We got our first look at Hardspace: Shipbreaker back in June when the game released on Steam Early Access, and we were impressed. There's an odd serenity in being alone in the inky blackness of space with the sole job of taking apart a spaceship piece by lucrative piece. Up until you cut the wrong part and explode, that is.

At its core, Hardspace: Shipbreaker is really just a fancy physics simulator. You play as a salvager in an orbital facility that strips abandoned spaceships for parts and useful materials. It's just you, a grappling tool, a laser cutter, and some tethers against the imposing mass of a spacefaring vessel.

And it's surprisingly dangerous out in space. Cut the wrong wire and a door could open up and explosively eject you into space. Or you could cut out the reactor only to find it melting down with no clear path to a safe exit.

Shipbreaker
via Blackbird Interactive

Hardspace: Shipbreaker has managed to get rave reviews from users on Steam despite being in Early Access, and now developer Blackbird Interactive is giving their baby a major update in time for the holidays.

Business is Booming for the Lynx Corporation, and they've acquired the salvage rights to the new Javelin Class starship. This vessel is vastly different from previous ships in that most of its structural elements are external. The interior of the Javelin is cramped and narrow, so it might be a good idea to cut a few breathing holes along the ship's spine first.

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The new Demo Charge gives the player a much faster alternative to the laser cutter. By placing multiple charges, vast areas of a ship can be severed from a safe distance. Charges are all detonated remotely in sequence after being placed, and unused charges can be retrieved provided the player is able to disarm them.

Shipbreaker's tools have been revamped as well with a new radial menu system and a new tool durability system to better show the downsides of using a damaged tool.

There’s a big list of QOL and bugfixes too, which you can read about over on Steam. Business is Booming is available now, and Hardspace: Shipbreaker is on sale for 30% off until January 5, so now’s the best time to become an indentured spaceship salvager.

Source: Blackbird Interactive

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