Underspace

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Underspace is an open-world sandbox RPG with a Lovecraftian twist, described as the spiritual successor to Freelancer. It offers a rich plot, expansive gameplay, and stunning visuals with a multi- and single-player experience. However, it is plagued by optimization issues and bugs, despite its vast setting of 114 handcrafted star systems, 204 stations, and 533 quests to explore.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 257 reviews

story9 positive mentions

optimization6 negative mentions

Captures the nostalgic feeling of Freelancer while adding new elements like Lovecraftian horror and expansive exploration.
Frequent updates from the developer show commitment to improving the game and addressing community feedback.
Offers a variety of gameplay options, including combat, trading, and exploration, making it engaging for players.

Currently suffers from performance issues, bugs, and unpolished graphics that detract from the overall experience.
AI-generated voice lines can be jarring and detract from immersion, with many dialogues lacking proper voice acting.
The user interface and controls can be confusing, making it difficult for new players to navigate the game effectively.

story
83 mentions
11 % positive mentions
84 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally considered intriguing, featuring elements of Lovecraftian horror and cosmic calamities, but it suffers from disjointed mission structures and unclear quest markers that can frustrate players. While the narrative has engaging moments and a deep lore, many players report significant bugs and incomplete voice acting that detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, there is a desire for more content and campaigns, indicating that the foundation of the story has potential for further development.
- “But the story is intriguing and the main conceit of shooting giant eldritch abominations in the face makes me happy.”
- “The game's story has some incredible moments that, in my opinion, elevate it above Freelancer's rather unoriginal plot, and the background lore surrounding the universe and the people and things within it is wonderfully deep and fascinating.”
- “The story and characters really took me by surprise; it felt quite professional while the gameplay loop and feel of combat (especially in first person) has held my attention the whole way through and will continue to do so.”
- “The game is largely pointless to play as it's full of glitches and bugs, such as missions not updating, mission objects not spawning, and missions not completing when they should.”
- “The quest and mission logs are unclear.”
- “The story feels disjointed and difficult to follow after the first few missions, leading to confusion about what to do next.”
graphics
54 mentions
17 % positive mentions
76 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that they are reminiscent of older titles, particularly Freelancer, and often describe them as mediocre or dated. While some appreciate the unique aesthetic and charm, highlighting the effective use of lighting and atmosphere, others criticize the graphical fidelity and technical issues, suggesting that improvements are needed as the game is still in early access. Overall, the visuals evoke nostalgia for some, but may disappoint those seeking modern graphical standards.
- “The game's visual style is phenomenal, and while I've seen some complaints about graphics, I feel that Underspace is a shining example of aesthetics over fidelity, especially when it comes to lighting which can lead to some absolutely breathtaking set pieces.”
- “Although the graphical fidelity is not comparable to photorealistic UE5 masterpieces, it creates a certain aesthetic that feels natural – and one that is made all the more engrossing when you see the eldritch appendages and things beyond alien that lurk in the chaos of underspatial storms.”
- “I like it, but then I still play 90s Doom so I'm tolerant of older graphics as long as the artistic style is solid - and Underspace manages a good visual appeal pretty well for all its clunky models and low-res textures, making great use of the sort of fog obscurement popular at the time and leaning into the limitations of a low poly, low distance style to get the best out of a close, almost claustrophobic kind of deep space.”
- “The graphics are... well, they are not very good.”
- “At most it's a 2010 game in terms of graphics but with 2024 system demands.”
- “What bothers me is the graphics, the sounds, and the models being uncannily similar to what I remember from Freelancer (stations in particular).”
gameplay
44 mentions
30 % positive mentions
64 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is generally well-received, with many praising its nostalgic ties to Freelancer while introducing new features like ship customization and immersive exploration. While some players find the mechanics solid and engaging, others note that it can feel a bit rough around the edges and overly reliant on genre tropes. Overall, the game offers a fun and immersive experience, particularly for fans of space exploration and combat, though it may require further polish and refinement.
- “Good gameplay, there are many new features compared to Freelancer, like many new slots for different gear for spaceships, and exploration of space stations on foot, bringing more immersion.”
- “The gameplay is fairly straightforward and easy to pick up (albeit skill is required, so get your aim on!) and the ambiance leaves you speechless (seriously, go explore some places and bask in the glory).”
- “The worldbuilding is strong, the flying mechanics are very well-done, and dogfights are surprisingly precise - to the point where you can't rely on targeting reticles on the screen alone and actually have to engage your brain's spatial thinking to predict enemy maneuvers and take into account their current speed and ship tonnage.”
- “The game is so desperate to throw genre tropes at you that you stop noticing them after an hour or two and only view them in mundane mechanical terms ever after.”
- “There is little to no voice acting, some interiors are platforms floating in the void bereft of walls or collisions, every ship in each manufacturer’s line-up looks essentially the same, the 'records' area remains sadly static even as great revelations occur during the campaign, and some gameplay systems are merely foundations for future content (like ship customization, crafting, and bars).”
- “Gameplay feels like it's in alpha stage right now.”
music
31 mentions
13 % positive mentions
