content and polish, with many mechanics feeling underdeveloped and the interface being clunky.

gameplay
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
12%
38%
The gameplay is described as challenging yet rewarding, with an intriguing premise and impressive environments that encourage exploration. However, the early access version suffers from rough mechanics, awkward interactions, and poorly explained systems, making resource management difficult and potentially frustrating for players. Overall, while the foundation is promising, significant improvements are needed for a smoother experience.
- “Excellent premise, intriguing gameplay, and a challenging start - all things that an amazing game should have.”
- “Very challenging gameplay, but very rewarding at the same time.”
- “The environment is very impressive and I could get lost in the gameplay.”
- “This early access version is (predictably) incredibly rough around the edges: the interface is all a single font, some interactions are awkward (why can't I turn on module power from the terminal?), some mechanics are poorly explained (looking at you, station overview menu), and the rate of consumption for resources is, in my opinion, far too high.”
- “Locating what item in space gives what resources is a big hurdle for early gameplay, and can easily result in your death as you waste resources inefficiently salvaging the debris field surrounding your station.”
- “Give it a year, see if the mechanics are adjusted.”
graphics
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
20%
40%
The graphics of the game have received mixed feedback, with some praising the impressive space visuals and 3D models, while others note the simplicity of the art style. Overall, many find the graphics to be top-notch and effective in creating a complex feel, despite the game's straightforward design.
- “The space graphics are killer!”
- “Initially, I was impressed by the nice graphics and 3D models.”
- “Don't spend months or years redoing the art style.”
- “Graphically, it's a very simple game, but it works and manages to look and feel very complex.”
story
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The game's story aspect is polarizing; while some players find it lacking and believe it needs a more engaging narrative to enhance the survival experience, others appreciate its potential and express a genuine connection to the story. The absence of multiplayer is also noted, with some suggesting it could benefit from cooperative gameplay to further develop its narrative.
- “Good story, good potential.”
- “This is the first survival game where I have really cared about the story.”
- “The game is lacking a storyline.”
- “No real storyline - every game needs something to keep it going other than sheer survival.”
- “No multiplayer - I believe this would be an excellent candidate for a 2-4 player multiplayer game, with a story behind it.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's optimization is currently lacking, with users expressing dissatisfaction and suggesting improvements for better performance. Many players are willing to return once optimization issues are addressed, indicating a desire for enhanced gameplay experience. Additionally, there are suggestions for allowing systems to function at lower durability levels, albeit with reduced performance, to encourage ongoing maintenance.
- “But game optimization is not ideal - it could be much better!”
- “I will definitely return to the game after optimization.”
- “A small suggestion: let systems work at lower durability levels (albeit at a lower performance) and let them deteriorate so they require constant maintenance.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is praised for its strong presentation, contributing positively to the overall experience, even if it intentionally lacks certain elements.
- “I'm still working my way through this, but it gets a thumbs up from me for presentation and atmosphere (or lack of it!) alone.”