Wildgate blends No Man's Sky space combat with chaotic co-op action, out now

There's a big old galaxy out there waiting to be explored, so it's no wonder that spaceship exploration is often at the heart of so many beloved space games. I'm always at my happiest in the pilot seat than I am shooting things on the ground. But Dreamhaven's latest release, Wildgate, has fun fast-paced combat that may prove chaotic enough to entice me to take up arms. Think No Man's Sky or Starfield but with the co-op FPS action of Deep Rock Galactic, and it's out today on Steam.

Welcome to the Reach, an ever-changing galactic map, where you and your crew of fellow Prospectors are locked in a frenetic race against time to retrieve the Artifact. In Wildgate, you set out in your ship to explore this vast region of space, scan for resources, avoid environment hazards, and engage in space-based hijinks to complete your goal. There's just one other issue to keep in mind: there are four other crews on your tail.

Like all the best co-op games, you're not the only one out there searching for the Artifact, and they're not going to make finding it easy. You're going to need to balance the fight between the skies and the ground to beat your rivals; use every tool at your disposal, from engaging in epic spaceship combat and meeting them head on in a classic shootout to luring your enemies into traps and sabotaging their ships - if they don't sabotage yours first.

Keeping your ship running is important. Not only is it you and your crew's home, but you'll need to navigate the Reach and survive ship combat with your rivals. Good thing there's plenty of loot to be found in this expanse of space, including the all important fuel you need to help you keep your course. Explore derelict space stations and far flung locations to find tons of loot and upgrades - just keep an eye on your rivals and don't get left behind.

Of course, keeping your boots on the ground is also crucial. There's plenty to do in the chaotic FPS aspect of Wildgate; face off against rival crews in epic shootouts or beat down their door to lay your own traps. Each Prospector comes with their own devious abilities to help you commit the best space crimes and come out triumphant. The overall goal is to extract with that Artifact, or simply be the last crew standing.

Whether you would prefer to take to the skies or look your enemies in the eyes as you ruthlessly gun them down, it looks like there's a lot of fun to be had in Wildgate. The game's open beta was proving popular after it pulled in over 13,000 players in just over 24 hours, so hopefully it'll find similar or greater success now that the big day has arrived.

Wildgate is out now on Steam. More information can be found on its Steam page.

If you're looking to hone your shooting skills ahead of heading out to the Reach, you should read our list of the best FPS games. Or, if you're just looking for something new to play with your friends, we have a rundown of all the best multiplayer games.

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