Kerbal Space Program 2: The Bumpy Ride to the Stars
A sequel that's more of a nosedive than a liftoff.
Early Access Review
last updated Jan 21, 2024
It’s like launching a rocket when you know the landing gear is made from duct tape and hope.
Bugs in the System
Kerbal Space Program 2 rockets itself into a bug-infested cosmos. The game is teeming with glitches that would've made less patient players consider jettisoning the whole thing into the sun. With ship parts that take unplanned spacewalks and orbital trajectories that apparently went on a break, KSP 2's early release has been more of a crash landing than a smooth touchdown. And don't get me started on the metaphysical conundrum of non-functioning fairings – reentry burns have never been so literal.
Maneuvering Through Mush
Navigating KSP 2's maneuver planner feels like wrestling an octopus in zero gravity. The user experience in the new reskin – I mean, sequel – is an exercise in frustration, with boosters playing hard to get with decouplers and wheels that have a mind of their own. The campaign mode tries to add some structure to your space fever dreams, but the missions can feel as limited as the maneuver nodes are convoluted.
Flight of the Navigator
Let's talk visuals: like watching a supernova, it's pretty until you realize the implications. The game's graphics are a quantum leap over its predecessor, offering celestial eye-candy that's almost enough to distract from its physics-defying bugs. Framerates, though, share an enigmatic relationship with performance – unpredictable as a comet, they dance from smooth space glides to stuttering moonwalks faster than you can say 'we need more boosters'.
Space Oddity
KSP 2’s audio, at least, is like sweet music from the spheres, ensuring your eardrums are serenaded while your blood pressure spikes from gameplay bugs. The orchestral scores accompany your space endeavors, from the drum beats that build up as you approach the Mun to the silence that greets your landing. Alas, even the harmonious soundtrack can’t quite make up for the cacophony of issues plaguing the game elsewhere.
A Theory of Relativity
Comparatively to its lauded ancestor, Kerbal Space Program 2 is like a spacecraft prototype that should've stayed in the hangar for a few more simulations. With its dazzling potential trapped by an event horizon of bugs and questionable gameplay choices, it seems the sequel has yet to untangle itself from the original's gravitational pull. Where innovation was expected, we're met with an uncanny valley of familiar mechanics in a shinier shell, at a steep price of admission.
EARLY ACCESS RATING
Developer
Intercept Games
Publisher
Private Division
Early Accesss Release Date
February 24, 2023
The Verdict
Despite the faithful continuation of Kerbal Space Program's legacy in KSP 2 and the diligent work by devs shining through recent updates, the game still feels unprepped for a full mission into space madness. It’s like launching a rocket when you know the landing gear is made from duct tape and hope. For those who dream of the stars, patience is a virtue; let this cosmic endeavor mature like a fine space wine. Until then, save the space bucks and stick with the originals or stargaze from the safety of less buggy simulations.