Kerbal Space Program 2 is more ambitious than ever before | Hands-on preview
The ambition on display in Kerbal Space Program 2 is staggering, but so is the potential. As you read this, it will be in Steam Early Access, and knowing just what Intercept Games plan to do after the initial release is mind-blowing. Multiplayer will be arriving, along with the ability to share and utilise other player’s creations, and the addition of even more parts to create unique and impressive spaceships, stations, and more. The sequel to the much-loved space flight simulator is bigger than its predecessor in every way, but it has also redesigned the UI to make it both accessible and replayable from the moment you enter the vehicle assembly.
To get the most out of KSP2, you’re going to need to remain dedicated. There’s a robust tutorial at the Training Centre that throws a lot of information at you across four categories, ranging from crafting your rocket and testing it, to resource management and orbiting planets. Don’t assume that cute little aliens in the animated cutscenes mean you’ll be getting it easy, because you won’t. I had to replay most of the tutorials a couple of times to grasp the basics, and even then I kept having to return in order to remember what certain actions did, how to orbit a planet successfully, and get to grips with everything on offer.
I immediately felt bogged down by just how much information there was, but it wasn’t until I was in the vehicle assembly and playing around with different variables that I started to understand what was being asked of me. After all, space travel and literal rocket science isn’t going to be grasped straight away, is it? It may appear like a complex game at first, but the fun comes from experimenting with the vast amount of parts and pieces, then taking them out onto the launch pad and preparing for launch. I’ll never forget the first time I tried. I’m not proud, but I learnt that I needed to pay more attention to the various stages of launch and getting that right before I initiated the countdown. Spoiler, I didn’t even leave the ground.
Once I started to build my rocket with the key components (command control pod, engine, and fuel), I was able to slowly progress into more complex creations. The VAB, or Vehicle Assembly Building, is full of variations on these key parts, along with tons of other items such as lighting, antennas, wheels, and wings. You can not only create some fancy looking rockets, but when attaching different parts together with couplings, your creations will become more complex, but also more efficient. There are loads of tools to help you in creation, such as the engineer’s guidance panel that’ll show you if something key is missing, to your travel plan, allowing you to create to the last minute detail.
Whatever you envision in your mind, there’s a chance you’ll be able to build it, but creating is only the beginning. Once you’ve finished, you’ll be heading to the launch pad, and that’s where all your hard work will hopefully pay off. Getting off the ground and managing a correct trajectory will rely on you monitoring each stage of space flight. Once the fuel runs out in one part of your rocket, you’ll have to initiate the next stage. Depending on the size and parts of your rocket, you’ll head further and further into the sky and out of Kerbin’s atmosphere. This is where KSP2 gets tricky, but again, if you’re willing to experiment, then there’s so much fun to be had.
In the preview I got to play, it took me various attempts to get into space and maintain an orbit, let alone travel to nearby colonies and planets. A whole new layer of skill is involved in expanding and reducing your orbit, transferring that orbit to somewhere else, and planning the manoeuvre while up in space. There’s so much more you’ll have to learn, but the tutorial does a fantastic job of explaining it. A notepad and pen wouldn’t go amiss, and as I said earlier, as long as you’re dedicated, there’s so much satisfaction of not only getting into space, but exploring at the same time.
I’m only at the beginning of my journey in Kerbal Space Program 2. I’m not an expert in the slightest, and I’m not going to pretend I know exactly what I’m doing. However, I do know a great game when I see it, and KSP2 is certainly heading in the right direction. From the massive customisation options to the detailed controls and immersive nature of its gameplay, fans of the original are going to lose their minds when they get a chance to finally build and launch. When the modding community is in full swing, there’ll be a whole new layer to people’s enjoyment, especially as you’ll be able to take certain creations and implement them in your own.
Kerbal Space Program 2 hits PC early access on February 24, 2023.
