Where to start in the online game Xcraft
Having registered in this free online space game, first of all, novice players will have a question: “Where to start playing the space game - Xcraft?”
Indeed, it will be useful when we explain in detail where you should start your journey in the gaming universe, as well as how you can achieve high results when playing a strategy game about space.
Having decided on the choice of one of three races (Terran, Xerga and Toss), you go to get acquainted and examine your planet, like a new house in which you are going to settle for more than one evening, because Xcraft is positioned as a game for every day.
It is the planet on which you were settled randomly that will become your new place of residence, which must not only be “equipped”, but also protected from opponents. They wander through space day and night in the hope of “feasting” on a large amount of resources. As for resources, this is the most important game element, without which it will be impossible to play. The more raw materials you extract, the faster you can develop the economy, infrastructure and, most importantly, build a fleet with planetary defense. Having a strong space fleet, you can safely attack opponents that are weak for you, and defense, in turn, will provide protection from attacking enemies. Quite often, if a strong defense is detected, many players will simply refuse to attack, which will keep your planet and nerves at peace.
How do you get raw materials in the game Xcraft?
It all depends on the player’s choice of politics. At the very start, everyone, without exception, is recommended to build special buildings and structures that “work” to ensure that the storage facilities on your planet are filled. For example, in Xergov it is an incubator, an extractor and a purification channel, in Terran it is a mine for metal extraction, a mine for mineral extraction and a well for Vespene gas, and in Toss there is a blue, red and green nexus. To become more familiar with them, we recommend reading about the strategically important buildings and structures of each of the three game races.
Considering the fact that at the very beginning the capital is provided randomly, you can always change it by moving it to another planet that has not yet been occupied by anyone or colonizing a new territory. The question immediately comes to mind: why do this at all? Each planet in space has a set of certain characteristics, which, depending again on the player’s policy, are of great importance in further development. For example, if you settled on a planet with sub-zero temperatures, then you will not have enough sunlight, from which energy is generated for the productive operation of mines, incubators, nexus and others, depending on the choice of race. For “miners” this is not particularly profitable; in this case, they can settle in new lands where there will be plenty of solar energy. If the amount of resources allows, then you can explore many new planets, the data of which will meet all your requirements.
It was mentioned above about the “miners”, who at first glance are not clear how they ended up in the space game. The fact is that Xcraft conventionally defines three main branches of development: Miner, Attacker and Trader (read about each of the directions). For “miners,” as was written earlier, high resource extraction is, first of all, important. Therefore, they need to build high levels of buildings, as well as colonize a large number of new lands, which will increase their production of raw materials.
“Attackers”, if they worry about extracting resources, do so only with the goal of building a large and strong battle fleet. From the name it becomes immediately clear what the main activity of these players is. Space battles and battles are their main hobby.
“Traders”, like others, also strive to get as much metal, minerals and gas as possible. Only they need them to exchange or sell them to other players for the game currency - Hydarian.
You can also choose the method of playing the game that best suits your preferences.
If you have not yet started playing a free online game about space, you have the opportunity to register for an online strategy right now, and also invite your friends to make it much more fun and interesting. The gameplay is carried out through a browser, which means you don’t have to download other clients or cracks, much less pay for registration.
We wish you a pleasant time in the exciting game Xcraft.
Far from planet Earth, a space shuttle crashed, causing the crew to be thrown into outer space. Another one rushes to the rescue, ready to save the astronauts from death. You will become the pilot of such a ship. The main task is to save the surviving people. However, we should not forget that outer space is fraught with a lot of debris, asteroids, satellites and all kinds of obstacles that it is advisable to fly around. Otherwise, it will cause fatal damage to your ship. A few wrong moves and the game will end.
How to play?