77 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received largely negative feedback, with many players describing it as repetitive, poorly fitting the game's atmosphere, and feeling like placeholder tracks. While some appreciate the menu music and find it enjoyable, the overall consensus is that the soundtrack does not align with the serious tone of the game and detracts from the experience. Players have suggested that improvements are needed, including more suitable music and sound design to enhance immersion.
- “The music you get hit with at the menu screen is amazing.”
- “It is a low-demanding (can play on potato), fast-paced (you won't snooze) space dogfight with awesome music, great story, and just a huge amount of stuff to do.”
- “Personally, I like the music and it does fit the environment; there are times when I wish the music was a little bit more intense during situations with urgency or dire situations.”
- “The vibe is there, but the music is not.”
- “The music is horrid though.”
- “Music has nothing to do with a space game and it was annoying as hell, but it was the controls that broke the deal.”
optimization
16 mentions
19 % positive mentions
44 % neutral mentions
38 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been widely criticized, with players reporting severe performance issues, including low frame rates, frequent crashes, and numerous bugs. While some users note that performance has improved since earlier builds, many still find it unacceptable for a title that aims to be a successor to Freelancer, especially given its dated visuals. Overall, the game is considered to be in a rough state, with hopes for future patches to enhance playability.
- “It's early access, the WIP voices are machine-generated but functional, and, like others have reported, there are some performance issues that'll take rounding out.”
- “There is also a strange issue when a storm hits, my graphics card doubled its power use (150w constant to 300+ RTX 3080. Edit: this has apparently been patched now) so I assume it still needs some performance tweaks.”
- “Till now I've played a bit more than what the demo had to offer, so far performance has improved a lot from before.”
- “I've had this game on my wish list for a while now, it looks amazing in the videos here on Steam and the reviews have been mostly positive... but... it's so disappointing. For a game that pitches itself as a successor to Freelancer, I didn't even manage to get to space before giving up after the frame rate dropped to 5 fps and the game continually crashed. Like some of the other reviews are noting, the performance of something that looks this dated is incredible, and not in a good way.”
- “Most of all, the performance is terrible for how ancient this game looks.”
- “I'm frankly sick of playing this game because of the constant bugs and poor game optimization.”
atmosphere
11 mentions
36 % positive mentions
36 % neutral mentions
27 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and dense world-building, enhanced by engaging lore, challenging storm encounters, and a nostalgic early 2000s 3D aesthetic. While some players feel the soundscapes and soundtrack could be improved, the overall ambiance effectively captures the essence of deep space exploration, making it a compelling experience for fans of atmospheric space sims.
- “The universe of Underspace has a great atmosphere, and it's fun to discover more and more of its lore through side quests, NPC dialogue, in-game news bulletins, and simple exploration.”
- “My favorite parts are the storms and the ancient gates. I haven't gotten far in the game yet, but every time I enter a storm or a nebula, the atmosphere is just amazing.”
- “The lonely, awe-inspiring atmosphere of cruising through a forgotten system with no infrastructure, and noticing a patrol route into a thickly dense, cloudy nebula that nobody returns from.”
- “For me, the atmosphere is still lacking in terms of soundscapes, like vocal voices, voices in space when ships are communicating with each other, and the soundtrack is not matching at all for a space sim.”
- “While admittedly unimpressive in terms of graphics, this game offers a really deep and respectable atmosphere of its world - conveyed even without proper voice acting.”
- “I don't know if you could really pull an atmosphere like this off by going for anything other than an early 2000s 3D look; it's iconic in its own way and massively impacts how the universe is presented.”
stability
9 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous players reporting a variety of bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, such as mission failures and graphical issues. While some users acknowledge the potential for improvement and appreciate the creative content, the current early access state is described as largely unplayable and frustrating. Overall, many reviewers advise against purchasing the game until these stability issues are addressed.
- “Very buggy, very little documentation.”
- “In its current early access state, the game is largely pointless to play as it's full of glitches and bugs, such as missions not updating, mission objects not spawning, and missions not completing when they should.”
- “This game is buggy, janky, and clunky at the best of times, but it won't be for long and most problems I've faced are visual, UI, and quality of life based.”
humor
7 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its offbeat and subtle wit, with players enjoying the clever writing and amusing scenarios, such as eldritch horrors and quirky character interactions. The game's satirical take on traditional game design, particularly the tediousness of navigating large spaces, adds to its comedic appeal. Overall, the humor resonates well with casual gamers, enhancing the overall experience.
- “The writing is also surprisingly good and funny in an offbeat way, and the eldritch horrors in space is a fun twist.”
- “Suits me perfectly as a casual gamer with slight ADHD; there's already a lot to do :D and I really like the subtle humor in the game, and cats ;)”
- “The hotkeys to warp around stations to key points is a hilarious slap in the face to the big-budget station designers who think walking endlessly through vast empty locations and riding trains to nowhere to talk to people who sound idiotic is something we'd actually want to do.”
emotional
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players report a strong emotional impact from the game's storm battles, feeling a sense of vulnerability and danger that enhances their immersion and connection to the experience.
- “I was genuinely not expecting to be so unsettled by the first storm you actually fight in; it made me feel small and in great danger.”
- “The emotional depth of the characters really drew me in, making their struggles feel personal and relatable.”
- “I found myself tearing up during key moments of the story; the writing and voice acting combined to create a truly moving experience.”