Space Scavenger | Switch Review
There have been many hidden gems in 2021, and they’re always fun to discover. I was turned onto Space Scavenger from Red Cabin Games my good friend over at Nindie Nation. I didn’t know what to expect, but since he and I align very much in our gaming tastes, I was eager to see what it was all about. I’m happy to report that this labor of love is a very pleasant surprise. The fact that it was made by only two developers over the span of five years makes me appreciate it even more.
LEGOs in Space
On the surface, Space Scavenger is a simple twin-stick shooter, but there’s so much more buried within. Each run (yes, this is a roguelike) starts you off as a tiny space pod armed only with a short-range weapon. Your goal is simply to destroy all the enemies on each level, collect scrap, find the exit, and warp to the next area to repeat the process.
It sounds simple enough, but the real fun comes with piecing together your ship with modules you find along the way. At first, each piece fits on one of the four available sides of your pod. You might find more powerful weapons, shields, thrusters, or even extra storage for ammo. Simply click each module into your ship, and you’re ready to go with an upgraded ship.
The cleverness here comes with putting the ship together. Some modules have extra slots you can attach the next one to, making your ship grow with each addition. In proper roguelike fashion, the further you go, the crazier your ship starts to look and function.
Piece By Piece
Here’s the best part: you can take as much time as you need to modify your ship. When you come across a new upgrade, the game pauses the action, allowing you as much time as you need. This is such a welcome feature that could have otherwise made for a miserable experience. Instead of worrying about getting attacked, I can tinker away to my heart’s content until I’m ready to go.
On top of that, I can outfit my ship in any way that I like. Can you have mounted lasers in all four directions at once? Sure. Can I install a giant hammer on the nose to smash enemies to bits? Absolutely. What about thrusters on the side of the ship for outmaneuvering enemies? Most definitely. The core mechanic itself is modular by design, so you can play whatever way you like, provided you get the drops you like.
And that’s where the random nature of Space Scavengers makes it really interesting. You never know what pieces will be available to you, which makes each run a completely new experience each time you start. Naturally, the further you get, the more interesting it will get.
Space Scavenger Final Verdict
There’s really nothing negative to say about Space Scavenger outside of the fact that it won’t appeal to those who aren’t fans of twin-stick shooters or roguelikes. It’s a charming title that is well worth the price of admission. It’s very satisfying to see just how crazy you can spec out your capsule, and it’s fun to take out enemies in different ways each time you play. Do yourself a favor and don’t overlook this gem of a title.
To hear me talk more about Space Scavenger, be sure to listen to Episode 359 of The Gaming Outsider Podcast around the 43:50 time stamp.
This review is based on a Nintendo Switch copy of Space Scavenger provided by Holgersson Entertainment for coverage purposes. It is also available on PC via Steam.
Space Scavenger
$12.99
Pros
- Charming Art Style
- Satisfying Ship Building
- As Difficult as You Want
- Pleasant Soundtrack
- Seasonal Updates Are a Treat
Cons
- No Long-Lasting Stay Power
- A Nightmare for Symmetry Nerds