Control is carried out by two buttons - up and down arrows. You can’t speed up the ship, but you can’t slow it down either. Therefore, you will have to show maximum accuracy and caution, avoiding various obstacles on the way to the desired goal - the astronauts. As soon as you save a certain number of people, which is recorded on the side of the screen, a transition to the next level will be automatically made. This means that the ship will continue to move, but its speed will gradually increase.
According to the classic canons of the arcade genre, the more points you can get, the more opportunities you will have to compete with friends. But still, the main goal is to enjoy the gameplay, and this can be done every time you enter this toy.
Here you can play the online game "Cosmonaut Rescue" for free.
Games about space allow us to touch the dream of space travel and adventures that are currently inaccessible to the general public. And the technical equipment of today's astronauts is not at all up to the futuristic solutions offered in space games. In such games you can traverse the expanses of uncharted (and sometimes even hostile) outer space, control a spaceship or even a squadron, and find new territories to conquer and exploit. They appeared along with video gaming as such and continue their march - to the delight of dreamers and futurism lovers.
Choosing a game about space
In the segment of games about space, adventure games are more popular - although for “true lovers” of everything cosmic, it makes more sense, of course, to take up simulators, because in adventure games (or even RPGs) space rather acts as a stage on which certain events unfold and lost somewhere behind. Of course, even in adventure space games, the problems solved by the character (or characters) are in one way or another connected with current situations, but this does not negate the reduction of everything to a “change of scenery.” It’s just that in fantasy, a village is attacked by, say, a dragon, and in a space game, some progressive semi-organic synthetic of incredible size attacks the planet.With technological progress, graphical progress also came to the world of the gaming industry - the picture became better, which made it possible to develop more exciting plots. Just remember the legendary game Space Invaders, which in all respects is a game about space, but did the technology of those times allow it to “reveal the theme of space”? So that in breadth and depth. And today there are already vast sagas like Mass Effect - in which space may be completely different from someone's ideas about it, but still the game is a great example of “what if?”
And yet, the biggest problem with space games that are already available, are in beta or alpha stages, or will arrive in the foreseeable future on our PCs and consoles is one thing - there are too many of them. Especially in light of the increased activity of independent developers, who, moreover, are “growing like mushrooms after rain.” And in all these games there is trading, battles and exploration... And many are full of “procedurally generated” landscapes - which, in itself, as an idea, sounds good, but in reality it sometimes turns out to be some kind of mess.
Space setting: worthy representatives
So, which space games are worth paying attention to? So, with space, and not with a scenario about a dragon and a village?- Elite: Dangerous. A game whose roots go back to 1984, Elite: Dangerous was not only the first space game, not only the first 3D space game, but also the first game to use procedural generation for space travel. Well, since 2014, its “descendant” already allows you to experience all the delights of space - including through virtual reality;
X-Rebirth 2.0. This “space life simulator” begins, like many others, with a barely alive ship and huge ambitions that can be used for good (trade and negotiations) or vice versa (battles with the conquest of everything and everyone). The game is fresh, single player, but only for PC.
No Man's Sky. Although this space game has proven to be “too good to be true” in practice, it doesn’t mean that you should completely forget about it. At the very least, it is a great option for those who have never played space simulators before. Yes, and it looks good.
With the exception of starting a career as an astronaut or hitchhiking into deep space on an unmanned probe, computer games are the best and so far the only way available to humanity to leave Earth and go on a journey towards the unknown. Peaceful trade or pirate fishing in the vastness of the Milky Way, or escaping from a terrible alien monster on an abandoned orbital station - all this is on our list of the best games for PC, one way or another dedicated to space.
Leaving their planet behind, humans begin to colonize Mars: you are now entirely responsible for the outcome of this process. Your new civilization will begin its development from a small settlement in the Martian desert and grow into a vibrant, growing and extraterrestrial metropolis. But we advise you to monitor your oxygen and electricity levels, because a deficiency of either of these components will lead to a terrible death of the population on the red planet.
