Hardspace: Shipbreaker

About

"Hardspace: Shipbreaker" is a simulation game where you play as a spaceship salvager, working to pay off a massive debt. With next-gen physics, you can cut and destroy ships at will, navigating hazards such as explosive decompression and radiation. The game offers a compelling campaign, freeplay mode, and competitive challenges.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 16,747 reviews

story1.4k positive mentions

grinding403 negative mentions

The graphics and art direction are stunning, with intricate ship designs and immersive environments that enhance the overall atmosphere.
The gameplay loop is engaging and satisfying, combining puzzle-solving with strategic planning in a unique zero-gravity setting.
The soundtrack is exceptional, contributing significantly to the game's charm and enhancing the immersive experience with its relaxing tunes.

The game suffers from poor optimization, leading to performance issues on lower-end systems and frequent crashes or stuttering.
The story is criticized for being overly simplistic and preachy, with unskippable dialogue that disrupts the gameplay experience.
Many players find the grinding aspect tedious and repetitive, exacerbated by a lack of ship variety and engaging content in the later stages.

story
5,730 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
67%
9%
The story in "Hardspace: Shipbreaker" has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it either engaging or overly simplistic and preachy. While some appreciate the pro-labor themes and character development, others criticize the unskippable dialogue and the heavy-handed delivery of its anti-capitalist message, which can detract from the gameplay experience. Overall, the story serves as a backdrop to the core shipbreaking mechanics, but its execution has left some players feeling frustrated and disconnected from the narrative.
- “The multiple different difficulty levels with separate save files, the ongoing multiplayer challenges, the way the story is told - all beautiful.”
- “Since then the game's had some positive changes and polish, the story keeps the momentum going, and it all pays off with a great ending.”
- “The story just enhances the ideology of the game and makes it that much better.”
- “The story is meh!”
- “Unskippable anti-capitalism propaganda dialogue clumsily wrenched into the game as 'story'.”
- “Great basic gameplay loop, but ultimately ruined by the story.”
gameplay
4,036 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
53%
4%
The gameplay of "Hardspace: Shipbreaker" is widely praised for its unique and satisfying mechanics centered around dismantling spaceships in a zero-gravity environment. Players appreciate the engaging core gameplay loop, which combines puzzle-solving with strategic planning, as well as the gradual introduction of new tools and challenges that keep the experience fresh. However, many reviews express frustration with the intrusive and unskippable story elements that disrupt the flow of gameplay, leading to a sense of repetitiveness and a desire for more ship variety and gameplay depth. Overall, while the gameplay is enjoyable and addictive, the narrative aspects detract from the overall experience for some players.
- “The gameplay feels good, the graphics look nice, and the upgrade progression is satisfying.”
- “I quickly fell in love with Shipbreaker's main gameplay loop, which is to break down the spaceships as fast as you can within the time limit while minimizing your mistakes and life-threatening mishaps in the process.”
- “The core gameplay loop is incredibly satisfying, as the game introduces new ship configurations and components to puzzle out how to deal with efficiently and without death.”
- “The more the game goes on, the worse the clash between the gameplay and story gets.”
- “The gameplay is repetitive, but that is intentional.”
- “The gameplay itself is enough to recommend, but honestly I also really enjoyed the story.”
music
1,734 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
46%
2%
The music in "Hardspace: Shipbreaker" has received widespread acclaim for its exceptional quality and fitting atmosphere, often compared to the soundtracks of beloved series like "Firefly." Players appreciate the relaxing, Americana-inspired tunes that enhance the game's immersive experience, although some note that the limited variety can lead to repetitiveness over extended play sessions. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's charm and appeal.
- “The concept and core gameplay loop are incredible, the general vibe of the game is amazing, with the aesthetic and music being absolutely top notch.”
- “The music is the thing that brings it all together for me, really helped sell the vibe that I was doing dangerous work on the frontier of space with minimal safety checks or regulation.”
- “The soundtrack is fantastic and really sets the scene for you.”
- “The music is a bit repetitive, but is relaxing enough and can easily be replaced with the music or podcast of your choice.”
