Keen Software House has released the "Hostile Encounters" update for *Space Engineers 2*, which introduces hostile NPCs.
Enemy attack! Defend your precious base from the enemy!
Set in space, this sandbox simulation game lets you freely explore an open-world universe by designing and operating ground vehicles, spaceships, and bases.
The protagonist arrived at the distant Almagest star system as part of humanity’s first large-scale colonization mission, but their spacecraft was damaged due to complications upon arrival. Armed with only basic tools, they descend to the planet below and must survive by mining resources and designing and operating vehicles.
On October 20, the “Hostile Encounters” update was released for this game, adding content centered on combat elements, including the implementation of hostile NPCs.
The update introduced two types of hostile NPCs: “Renegades” and “Boatmen.” According to the developers, the former are outlaws and pirates operating in Verdure, while the Boatmen are currently designed as more powerful, leader-type enemies among the Renegades.
Enemy NPCs will enter player-built structures, moving while opening doors and avoiding obstacles. During combat, they take cover behind objects, and if that cover is destroyed, they move to another safe location. They also act in response to their surroundings, such as sharing information about allies and threats.
Furthermore, combat-related content has been significantly enhanced, featuring strategic decision-making—such as moving while firing, retreating based on the situation, and adjusting behavior when taking damage—as well as varied shooting accuracy depending on the variant.
According to the developers, in this game—which features a vast, seamless world without loading screens, complete with voxel terrain that can be mined or destroyed, structures that may be damaged, rebuilt, or even completely removed, and vehicles parked along paths—NPCs face significantly greater challenges with navigation, combat, and basic decision-making.
Nevertheless, the developers state that implementing hostile NPCs—which had previously seemed nearly impossible—in this update marks a “very important milestone,” and that these NPCs operate within the same unpredictable universe as the game’s other elements.
In addition, combat-related systems have been significantly enhanced—not only with the implementation of enemy NPCs but also with features such as the “Damage Indicator,” which displays the direction and intensity of enemy attacks while affecting screen saturation and causing screen shake based on damage taken, and the “Dynamic Crosshair,” which adjusts aiming accuracy based on movement, crouching, jetpack use, and other actions.
For more details, please check the changelog on the official blog.
"Space Engineers 2" is currently available in Early Access for PC (Steam) at a regular price of 4,700 yen.