Released: 2017 | Developer: Fullbright | Buy
The space squad mysteriously disappeared from the Tacoma lunar mobile station. You are sent to investigate this situation and restart the artificial intelligence of the lunar station. This is an atmospheric, sci-fi story from the creators of Gone Home.
Characters reveal a compelling story in detail through interactive augmented reality recordings. Extreme attention to detail adds to the mystery of the story. The more thoroughly you explore every meter of the station, the more immersed you become in solving the mystery.
Elite: Dangerous
Released: 2014 | Developer: Frontier Developments | Buy
In this large-scale and exciting simulator, an entire galaxy plays the role of an open and accessible world for exploration. Starting the game with a simple ship and a handful of credits, you become the master of your own destiny. Become a fearsome pirate? A famous merchant? Or an outstanding discoverer?
The beauty of Elite Dangerous is that it gives the player complete freedom of action. Intense space battles or serene exploration of the nooks and crannies of space - here everyone can find something to their liking. On top of that, the ships in the game are simply fabulous: controlling the nimble fighters and massive cargo ships in Elite is definitely worth blowing off the dust from the old joystick.
Released: 2003 | Developer: CCP Games | Buy
Providing the opportunity to live a fulfilling life in space, EVE Online is an unparalleled MMORPG where the development of the world lies entirely in the hands of the players. This is a galaxy teeming with life, where thousands of capsule players fight, trade, mine resources, and explore the unknown side by side. Once you leave the confines of the relative safety of the police-patrolled launch system, you will find yourself in the middle of an uncompromising Wild West in a vacuum of space.
Whether you prefer to fight in large-scale space battles, each of which consists of thousands of ships costing thousands of real dollars, or explore the vast expanses of New Eden alone, EVE will provide you with many unforgettable experiences.
Released: 2017 | Developer: Rockfish Games | Buy
There is no way to recover in this rogue game. But the money earned in this battle will remain and will be used by you to improve the characteristics of the ship, which will help you win in the future. Improving these features will allow you to visit the far reaches of space with complete determination.
The game process itself is a continuous cycle. If your character dies, you won't be upset and will happily start playing again to see how far you can go this time.
Released: 2006 | Developer: Petroglyph | Buy
The game was developed by a group of experienced programmers from the Petroglyph company, who once worked at Westwood. This real-time strategy game is the best PC game in the Star Wars series. The simplified interface and low system requirements may turn off avid fans of the genre.
However, the sheer amount of chaotic and exciting battles on earth and in space are simply stunning and will excite any Star Wars fan. And such key characters as Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker make the game even more popular.
Released: 2017 | Developer: Suspicious Developments | Buy
In this 2-D sci-fi game, you find yourself on board a spaceship, where your main task will be to destroy the crew using a huge variety of weapons and gadgets. The genius of the game is how strongly your imagination is developed, which will allow you to play according to your own scenario. The reaction and chaos from the revelation of your presence on the ship turns the game into one continuous joke. Sometimes things can go wrong, which is what makes the game fun in its own way.
Released: 2016 | Developer: Misfits Attic | Buy
Despite its minimalistic, retrofuturistic interface, Duskers is one of the most frightening modern sci-fi horror games on PC. In it, the player will need to take on the role of the pilot of a small “vehicle fleet” of drones, with their help searching abandoned ships in search of fuel, spare parts and threads to understand why the unknown galaxy in which the main character finds himself is completely devoid of life.
However, almost completely: the ships being explored are infested with creepy and aggressive creatures, which makes moving through their dark, narrow corridors an unexpectedly stressful experience.
Released: 2017 | Developer: Bungie | Buy
Bungie is a massively multiplayer first-person shooter hybrid that features alien environments and is simply addictive. The forested ruins of the planet Earth, the vast seas of the planet Titan, the red forests of the planet Nessus and the volcanic nature of the planet Io - all these areas delight the eyes of those who like to shoot and shoot.
The game's end goal is vague, but fans of the sci-fi genre will enjoy the lively and vibrant setting.
