The human struggle to survive is an all too familiar one. As the planet collapsed into an ecological depression, mankind as a whole is forced to expand his vision to the skies. A grand ship was built, and the ‘Imperium’ was scheduled to launch mankind into the future. With a new Quantum technology at its core, the Imperium was mankind’s greatest achievement. Putting aside all differences, the people of world came together. Under a common goal, the efforts of an entire generation came to fruition. The Imperium was ready to carry the dreams of us all, and with it, the hopes of finding a second chance. Not any one person knows the whole truth, but from what can be gathered, here is what we know. The Imperium was destroyed, and many of the human pioneers perished during the event. The survivors congregated together and began to build a temporary home from the wreckage of the ship itself. At first they waited for rescue, but it wasn’t long before the first ones accepted their fate. As with most space games of this genre, mining is a big mechanic of Astrox. It is the easiest way to earn credits, and most players are familiar with how it works. You can also complete contract missions. These are randomly generated missions that offer a variety of task and objectives to complete. Some of these contracts are combat missions that will involve raiders, pirates, and sometimes regular npcs. The combat missions offer a bit more action to an otherwise relaxed game. The rate at which you choose to progress is up to you. You are given a number of game options allowing you to adjust ‘the grind’ and speed of the game. There are a number of small, interesting little mechanics sprinkled throughout the game that were given a lot of thought and care, but you will not find anything groundbreaking or innovative here. This game is meant to feel comfortable and familiar. The game play loops are designed to be simple enough to understand quickly, and complex enough to enjoy over many hours of play.