- “The soundtrack is limited to very few tracks and it can get annoying listening to the same song over and over again.”
- “The music gets very repetitive, but there is an option to turn it off and play your own music.”
graphics
857 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
55%
42%
3%
The graphics of the game have received widespread praise for their stunning visuals, immersive aesthetic, and attention to detail, particularly in the design of ships and environments. Many players appreciate the game's unique art style, which evokes a nostalgic feel reminiscent of titles like Homeworld, while also noting that the graphics contribute significantly to the overall atmosphere and gameplay experience. However, some users have pointed out issues with optimization and a lack of adjustable graphics settings, which can affect performance on lower-end systems.
- “The graphics and art direction are gorgeous, from the design and engineering of the ships themselves to the massive imposing structures floating around you in endless space, which make the whole futuristic setting believable and stand out.”
- “The graphics are stunning, and the ship designs are intricate.”
- “The graphics are polished, the story is great, it really is a chill game, some good relaxation and stress relief tearing apart ships, as long as you process something on each shift you can take your time.”
- “The optimization is so bad I can't play it, and anything lower than ultra on graphics settings makes it look like I'm playing on a 4-pixel screen.”
- “Graphics aren't that impressive and perhaps don't really need to be, but you'll be looking at the same square and triangular pieces over and over again as you pull them out.”
- “The graphics options are severely lacking and the game becomes pretty frustrating to play due to the lack of precise control at lower framerates.”
atmosphere
514 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
44%
2%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and engaging qualities, combining a relaxing soundtrack with a sense of tension and danger inherent in the gameplay. Players appreciate the detailed sound design, graphics, and world-building that evoke a dystopian, corporate environment, enhancing the overall experience. Despite some frustrations with gameplay mechanics related to atmospheric pressure, the game's unique atmosphere and thematic depth resonate strongly with players, making it a standout title in its genre.
- “The graphical presentation of the shipyard and the sense of scale, both of the yard and the ships and their inner dimensions, feels exactly as I would imagine they would feel and help immensely to render the whole environment both credible and truly atmospheric.”
- “The atmosphere is fantastic: relaxing music, great view, colorful and detailed.”
- “The atmosphere, music, and graphics are all great.”
- “The constant reminders of your insurmountable debt create an oppressive atmosphere that adds a layer of tension to the gameplay.”
- “The story serves to get in the way of that atmosphere rather than enhancing it.”
- “The atmosphere is dripping with the cynical details of a dystopian mono-corporation future.”
grinding
416 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
1%
2%
97%
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed feedback from players. While some find the repetitive tasks and resource management to be tedious and time-consuming, others appreciate the meditative quality of the grind, likening it to other simulation games. Many players note that the limited variety of ships exacerbates the grind, making the experience feel monotonous, especially in the later stages of the game. Overall, the grind can be enjoyable for those who appreciate methodical gameplay, but it may deter players seeking more dynamic content.
- “This is a grind-heavy game; it's part of the joy of it in a way, but I'm not grinding to lose everything and do the first 3 hours of grind again for the 4th or 5th time anymore.”
- “Working around the hazards feels compelling but not tedious, and there are many ways to solve every problem.”
- “Grinding = 8/10 (no grinding)”
- “The problem comes later in the game where instead of interesting puzzles of 'how can I most efficiently take apart this ship' it becomes a tedious exercise of 'peel off these 300 little pieces and throw it in the barge'.”
- “I really tried to like this game, but it's so tedious and repetitive.”
- “The game just becomes too repetitive and grindy.”
optimization
329 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
67%
16%
The game's optimization has received mixed feedback from players. While some report smooth performance on mid-range PCs and improvements since launch, many others experience significant stuttering, frame drops, and crashes, particularly during graphically intense moments. Overall, the game is seen as needing further optimization and bug fixes to enhance the experience, especially for those with lower-end hardware.
- “Optimized performance: the game runs smoothly on mid-range PCs, except during graphically intense moments like large explosions.”
