EarthX

EarthX is a sci-fi simulation game set in a futuristic world where players manage their own private space company, developing advanced rockets, competing for contracts against rivals, and expanding operations across the solar system. From launching reusable rockets and supplying the International Space Station to building Mars colonies and terraforming the red planet, the game offers a deep managerial experience with over 30 progression levels, 45 customizable parts, and plans for features like Moon bases and employee management.

EarthX: Review

Introduction

In an era where space travel has shifted from fantastical dreams to tangible ambitions—fueled by private enterprises like SpaceX and Blue Origin—few games capture the thrill and tedium of building a rocket empire quite like EarthX. Released in Early Access in 2019 and fully launched in 2023, this unassuming simulation invites players to step into the shoes of a fledgling space company CEO, scaling from backyard launches to Martian terraforming. As a game historian, I’ve seen simulations evolve from dry tycoons like SimCity to narrative-driven epics like Kerbal Space Program, but EarthX carves a niche in the managerial space sim subgenre, blending economic strategy with awe-inspiring orbital mechanics. Its legacy lies in democratizing the complexities of real-world rocketry for casual players, fostering a sense of accomplishment amid inevitable explosions. My thesis: EarthX is a charming, if imperfect, tribute to human ingenuity in space, excelling in relaxed progression but occasionally stumbling under its own ambitious scope, ultimately securing its place as an accessible gateway to space strategy gaming.

Development History & Context

EarthX emerged from the passion project of a small, international team led by Polish teenager Denis Szwarc, who began solo development in early 2019 at just 17 years old. Under the banner of Mesote Games—a one-person studio that Szwarc founded— the game drew direct inspiration from his fascination with SpaceX and Elon Musk’s ventures, as well as broader influences like NASA, Rocket Lab, and even Tesla’s innovative ethos. By mid-2019, the team expanded to include Adrian Wesołowski (33), who handled marketing, quality control, and narrative writing, and Sergey Mostepan (18), a Russian space enthusiast who contributed 3D models and translations. This trio’s dynamic—youthful enthusiasm meets practical oversight—mirrored the scrappy startup vibe of the game’s premise.

Technological constraints were minimal, thanks to the Unity engine (version 2019.4.8f1), which allowed for cross-platform support on Windows, macOS, Linux, and eventually Nintendo Switch in 2023 via publisher Pineapple Works sp. z o.o. Early Access launched on Steam July 12, 2019, with a modest $19.99 price tag, reflecting the era’s indie boom where tools like Unity democratized development. The gaming landscape at the time was ripe for space sims: Kerbal Space Program (2015) had popularized physics-based rocketry, while titles like Jupiter Moon and Surviving Mars (2018) explored colony-building. Yet EarthX stood out by emphasizing business management over granular physics, arriving amid a surge in “cozy” simulations like Stardew Valley (2016) and Two Point Hospital (2018). Constraints like Szwarc’s inexperience led to initial bugs and incomplete features—such as the promised weather system and employee depth—but community feedback via Discord shaped iterative updates, releasing over a dozen patches by 2023. This bootstrapped approach, funded by Steam sales and a 2020 “Future Astronauts Edition” soundtrack DLC, highlights indie resilience in a market dominated by AAA giants like No Man’s Sky‘s redemption arc.

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive

At its core, EarthX eschews traditional storytelling for an emergent narrative driven by player agency, casting you as the CEO of a nascent space firm starting in 2002 with a meager few million dollars. The “plot” unfolds through a progression of 30+ company levels, each unlocking milestones like reusable rockets or Mars colonization, mimicking the real space race’s incremental triumphs. There’s no scripted dialogue-heavy cast; instead, the story emerges via contracts, news articles penned by Wesołowski for atmospheric flavor, and subtle lore in mission briefs—such as secret technician payloads to the ISS or launching a car into orbit as a nod to Elon Musk’s Tesla Roadster stunt.

