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Review: Space Control
Space Control definitely got me excited, as many of my favourite VR experiences boldly incorporate adult humour right in your face through the magic of virtual reality. Standout examples include Rick and Morty, Accounting +, and Trover Saves The Universe. It’s been a while since a game has fully embraced this kind of humour and absurdity, so does Space Control successfully fill the gap of what has been lacking?
Game Details
Release Date: April 1st 2025
Developer: MoonMonster Studios
Publisher: MoonMonster Studios
Price: £15.99
Reviewed On: Meta Quest with Link Cable
* Access Provided For Review *
Space Debt Never Ends
You find yourself unjustly kindnapped by Glorpo Inc, a corporate entity in space that targets individuals with poor credit scores and outstanding debts, intending to enslave them until their debts are settled through lobar – a task that, unsurprisingly, is so extensive that you will end up working for them indefinitely. You are placed in Crew 68, which includes Melody, Zorgle, Widgett, and Syndra (your AI companion). However, as anticipated, things do not unfold as expected; each episode of the game feels like you are living in your own episode of Rick and Morty.
Chaos First, Gameplay Second
The game follows a specific loop, beginning each episode in your crew quarters, where the antics are already underway, and the humour is in full swing. Shortly after, you receive a call from your corporate overlord, who will outline your tasks for the day and activate the portals around you to transport you to your assignment. However, things take a turn for the worse (thanks to Widgett), leaving you to deal with the aftermath.
In the first episode, the story pulls no punches, making it clear that the team has taken hold of the bull by the horns and charged straight into the china shop of absurdity. Your mission for the day involves abducting aliens who have defaulted on their debts to Glorpo Inc. Once you’ve captured them, you must undress them, heal their wounds, shave them, insert rocket butt-plugs, inject them, and occasionally even clean their filthy brains. Widgett then concocts a plan to kidnap Zuck Markerberg and seize all his riches, but instead, you find yourself inadvertently killing a space king. The mayhem continues as Zorgle gets pulled into the portal while you attempt to rectify the situation, landing him in the palace of the space king – which leads you to chase and battle aliens on their home turf, all while the crew scrambles to fix the portal to return to Glorpo Inc.
After your exciting first day at Glorpo Inc, what are your consequences for igniting an interspecies space war? They truly don’t mind as long as their profits remain intact – a theme that recurs throughout your escapades. This also serves as a form of social commentary, poking fun at the nature of mega corporations in the real world.
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As noted, each episode follows a similar pattern, where you undertake tasks like alien daycare (while using them to create the galaxy’s finest soda) and preparing some rather peculiar snacks at a corporate music festival. Everything seems to be going well, then Widgett pulls one of their stunts, everything falls apart, escalating the chaos, and you end up cleaning up the mess.
Yet, it’s the gameplay that feels secondary to the chaos crafted by the script. Beneath the humour and absurdity, it resembles Job Simulator, which has explored similar themes before, albeit without the bizarre tasks you’re actually performing in Space Control. Moreover, there’s no failure in the game, no timers, and nothing you can truly mess up. The gameplay is straightforward: follow the steps, trigger the next event, resolve the issue, and then proceed.
Adult Humour Takes Center Stage
This indicates that the game heavily relies on a preference for adult and risqué humour, filled with sexual innuendos. The script addresses a variety of subjects for social critique, cringe-worthy moments, breaking the fourth wall, and lines that are sheer chaos. Nothing is off-limits in Space Control, and the game makes this clear from the outset – it is evident that this game is not intended for children.
With this understanding, don’t be misled by the bright, bold, and cartoonish graphics into thinking it’s suitable for kids. Reflecting on the games I mentioned earlier, they all shared similar traits and were equally inappropriate for younger audiences. This visual style aligns perfectly with the adult themes and humour the game presents, and the cartoonish aesthetics enhance the experience, making everything feel even more absurd.
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One aspect you’ll find in the game is an abundance of audio, with the script taking precedence to deliver this absurd humour. However, this significantly impacts the game’s pacing, as there are lengthy segments where you’re just waiting for the characters to finish their dialogue before progressing with the gameplay. Nonetheless, I appreciated that the game doesn’t confine you to a single spot while the dialogue unfolds; you can still move around and interact with objects in the room as you listen. This means that the joke-laden dialogue doesn’t detract from the experience, as the game is driven by the humour and its cast.
Given the game’s heavy reliance on dialogue, it’s crucial that the voice actors fully embody their roles, and Space Control certainly delivered in this regard. The cast’s energy felt raw and unfiltered, and they were completely dedicated to their characters, lines, and the humour, ensuring that every joke lands effectively. Beyond the voice acting, you’ll hear the ambient sounds of a space station, mixed with the noises typical of the jobs, and music that fits each scenario without overpowering the dialogue or jokes.
Comfort
Verdict
Space Control is a game designed for a specific audience—those who appreciate its adult humour. The game thrives on its bizarre, juvenile, and risqué jokes, all while providing commentary on the corporate greed we observe in reality. It doesn’t aim to deliver a complex space simulation; instead, it features straightforward job simulation segments interspersed between the chaotic adult comedy it seeks to present, and it succeeds in that aspect. However, if you find the juvenile and crude humour reminiscent of shows like Rick and Morty off-putting, this game is certainly not for you, as the gameplay alone won’t justify your time. Yet, for fans of this kind of unrestrained chaos and humour, I can easily recommend it to those with similar tastes, as the cast effectively delivers each punchline, and the absurdity of every episode kept me eager to see what would unfold next.
Copyright / Virtual Grip (formally The VR Realm) / 2016 -
