Retro space shooter game
Distant Space is a premium arcade game for PC developed by PixelMouse. It’s a third-person top-down shooter with a sci-fi theme to it and is set in space. In it, players will be controlling a spaceship and are tasked with facing and defeating multiple waves of highly agile enemies.
Similar to Space Invaders or Retro Invaders, Distant Space takes cues from classic space shooters from the 80s for its design and gameplay. It combines pixel graphics with a minimalistic art style to offer an experience that is as close to its original inspiration as possible, with modern gameplay elements.
Classic space shooting
Space Invaders is a classic in the sci-fi sub-genre that helped popularize space shooters way back then. It features simple graphics and easy-to-learn mechanics but the gameplay was deceptively simple. Its popularity and appeal have endured through the decades, inspiring modern releases that are trying to offer the same experience it had, and Distant Space is one of those games it inspired.
On the surface, this game looks and feels like the classic title it’s trying to emulate. There are 26 levels to face and countless waves of ships and large bosses to defeat in each of them. What makes it stand out is pacing as the gameplay is faster and more frenetic than usual. Enemies are spritely and move in specific patterns you must figure out to defeat them.
You have health and shield counters to help with survivability, as well as an upgradable weapon that lets you shoot more projectiles to hit more enemies. Everything is complemented by retro sounds and music for a more authentic experience. One area where the game could improve is level design, particularly, with legibility and how it can be hard to see enemies.
One design element flaw
All in all, Distant Space is a decent space shooter that does an admirable job of replicating the classic Space Invaders experience. The gameplay is similar but the increased pace makes it more engaging and challenging to play. The only problem with it is its design which makes it hard to see elements on the screen. Hopefully, it gets addressed in a future update.
