EarthX is a rocket company management game. Go from launching small rockets on Earth to eventually building a colony on Mars. Create your own Internet constellation, develop new technologies, supply the International Space Station and terraform Mars!
The game tasks players with managing their own space company, challenging them to balance various resources, personnel, and strategic decisions to grow their business from humble beginnings to a thriving space enterprise. The core gameplay loop revolves around launching rockets, completing contracts, and expanding both technological capabilities and the company's reach.
Players start with small suborbital rockets and gradually unlock more powerful launch vehicles, allowing them to carry heavier payloads to orbit, the International Space Station, the Moon, and eventually Mars. Upgrading rocket components, such as engines, fuel tanks, and payload bays, is crucial for improving launch performance and efficiency. Recovering and reusing rocket stages further enhances the profitability of each launch.
To fund their space operations, players must secure lucrative contracts, which range from delivering cargo to the International Space Station to launching communication satellites for their own internet constellation. Effectively managing resources like funds, research points, and personnel is key to fulfilling these contracts and expanding the company's capabilities. Players must balance their priorities, investing in new technologies, hiring staff, and managing their launch schedule to maximize profits and progress.
As players advance, they unlock the ability to establish bases on the Moon and Mars, introducing new challenges such as managing life support systems, constructing in-situ resource utilization facilities, and even terraforming Mars by strategically deploying nuclear reactors to heat the planet's surface. These extraterrestrial endeavors add a layer of complexity and a sense of grand achievement to the gameplay.
While the game is primarily a simulation, it features a light narrative that guides players through the various stages of their space company's growth. Milestones, such as launching the first crew to the Moon or establishing a permanent presence on Mars, are celebrated with cutscenes and achievements, providing a sense of progression and accomplishment.
The game strikes a balance between accessibility and depth, catering to both casual players with its relaxed pace and automation options, and more experienced players with its intricate resource management and upgrade systems. However, some reviews indicate that the relatively short campaign length and limited post-game content may limit its long-term replayability for some players.
Reviewers praise the addictive and engaging nature of the rocket launch and management gameplay, the sense of satisfaction in growing their space company, and the charming visual style and sound design. Many players also appreciate the game's educational elements, which provide insights into the real-world challenges of spaceflight, as well as its accessibility and family-friendly nature.