Kerbal Space Program

Well, KSP doesn't take you to other stars, but at least there's a big solar system to explore. This game will introduce into realistic (but simplified) space travel. You usally begin the game with no clue what to do and how to start, but after several hours you will find yourself talking about strange things, like the Oberth Effect or how much Delte-V is needed to get to Duna, a Mars-like planet. Your first rockets are more likely to either not reach space or not even take off, but later on you will build giant rockets to set out for the uttermost extends of the solar system. This game will boost your understanding on how things move in space and why you shouldn't accelerate towards a planet directly, if you want to go there, or why it is a bad idea to enter an atmosphere in a too steep angle. But there's one major downside: you will see every sci-fi movie or game in another way. Since I play KSP I think everytime I see a sci-fi movie or play another space game "Well, that is not accurate" or "That doesn't work this way" Conclusion: if you like space and want to learn more, buy this game. Pro: - a space game that deserves to be called "simulation" - simplified but still realistic physics - you can learn so much new - understanding on how things really move in space - it's a challange - many mods Contra: - poor performance and stability (espacially after installing some mods) - in-game tutorial not really helpful (better watch Scott Manley on YT) - important values (TWR, Delta-V, etc.) not natively displayed, only by mods (or if you calculate them on your own)

If you're thinking of giving the game a try check out my review. https://youtu.be/MHtb8USefP8

You build rockets and try to explore space. Overall, the game does deliver that very good. The career mode gives your progress some structure which makes it easyer to get into the game. As far as I can tell it, the physics are generally quite well for a game too. There is a Demo out there which I tried first and I think it doesn't do the complete game justice. I found the game much better than what the Demo showed at first. The biggest negative point, which leads to only 3 stars in my review, is that it crashes far too often. It crashes about once every 2 hours for me (win 10, a4-6300, integrated graphics).

To be honest, my most liked part of the game is the sandbox mode where a good buddy (he is the much more experienced player) and I do compete in self-made challanges like "highest top-speed at the end of the runway" or fastet rocket. The graphics are quite fine for the game. Of course, it is far away from beeing beautiful, but it runs on almost any PC and therefore it is fine, as the look is not what the game was made for Building at staging spacships is, after some time, very easy to do and even for total newcomers quite easy to handle. Happily the menues got better in the last patches, before that it was a bit difficult in my eyes. Steering and controlling a space vehicle is kind of easy, but I would love to see multi-selection of the same parts, for example the landing wheels on a "space plane", as it is some kind of difficult to click them all by there own (yes i know that parts that where placed with using the duplication mode in the hanger do it all at once). There are still some kind of glitches in the game, but as far as I could figure it out, they are quite entertaining and far away from beeing a "gamebreaker". For me it is simply a great way to build the rockets or planes I ever wanted to create and of course to see if they would actually have worked as I planned them.

Some say this game isn't for everyone. They're right, unless you're OK to make a supposedly simple rocket spin on itself and immediately crash after an eight-shaped looping, laugh hard, not understand what just happened, try again, get your very first Kerbonaut in space, deorbit him, and leave him stranded without fuel aroun the Mun. Then, you'll become frustrated and start thinking - and reading - hard about planet physics and stuffs like that. It can be frightening, and I hope it's gonna be rewarding. I'm still trying to figure how to nicely orbit something around Kerban. Atmospheric reentry optional.