- “The graphics are good and the game has come a long way with optimization and frame rate.”
- “The load times were always less than 7 seconds even with the most massive of ships, a true testament to optimization along with the power of an NVMe.”
- “The optimization is so bad I can't play it, and anything lower than ultra on graphics settings makes it look like I'm playing on a 4-pixel screen.”
- “The game clearly needs better optimization.”
- “A tragic amount of money to have been wasted on a game with such poor optimization that I can't progress, despite having up-to-spec hardware.”
humor
297 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
98%
2%
The humor in "Hardspace: Shipbreaker" is characterized by a blend of dry, dark, and cynical corporate satire that effectively enhances the game's dystopian atmosphere. Players appreciate the witty dialogue, absurd situations, and the comedic portrayal of corporate exploitation, which often leads to hilariously disastrous outcomes during gameplay. While some find the humor to be hit-or-miss, many agree that it adds a unique charm to the experience, making the challenges of salvaging spaceships both engaging and entertaining.
- “Dying does not feel unfair or frustrating; it's even funny in most cases.”
- “The way the game portrays the hyper-corporate overlords that control every aspect of your (and every other worker's) life is a pretty believable outcome for the future if not for how humorous and over the top it is.”
- “The humor is also great with a lot of hidden humor (I strongly recommend people read the contract in the beginning of the game).”
- “The other cutters are obnoxious, unfunny, and bring the experience down.”
- “It's just funny (funny weird, not funny haha) that so many complaints are un-self-aware comments about a frustrating system being put on top of a fun thing.”
- “Stop, just stop, it's not funny; none of your characters will ever matter.”
stability
269 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
2%
93%
The game's stability has been a significant concern among users, with many reporting frequent glitches, crashes, and freezes that disrupt gameplay. While some players find the physics-based mechanics enjoyable, the bugs often lead to frustrating experiences, especially during critical moments. Overall, the game is seen as still needing substantial improvements in stability, particularly for those looking to engage in more challenging modes or lengthy sessions.
- “No glitches, no crashes, no game performance issues at all.”
- “I have encountered no glitches so far and I have played to the end of the campaign and done all the ships and their subvariants.”
- “This is one of the best early access titles I've played in a long time, and it's relatively bug free which is quite rare these days - I appreciate that it feels like it is in a completed state, but the developers are still making regular updates to the game.”
- “The game is still a buggy mess.”
- “It stutters, freezes, and, yes, crashes way too much.”
- “Currently very buggy with crashes that freeze the screen sometimes causing loss of all progress.”
replayability
148 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
55%
13%
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players noting that while the core mechanics are enjoyable and can be engaging for a time, the limited variety of ships and lack of modding options significantly hinder long-term replay value. Some players appreciate the potential for future content and procedural generation, which could enhance replayability, but many feel that once the campaign is completed, the game lacks sufficient incentives to revisit. Overall, while there are moments of fun and replayability, the consensus is that the game could benefit from more diverse content to sustain interest over time.
- “It feels as though there is still a lot of untapped potential here - true, procedurally generated ships to disassemble could offer almost endless replayability for those who just want to zone out and cut stuff apart without worrying about an overarching storyline.”
- “The gameplay itself is fun and the replay value is high, if you're into this sort of game.”
- “Great fun and endless replayability.”
- “Great game first playthrough, but game design kills replayability.”
- “I want to recommend this game, but due to lack of replayability and lack of involvement from developers as soon as they hit the release button - I can't.”
- “It was fun to play, but once I'd done every ship once, even with the procedural elements, it really didn't have any replay value.”
emotional
103 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
87%
13%
The emotional aspect of the game elicits a mixed response from players, with some finding the storyline and character development deeply touching and heartwarming, while others criticize it as boring and preachy. Many players appreciate the unique blend of gameplay and narrative that addresses themes of corporate exploitation and worker rights, leading to moments of genuine emotional investment, particularly towards the game's conclusion. However, the frequent interruptions from unskippable cutscenes and a perceived lack of engaging storytelling detract from the overall emotional experience for some, creating a divide in player sentiment.
