Another day, another space disaster to solve – but fortunately, Jumplight Odyssey makes everything a joy to look at, even when the airlock seal is leaking. A sci-fi colony management game inspired by ’70s anime, Jumplight Odyssey will be coming to Early Access on PC in 2023, and developer League of Geeks has just debuted a lovely cinematic trailer that explains the premise.
You’re in command of a Jumplight vessel that contains the remnant of a destroyed civilisation, and you’re fleeing your devastated homeworld to seek ‘The Forever Star,’ where your people can rebuild their future. In the meantime, you’ll have to build out the inside of your starship with facilities to support your crew and passengers, all whilst avoiding threats from black holes, bandits, and everything in between.
The trailer showcases a visual style heavily influenced by series like Space Pirate Captain Harlock and Voltron, and League of Geeks says the in-game view itself is inspired by the illustrated book series Incredible Cross Sections.
Your ship’s crew will need places to work, but also facilities to relax and socialise in, so you’ll have to economise on space by balancing R&R areas with room dedicated for production and defence.
You’ll also be recruiting new crewmembers as you journey from system to system, so the layout of your ship will have to change to keep up with the expanding passenger manifest. Mismanage your resources, and you’ll risk disheartening your crew – or worse, you’ll face a mutiny.
Jumplight Odyssey will arrive in early access on PC in 2023. Our list of the best games like RimWorld and Dwarf Fortress will help keep you busy in the meantime. The Steam page is now live if you’d like to add it to your wishlist.