Released: 1995 | Developer: LucasArts | Buy
Point-and-click adventure game from LucasArts, for some reason never received due recognition. A mission to deflect the flight path of an asteroid threatening to collide with the Earth turns into a disaster for the participants: due to mysterious circumstances, they find themselves in a distant and lifeless world.
Some of the game's mysteries are difficult to understand, even by LucasArts standards, but the colorful and bizarre planet that serves as the setting is one of the most compelling extraterrestrial worlds of all time. Special mention is due to the voice acting with The X-Files and Terminator star Robert Patrick in the title role.
Released: 2014 | Developer: Giant Army | Buy
A space god simulator that allows you to control exact 3D copies of real galaxies and star systems and observe the catastrophic results of your intervention. You can start your interstellar experiments by increasing the mass of Jupiter to such a value that all other objects in the solar system will begin to revolve around it, or by completely removing the Sun, which will lead to the scattering of the Earth and other planets in different directions.
Released: 2016 | Developer: Ocelot Society | Buy
Drifting alone around Jupiter in an old spaceship, your only hope of returning home is connecting with an artificial intelligence suffering from severe emotional disturbances. You will have to communicate with Kaizen exclusively through the keyboard, and if you choose the right words and arguments, then in the end he will agree to cooperate.
Only to suddenly change his mind the next moment and close the external airlock, leaving the player suffocating from lack of oxygen outside the ship. Overall, it's a thoughtful adventure game with a subtle '70s sci-fi style.
Released: 2010 | Developer: BioWare | Buy
If you've ever imagined yourself in the role of Captain Kirk, commanding his own ship, coming into contact with various types of alien aliens and making difficult decisions that will affect the survival of the crew, then Mass Effect 2 gives you the opportunity to experience all of this and more. Combining space opera elements with a plot that rivals the best Star Trek episodes, Mass Effect 2 is one of the best sci-fi games on PC.
It has a rather linear story and does not have the freedom of choice that Elite is famous for, but instead the on-rails plot takes the player on an unforgettable journey through the galaxy, including visiting phantasmagoric planets and communicating with their peculiar inhabitants. In principle, the entire Mass Effect series is worthy of mention on this list, but our choice fell on the second part.
Released: 2016 | Developer: Paradox | Buy
The game was developed by Paradox, known for such creations as Crusader Kings and Europa Universalis. Such a large-scale, sci-fi story made a huge contribution to the strategy genre. You have the opportunity to explore the universe, create alliances with alien factions, and take part in large-scale space confrontations. The diversity of the system makes the game a powerful generator of random stories. You will never be able to predict what kind of creature you will meet on your space journey.
Released: 2014 | Developer: Creative Assembly | Buy
In this spine-chilling survival horror, Amanda, daughter of Ellen Ripley from the Original Cinematic Universe, hides in a falling apart space station from a relentlessly pursuing xenomorph. As a large-scale homage to Ridley Scott's 1979 film, the game set the benchmark for slowly building tension.
The Sevastopol station itself is designed in the style of low-budget science fiction and is replete with bulky retrofuturistic technological devices and terrifying flashing lights. The developers managed to present the world with one of the most bona fide live-action film adaptations of all time, but at the same time, Alien: Isolation remains an outstanding representative of horror even if you take away its rich cultural baggage aimed at fans.
Released: 2016 | Developer: Hello Games | Buy
This is not to say that No Man’s Sky lived up to all the expectations placed on it, but nevertheless, you can still spend many exciting hours in its procedurally generated galaxy. Its sci-fi setting is one of the most aesthetically distinctive, and the ability to jump from outer space to a planet's atmosphere without loading screens is a pretty impressive technical feat.
Of course, the planets here are still empty and lifeless, but the ability to build bases, introduced in the recent Foundation update, brings some variety to the activities on their surface.