- “Hardship Space Breaker isn't just a game; it's an emotional journey that left an indelible mark on my gaming experience.”
- “I bought the game to salvage ships and listen to relaxing music; I stayed for the unexpectedly heartwarming story and hot takes on worker rights.”
- “Never expected such an emotional ending to a game about breaking spaceships for parts, but there I was crying.”
- “But the career mode with its constant interruptions every 15 minutes and the unskippable, predictable, and frankly boring story really hold it back because the career mode is necessary to learn all nuances of shipbreaking.”
- “I have no idea where it went wrong, but instead of the homeworld universe with its mystery, loneliness, empty void of space, and ship derelicts, we got the most boring story and setting imaginable.”
- “The difference between early access and full release is the addition of a boring storyline with unskippable voice scenes (it's not a cutscene, you just stare at a wall while another character talks and you're prevented from interacting with anything). They're long, some of them are close to 5 minutes, and I also find them really bad and boring; it's mostly characters you don't care about complaining and whining.”
monetization
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
3%
86%
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its lack of microtransactions and pay-to-win mechanics, which contrasts sharply with industry trends. However, many players express disappointment over what they perceive as a cash grab, citing unskippable ads and a lack of meaningful content updates. Overall, while the absence of traditional monetization tactics is appreciated, the execution and game quality have left players feeling unsatisfied.
- “It's beautiful, fun, and well made - no microtransactions, no paywalls, no shenanigans - it's precisely what gaming should be.”
- “No microtransactions, no loot boxes, and no broken always online system.”
- “No microtransactions as of now!!!!!!”
- “Devs refuse to touch it further, kind of feel like this was a cash grab.”
- “Horribly disappointing, seems like it must be some fly-by-night cash grab.”
- “Its a ship salvaging game, only gameplay matters, not those 4th grade so-called story, only 4 or 5 ships with different variants, no new ship, no new tools, still unskippable cutscenes, still horrendous performance even with my 3090 and 5900x, just a shameless cash grab, don't buy it, they are only taking it out of early access so they can be done with this game.”
character development
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
37%
27%
Character development in the game is a mixed bag, with some players noting that only a few characters, particularly one NPC, experience meaningful growth, while others remain one-dimensional and unlikable. The overall storytelling is criticized for lacking depth and originality, often relying on clichéd character archetypes, yet some players appreciate the compelling narrative and the exploration of themes like corporate greed. Despite the shortcomings, there are calls for improved character interactions and customization in potential sequels to enhance the development experience.
- “Landmark storytelling it isn't, but to have a story revolve around my day-to-day breaking things, I was completely surprised by good character development and a telling story about corporate greed and union rights.”
- “Great soundtrack too, and I found the storyline compelling with good character development.”
- “Granted, the campaign is fairly long (yes it took over 70 hours to finish, so shoot me) and repetitively disassembling ships may become boring to some, but the plot and character development is amazing.”
- “The characters, though, are exactly what we've come to expect from woke developers. The most prominent NPC is an angry, aggressive, ethnically ambiguous lesbian woman with the sides of her head shaved, drawn in that ugly, cartoony, comic book-esque western animation style that seems to always accompany character designs like this, complete with bright-colored, poorly coordinated clothes.”
- “Weaver is the only character that goes through anything resembling character development; beyond him, the protagonists only ever have their views affirmed, and the antagonists are cartoonishly evil caricatures that are devilish, powerful, and cruel right up until the final act where they're forced to become impotent and pathetic for the protagonists to remain unchallenged.”
- “You have no communications with your family, no voices from the outside world except a handful of one-dimensional characters and one sole NPC who does gain some character development throughout the game.”

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25h Median play time

47h Average play time

8-59h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 168 analyzed playthroughs

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