Void Bastards: (Fresh Felons, just add water)

~ Author: Jacob Bullard

Void Bastards is a roguelike FPS inspired by classics like System Shock and BioShock which means it’s not too shocking to see this game is bursting with character! Your ship the “Void Ark” is a prison ship meant to transport “dehydrated” felons, but something’s gone wrong. The onboard AI B.A.C.S. decides to “rehydrate” some of the felons to help make repairs to the ship. This explains why you can continue with your mission even if you perish in the void of space, since BACS will just rehydrate a new felon! Jump from ship wreckage to ship wreckage to look for supplies to repair pieces of the Void Ark, seems simple really. Except that in this bureaucratic AI controlled hellscape you’ll find you have your work cut out for you. In a Borderlands-esq art style segmented with comic book readings in place of cutscenes along with a plethora of dead pan puns and humor, it makes the cold and terrifying kiss of the void a tad more bearable! Except for what lies beyond.

While in search for parts you will need to board the wreckage of old ships lost in the void. Of course outer space has been corporatized and branded to all get out but that makes your job much easier, since certain brands of ships carry different types of supplies and enemies! Low on food? Visit a Lux brand ship. Low on munitions and volts? Visit a Pac brand ship. Before embarking on any of these ships you will need to select what weapons and tools you will bring aboard. Depending on the ship and small tidbits of info you have before jumping in, you can choose which derelicts of demolition will get the job done best. If you find your current arsenal lacking then head to the workshop on the Void Ark and craft some new gear or upgrade your old stuff! There is a solid amount of guns, explosives, and other nifty gadgets to help you survive in these paranormal paddy wagons. Did I say paranormal? Oh yeah I forgot to mention that these ships have a horrible host of ghosts, ghouls, and heavily armoured security robots to tear you a new hull breach. I mean what did you think the guns were for? With all that’s in front of you, you’ll find yourself hurting for more ammo and meds before you can say “I have my rights!” which means you’ll need to pick and choose your battles carefully on the Star Map! 

The Star Map is an essential part of gameplay that shows which ships you are able to jump to and lets you plot your course through the void! Certain wrecks may hold more loot or the specific part you need to upgrade your explosive kitty roomba but it also shows you how difficult it can be inside. Some battles might just be worth skipping so you don’t use up all your resources on a fight with little to no payoff. These haunted husks aren’t all you have to worry about on the Star Map though! Pirates have caught your scent and will pursue your ship and onto wrecks if you don’t blast them out of the sky or make a clean getaway. Along with pirates you will find horrible creatures on the Star Map that can destroy entire stations, or cause instant death via oral consumption. Meaning that you will have to plan your path carefully to avoid these space swimming suckers. Along the way you can find extra fuel, credits, or food which are a small reprieve in the darkness but well worth the detour. You may be capable of fighting and flying but it’s what’s on the inside that counts!

Every time you die in Void Bastards BACS will rehydrate a new felon from his supply for you to control! That’s right, rip open a packet, just add water, and boom! You’ve got a new fresh menace to society ready to roll! Every felon you play as has unique traits and characteristics that can affect gameplay or the Star Map. Some are short, tall, smokers, schizophrenics, and much much more! With such a unique and diverse cast of… “lovely” men and women you can find yourself in a heap of trouble if your smoker ends up coughing when trying to sneak around, or in a great spot since this smoker is also a whizz with engines and can jury rig the ship so it costs less to jump from place to place! Just a few examples of the near infinite combos you can get every time you hop into a new character. 

Can you manage your supplies, keep your finger on the trigger, maneuver past pirates, and become a true Void Bastard? Well that’s for you to find out. A great game that you can pick up for thirty bucks which goes on sale pretty frequently. As I write this review the “steam summer sale” is on and you can pick it up for only twelve bucks! Definitely worth the try if you are a lover of rougelikes or just appreciate it’s unique style and great sense of humor. With a load of extra challenges after you “beat” the game along with a DLC which adds more ships, enemies, and weapons for some extra challenge. Keep your BACS to the wall, and become a Void Bastard today!