October is the month for spooky sights and dastardly devils. Typically, when one thinks about those that go bump in the night, we think ghosts and ghouls. However, one genre commonly forgotten is sci-fi. Unfortunate Spacemen brings the scares and sarcasm from the comfort of your desk!
The Plot
Unfortunate Spacemen has a similar feel to Journey to the Savage Planet. Players work for “The Company” as a cleanup crew. We are grunts sent down to a strange planet, tasked with recovering The Company’s goods and mowing down waves of non-human life forms. It all sounds easy enough, shoot aliens and grab goods. However, it is not always that cut and dry. Some aliens take on the form of fellow crew members but are genuinely out to destroy the players. Wit, grit, and quick trigger fingers are absolutely necessary for this title!
Co-Op Experience
When I found this free title on Steam, I was more interested in the online co-op. I wanted to share the experience of destroying waves of enemies with my dearest friend. So with that, we downloaded the game and started in on the story mode. Immediately, we had no idea what we were doing. The boss told us to destroy anything that was not human, and so we did. In the process, we died, screamed, and ran away from hundreds of armored drones. When we came across our first shapeshifter, the creature that looked like a crew member, we panicked. The experience was way more delightful than I expected from a free game.
In story mode, we progressed through a short but exciting story. It turns out our boss was an alien, and we were a pair of the only humans aboard the ship. But, first, our vessel was overtaken by enemy hostiles, and then we ended up on the enemy’s home turf. Then the game seemed to end with us dying? It was a slightly confusing ending, but we enjoyed the whole experience with many weapons and enemies.
Other Modes
If playing next to someone does not appeal to you, Unfortunate Spacemen does have other modes. First, the shapeshifter mode allows players to play with up to 16 different individuals, where one of the players is the shapeshifter. This sounded similar to Among Us, which would be fun for a large group. Second, the traitor mode has a player help the monster win, which allows for a more devious playstyle. Finally, in each game, players can use proximity chat and emotes to convey messages to teammates. Overall, Unfortunate Spacemen has a variety of games for every playstyle.
Odds and Ends
Unfortunate Spacemen was an excellent way to kill an afternoon. We found ourselves excited for each level and ultimately wanted more content. So, if you are looking for a spooky game with comedic relief, this is the title for you! In the end, to get more news on Unfortunate Spacemen, check out their Steam and Twitter pages.
