Kerbal Space Program 2
- February 24, 2023
- Intercept Games
- 9h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on Epic Games Store"Kerbal Space Program 2" is a space flight simulation game where players can design, build, and launch their own space vehicles. The sequel introduces new planets, moons, and celestial bodies to explore, as well as enhanced modding tools and multiplayer capabilities. Players must manage their crew, resources, and technology to establish a sustainable human presence in space.
PC
Playstation 4
Playstation 5
Windows
Xbox One
Xbox Series X|S
Cloud
NVIDIA GeForce NOW
PlayStation
Xbox
Reviews
- optimization3,181 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 26 % negative mentions
The optimization of *Kerbal Space Program 2* has been widely criticized, with players reporting severe performance issues even on high-end systems. Many reviews highlight that the game struggles to maintain playable frame rates, particularly during complex builds or when near celestial bodies, leading to frustration among users. While some players have noted improvements in performance with recent updates, the consensus remains that significant optimization is still needed for a smoother gameplay experience.
“Amazing, especially as they've continued to resolve optimization problems.”
“Performance had improved throughout 2023, and for science!”
“The recent 'For Science!' update is nice, and I can definitely see performance improvements since launch.”
“The game is a buggy, unoptimized mess that will never get fixed.”
“Performance is abysmal, bugs are rampant, and promised features like interstellar exploration, multiplayer, and improved physics are nowhere to be found.”
“The performance is absolutely atrocious, even on high-end hardware.”
- graphics2,547 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The graphics in "Kerbal Space Program 2" have received mixed reviews, with many players praising the visual improvements over the original game, particularly in terms of detail and effects. However, numerous complaints highlight significant performance issues, including low frame rates and graphical glitches, even on high-end systems. Overall, while the graphics are considered a step up, they are often overshadowed by the game's instability and lack of content compared to "KSP 1," leading many to recommend sticking with the original game and its modding community for a better experience.
“The graphics are beautiful and being able to see the fluid dynamics of the engine exhaust as you enter space is always mesmerizing.”
“The graphics are stunning and, in my opinion, surpass those of KSP 1 with moderate visual mods.”
“The graphics are a huge improvement over the first one, with stunningly detailed environments that will make you feel like you're actually exploring space.”
“This game is comparable to KSP1's early alpha, just with better graphics.”
“The entire dev team has been laid off, and the game is basically a less feature-rich version of KSP1 with some slightly fancier graphics, and the bugs are unbearable.”
“The only thing this has over the original is better graphics.”
- stability2,081 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 97 % negative mentions
The stability of "Kerbal Space Program 2" has been widely criticized, with players reporting numerous bugs, glitches, and performance issues that render the game nearly unplayable. Many reviews highlight that the game feels unfinished and lacks essential features present in its predecessor, leading to frustration among users who expected a polished experience after years of development. While some players acknowledge improvements over time, the consensus remains that the game is still a buggy mess, making it difficult to recommend at its current price point.
“It runs great now and is a lot of fun!”
“The game runs great and is pretty fun.”
“At this time, almost a year later, the game runs great and works well, as well as having more fleshed out features that are present in the first game.”
“This game is a buggy mess wrapped in glorious graphics.”
“The game is buggy and the development has stopped, still, they won't do any announcements and will leave this here to try to scam people into buying an early access that will never be completed.”
“The game is buggy, laggy, and unfinished... with no promise it'll ever be finished.”
- story1,184 mentions
- 10 % positive mentions
- 85 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story aspect of "Kerbal Space Program 2" has received mixed feedback from players. While some appreciate the introduction of a mission system that provides a sense of progression and purpose, many criticize the lack of depth and engagement in the narrative, describing it as thin and often overshadowed by persistent bugs that disrupt gameplay. Overall, players express a desire for a more robust story and mission structure akin to the original game, with many feeling that the current state of the game is lacking in content and polish.
“The missions are a lot more curated and get you to all of the interesting bits of the system with a few challenge tasks, but past that I don't have much ambition to do anything else other than science and mission objectives, so I feel 100 hours will get you to that point where you are doing 'vanity missions'.”
“The story pushes you to explore the whole system at a pace that I think is achievable for new players and fun for experienced players like myself.”
“The new exploration mode is a great combination of the original science and career modes, with missions that don't feel so asinine as testing a part at certain altitudes.”
