In Starheim players zip through space in their own spaceship blowing up AI ships or possibly even other players.
Ship Progression -
Loot collected from destroyed ships can be used to upgrade to a better ship, with dozens of different ship models to progress through on your journey from a small fighter to a dreadnought class cruiser.
Weapon and Support modules can be collected and upgraded to improve the stats of your ship to take on even harder opponents and bosses, or to open up access to new regions of space to explore.
The World -
The regions of space that make up the game's world are based on the 9 realms of Norse Mythology, imagining what worlds like Asgard and Midgard would be like if they were real regions of space, and the norse "Gods" were just another advanced spacefaring civilization our ancestors wrote stories about in the distant past.
Simplifying the Space Genre -
The main idea behind the game is to make a space game that's approachable by a more casual audience than most games in the genre, but still has depth for more advanced players.
The primary way this has been done is by simplify the spaceship piloting mechanic seen in other big space titles by locking ships and bullets so everything is on a flat plane. Not having to deal with anything moving up and down makes it possible to control a very fast moving ship, aim at enemies easily, dodge bullets, and warp around, even with touch controls. It's genuinely quite fun, and even the 9 year old play tester asks to play it again.
Online Multiplayer -
The game is always online multiplayer and requires a decent internet connection to play since its fast paced.
The server is shared across multiple platforms, allowing players on Android and PC (Steam) to play together. (Once the steam version is released.)
Free To Play -
The game is free to play with everyone having access to all the worlds. It is ad free for everyone. The way it pays the bills is through the "Spark Shop" where it is possible to purchase "Sparks of Creation", the in-app purchase currency. The Spark Shop has premium ship skins as well as some upgrade materials that are always also available as random drops.
Open PvP -
The game has open PvP in most areas, with safe zones around shops and upgrade facilities so players can use them in peace.
Attacking a player makes the attacker's name yellow for around a minute. Killing a player makes the attacker's name yellow for 10 minutes, and adds 10 PK Points to them. Once a player has 30+ PK Points their name turns red.
Anyone can attack a yellow or red name player without it being considered PKing, and it won't make their own name yellow or add PK Points to them.
Red name players have a chance to drop equipped modules if killed.
Skill based weapons -
A decision was made early on to not have any kind of "Heat seeking missile" type weapons, meaning you have to actually point your ship at a target to hit them. Here stats help, but it really comes down to skill.
Physics -
Everything has real physics, so if you slam into an NPC or player's ship, they will go spinning off. It's toned down from how it would be in real life though.
Hit or shoot an asteroid and it will go flying off into space, or you can launch it at people. You actually get 2X rates for kills with asteroids. It'll say something like "You rock!" if you nail another ship with an asteroid.
Along with throwing asteroids at ships, you can also use your tractor beam to grab them and throw them into a container ship to recieve the ore in them.
Current State -
The game is still in Early access, but the core is in place and is pretty solid. The biggest thing left to do is add content for level 40-100, and a player to player market.
A story based on Norse mythology is partially complete, as well as a "Ragnarok" faction vs faction PvP event. I'll be adding more content regularly. It is developed by one person though so go easy on me.
Coming soon on Steam for PC and Steamdeck.