As if dismantling a derelict spaceship wasn’t already hazardous enough, developers Blackbird Interactive have added radiation to Hardspace: Shipbreaker. The Pretty Rad update dropped this week for the sci-fi ship scrapping sim, making it so players can find and extract Radiation Filters on their looting expeditions. This is easier said than done, however, as those Filters are rather fragile, and can drop radioactive particles if you so much as bump the thing.
Radiation Filters can appear in ships with Hazard Level 6 and above, starting at Certification Rank 9, so you’ll have to have a bit of experience before Imagine Dragons start blasting tunes at you.
The Filters can drop clouds of Radioactive Particulate when damaged, which in turn will damage you as well as a ship’s electronics. Then if it comes in contact with fire or your cutter beam, it becomes even more dangerous. The cloud can be dissipated by chucking coolant at it, though.
“Our goal with this element was to create spatial challenges through its placement, and to have players think on their feet and adjust their path through a ship depending on changing circumstances,” the devs say. “We also wanted to create an element that did not have a binary state of catastrophic failure or perfect salvage, and provide more of an escalation of danger.”
Our Hardspace: Shipbreaker review says it’s “a brilliant and therapeutic space simulation, and a quiet celebration of the simple act of deconstruction.” I imagine with the added radiation it’s a little less therapeutic than usual, but still good fun.
Hardspace: Shipbreaker is still in early access on Steam, and it’s currently 30% off in the Summer Sale, pricing it at £16/€18/$18.