Space Punks is like the unruly child of Diablo and Borderlands – This is how it plays out

The wacky looter shooter game Space Punks was announced just recently, but MeinMMO authors Jürgen Horn and Benedikt Schlotmann had the chance to play it extensively. Read here what they liked and where there are still issues.

What is Space Punks? According to the developers, Space Punks is a colorful multiplayer looter shooter in a top-down view that looks like Borderlands and Diablo had a rough child. Or to put it in the words of one of the developers: “It’s basically Diablo with guns.”

Who played it? Space Punks is set to release exclusively in early access on the Epic Store on July 14, 2021, but I, Jürgen Horn, and my colleague Benedikt Schlotmann already got access in advance, so to speak “early early access.”

First Play Solo – The Beginning of Space Punks

So short was the tutorial: I already like Space Punks for one particular reason: It has almost no tutorial. The game doesn’t waste my precious life time by explaining how to walk straight like a complete idiot.

Rather, the game starts with cool rock music on the title screen and immediately drops me into the game. Briefly, the quest and inventory system are explained, and then the first mission begins. Here you are still forced to be alone and shoot down some robots.

This is how the gameplay works: You can play with either a gamepad or keyboard and mouse. The game recommends a controller, but somehow it works better with a mouse/keyboard combo. With the right button, my character hits in close combat, while with the left button I aim with my gun and shoot wildly around.

There are also four additional buttons to trigger skills and perform dodge rolls. Done. No additional finesse is needed.

“I want to be the pig!” – Space Punks in Co-op

This is how it continued in the team: According to the developers, you should definitely play Space Punks in co-op with up to four people. It’s important to choose the right combination from the four available “heroes,” as each has different skills and bonuses that they unlock in combination with other players. The options are:

• The cool all-rounder Duke, who looks like a mix between Handsome Jack and Star Lord
• The grim Eris, a killer who primarily inflicts damage with her nano spikes
• The nerdy Bob, a technician who sets up turrets and looks like a funny insect
• The hefty fighter Finn, who acts as a tank and is actually a humanoid pig with a mohawk haircut!

I insist on being the pig while Benedikt plays the agile Eris. A third player we picked up plays the technician Bob.

This is how much fun Space Punks is in a team: While Space Punks was already quite fun alone, the game becomes really cool in co-op. It starts with us overwhelming the enemies with a combination of a minigun, a shotgun, and a kind of laser that tears through everything.

Rarely does anyone even get close to us, and if they do, my fighter smashes the annoying robot enemies with the hammer.

Enemies explode in a staccato, and when we hit especially hard, funny comic speech bubbles with sound words like “Pow!” or “Boom!” appear. The whole spectacle is accompanied by lively rock music, and our characters occasionally toss out witty comments.

Everything runs smoothly and fun, and we can chat about the latest gossip via Discord while taking down enemies. Ideal for a fun evening.

That’s why teamwork is important: How important teamwork is in the game only becomes clear to us later. Each character has two other heroes with whom they unlock special effects.

Want an example? My pig Finn automatically gives Bob’s turrets a shield when I’m near the technician. Regardless of which heroes you choose, there is always a tactical advantage that promotes teamwork.

A heck of a fun, when it works

These are our highlights: After a few hours in the game, we all agreed: This game is a lot of fun and is perfect for a few enjoyable rounds in the evening. You don’t have to think much here but can dive straight into the chaos and shoot and punch to your heart’s content.

Moreover, the game runs even on weak hardware, as Benedikt noted. He was forced to use only the graphics chip of the motherboard during our gaming night and still, the game ran smoothly like a buttered space roast pig.

What still needs work: Our big Space Punks evening would have been perfect if there weren’t a few unpleasant issues with the game. The co-op mode, in particular, is extremely finicky and it takes countless attempts and re-logs until you finally have all three players in one team.

There are also occasional game crashes in the middle of a mission or – especially annoying – on the screen where loot is distributed after each mission. Then it’s pure luck whether the loot is still there when you have to restart the game out of necessity.

It’s annoying, but the game is still in “early early access” and bugs and glitches can still be forgiven. However, by the beta launch in winter, this issue should be resolved at the latest.

Conclusion Benedikt – Has potential if motivation is right

The first matches were a lot of fun in co-op – if the connection actually worked. I like the soft comic look, the overpowered weapons, and the chaos, and they definitely make me want more.

My only concern is that the game may not keep me engaged for long, as I currently lack a goal or something to work toward. Like the crazy conquest of the universe in Helldivers.

If the developers can get a grip on the bugs and ensure proper long-term motivation, then we could be looking at a really fun co-op title.

Benedikt Schlotmann
Hardware editor at MeinMMO

Conclusion Jürgen – Could become my new favorite game

I was already in love with Space Punks when editor-in-chief Leya first showed me a picture of the Space Pig. Therefore, I have extensively played the “early early access” and had a lot of fun with it. It’s simply great to shoot down hundreds of enemies with the wild space pig and soak in explosions and chaos.
However, there is a huge difference between playing the game alone or in co-op. As the developers have emphasized multiple times, the game is clearly designed for multiplayer, and it quickly becomes boring to shoot alone.
In co-op, however, everything is much more fun and motivates trying new combinations of skills and weapons. The developers need to ensure a quick supply of features, items, and locations to prevent players from eventually getting bored.

Jürgen Horn
Editor at MeinMMO

So much for our opinion on Space Punks. If you also want to join in, you can check out the early access on the Epic Store starting July 14, 2021. If you are looking for more Diablo alternatives, take a look at our list here.