“The once-satisfying challenge of engineering space missions has been turned into a tedious exercise in fighting against the broken mechanics of a game that’s forgotten what made it special.”
“The story of this game is one of abysmal mismanagement and incompetence and I do not have any more trust that what we were promised will ever be achieved.”
“It's impossible to do a simple mun mission without encountering (sometimes mission-ending) bugs in every phase of the mission.”
- gameplay1,106 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 76 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Kerbal Space Program 2" has received mixed reviews, with many players expressing disappointment over its numerous bugs, performance issues, and lack of promised features compared to its predecessor. While some appreciate the improved graphics and new tutorials, the core gameplay mechanics feel underdeveloped and often frustrating, leading to a consensus that the game is currently not worth its price tag. Players recommend waiting for further updates and improvements before investing, as the game still lacks essential elements like a career mode and stable orbital mechanics.
“KSP2 continues to serve as an educational tool, making complex concepts like orbital mechanics and spaceflight accessible and engaging.”
“The gameplay loop finally feels polished too, with the addition of science gathering, KSP2 has the core gameplay loop that will make playing engaging for hours at a time.”
“The tutorials are great and walk you pretty smoothly through what is a pretty steep orbital mechanics learning curve.”
“The once-satisfying challenge of engineering space missions has been turned into a tedious exercise in fighting against the broken mechanics of a game that’s forgotten what made it special.”
“It turned out to be a recycled version of KSP1 that didn't make many improvements to the gameplay at all, except for maybe the updated graphics.”
“The gameplay is still buggy and requires periodic restarts; I have had 1 crash to desktop in my 10 hours (at time of posting), but overall it's still fun, some quality of life features from KSP1 are missing but this is still early access and 2 days after launch and there is still lots of time to get the base game stable before all the amazing planned content.”
- atmosphere358 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in KSP 2 has received mixed reviews, with many players praising its stunning graphics and immersive sound design, which enhance the overall experience of space exploration. However, significant issues persist, including a lack of atmospheric heating and drag, leading to unrealistic re-entry scenarios and performance problems, particularly in atmospheric flight. While some players appreciate the visual improvements and the potential for future updates, the current state of atmospheric mechanics is seen as a major drawback compared to its predecessor, KSP 1.
“I have fond memories of struggling to launch my first pod into orbit, and then being blown away as the sun rose over Kerbin's distant horizon, refracting through the atmosphere and casting long shadows over the mountains far below, all while the music swelled in grandeur.”
“The textures, the clouds, the sun shining through the upper atmosphere in orbit - the game looks absolutely stellar and it's clear the developers have put a lot of love and care into the visuals.”
“The dynamic soundtrack is great and changes depending on the context of what's going on, whether you're in the VAB, launching, in the atmosphere, in space, or during orbits; it blends so seamlessly it's fantastic.”
“The graphics are great but the atmosphere effects and clouds still just suck so bad.”
“Right now, you just slow down... nothing burns up in the atmosphere... there is no challenge.”
“A space game without atmosphere entry physics?”
- music329 mentions
- 45 % positive mentions
- 54 % neutral mentions
- 1 % negative mentions
The music in KSP 2 has received widespread acclaim for its dynamic and immersive qualities, enhancing the gameplay experience significantly. Players appreciate the adaptive soundtrack that shifts based on in-game actions, such as launching rockets or landing on different celestial bodies, creating a cinematic atmosphere. However, some users have noted that the music can become repetitive over time, and there are mixed feelings about the absence of the original game's soundtrack. Overall, the sound design and music are considered standout features, contributing to the game's appeal despite its other shortcomings.
“The breathtaking visuals combined with the incredible sound design and soundtrack lead to some really cinematic moments.”
“The music swells at just the right time to highlight key accomplishments, and the rocket plumes and light reflecting off parts are really beautiful.”
“The dynamic music really makes exploring worthwhile.”
“The janky music and countdown before launch just makes it a joke; the editor has all the same parts but makes it harder to use for no benefit, removed complex mechanics like aerodynamics and control surfaces, performs worse and doesn't look that much better than KSP1.”
“After about 8 hours, I had to turn off the music - there is no variety (as far as I can tell) or distinct soundtrack that the music drones on the mind.”
