First Impressions - Solar Expanse

Space is really freaking cool. Literally, the ambient temperature in the solar system is about -270.4 degrees Celsius (or, for all my fellow Americans, slightly chillier than a winter in Wisconsin). Figuratively…where do I even start? The universe is perpetually expanding, there are countless planets in it, and humans may even visit some within our lifetimes. There are plenty of reasons why science fiction video games are so common. It’s less obvious why so few focus on the harder elements of the genre. 

Thankfully, Solar Expanse helps remedy that. It’s not as fleshed out as some other strategy/management simulators on the market, but its setting is unique and its scale is massive. And, like the world we’re merely a pale blue dot in, it too will keep getting bigger over time.

‍Solar Expanse is an easy game to describe, if not play. After an in-depth series of tutorials, you’re tasked with colonising most of the planets in the solar system, and managing the logistics of that titanic effort. You build spaceships, schedule their launches, and send the resources necessary for human life to planets beyond Earth. You’re also responsible for extracting resources, progressing through a tech tree, and completing enough contracts to fund your endeavours. 

Setting aside its premise, Solar Expanse ultimately plays like many other management sims. Everything you do takes place within menus. You can inspect the progress of your colonies via an overhead map, but Civilization this is not. Most of your time is spent a somewhat clunky UI and waiting for progress bars to tick along. You can’t pick exactly where the objects you send into The Black will land, and you aren’t managing planetary policitcs either.

‍Solar Expanse is about logistics on a broad scale, not battles or traditional sci-fi spectacle. It should go without saying, given the genre, but it’s not for the faint of heart. There’s an almost comical amount of depth here, even in Early Access. You may not have to micromanage constantly, but the scale is astounding. Like Per Aspera, everything takes in-game years to complete and even the smallest decisions have long-term consequences. 

Forget to include a piece of vital equipment on a launch, and the colony you intended to support may collapse within a few generations. Send too many resources back to Earth, and you might doom it all the same. 

You have to plan everything — and plan it well. Whether or not that’s enjoyable is entirely subjective.  What isn’t in doubt is how well the systems are implemented. Despite its current lack of content compared to some competitors, Solar Expanse is a genuinely good management sim. Its mechanics are robust, and the constant pressure to make the right call creates a satisfying gameplay loop. You’re regularly faced with difficult scenarios, and in the spirit of NASA’s unofficial motto, failure is not an option. There are no sci-fi shortcuts here — no faster-than-light travel or miracle tech — just your own planning and a touch of RNG. 

It’s worth noting that, at the time of writing, not all challenges are intentional. Solar Expanse has its share of issues. There are a fair number of bugs, the UI could use some work, and the AI controlling competing space agencies on Earth is surprisingly poor. You’re also limited to our solar system at present, and a some smaler mechanics feel underdeveloped. 

That said, it is still in Early Access, and those shortcomings feel expected rather than alarming. If you’re looking for a hard sci-fi management game focused on logistics and long-term planning, your options are slim. Even within that niche, Solar Expanse stands out. It’s punishing, entirely non-combat focused, and offers enough depth to keep you occupied for hours. Few games let you see the consequences of your decisions play out over centuries, let alone a millennium.

‍Solar Expanse won’t appeal to everyone, but if you’ve ever wanted to experience an alt-history where humanity expands beyond Earth through careful planning rather than sci-fi conveniences, this is well worth your time.

‍Solar Expanse is currently in Steam Early Access. Check back on Jump Dash Roll for a full review when it launches!