Space Prison: Everything We Know

Fish-out-of-water studio Wooden Alien has announced Space Prison, a brand new turn-based survival game for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC. And while we don't know when it'll be dropping, we do know a fair bit about its structure—the setting, characters, and objectives that soon-to-be convicts will have to endure, to list but a few.

Whatever the case, if you just so happen to be interested in taking up the reins of an intergalactic criminal in a hostile world, then be sure to read on for the full scoop. Space Prison: what is it, and why should you be keeping tabs over the next couple of years ahead of its eventual release?

What Is Space Prison?

Space Prison is exactly what it says it is — a video game that casts its focus on an impenetrable fortress where aliens, both innocent and guilty, find themselves abandoned and left to rot. Billed as the “darkest hole in the universe”, Space Prison hosts no sense of community, and serves only as a pit in which the fittest survive, and the weakest disintegrate. Unfortunately for you, this is where you will begin your journey—in the abyss, and without a sense of direction.

According to Wooden Alien, guests in the so-called Space Prison will divide their time between upgrading their cells, building alliances, foraging contraband, and engaging in turn-based brawls. And while ascending the social ranks will be the overarching objective here, it seems learning how to survive and find balance will be the ultimate goal, in general.

“Space Prison is the darkest hole in the universe, the experimental entity gathering both guilty and innocent aliens under the jurisdiction of the artificial system,” the official blurb reads in part. “To stay alive you’ll need to find allies among criminals. Fight for respect in brutal turn-based brawls. And domesticate this hole.”

Story

So, how did you find yourself locked away in this bottomless nexus of cells? Well, we don't actually know. Not that it matters, though, as the jury is already out, and the general consensus is that you're a criminal, and that the rest of your days should be spent rotting away in the god awful Space Prison.

With nothing but time on your hands and an entire colony of morally bankrupt aliens to earn the trust of, you will need to step away from the confines of your cell and restore balance to a twisted system. In other words, you will need to “domesticate” the hole, either through brawling, gathering contraband, or befriending other inmates in order to garner their respect. It's entirely your call, by the looks of it.

Gameplay

Space Prison bases its entire structure around a simple rags-to-riches tale—an adventure in which you will need to develop for yourself from the confines of a cell block. To do that, you will need to prove yourself not only as an avid brawler, but as a criminal kingpin fit enough to govern the bullpen. Doing this, of course, will involve shoving your weight around and engaging in cel-based fights, as well as picking the right friends and foes.

Going by the blurb, there will be two primary gangs in Space Prison—Gravity Fist, and Hypernova. It is within the ranks of these gangs that you will need to find your place, as well as learn their heritage and fighting styles.

Outside of the gang, you will work to find scrap, parts, and general cosmetics in order to flesh out your cell, as well as build weapons for you and your closest allies. And then, should time be forgiving, you'll need to scrounge for food for your pet rat—a red-eyed companion that, with a little time and effort, will supposedly die for you. So, quite the bulky agenda, then.

Development

Wooden Alien first brought news of the turn-based survival game back in the beginning of April. Since making the announcement via a short trailer outlining the basic details, the newfound Polish studio has shed light on the platforms—Xbox, PlayStation, and PC. An official release date has yet to be confirmed.

“Space Prison combines survival with tactics and social dynamics” said Wooden Alien CEO Hubert Kubit in a press release. “We wanted to create a game that would immerse players in a detailed sci-fi adventure universe and offer them a truly unique gameplay experience. With Space Prison, we believe we are well on our way to achieving that goal and are thrilled to be bringing it to PC, PlayStation, and Xbox players.”

Trailer

Caught your eye? If so, then you'll be pleased to know that Wooden Alien did, in fact, release a sneak preview of the game earlier this month. And kudos to the studio, too, as the minute-long trailer actually touches base on a considerable amount of details, right down to the cel-based brawling. You can see it for yourself in the video embedded above.

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

Space Prison will be coming to Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC via Steam. We can't say for certain when it'll hit the shelves, mainly down to the fact that Wooden Alien has kept rather quiet on the matter. Either way, the project is making steady progress, so it's merely the case of playing the waiting game at the moment.

Right now, there are no special or deluxe editions outside of the standard copy on consoles and PC. Is this likely to change ahead of its eventual release? It's hard to say at this point, though if anything of the sort does come to light, chances are it'll be announced through its site here. Failing that, then the Steam handle here.

For more information on the Space Prison launch, you can follow the official social feed here. If anything changes ahead of its release, we'll be sure to fill you in on all the details right here on gaming.net.

So, what's your take? Will you be picking up a copy of Space Prison when it drops? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.