Kerbal Space Program is a space program / space rocket simulator in which you can create any type of rocket using the available pieces. Do you think you can you reach the moon or even further? Come read our Kerbal Space Program review to find out more about this release!
Kerbal Space Program is a game where players create and manage their own space program. Build spacecraft, fly them and try to help the Kerbals to fulfill their ultimate mission of conquering space.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPCMmqA0RUE
Kerbal Space Program Trailer
This is a double review for the PS4 versions of Kerbal Space Program. The game was played on PS4 by the_nmac and Ceidz. This review presents what they both had to say.
I must admit that at first I wasn’t terribly impressed by Kerbal Space Program on the PlayStation 4. I had played a little bit of the PC version, so I had at least a small background on what the game should look like and handle on PlayStation.
Right as the game begins, we are greeted by a weird loading progress bar displaying the internal files names that are being loaded. This is the first time I saw it on a console game, and it might even be the first time I saw it after the year 2000. You should expect to see those filenames for a loooong time because each time the game boots, it loads for 72 seconds (which I actually timed) on my PlayStation 4.
Once everything is loaded, we get to the settings screen that requires us to use the DualShock 4 controller as a mouse pointer, which was uncomfortable to use because it’s way too sensitive. When a game is ported from PC to console, some UI tweaks are to make the playable on a controller. While Kerbal Space Program is technically playable, the actual gameplay gets some time before you can get used to it – Some menus have been completely reworked to use the DualShock 4 controller arrows correctly, but most didn’t.
Outside the game presentation, which could have benefited from a reworked UI, the gameplay will be confusing at first because we don’t have any pointers as to what to do. Technically this is similar to Minecraft (you are dropped in a sandbox and are expected to know what to do) and is honestly a great feature of this game since you’ll learn a lot as you go.
There are a ton of tutorials that can/must be followed, and the liberty you have in building your own space rockets is fantastic! The physics are superbly well done. For example, a rocket that isn’t properly built WILL explode. The atmosphere, air drag, rocket weight, etc., are all taken into consideration, so you have to think carefully about what you’re doing. If your rocket thrusters aren’t perfectly aligned, your rocket will either tilt or go off course.
So I was a Kerbal virgin before playing this game. I had heard great things about the PC version and was looking forward to playing the console version. Once you get past the long loading times and the “made for a mouse interface”, there is a lot of fun to be had in this game.
You can tackle the game in a few modes similar to other sims, whether it be sandbox mode or campaign mode. I liked the campaign as it starts you off with minimal pieces to build your ships and makes you earn them. The gameplay loop of build experimental rocket, launch, receive money, put said money back into the infrastructure to develop better resources and pilots has been very fun. Once you get going it can be a blast, but the console interface sometimes gets in the way, and the tiny text makes it difficult to play here and there.
The game is currently $40 on PS4 since this is a premium release with hundreds of hours of content ahead of you. If you’re not into sims, especially those of the space rocket thing variety, then $40 might seem like a lot to you, but there’s thousands of people who have been waiting for a PlayStation 4 of Kerbal Space Program and who are going to get their money’s worth.
Final Thoughts
Kerbal Space Program is a fun game that could have definitely been improved more for its console release due to its move from mouse controls to the Dualshock 4. The $40 price point could be a bit high for some, but others will love it. There’s a huge community already, so if you’re ever stumped check out a youtube video or two to learn some new tricks you can add to your arsenal.
We both had an interesting experience writing our part of this Kerbal Space Program review, and your mileage will vary depending on how big of a sim fan you are.
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Cost:
$39.99
PSN Game size:
PS4- 2.5GB
You can purchase Kerbal Space Program from the PSN.
Disclaimer
This review is based on PS4 digital copies of Kerbal Space Program provided by Squad.
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