Equipped with space suits, backpacks and their trusty terrain tools, Ben and Tao shuttle between stars and planets while sucking up every available resource in space industry sandbox, Astroneer. The duo ponder the contrast between procedurally generated sandboxes and narrative driven adventures, the importance of tutorials, creation versus consumption, and the rise of efficiency-maximising factory simulators. Plus, they get a little sidetracked with what makes good TV... No spoilers.

Content Warning: PEGI 3 game with a PEGI 12 analysis. Some strong language. In-game purchases. Beware labyrinthine caves.

Clarifications:

• Lewis Saunders is a compositor who has worked on a wide range of triple A Hollywood titles. His work is here: http://lewissaunders.com/


• The Astroneer Reddit guide that Ben found so helpful is here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Astroneer/comments/e46cfo/guide_from_start_to_finish/


• Here’s the guy who made Pong: https://www.reddit.com/r/Astroneer/comments/i2xxeh/i_made_pong_more_info_in_comments/

Audio extracts:

• ‘Space Walk’ by Lemon Jelly feat. Ben and Tao


• Death Stranding OST


• Mario Kart ‘64 - ‘Raceways’


• Don’t Starve OST


• ‘Widows’ trailer


• Subnautica theme


• Journey to the Center of the Earth trailer


• Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith


• ‘The JCB Song’ by Nizlopi


• ‘Supermoon’ by 65daysofstatic, from No Man’s Sky


• House theme and excerpts (including ‘Teardrop’ by Massive Attack)


• Scooby-Doo! Frankencreepy (2014)


• Doom ‘64 - Level 02, The Terraformer


• Astroneer ‘Automation’ trailer


• Red Dead Redemption 2 theme


• Pewdiepie plays Minecraft

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