Space Scaven Demo

You don’t necessarily have to solve differential equations in order to feel smart, because there are plenty of ways one can improve their intellect without resorting to calculus. Puzzle games are the perfect example of this, because even the smartest people can find themselves stuck when they cannot figure out how to use the gameplay mechanics to their advantage.

Space Scaven is not very unique when it comes to the main idea and the general gameplay mechanics, but it’s undoubtedly fun to play and quite tricky every now and again. The main goal is to move objects around in order to unlock doors and disable traps, but there are a few other mechanics to diversify the experience. Still, you can figure everything out from the first few minutes.

The story is not very detailed either, and there are no details given about the main character or his background. However, it is known that he is an engineer tasked with the retrieval of black boxes from spaceships, which is a pretty dangerous mission. Most ships are quite seriously damaged, which makes them unsafe for humans not wearing the proper protection gear.

Most of your time is spent using a hook to drag things around, in order to activate platforms that open doors or disable traps. However, there are a few other types of puzzles as well, which include moving platforms, or even walking around depressurized rooms. When you do this, you must hurry and keep an eye on the O2 level in your tank, otherwise you succumb to death.

In fact, the entire experience is quite fun and challenging, which is exactly how a puzzle game should be. Granted, you are allowed to finish the level before you find all the black boxes, which is kind of a bummer, but it shouldn’t affect the overall experience. The graphics are pretty nice, even if you have to get used to only two dimensions and a top-down perspective.

Although Space Scaven could use a few more mechanics and more diverse level design, it’s actually quite a polished and exciting project. Hence, if you are a fan of puzzle games, this should keep you busy for a while, at least until the full game is released.

Note: You can help the developers by voting the game on Steam Greenlight.