Space Engineers cover art
Pure Optimizationengineering sandbox

Space Engineers

A physics sandbox where engineering better ships and bases is the whole contest.

On Steam ↗
Here's the argument for where this game sits - disagree freely.
Match your experience?
EXECUTION2 /10READS1 /10VARIANCE2 /10OPTIMIZATION9 /10

the cheat-test profile

The four axes - the argument

Each axis is rated on its own - how far one cheat would trivialize the game here. They don't trade off; low on all four means the game is an experience, not a contest.

  1. Execution

    cheat: Aimbot - perfect inputs

    2/10

    Piloting and welding are forgiving manual tasks

  2. Reads

    cheat: Out-predict an adaptive opponent

    1/10

    PvP servers exist but engineering decides outcomes

  3. Variance

    cheat: See what's hidden / map the RNG

    2/10

    Asteroid resources unknown until surveyed

  4. Optimization

    cheat: A perfect solver / coach

    9/10

    Ship design, power, and thrust math is the game

How to read this

Each axis is named by the cheat that would break the game along it. Execution is the hands. Reads is out-thinking an adaptive opponent. Variance is hidden information & RNG. Optimization is the solvable systems layer. A game's region is the top one or two axes.

These four aren't one rating split four ways - they're independent 0-10 questions. A 9 on one axis takes nothing from the others, and a game low on all four isn't missing data: it's telling you there's no skill here to cheat.

The basis is how the majority actually plays this game - not a niche mode or a personal run. For a game with very different modes (a story campaign versus ranked multiplayer), that's the version most people mean.

Compare with

Similar games

see all →

Ranked by shared genre first, then by how closely the cheat-test profile matches - a cross-genre tag means a pick matched on skill profile alone.

Dawn of Discovery cover art

Dawn of Discovery

Pure Optimization · city-building strategy

E
R
V
O
Dawn of Discovery
Outer Wilds cover art

Outer Wilds

Pure Optimization · exploration mystery

E
R
V
O
Outer Wilds
Fire Emblem: Three Houses cover art

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Pure Optimization · tactical RPG

E
R
V
O
Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Medieval II: Total War cover art

Medieval II: Total War

Pure Optimization · grand strategy wargame

E
R
V
O
Medieval II: Total War
Stronghold cover art

Stronghold

Pure Optimization · city-building strategy

E
R
V
O
Stronghold
SimCity cover art

SimCity

Pure Optimization · city builder

E
R
V
O
SimCity

Game details

Released
2019
Developer
Keen Software House
Platforms
PS4, PC, PS5, XONE
Modes
Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative
IGDB critics
80/100
IGDB users
65/100
SimulatorStrategyAdventureIndieActionScience fictionSurvivalSandboxOpen worldWarfare