Planet Express: Space Run Delivers Mobile Tower Defense

When I saw the trailer for Space Run last week, I immediately opened up an IM window and sent it to a few friends. Then, satisfied with having shared the strategic space ship construction game, I felt the sense of closure I normally get from posting things here and wiped it from my memory. That's why it's only now while cleaning my inbox that I re-discover and bring its trailer to you.

The aim is to travel from A to B to deliver cargo, along the way dealing with pirates and asteroids which will smash, attack and damage your ship. Your ship, for its part, is basically a flat platform onto which you can fit different modules: turrets, laser beams, rocket boosters and so on.

The rewards earned from these missions will enable you to unlock new modules for your ship or upgrade those you already own: luxuries you can't afford to be without if you want to survive the mortal perils lurking in space. Turrets lasers, missile launchers, shield generators, thrusters, power plants and other modules will allow you to adapt to new combat situations in mid-flight that arise on your travels. Build, recycle, repair and reposition the modules and improvise as best you can to deal with the multiple threats you will face.

Also you play a character called Buck Mann, but let's not think about that.

I'm not the world's biggest fan of tower defense games, but I do enjoy things like Captain Forever or Gratuitous Space Battles, which are as focused on the construction and placement of lasers as they are the firing of those lasers. I'm not even sure you can steer the ships in Space Run, but I basically like any game in which you gradually grow more powerful as you progress, even if it happens through very little effort of your own.

Space Run is due out later this year.