24.9 hours played
Written 11 days ago
Empyrion – Galactic Survival, developed and published by Eleon Game Studios, is an ambitious open-world sandbox that blends survival, space exploration, voxel-based construction, and combat into one of the most expansive and versatile sci-fi experiences on the market. Released in early access in 2015 and continually updated since, Empyrion has evolved into a deep and complex title that offers players the freedom to explore planets, build fully functional starships, manage resources, engage in faction warfare, and carve out their destiny across a procedurally generated galaxy. While rough edges and some inconsistencies persist, Empyrion stands as a rare example of a space survival game that successfully merges ground-based and space-based gameplay into a cohesive, immersive whole.
At its core, Empyrion is a game of survival, progression, and creation. Players begin their journey crash-landing on an alien planet, often with limited supplies and basic tools. From the outset, the gameplay loop mirrors other survival titles: scavenge materials, craft weapons and equipment, build shelter, and fend off hostile wildlife and environmental threats. But what sets Empyrion apart is how quickly it scales in complexity and ambition. That simple shelter can evolve into a planetary base with automated defenses, solar power arrays, and production facilities. Eventually, players unlock the ability to construct ground vehicles (HVs), small spacecraft (SVs), capital ships (CVs), and even space stations—all built block-by-block using a detailed voxel-based construction system that balances creative freedom with practical engineering concerns like thrust, mass, power consumption, and atmospheric handling.
The building system is one of the game’s greatest strengths. Unlike many survival games that treat construction as an aesthetic layer, Empyrion makes it deeply functional. Every ship or base must be engineered with systems in mind: fuel tanks, generators, oxygen systems, CPU tiers, cargo extensions, and core components like the warp drive and shield generator. This means that even a small personal spaceship has to be thoughtfully designed to ensure it can handle both planetary flight and space travel. The voxel editor allows for intricate shaping, color customization, and symmetry tools, making it possible to build anything from a sleek starfighter to a floating fortress. Players who enjoy creative design will find Empyrion deeply satisfying.
Exploration is equally rewarding. The game features a massive procedurally generated galaxy populated with planets, moons, asteroid fields, and space stations. Each planet has unique characteristics—gravity, atmosphere type, climate, resources, and native lifeforms—encouraging players to venture far beyond their starting world. Space is not just a backdrop, but an explorable and dangerous frontier. Hostile alien factions, such as the Zirax Empire, patrol both space and planetary territory, requiring players to be prepared for combat both in atmosphere and zero gravity. There's also a dynamic weather system and planetary day-night cycles that affect visibility, temperature, and threats, reinforcing the need for preparation and adaptability.
Combat in Empyrion is serviceable but not its strongest aspect. Ground combat with AI enemies and creatures can feel stiff and dated, with floaty movement and occasionally inconsistent hit detection. Space combat, on the other hand, is more satisfying, particularly when commanding a capital vessel with multiple weapon systems. Ship-to-ship battles require awareness of shield management, turret placement, and maneuvering, especially in PvP or higher difficulty PvE scenarios. Base raids and faction conflicts add additional layers of strategy, especially when players start interacting with the game’s reputation and diplomacy system, which governs relations with various AI-controlled civilizations.
Resource management and crafting in Empyrion are extensive. Players gather ores like iron, copper, cobalt, and rare elements such as neodymium and estrium, which are then refined and used to craft components for gear, ships, or base structures. The tech tree, powered by experience and level progression, gradually unlocks new equipment and building capabilities. Automation, through constructors and storage-linked production lines, becomes essential as operations grow in scale. The CPU system, added in later updates, introduces a soft cap on ship and base complexity, encouraging specialization and smart design rather than brute-force stacking of modules. Some players find this system restrictive, while others see it as a necessary balancing mechanic.
Multiplayer in Empyrion is robust, offering dedicated server support, PvE and PvP zones, and persistent universe settings. Cooperative gameplay is particularly enjoyable, as friends can divide responsibilities—such as piloting, mining, building, or defending the base—while working toward shared goals. PvP introduces high stakes and large-scale ship combat, but can be unbalanced without proper server rules or active moderation. Community-run servers often add custom content, scenarios, and mods to enrich the experience, and the Steam Workshop integration supports a thriving ecosystem of user-created blueprints and missions.
Graphically, Empyrion is utilitarian rather than cutting-edge. While it won’t compete with AAA space sims in visual fidelity, it handles planetary terrain, lighting, and ship rendering with a consistent and immersive style. The sense of scale is impressive—walking across a mountainous planet at sunrise or orbiting a moon in a ship you designed from scratch carries a visceral, awe-inspiring weight. Sound design, while basic, gets the job done, though music and ambient effects can be sparse. The UI, while packed with features, can be overwhelming for new players and requires some time to fully grasp, particularly in areas like logistics management and shipbuilding constraints.
The game is still in active development, with Eleon continuing to refine systems, introduce new planets, biomes, and gameplay mechanics. Updates often reflect community feedback, and while the pace has slowed compared to earlier years, the roadmap still hints at major expansions and refinements. Modding support remains strong, and total conversion scenarios—like Reforged Eden—have significantly expanded the game's content and depth, introducing improved AI, new faction dynamics, and a more balanced progression curve.
In conclusion, Empyrion – Galactic Survival is an expansive, intricate, and deeply satisfying space sandbox that rewards creativity, strategic planning, and perseverance. It isn’t the most polished or user-friendly game in its genre, but it more than compensates with scope, depth, and freedom. Whether you want to design a star cruiser, explore alien worlds, establish a planetary base, or engage in interstellar warfare, Empyrion gives you the tools to build your own sci-fi story from the ground up—literally. It’s a game for tinkerers, explorers, and dreamers, and while its rough edges may deter the impatient, those who stick with it will find a galaxy full of possibilities waiting to be shaped.
Rating: 7/10
