The trailer for this game looked fantastic. I loved the modempunk aesthetic, I love the idea of tooling around in space Privateer-style with a deliberately retro interface. I was hoping it would scratch that Duskers itch, where that game had turned me off with its "random brick wall to the face" difficulty. Well, it turns out Objects in Space also has a huge difficulty curve, it's just that it's the game's interface. I don't mean to say that it's old-fashioned, no. Duskers is old-fashioned, using only terminal inputs, but it also allows for some sophistication and streamlining. It doesn't ignore modern design principles, instead presenting the aesthetic without the frustrations. Objects is on the entire other end of the spectrum. Aside from the game's premise, which has been done enough times I was able to call the opening dialogue in advance play-by-play, the user interface is atrocious. The first time I left a space station, it took me forever, because I didn't realise that to request permission to leave from docking control, you have to get out of your seat, *physically leave your ship*, push a button by the airlock, then re-enter it. WHAT? Then I had to undock - the docking button isn't a toggle switch, there's an undock button living in a completely different part of the control panel, and it was hidden behind a message log. Why would anyone ever design a ship's controls that way, ever, in any universe? Then I realised that I wasn't able to take on most missions, the reward for doing missions was just barely more than the damn docking fees, calculated out how many missions it would take to afford anything, threw up my hands and said "to hell with this". I'll go back to playing X: Beyond the Frontier, which is way clunkier than the sequels but still looks, controls and plays better than this mess. (Also apparently the developers have decided they've made enough cash and have abandoned the game. Awesome.)
I've played Dethkarz many times throughout my life, coming back to it every now and then for a nostalgic racing romp. It looks great, it's fast, it controls well and the explosions when you take out an enemy car are incredibly satisfying. That said, it's just a little too easy, and a little too short, and that's always bothered me. Outpacing the other cars once you get the hang of the (admittedly cool) tracks is not difficult, and the standard laser weapon can be charged up and released with such deadliness that I used to take pleasure in slowing down so I could vapourise everyone else on the track for an easy win. Still, if you want some Wipeout-era arcade fun, I recommend Dethkarz. Just don't expect too much in the way of depth.
