Hardspace: Shipbreaker

But Why ThoMick Abrahamson

95/10

Hardspace Shipbreaker has cemented itself as one of my top three games of the year. It’s not without faults, like its superfluous room you’re forced to visit. However, the complete package is marvelous in the way it tells a powerful story mixed with chill, yet stressful gameplay.

GamingTrendRon Burke

95/100

With its incredible gameplay loop, Hardspace: Shipbreaker is as unique as it is addictive. A handful of minor bugs do little to hold back what is an incredibly immersive and rewarding experience.

Gaming NexusRob Larkin

9/10

There is a simplicity to the core gameplay of Hardspace: Shipbreaker. Movement and momentum add an element of skill to every action. The difficulty ramps over time but treats you well to ease you into the escalators. Combining the strategy of breaking the ship with the skill of positioning yourself in place to do so, Shipbreaker wraps it up well with a clever main story to maximize - well, reduction of debt. But most of all, it's calming and fun, set in a world that feels similar to the many wonderful other sci-fi stories that have captured us over the years. Hardspace: Shipbreaker nets you a ...

WCCFtechRosh Kelly

9/10

Work sucks, I know. If it’s not physically demanding, it’s mentally exhausting. Even if you have the easiest, comfiest job position, I can say for certain you’re not being paid enough to do it. And with wage stagnation, an ever-expanding wealth divide, and an apathetic world, it’s only getting worse. Hardspace: Shipbreaker is a game that takes this to one of its most extreme endpoints and makes it so incredibly satisfying.

MonsterVineTom Ravencroft

There’s no multiplayer except for leaderboards which is actually kind of a shame since the only thing more fun than co-op mode would be making your buddy explode with a well-timed prank. Think Deep Rock Galactic with “I pranked him to death with a tire iron!” then yelling “KOBE!” as you shoot him into the furnace. I’m just saying this would be huge. Let’s be real: Elon isn’t going to take you to Mars, but he’d definitely let you work your life away in orbit for a pittance. So if you don’t mind the idea that capitalism has some downsides and are looking for another meditative Occupation Simulat...

XboxEraJesse 'Doncabesa' Norris

8.6/10

Hardspace: Shipbreaker is a damned good game, and it’s on Xbox Game Pass for PC. It retails for $35 on Steam as well and I think it’s worth it through either way of playing. It can get a bit samey towards the end, once you’ve seen all the tricks it has up its sleeve. Those tricks though are fantastic, and the control scheme behind it feels great. Few games have ever had as satisfying a gameplay loop for me, and if you have any type of decent gaming PC then this one is well worth a download.

Playstation UniverseTommy Holloway

8.5/10

Hardspace: Shipbreaker is an expertly crafted work simulator. The methodical dismantling of the ships is very satisfying. It contains an addictive gameplay hook and an intriguing story that focuses on the exploitation of workers. It is a job well done indeed.

COGConnectedMark Steighner

82/100

Most everyone has had at least one crappy job. For me, it was the summer I worked in the Honda warehouse. All day, every day, my job was to count and inventory bins of small auto parts. We’re talking washers, bolts and screws, not fenders and steering wheels. Decades later, I can probably admit that my precise counting very quickly degraded into eyeballed guesstimates. I thought of that job while playing Hardspace: Shipbreaker.

The OuterHavenKyle Simcox

Ever dream of going into space and performing manual labor for an oppressive mega-corporation but you didn’t have a PC and couldn’t live out that dream? Thanks to Blackbird Interactive and Focus Home Entertainment, you can now. Sign up for LYNX today to start working off a ludicrous amount of…

WayTooManyGamesLeo Faria

8/10

If you ever told me I’d eventually play a game that centers around sorting out trash and throwing it in appropriate bins, I’d laugh, and then tell you to ease off on the meds. I’d call for an ambulance to take you straight to the asylum if you ever told me I’d spend hours playing said game, eventually getting hooked on it, enjoying its straightforward gameplay loop. But this is where we’re at. Yet another example of a menial task simulator showcasing how these bizarre gameplay loops...

Impulse GamerAli Arkani

It is said that indie games are where pristine ideas are born; Ideas such as a spaceship scrapping simulator. Blackbird Interactive's Hardspace Shipbreaker is

Gideons GamingGaming Gideon

Unscored

Hardspace Shipbreaker falls under the category of a game that essentially emulates a job that would be horrible in real life, but is for some reason fun to play. As a kid, adults could not fathom why I was playing Harvest Moon, a game about growing crops and taking care of farm animals. I had no explanation to give in return. I sometimes feel that way about Shipbreaker as well, and it’s literally my job to explain why I enjoy games.