Deal | Space sandbox with FPS, survival and building elements is free to play on Steam

Empyrion: Galactic Survival is one of those games that is difficult to fit into a single genre. At its core, it's a first-person shooter set in an open sandbox universe, while also incorporating survival and base-building mechanics. If you've been hesitant to try it because of its mixed reviews, now is the perfect opportunity. The game is free to play on Steam throughout the weekend – more specifically, until July 20. After that, it will be available at a 60% discount, reducing the price from around $20 to $8. According to SteamDB, however, the game has previously been discounted by as much as 70%.

After crash-landing on an alien planet, Empyrion begins like a classic survival game. Players must secure food and oxygen, gather resources and craft equipment. That first shelter gradually evolves into fortified settlements complete with production facilities, ground vehicles, space fighters and enormous capital ships. This is where the base-building mechanics come into play, as players refine resources, unlock new technologies and equip their bases and vehicles with useful modules.

Exploration and combat take place from a first-person perspective. Armed with a variety of firearms, players fight alien creatures and hostile factions while raiding enemy installations. As the game progresses, they travel to distant planets, moons and entire star systems. One of Empyrion's biggest strengths is its freedom. Terrain can be reshaped, spaceships can be constructed block by block and then piloted freely. Multiplayer servers, along with a wide range of blueprints, mods and custom scenarios available through the Steam Workshop, add even more variety.

Despite its ambitious scope, the overall package isn't without flaws, as reflected by its 78% positive Steam rating. Many players praise the game's extensive building freedom and the successful blend of exploration and survival, but the technical side receives frequent criticism. Bugs and occasionally clunky controls are common complaints, while combat is often described as stiff and imprecise. Even so, anyone curious about Empyrion can currently try it without spending a cent. And for Steam Deck owners (currently available on Amazon for $720), the game is also playable on Valve's handheld.

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