Characters are abstracted yet evocative: your CEO (customizable with names unlocking achievements, like “Elon” for Fanboy #1 or “Gwynne” for a tribute to SpaceX’s COO) serves as a silent protagonist, while employees are faceless hires assigned to factories, labs, and offices. Future plans hinted at deeper employee mechanics, where individuals impact success rates, adding RPG-like personalization. Themes revolve around innovation versus risk: the thrill of reusable boosters (inspired by Falcon 9 landings) contrasts with the heartbreak of explosions, underscoring spaceflight’s “statistics” as per the devlog—failures build experience and trust. Broader motifs include capitalism in exploration (competing for contracts against AI rivals) and humanity’s expansionist dreams (terraforming Mars via nukes at the poles or satellite swarms for global internet via “LinkLink”).

Thematically, EarthX romanticizes private space enterprise, portraying it as a blend of economic strategy and utopian vision—terraforming Mars not as dystopian (à la The Expanse) but as “Home 2.0.” Subtle critiques emerge in fundraising mechanics, like selling “not flamethrowers” (a Musk jab) or rocketquillas, satirizing merch-driven startups. Dialogue is sparse but punchy, with contract descriptions injecting humor: “Launch a potato and subscribe to him” for the Orbital Potato achievement evokes viral space memes. Overall, the narrative’s depth lies in its replayability—CEO name tributes (20+ achievements honoring figures from Tory Bruno to Mary Jackson) weave a meta-history of space pioneers, turning management into a love letter to the industry.

Plot Analysis

The arc spans from suborbital tests to interplanetary dominance: early game focuses on building trust via potato launches and ISS resupplies; mid-game introduces satellite constellations and crewed missions; endgame culminates in Mars colonies and 100% terraforming, “winning” the simulation. Side plots like bidding wars or fairing catches add procedural drama, with failures (e.g., booster explosions) forcing narrative pivots like bankruptcy restarts.

Character Development

Minimalist yet impactful—employees gain “real impact” in planned updates, evolving from stats to influencers of launch reliability. Rivals provide passive antagonism, their contract wins heightening competition.

Thematic Layers

Exploration as business: Themes of sustainability (reusability saves costs) clash with spectacle (bigger rockets for brute force). Educational undertones shine in accurate mechanics like orbital insertion, fostering appreciation for space history without preachiness.

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems

EarthX‘s core loop is a satisfying rhythm of design, build, launch, and iterate, blending tycoon management with light simulation elements. As a managerial sim, there’s no combat—tension arises from failure probabilities (1-50% based on quality) and resource juggling. Players start by constructing factories for parts (over 45 modules like engines and fairings), labs for research, and offices for contracts, all upgradeable for efficiency. UI is menu-driven with a diagonal-down perspective and free camera for orbital views, keeping things intuitive despite occasional clunkiness in part assembly.

Progression ties to company levels, unlocking rockets from small (basic orbits) to Superheavy (Mars hauls). Building is modular: snap parts into custom designs, test via static fires, then launch. Missions include payload delivery (e.g., pizza to ISS for “Mmm… Still hot!”), satellite deploys (60 per LinkLink payload), or crew supplies—cumulative across playthroughs for achievements like 42,069 launches (“No.”). Reusability is key: land boosters manually (medium rockets) or auto (larger ones) for refurbishing, cutting costs dramatically. Innovative systems include ridesharing (up to 10 payloads on one flight) and fairing catches (random success for bonuses), adding risk-reward layers.

Flaws emerge in grinding: high-launch achievements demand idling with managers auto-accepting contracts, potentially taking weeks. RNG in ISS payloads (cheese vs. plush) requires restarts, frustrating completionists. Employee assignment feels underdeveloped pre-updates, and logistics (e.g., planetary factories) can micromanage-heavy without automation tweaks. UI shines in stats tracking—post-session summaries encourage optimization—but lacks depth in weather or advanced physics, keeping it cozy over hardcore.

