It’s nearly three years late, but Kerbal Space Program 2 is almost here, provided you don’t mind a few rough edges. Private Division has revealed that the sequel to its rocket construction game will be available on February 24th as an Early Access release through Steam, the Epic Games Store and other online shops. The new title includes a raft of content and feature updates, but its biggest improvement may be ease of use — this could be worth a look if you were put off by the learning curve of the original.
KSP2 includes “fully revamped” vehicle assembly and flight interfaces that, according to the developers, are more accommodating for rookies without taking away the challenge. Newcomers also see tutorial animations. Add a new maneuver planner and a more usable time warp (it’s now an option while accelerating) and the game should be less intimidating, not to mention less monotonous during long journeys.
Whatever your skill level, the scope will be much larger. The initial release will include new environments with more detailed atmospheres and terrain, as well as new spaceflight tech with customizable parts. Later on, you’ll see much more. KSP2 will finally add interstellar travel, and you can build colonies with habitats and space stations. Multiplayer is also on the roadmap for friends who want to either cooperate on space exploration or one-up each other’s achievements.
The new game will only be available on PCs during Early Access, and it’s not certain just when the finished release will be ready. The first Kerbal Space Program took four years to exit its pre-release phase, so you might be in for a long(er) wait if you’re a console fan or just want a polished product.