Second Galaxy – an epic space-trading MMO from developer ZLONGAME – spent much of the summer in beta. Like the summer, that beta has now come to an end. The game will be launching for real on September 10th.
In case you’re not aware, Second Galaxy is among the most hotly anticipated games of the year. Unlike most space games on mobile, it skews unashamedly towards the hardcore end of the spectrum, slotting in alongside legendary titles like Eve Online and Elite Dangerous. That makes it a first on mobile.
Unsurprisingly, both Apple and Google have slapped hearty recommendations on Second Galaxy, helping to boost pre-orders beyond the one million mark.
More than one million people can’t be wrong, right? Of course they can, but in the case of Second Galaxy their enthusiasm is more than warranted. Just take a look at the screenshots – it looks sumptuous, with visionary ship design and polished, ultra-slick visuals.
The reason you don’t tend to see games like Second Galaxy on mobile is that developers are wary of taking on the challenges involved. Running servers that can accommodate thousands of players fighting online at once while also building a compelling universe that’s worth exploring is not for the faint-hearted.
That’s what makes Second Galaxy such an impressive prospect. The ships look great, with tons of intricate detail, the animations are silky, and the combat runs smoothly no matter how many combatants are in the fight.
While Second Galaxy is a hardcore mobile game, it makes concessions to less experienced gamers. For instance, there are hours of tutorial missions to work your way through, equipping you with the skills you need to survive in the big bad universe. Using data gleaned from the beta, ZLONGAME has tweaked mission running times and streamlined elements of the missions to ensure the game is as fun and playable as possible.
Plenty of thought has gone into the interface, too, and a clever array of touchscreen commands gives you total mastery over your craft during dogfights and routine Kessel runs (sorry, wrong franchise).
The content, meanwhile, is as deep and rich as a Russian novel. The universe you’re inhabiting contains five huge factions locked in an endless power struggle, injecting the whole game with a permanent evolving sense of intrigue and danger. You’ll need to manage your own research, oversee your battleship systems, and much more.
Not long to go now. Second Galaxy will hit the App Store like a meteor when it arrives on September 10th. You can start your journey right now by visiting the official Facebook and Reddit pages.