Core Gameplay Loops

• Research & Build: Earn points via labs to unlock parts; assemble in hangars, balancing cost vs. durability.
• Contracts & Launches: Bid on missions (free bids for “Without Interest”); monitor flights, intervene for landings.
• Expansion & Economy: Fundraise via merch (hats to short shorts); build Gigafactories (10 for “Gigaproduction”) for mass production.

Innovative Systems

LinkLink constellation: Launch satellites, build terminals, lower prices for 25M users and $1B quarterly revenue— a self-sustaining economy loop. Mars arc: Supply colonies, produce “Martians” in Earth factories, nuke poles for terraforming progress.

Flaws and Balance

Grind-heavy endgame (5,000+ launches) suits patient players but alienates speedrunners. No multiplayer limits replay to achievement hunting.

World-Building, Art & Sound

EarthX‘s world spans a stylized Earth-to-Mars continuum, starting with launchpads amid generic factories and evolving to orbital stations and red-planet outposts. Atmosphere evokes optimistic futurism: launches from foggy coasts to starry voids, with Mars’ barren craters transforming via terraforming—visually progressing from dusty poles to lush (if abstract) habitability. The sci-fi setting feels lived-in through procedural elements like ISS orbits and competitor launches, contributing to immersion by simulating a bustling space economy.

Art direction is minimalist 3D: rockets gleam with clean lines, payloads like cats or cars add whimsy, but textures can feel low-res on Switch (port issues noted in discussions). Free camera enables cinematic pans during ascents, enhancing spectacle, though pop-in occurs in dense satellite swarms. Sound design complements with a pleasant, ambient soundtrack by xandra (12 tracks in the DLC), featuring synth waves and triumphant swells for successful landings—evoking Interstellar‘s score without overwhelming. SFX like rumbling boosters and parachute deploys are crisp, but voice acting is absent, relying on text for missions. These elements unite in a relaxing vibe: visuals and audio reward progression, turning mundane management into meditative empire-building, though lacking the photorealism of Kerbal for deeper awe.

Reception & Legacy

At Early Access launch in 2019, EarthX garnered modest buzz in indie circles, with Steam reviews quickly hitting “Very Positive” (92% of 530 as of 2023). Critics were scarce—MobyGames lacks scores, and IGN/others offered brief overviews—but player feedback praised its accessibility and SpaceX fidelity, with 887 total reviews averaging 88/100 on Steambase. Commercial success was niche: $7.99 sales (60% off peaks) and bundles like Mesote Games Collection drove steady ownership (70 collectors on MobyGames), bolstered by the 2020 soundtrack edition. Switch port in 2023 expanded reach, though ports faced startup bugs on macOS.

Reputation evolved positively: initial complaints about incompleteness (e.g., no Moonbase) faded with updates adding Mars features and weather teases, transforming it from “promising alpha” to “cozy gem.” Community guides (e.g., 100% achievement walkthroughs) highlight replayability, while forums discuss mods and ARM64 support. Influence is subtle yet notable: it paved the way for similar indies like SpaceCompany or Juno: New Origins, emphasizing business over physics in space sims. In industry terms, EarthX exemplifies Early Access done right—community-driven growth mirroring real startups—impacting educational gaming by simulating real missions (e.g., Starlink analogs). Its legacy? A cult favorite for space nerds, inspiring tributes to pioneers via achievements, and proving small teams can launch big ideas.

Conclusion

EarthX masterfully distills the exhilaration of space entrepreneurship into a digestible package, from heart-pounding launches to the quiet satisfaction of a thriving constellation. Its strengths—modular building, thematic depth, and relaxing progression—outweigh grindy flaws and underdeveloped systems, making it a standout in the simulation genre. As a historian, I place it alongside RollerCoaster Tycoon as an evergreen management sim, not revolutionary like Kerbal but essential for understanding private space’s gamified allure. Verdict: Essential for strategy fans and space enthusiasts—8.5/10. If you’re ready to conquer the stars one reusable booster at a time, strap in; EarthX will take you there, explosions and all.