I buy more games than I play. I think everyone does this a little. But I also buy games I know aren’t that great, just because I’m curious. I’m curious to know what’s out there; what the virtual world offers us today, how it ticks, and what I could do to improve it. This has led me to buy games that I rarely play, and take chances on titles with such bad marketing and presentability that their only other buyers will be confused pensioners and clueless parents. Raph Koster calls it ‘Designeritis’: the almost scientific need to acquire and analyse as many games as possible, then toss them aside like an ungrateful teenager.

Well one such whim was a game called Space Station Sim, recently on offer at my local GAME for a rather amusing £1.95. How can I say no to research at that kind of price? Titles that do something I’ve not otherwise had a chance to do always perk my interest, regardless of how interesting the activity may appear at first glance. Making a spacestation sounded intriguing, so I payed the price of a bare sandwich and took a look. Review follows! Continue reading →