Is Spacelords, Worth Playing?

Spacelords is weirdly sexual to the point of being distracting, and I feel this aesthetic is largely responsible for its low player count and lack of wider community acceptance.

The Lowdown.

Product Details
Genre: Shooter
Developer: MercurySteam
Publisher: MercurySteam
Price: Free
Release Date: 22 September 2017
Supported Modes:
Disclosure: Review Copy This game was purchased with our own funds for review purposes, however this has no baring on our opinions.

Single Player Content.

Players can play any mission solo; however, they are unable to level their character or learn new blueprints, making it an entirely fruitless endeavour for those who are looking for more than the ability to play the game and learn more about the world through pre-mission cutscenes and in-game dialogue.

Spacelords FAQ

Spacelords is a shooter video game developed and published by MercurySteam, it was released on 22 September 2017 and it is Free-2-Play.

Platform Availability.

Spacelords is available on the following platforms: PC, Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.

Are The Developers Active?

As of October 2023, the developers have maintained near-complete radio silence since December 2021, and it’s possible that Spacelords will receive no further updates.

How Many People Play Spacelords?

Spacelords’ one saving grace is full crossplay between Playstation, Xbox and PC, and while each of these platforms only has a small player base combined, it does allow matchmaking to perform “adequately” at peak times and “better than nothing” at off-peak times.

While Playstation and Xbox do not give players online statistics, it would be reasonable to assume Spacelords fairs a little better on console, with console communities generally fairing better than their PC counterpart.

Still, even if we are talking about a combined console community that is 10x the size of the PC player base, we are talking about very low numbers with off-peak lows of 50-75 and peak highs of 300-500 players online.

7 Steam users are currently playing Spacelords (Updated December 22, 2024, 5:16 pm)

review-is-spacelords-worth-playing-in-2022

Image credit Spacelords - Published by MercurySteam and developed by MercurySteam.

Is Spacelords Dead?

While we don’t know how many people are playing on console, the PC community is dead without crossplay being enabled, with an average active user count of just five players for much of the day.

Is Cross-Platform Multiplayer Supported?

Spacelords supports:

  • Cross-Platform Multiplayer.
  • Cross-Platform Parties.
  • Cross-Generational Multiplayer.
  • Cross-Generational Parties.
  • Cross-Platform Progression.

Is There Group Finding/Matchmaking Support?

Spacelords offers the following matchmaking options:

  • Region-Based Matchmaking
  • Solo Matchmaking
  • Group Matchmaking

Are There In-Game Microtransactions?

The Spacelords in-game store sells:

  • Cosmetic Items.
  • Cosmetic Item Bundles.
  • Premium Currency Bundles.
  • Pay for Convenience Items.

What Peripherals Are Supported?

The following peripherals are officially supported:

  • Console - Controller.
  • PC - Controller.
  • PC - Mouse and Keyboard.

Is There Any Mature Content?

Spacelords is rated PEGI 16+ and contains:

  • Bad Language
  • Partial Nudity
  • Sexual Content
  • Violence

review-is-spacelords-worth-playing-in-2022

Image credit Spacelords - Published by MercurySteam and developed by MercurySteam.

Final Verdict.


Not really? Spacelords is genuinely odd; despite combat being an essential element of gameplay, it feels rushed and unrewarding and could be easily assumed to be the by-product of a title where more developer attention was given to creating bizarrely sexualised player characters with overly defined glutes than actually creating a game that people want to play.

Both male and female player characters have very revealing/skin-tight outfits that go beyond sexy into the territory of entirely tasteless, especially when you consider the nightmarish “Bleeding Edge” style aesthetic that makes all characters look like leftovers from a 1970s adult animation.

review-is-spacelords-worth-playing-in-2022

Image credit Spacelords - Published by MercurySteam and developed by MercurySteam.

I understand the developers wanting to try something different, but with both male and female characters being well-endowed, it makes what should be an exciting sci-fi experience into a cringe-inducing one.

If the gameplay loop or combat mechanics were engaging, then I could overlook the visual and design faux pas that plague spacelords; unfortunately, this is not the case, and as a result, I cannot recommend Spacelords.


Richard Robins

Richard Robins

As a follower of Jesus Christ, Richard believes that the message taught by Jesus is radically different from what is taught in churches today, and that the influence of his message can be felt across all creative mediums, including video games.

Richard has been passionate about gaming since 1992, when he received his first console, a Sega Master System II which included a built in copy of Sonic the Hedgehog.

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