On August 19,Void Bastardswill become free on theEpic Games Store. Alongside Playtonic Games’Yooka-Laylee, this will replaceRebel Galaxy, which is currently available for no cost on the site. WhileYooka-Layleeis a bit of a wildcard,Void Bastardsgels thematically with a lot of the other games offered for free in August. It ambitiously portrays a science fiction vehicle and the strategy associated with maneuvering it across the universe.
Both upcoming free titles would be generous offerings in their own rights, and having them release together is a further demonstration of the Epic Store’s free game generosity.Void Bastardshas never been on theEpic Games Storebefore, so it will join the long list of games that have debuted free on the platform.Yooka-Layleeis another of those games, despite one of its sequels already being on there. This will be Blue Manchu’s first game on the Epic Store. It was one of the most interesting indie games of 2019, and it being free on the Epic Store will hopefully build an even stronger fanbase for it.
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Void Bastardsis not only a witty and vibrant FPS but one that switches up the traditional formula in an interesting way. It is not just about the moment-to-moment battles across desolate space stations, but also the strategy that gets the characters there in the first place. In spite of that focus, the game still makes the moment-to-moment gameplay very exciting, with very real stakes around character death. Ultimately,Void Bastardsallows players much more agency than a lot ofgreat sci-fi games, as the entire setup process is also down to them as well.
What is Void Bastards?
Blue Manchu’s breakout FPS-strategy hit takes place across the far-reaching Sargasso Nebula. The player has to transport a hastily gathered group of misfit prisoners through the void of space. These titular Bastards can have a huge variety of personality traits, and a limitless supply of prisoners makes each playthrough deeply diverse and fraught in different ways. Indeed, the permadeath mechanics of the game mean that players are unlikely to keep a consistent group of prisoners for very long. This is is similar to the mechanical loops in thebest roguelike games, where death does have some kind of impact on the main campaign.
Another crucial element toVoid Bastard’s success is the incredibly consistent aesthetic choices. Similar to FPSgames likeXIII, it leans heavily into a comic book style. Even the game’s HUD is made up of comic frames, so players are aware of it at all times. Rather than damage numbers or health bars, big cartoon “splat” graphics leap up above enemy heads during combat. Enemy designs, too, are a healthy blend of cartoony and sinister, with some of them appearing as sprites that jerkily move through abandoned ship corridors. The distinctive graphic novel art style coheres wonderfully with the central tone of the game.
How Void Bastards Switches Up The FPS Genre
Blue Manchu uses this strategy element in conjunction with the semi-persistent roguelike gameplay threads to create something a touch unique in the modern FPS landscape. However, the game is not that unique in the context of who made it. Blue Manchu’s founder is Jon Chey, a 20-year industry veteran. In his time, Chey worked onTheif: The Dark Project, and also co-founded Irrational Games with Ken Levine and Robert Fermier. Founding Irrational proved to be incredibly important for not just Chey’s career, but the games industry at large. During his time with Irrational, Chey designed, produced, and programmedgames likeBioShock,Freedom Force,andSystem Shock 2.
Void Bastardsmakes much more sense when thought of as a very cheeky spiritualsequel toBioShockand the other Irrational Games sci-fi titles. While it mostly drops the more serious tone of those games, it commits to a more satirical take on prison labor, pulpy sci-fi, and the real existential terror of the eponymous void. Players will send veritable hordes of prisoners through the game, and while there is a constant sense of levity throughout, the game does lack slightly in the story department, arguably falling short of the lofty heights reached in the narratives of older Irrational Games products.
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Void Bastards Is A Brilliant Free Epic Games Store Offering
Unfortunately,Void Bastardsreceived mixed critical acclaim on launch, mostly due to its slightly lackluster story and replay value. However, a good portion of fans absolutely adored the game, and still routinely revisit the game. Looking at the game’s Steamcharts page is particularly interesting. Steamcharts tracks the number of concurrent players for any given game on the platform. Of course, Steam was notVoid Bastard’s only platform, but the statistic is still interesting to track. Especially in comparison to the otherAugust 19 free Epic Store gameofYooka-Laylee.Yooka-Laylee’s release was much higher profile than Blue Manchu’s game, reflected in the 4,000 more peak concurrent players that the game boasts.
On the other hand, the concurrent player number for both titles is radically different right now. In June and July,Void Bastardshad more than doubleYooka-Laylee’s concurrent players. This potentially demonstrates that the game has some kind of replay value that perhaps was not appreciated immediately during the review period. The game was one of themost interesting indie games of 2019and only had a 12-15 hour campaign.
If such a comparably large number of players are still coming back to the game (despite its short play time), that means it is a potentially brilliant free Epic Games Store title. Blue Manchu is likely using the Epic Store to boost the game’s player base, making it even more relevant in the2021 indie gamesmarket.
Void Bastardswill be free on the Epic Games Store from August 19.