“But most of all, the music is just bad.”
- monetization285 mentions
- 1 % positive mentions
- 4 % neutral mentions
- 95 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has been overwhelmingly criticized as a blatant cash grab, with many users expressing disappointment over its unfinished state and the lack of promised features. Reviewers highlight that the game was released at a premium price despite being riddled with bugs and lacking substantial content, leading to feelings of betrayal among fans of the original title. Overall, the sentiment is that the game exploits its beloved franchise for profit without delivering a quality product, prompting calls for refunds and warnings against purchasing.
“Since they're asking a full price, wait until it's playable and they've come clean on their additional monetization scheme.”
“I had a quick skim through it and immediately saw a section on in-game purchases.”
“They're setting this game up to feature in-game purchases and digital currency.”
“I am ashamed to have wasted my money on this corporate cash grab.”
“It’s a blatant, greedy cash grab, with zero care for the quality or integrity of the product they’re selling.”
“This game is a cash grab, overhyped and underdelivered and canceled.”
- humor153 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a prominent aspect, often described as both hilarious and frustrating due to the abundance of bugs and glitches that lead to unexpected comedic moments. Players appreciate the quirky, tongue-in-cheek humor associated with the game's characters and scenarios, although some feel that the focus on humor has overshadowed the core gameplay mechanics. Overall, while the humor can enhance the experience, it is sometimes marred by the game's unfinished state and persistent issues.
“It was fun, it was challenging, it was educational, and it was hilarious.”
“The humor can be seen in every aspect, convincing the player to take nothing too seriously and just have fun.”
“Guiding the endearingly inept kerbals through the galactic playground feels like trying to teach a fish to ride a bicycle, resulting in hilariously disastrous launches.”
- replayability94 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 81 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability has improved significantly with recent updates, particularly the "For Science!" update, which has added content and made gameplay more engaging. However, many players still find it lacking compared to its predecessor, KSP 1, especially in terms of features and stability, leading to mixed feelings about its long-term replay value. While some users report high replayability for dedicated space enthusiasts, others suggest waiting for further updates to enhance the experience.
“The amount of content in the game has washed away any concerns I had about replayability, and I've personally found the learning curve challenging enough to make the game addictive.”
“For science has finally made the game incredibly fun and replayable with incredible gameplay progression.”
“This game has a lot of replayability now and also has some great tutorials to help get you started.”
“Lack of replayability.”
“Not sure why it was released without any science components, really drags down all the replayability potential.”
“Replayability is high for players who are well versed and enjoy space exploration as a hobby, but to players who love progression and a reasonable amount of features, KSP 2 is not there yet.”
- grinding70 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 34 % neutral mentions
- 61 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game has become a significant point of frustration, with many players finding the mechanics tedious and broken compared to previous iterations. While some enjoy the challenge of grinding for resources, the overwhelming sentiment is that the current state of the game requires excessive effort for minimal reward, detracting from the overall enjoyment. Players express a desire for improvements to streamline gameplay and reduce the tediousness associated with building and mission execution.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The once-satisfying challenge of engineering space missions has been turned into a tedious exercise in fighting against the broken mechanics of a game that’s forgotten what made it special.”
“Gone is the grinding to make enough money for each and every rocket you launch, which only took away play time from what I actually wanted to do.”
“Building a rocket is tedious and way more difficult than in KSP1 even though the ability to not have to rely on subassemblies is a plus.”
- emotional59 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional response to the game is overwhelmingly negative, with many players expressing deep disappointment and heartbreak over its perceived failure compared to its predecessor, Kerbal Space Program 1. Users lament the game's unfinished state, corporate mismanagement, and the loss of the optimism that initially surrounded its release, often reflecting on their emotional attachment to the franchise and the frustration of unmet expectations. Overall, the sentiment is one of sorrow and regret, with many players feeling let down by the game's development and its impact on the beloved series.
“It's emotional and powerful.”
“Kerbal Space Program is one of the best games ever made, and when I saw the cinematic trailer for KSP2, an homage to the Build Fly Dream trailer, exemplifying everything to love about the creativity of the community and the drive the game inspires us with, I cried incredibly hard for everything it meant to me.”
“For a game that garnered so much anticipation and excitement from its dedicated fanbase, it's truly heartbreaking to see how it turned out upon release.”