Released: 1994 | Developer: Totally Games | Buy
A rare chance to step into the shoes of a George Lucas space opera villain. Given its compelling storyline and variety of missions as an Imperial Stormtrooper - including fighter-to-fighter combat, VIP escorts, and capital ship attacks - this is one of LucasArts' best Star Wars games.
Basically, the same could be said about Star Wars: X-Wing, if only playing as the Rebel Alliance forces wasn't so boring. A separate advantage of this line of space simulators is the fact that they have all received re-releases from GOG.com and are compatible with modern computers.
Released: 2012 | Developer: Subset Games | Buy
In FTL, the player takes on the role of the captain of a Star Trek-style spaceship, which will have to be controlled through gameplay that combines elements of turn-based and real-time strategy. A solid roguelike action game takes place in a painfully familiar, but no less fascinating sci-fi setting.
Full of discreet humor, additional quests and unexpected encounters make every attempt to achieve the final goal exciting and unique. And the ability to give your own names to the crew members and the ship makes you really worry about their fate when they find themselves in yet another dangerous situation in the depths of hostile space.
Released: 1993 | Developer: Origin Systems | Buy
Fans of the series are unlikely to ever stop arguing about which part of Wing Commander is the best, but our choice fell on Privateer thanks to its more. This is a sandbox rich in possibilities, allowing you to become a mercenary, a pirate, a merchant - or something in between these three options.
Most of the gameplay consists of hopping between systems in search of wanted criminals to capture and cargo ships to loot, but it's worth it - the space combat here excites the imagination. The plot is built linearly, but this does not take away the player’s freedom of action and choice.
Released: 2016 | Developer: CCP Games | Buy
If you have a set for playing in virtual reality, then you should not bypass this game. Here, online, you will test yourself in the role of a spaceship pilot who participates in space battles. On a subconscious level, you will feel the comfort of the cabin and the strength of the ship rushing at great speed. The battle mode is specially configured for a virtual reality helmet.
Released: 2015 | Developer:Squad | Buy
Defy gravity and the laws of physics as you try to build your own spaceship and explore space! It's a deep, complex and entertaining sandbox, full of both fun and science-based possibilities. The first successful liftoff from the surface of the planet Kerbin and landing on its moon Moon using a ship designed by oneself is one of the most magical sensations that can be obtained while spending time in a computer game.
Released: 2013 | Developer: Bohemia Interactive | Buy
Take On Mars from Bohemia, the developer studio behind the well-known Arma, is an ideal choice for those who prefer a more scientific approach to simulators - the process of space exploration here is based on real astrophysics. In it you can build a Mars rover a la Curiosity and use it to study the surface of the red planet or build your own lunar base. In general, this is a game for people who prefer science without a dash of science fiction.
Released: 2008 | Developer: Ironclad Games | Buy
Combining real-time strategy and 4X elements, Sins is all about galactic conquest. Choose a faction, accumulate enough forces and resources and become the all-powerful ruler of space. Slowly managing large-scale battles in real time is exciting, but the game's capabilities are not limited to this: you can also expand your influence through diplomacy.
Released: 2013 | Developer: Keen Software House | Buy
Basically Minecraft in space or something. The gameplay consists of extracting building materials from asteroids and making space bases and ships from them. Asteroid exploration is carried out using jetpacks or gravity generators pre-built on them. This is one of the best, which, moreover, constantly receives updates from the developers.
Released: 2013 | Developer: Chucklefish Games | Buy
SpaceEngine will allow you to experience all the delights of an existential crisis and feel small and insignificant, as the events of the game unfold on the scale of the entire universe - or, in any case, the part of it known to us. Taking off from Earth and accelerating the engines to full speed, you quickly realize that you are just a speck of dust rushing through an endless void.
The variety and elaboration of technologies in the game, allowing you to travel between galaxies and land on planets, is amazing. But, unfortunately, aside from exploring the vast open world, this game doesn’t have much else to offer.