Hands On: Astroneer Turns Co-Op Extraction Adventure, But Is ‘Starseeker’ Worth Playing In Early Access?
System Era Softworks has released Starseeker: Astroneer Expeditions for Switch 2, marking a significant departure from the original Astroneer’s open-ended survival formula. While the original Astroneer—launched nearly a decade ago—offered players accessible, cartoony exploration and resource gathering across colorful worlds, Starseeker pivots the series toward extraction-style cooperative gameplay.
The new title is currently in early access, and according to hands-on impressions, it faces technical stability challenges. Reviewers encountered bugs and progress-blocking issues that required restarting sessions and resulted in lost progress. However, System Era Softworks has maintained a regular patch schedule, demonstrating responsiveness to reported problems.
The shift toward cooperative extraction gameplay represents a deliberate mechanical redesign rather than a straightforward sequel, raising questions about whether the early access period represents the right time for players to jump in, given both the technical issues and the substantial gameplay direction change from the established Astroneer formula.