Review: Beyond Contact’s Full Release Vs Early Access

As Matt Damon once said, “So, in the face of overwhelming odds, I’m left with only one option: I’m going to have to science the s–t out of this.” That quote from The Martian rang through as I played through Beyond Contact. Though it’s been in early access for a bit, the survival space sim has finally launched in earnest, bringing with it a host of new features.

Beyond Contact Takes One Leap Forward

For those new to the planet, Beyond Contact’s story mode casts you as Quinn Hicks who finds herself stranded on an alien planet. Her situation appears direr than Matt Damon’s however because this planet also has alien life. The game calls to mind both No Man’s Sky and Returnal even though the gameplay differs. Both game’s feature hostile alien plants for instance.

Played from a top-down perspective, Beyond Contact plays like if you never escaped that starting planet in No Man’s Sky. Marooned on a hostile world, you’ll have to use your wits and survival skills if you want to make it in one piece.

Baked into the gameplay mechanics is both resource management and base building. The game features several different modes including Story and Conquest modes. In Story mode, you have to work to try to stabilize the planet to save not only yourself but also the Brachylon civilization. Fortunately, it’s not a task you’re forced to go solo as the game features multiplayer up to four players.

Everything New to Beyond Contact

The game has overhauled its structure system with the new update, allowing players to build larger structures called habitats. Likewise, the game features a more advanced farming mechanic, which is useful to grow your own crops for survival.

The planet is even more hazardous than before thanks to the introduction of random weather events called Epochs. Initially a nuisance, these weather events occur at a greater strength and more regularity as time passes, making the need for structures and protection all the more apparent. One of my favorite things was going from a survivor with very little resources to building my own habitat with a large farm.

The upgrade skill tree allows you to customize your character to benefit your playstyle. Conquest mode strips away the story components focused more on survival and exploration. This mode also features new characters for the player to unlock in Kangah, Professor Zaine, and Blott.

While Beyond Contact doesn’t reinvent the wheel in regards to survival sims, it does provide quality entertainment whether you’re playing alone or with friends. So keep that in mind if you are planning on taking the leap.