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Hi, my name’s Kirk and I’m an addict. My vice costs as much as a bus ticket, but my losses have been far greater. As Benjamin Franklin said, “Time is money,” so I’m officially bankrupt. It’s been twenty minutes since I last used.
Rymdkapsel is an addictive, hypnotic waste of time. You begin the game in space, which forms an unmarked grid where you place brightly coloured blocks – representing rooms and corridors – to expand your station. The aim is to increase it in size whilst surviving increasingly aggressive waves of aliens… or ‘pink arrow-shaped bastards’.
You stretch the tendrils of your station in real-time, dragging a cycling set of differing shapes into place. Construction is executed by your minions: little rectangular entities that intelligently adapt, mostly, to your commands. You start with two, but can increase their numbers by building. Swiping the screen swaps their roles, switching between things like defense and construction.
First on the agenda is self-sufficiency. You build generators to harness the sun’s energy, make materials with extractors and produce food with a garden and a kitchen. In each corner of the map stands a monolith – these grant permanent buffs like faster movement and a better range for firearms; research these quickly.
A lack of foresight when building leaves you open to failure. As time goes on, the red bar – signifying an attack – fills faster and the enemy increase in numbers. In later stages, you’ll regret your bad decisions – even down to the spacing of room’s doorways. Just as there’s a pang of guilt when a squeak signifies a minion’s demise.
Once the waves enter the twenties they feel a bit flat compared to the brilliant build up by falling into a cycle of replenishment and defense. Waves become incessant, spaced mere seconds apart… then death.
Yet you’ll still go back hoping that this time the placement of your weapon rooms will win out. In fact, I’ve got a good feeling about this one…
Played for twelve hours. Click here to read about VideoGamer.com’s new review policy.
