Objects in Space

About

In "Objects in Space", you are a characterful spaceship captain navigating through a vast open world in a star cluster far from Earth. Trade goods, complete short stories, and avoid or engage in submarine-like stealth combat with various enemies. The game offers a rich galaxy of characters and narrative, leaving it up to you how much you want to explore.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

51%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,020 reviews

story56 positive mentions

stability104 negative mentions

story
278 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
79%
1%
The game's story is a mixed bag, featuring an intriguing premise and engaging missions that often include unexpected twists, but it suffers from numerous bugs and technical issues that can hinder progress. While some players appreciate the depth and variety of the narrative, others find it repetitive and poorly executed, with many quests being unfinishable due to glitches. Overall, the story has potential but is marred by inconsistencies and a lack of polish, leaving players divided on their experience.
- “The gameplay feels like being inside a cold war submarine (in space), the action is slow-paced yet really intense, the extensive storylines are really good and diverse that some of them continue to resonate in my mind.”
- “If you like the idea of something a little different, with an in-depth story played out in dialogue with random folk you'll meet on space stations, of hiding in nebulae while torpedoes hunt you down, pinging steadily against your hull as you frantically decide what more you can turn off in hopes it will be enough to remain unseen, of buying a new main engine for a knockdown price and then retrofitting top-of-the-line components into it for a slight increase in main thrust... this is the game you need, and you need it yesterday.”
- “The story is really well done.”
- “The main story is a grand mess, with only the barest of hands-on tutorial and an atrocious early game grind.”
- “The story and characters are dull and generic; you get paid nothing, some quests seem literally impossible, and the graphics are an eyesore.”
- “As it is, missions often can't be finished because critical events aren't triggered due to bugs.”
graphics
174 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
70%
14%
The graphics of the game are predominantly described as retro and low-resolution, reminiscent of early PC games, which some players find charming and nostalgic, while others criticize them as poor and indicative of a lack of effort from developers. The "modempunk" aesthetic appeals to fans of retro-futuristic styles, but many reviewers note that the visuals can detract from immersion due to basic modeling errors and inconsistent design. Overall, while the graphics may not meet modern standards, they serve a specific artistic purpose that resonates with a niche audience, though an updated version with improved visuals is often suggested.
- “These graphics ignite your imagination, the same way a book does.”
- “Its unique approach to the idea of space trucking, ambience, retro-futuristic graphics, well-written lore and deep stealth mechanics - all contribute to an incredible experience.”
- “Graphically, objects in space have an interesting style to it; while not my usual cup of tea, it works extremely well for the setting.”
- “This very poor quality visual style is a method that lazy devs often use to disguise their lack of talent/interest in doing the graphics properly and trying to disguise it under the name of 'art', or 'we made it look bad on purpose', which really isn't something gamers should have to put up with.”
- “The retro art style could be charming but there are basic modeling errors like overlapping polygons and bad UV mapping.”
- “Interesting core idea made horrible by pretentious 'retro' graphics (just crap in fact) and time wasters (typewriter effect for basic text in the UI).”
gameplay
174 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
69%
6%
The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, featuring a unique blend of space simulation and stealth mechanics reminiscent of submarine simulators, which some players find engaging and atmospheric. However, many reviews highlight significant issues such as poor optimization, bugs, and a lack of diverse gameplay options, leading to a repetitive experience. While the core mechanics and world-building show potential, the overall execution leaves much to be desired, requiring patience and a willingness to navigate its complexities.
- “There is some good gameplay here, at least early in the story mode when you get to fly around completing contracts, trading goods and carrying passengers while exploring a new and unfamiliar universe.”
- “Gameplay revolves around managing ship subsystems and emission levels to keep your stealth and evade your enemies or ambush them.”
- “The gameplay feels like being inside a cold war submarine (in space), the action is slow-paced yet really intense, the extensive storylines are really good and diverse that some of them continue to resonate in my mind.”
- “The game is very badly optimized, with low framerates and janky gameplay even on a high-end rig.”
- “The game is still filled with bugs, many of which ruin gameplay and are massively frustrating.”
- “Many game mechanics are unintuitive and it is a frustrating trial by error process to figure them out.”
stability
104 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous users reporting persistent bugs, glitches, and crashes that detract from the overall experience. Many reviews indicate that the game feels unfinished and has been abandoned by the developers, leading to a lack of support for ongoing issues. While some players appreciate the game's potential and unique concepts, the overwhelming consensus is that its current state is too unstable to recommend without significant improvements.
- “It's too buggy to recommend despite the enjoyable foundation.”
- “The game is buggy, and it has been abandoned in a very decent, if not finished state.”
- “It's not just buggy, it's unfinished.”
music
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
59%
8%
The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric quality, enhancing the overall experience during both relaxing and tense moments. Players appreciate the ability to add their own music, although some have encountered technical issues with the in-game audio. While the soundtrack is considered excellent, there are suggestions for more diverse background music in stations to prevent monotony during gameplay.
- “And still... the writing, the music, and the unique gameplay experience make this one of the most atmospheric games I've ever played.”
- “While you will probably have to blindly navigate nebulae while trying to stay hidden from pesky pirates, there are many quiet, relaxing moments spent in the interior of your ship, listening to the beautiful soundtrack and the sounds of the engine and the terminals, or talking to your passengers about their lives and their perspective on the systems they inhabit.”
- “The soundtrack in this game is incredible and is worth the purchase off of that alone.”
