It’s been eight years since In The Black secured Kickstarter funding, and ten since initial work on it first began. It was known as Starfighter Inc at the time, but since then developer Impeller Studios has given it a new name as it worked on crafting the most realistic interstellar combat sim possible. Star Citizen, No Man’s Sky, and Elite Dangerous will want to fasten their seatbelts, because there’s a new challenger to the best space games, and it’s taking things very seriously. I’ve been test-flying its Steam Next fest demo, and I’m still terrible at it, but I’m already eager to master my craft.
Impeller shifted course from its old name to In The Black in May 2022, but the destination has remained the same: to deliver a realistic experience that “gets the science right” of being a 23rd-Century intergalactic combat pilot. In its initial pitch, the developer said it was combining “the lethality and permadeath of Counterstrike with the technical depth and customization of World of Warships.” Its focus is on spacecraft “that could actually be built using known science and engineering,” and that’s reflected in the entire feel.
The In The Black demo lets you get your space legs with a combination of flight and combat tutorials, and the most immediate thing I have to wrap my head around is the momentum. This is a proper simulation game, after all, and that means your ship will continue traveling in the direction you’ve sent it unless you work to change that. Simply turning isn’t enough; you’ll just be soaring sideways along the same path instead of forwards.
There were many reasons why I fell in love with Outer Wilds, but the ship controls were a big part of the appeal, and In The Black is the next step up. In much the same way, my early attempts to get into the action see me rocketing past my target because I hadn’t correctly begun to handle my momentum as I approached. Gradually, I start to get to grips with things, but so far I’ve found any attempt to focus on targeting quickly leaves my maneuvering and orientation completely in the proverbial dirt.
With veteran developers on the team boasting credits on the likes of X-Wing, TIE Fighter, and Crysis, Impeller Studios has certainly got the chops, and it’s continued to update the demo throughout Steam Next Fest. A new ‘drone sweep’ mission has been introduced that supports co-op and offers various difficulty levels, and a UI tour gives you a more clear rundown of exactly what you’re looking at when getting started for the first time.
The free flight mode now has safety measures that will prevent you from drifting endlessly through the void. Projectile accuracy has been enhanced, and feedback when you successfully land hits is more obvious. Impeller says it intends to keep the demo permanently available moving forward, and will continue to update it to address community feedback and fix issues as it works on development.
The public In The Black demo is available now as a free download on Steam, and the full game is planned to hit early access by the end of 2025. You can get it right here if you think you’ve got what it takes to make it among the stars.
Whether you’re looking to truly immerse yourself in this stunning interstellar sim, or just need to keep your communication sharp for the best multiplayer games, here are the best gaming headsets we recommend to suit your budget.
What have been your biggest Steam Next Fest winners? Stop by the PCGamesN Discord and let us know if anything’s made your wishlist this time around.
