I finally jumped into Breathedge 2, and after spending some time floating, exploring, surviving... and generally trying not to become another piece of space debris, there are a few things that stood out pretty quickly.
Off the bat... don't let “Easy” mode fool you. Start here!
If you're the type of gamer who picks Easy because you still want to enjoy the experience without every breath you take bringing you closer to your... downfall, then bump that down to "Story" mode. There's enough of a challenge in "Easy" to keep you busy in Breathedge 2.
Easy doesn't turn the experience into a sightseeing tour where somebody hands you a juice box and points toward the objective. You'll end up getting whacked in the back of the head by a police bot or blasted by a turret. So believe me when I say... you've still got a game to play, but how you play it can make the experience so much smoother for you.
Before I go any further, let's jump into this first 30!
So... What Exactly Is Breathedge 2?
If you've never played Breathedge before, the easiest way to explain it is space survival with crafting, exploration, a story to uncover, and a sense of humor that refuses to behave itself.
The larger objective is to push forward through the story and ultimately help stop the Breathedge Corporation, but getting there means exploring abandoned stations and wreckage, collecting resources, finding blueprints, crafting tools, upgrading your equipment and spacesuit, completing objectives, and—most importantly—staying alive.
If you're just getting started, here are five things I'd keep in mind:
1. Watch that oxygen.
Seeing something interesting floating in the distance can quickly turn into, “Ohhhh... I probably shouldn't have gone this far.” Keep an eye on your oxygen and remember that reaching something is only half the trip. If anything, go out to a certain extent... if it takes more than half your oxygen to go half way, you aren't making it back, Jack. If you still have the majority of your oxygen and you're at a location, take a look around first and find out what you need to extract resources.
2. Grab resources while you're just randomly exploring.
That random piece of junk may not look important until you discover that it's exactly what you need to craft something useful. Breathedge 2 rewards scavenging, so don't fly past everything just because it looks like space garbage. Treat it like resource gathering, especially ice. Ice is life because you get oxygen from it.
One man's trash is another man's “thank goodness I picked that up because it helps big time.”
3. Don't ignore your equipment upgrades.
Better gear and spacesuit improvements can open up more possibilities and make venturing farther from safety less stressful. If the game gives you an opportunity to improve your ability to survive, take the hint. By the way, the Thumper is a Drill... so don't let the name fool ya.
4. Use the controls that feel best to you.
Don't assume you have to stick with whichever input method you started with. I began with a controller and jumped over to keyboard and mouse when the turning wasn't clicking with me.
Controller Out, Keyboard + Mouse In
I actually started Breathedge 2 with a controller... and it's safe to say that didn't last long.
Turning felt slower than I wanted, and sure, I could've gone into the settings and started fine-tuning everything like a responsible adult... but I just wanted to jump in.
Once I locked in with the keyboard and mouse... instantly better.
Breathedge 2 feels right at home with the keyboard and mouse. Looking around, moving through the environment, and reacting to what's around me felt much more natural.
Switching the controller settings would've gotten me there, but the mouse got me there first... and I prefer this option specifically with this game.
If you're using a controller and don't want to switch to keyboard and mouse (it's all good), just go to the controls and turn the mouse sensitivity up. Yes... I know it says 'Mouse sensitivity', but it works for both, I've tested it. You're good.
Floating through space, physically looking around the environment, reaching toward objects... and moving the mouse to open containers, brought me to a thought that kept creeping into my head while playing. Breathedge 2 VR should totally be a thing. In the meantime for Meta users, Breathedge: Cosmic Cluck is available. There is unofficial way to play Breathedge 2 in VR... but we can't comfortably suggest that.
The first-person perspective already lends itself to that feeling, but I don't even need the traditional VR controls... I'll just take the view.
Speaking of views, look around... and see what you come across. Anime fans should appreciate this find:
Pricewise, you will find Breathedge 2 for... $19.99, which falls perfectly into what I'd call that sweet spot for this game. $24.99 to $29.99 could have been the price tag, but... they were strategic, especially with the way prices tags are out here. So may it results in a win for RedRuins Softworks + HypeTrain Digital, and... a win for returning space explorers and new space cadets. So suit up, grab that helmet and... Game on!
You can get this game on the Epic Games Store and Steam!
+ Sophi