- “The audio would not work on one of my computers, and in the 7 hours I've played so far, the game has locked up once. The music player suddenly stopped working at one point, and I crashed to the desktop soon after.”
- “We're left with three ships, a limited amount of weapon systems, a non-working economy, broken sound loops, glitched music players... and last but not least - an insatiable hunger for more.”
- “And there's also music in some 'radios', but they are just bad.”
atmosphere
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
41%
50%
9%
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and well-developed world, enhanced by strong writing, music, and a unique gameplay experience that makes players feel like skilled space pilots. While some users note issues with readability due to font choices, the overall charm and atmospheric depth keep players engaged despite occasional gameplay bugs. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke a sense of exploration and adventure in a modem-punk universe, making it a standout in the space trading sim genre.
- “And this is all taking place within a huge, well-developed world that you'll completely lose yourself in because of how atmospheric and immersive it is.”
- “Insanely atmospheric.”
- “Objects in Space is a wonderfully atmospheric space trading sim that lets you tinker with just about everything in your setup.”
- “Good writing and world-building add extra pressure to an already soupy atmosphere.”
- “Maybe this is part of the modem-punk atmosphere, but it is impossible to override years of muscle memory to use the mouse wheel to zoom in and out.”
- “I've tried space sim after space sim, trying to find one that recaptured the atmosphere of the universe, and coming up empty every time.”
grinding
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
92%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, often feeling like they are stuck in repetitive "milkrun" missions to earn upgrades. The gameplay is marred by bugs and a cumbersome interface, making the experience feel more like a chore than an enjoyable exploration of the cosmos. While the story elements are appreciated, they are overshadowed by the grindy nature of the game, leading to a sense of boredom over time.
- “I could talk about how it's grindy or buggy, but the worst offense is that it is boring.”
- “Overall the concept of the game is interesting, but it gets old and tedious fast.”
- “I don't like comparing games to other games, mostly because it's oversimplifying things, but it suffers from the same grindy issues that several other space simulators do, where you find yourself repeating the same standard 'milkrun' missions to afford that cool ship upgrade you always wanted.”
optimization
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
40%
40%
The game's optimization has been criticized for being poorly executed, with users noting that while there are numerous systems and customization options available for tweaking machines, the overall performance remains subpar, particularly on Unity. Players find the complexity of managing components from various companies—each with different focuses—overwhelming and not well-optimized for efficiency or performance.
- “Lots of systems to learn, lots of tweaking of your machines with components from different companies, each focusing on cost, efficiency, high performance, emissions, or durability.”
- “You can customize within a module, installing different parts to a solar panel, for example, to tweak your ship's power usage, performance, or observability.”
- “Poorly optimized.”
- “Unity (garbage performance).”
- “You can customize within a module, installing different parts to a solar panel, say, to tweak your ship's power usage, performance, or observability.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
Replayability in the game is a mixed bag; while players can explore different areas and experience evolving political dynamics, completing tasks often leads to areas becoming "farmed," limiting further engagement. Additionally, technical issues such as control difficulties and glitches detract from the overall experience, suggesting that improvements like mod support and a more user-friendly interface could enhance replayability significantly.
- “If this game were made moddable such that new stations and maps could be added, it would greatly enhance replayability by allowing players to explore new content and experiences.”
- “The replayability factor is significant, as players can revisit areas and discover new elements or storylines that they may have missed during their initial playthrough.”
- “Unfortunately, control is a bit difficult, and there were some economic elements, such as glitches buying and selling items, and some issues with replayability in which once you complete tasks in an area, the area becomes farmed and you more or less have to leave.”
- “It's easy to end up missing something really interesting in one neck of the cluster while you were running jobs elsewhere. Sure, this adds replayability, but things do happen without you, and it does not let you put the cluster's politics on hold.”
- “If this game were made moddable such that new stations and maps could be added, the configuration changed to a more reasonable resolution so that the game didn't start for most people where they can't even see any interactable elements, and the starting 'tutorial' was made skippable since it doesn't detect the change conditions most times, then this game would be much more playable.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization of the game is widely criticized, with users labeling it a "glorified cash grab" due to the developers' abandonment of the project, which has led to a lack of meaningful updates or support.
- “As others have said, the game has a significant amount of potential but has been utterly abandoned by the developers and is a glorified cash grab.”
- “Unfortunately, it is now a cash grab and abandoned.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by its fun story and amusing characters, which contribute to an engaging and entertaining experience. Players appreciate the blend of humor with challenging and interesting gameplay, enhancing the overall enjoyment.
- “Fun story, funny characters, challenging and interesting gameplay.”
- “Fun story, funny characters, challenging and interesting gameplay.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers highlight the game's emotional depth, attributing it to its meticulous audio design, innovative gameplay-story integration, and effective emotional pacing, all set within a captivating space sci-fi/fantasy environment. This combination creates a profound aesthetic experience that stands out in a genre often filled with mediocrity.
- “A combination of careful audio design, creative gameplay-story interaction, emotional pacing, and the best space sci-fi/fantasy setting I've ever seen come together to create a deep, permeating aesthetic so horribly lost in the plethora of terrible space sandboxes.”

Buy Objects in Space

11h Median play time

10h Average play time

5-16h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 10 analyzed playthroughs

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