GET YOUR BEARINGS
About Starcom: Unknown Space
Starcom: Unknown Space is an action‑adventure RPG that mixes space exploration, ship building, and tactical combat in a fully open‑world galaxy. Players travel through more than a hundred star systems, encounter alien factions, and confront a sinister enemy wielding an ancient power.
The game includes a deep research tree, customizable starships, and over sixty story and side missions. It supports single‑player play, full controller input, Steam Cloud saves, and adjustable difficulty, allowing newcomers to start without prior knowledge of Starcom: Nexus.
01 / THE GUIDE
Open‑World Exploration
The universe contains over a hundred star systems, each populated with undiscovered planets, mysterious artifacts, lost derelicts, and strange phenomena. More than 230 uniquely illustrated anomalies are scattered throughout, each offering its own story to investigate.
Players can use a smart autopilot to travel to known locations and fast‑travel gateways to reach distant systems quickly, while the unknown void remains available for manual navigation and spontaneous discovery.
- Map anomalies before departure to decide which stories to prioritize.
- Utilize fast‑travel gateways after scouting a system to reduce repeat travel time.
02 / THE GUIDE
Shipbuilding System
Players can transform their starter scout ship into a custom vessel using an innovative shipbuilding system. Designs may range from fast strike craft to armor‑laden battlecruisers, and blueprints can be shared with other players.
Each ship module influences combat style, allowing experimentation with hull size, weapon types, and defensive systems so that the final ship matches the player's tactical preferences.
- Begin with a balanced hull before specializing in speed or armor.
- Share blueprints to gather feedback and new design ideas.

03 / THE GUIDE
Research & Technology Tree
Scientific discoveries grant Research Points, which unlock modules and enhancements in a deep technology tree. Players can choose upgrades such as plasma cannons, long‑range missiles, shields, or crew specializations.
The tree allows alignment of upgrades with personal playstyle, whether focusing on firepower, survivability, or crew efficiency, creating distinct strategic pathways.
- Prioritize research that complements your current ship build.
- Diversify early research to keep options open for later specialization.
04 / THE GUIDE
Alien Faction Relations
The galaxy hosts unique alien factions, each with its own motives. Players may trade, hire, or attack these groups, and such actions affect their disposition and behavior toward the player.
Faction attitudes can shift based on your actions, making diplomatic choices a core element of gameplay.
- Observe faction reactions after each encounter to gauge future trust levels.
- Balance aggressive actions with trade to maintain multiple allies.
05 / THE GUIDE
Mission Structure
Starcom: Unknown Space offers over 60 main story and side‑quest missions, discoverable through exploration or faction interaction. Missions drive narrative progression, while scientific discoveries grant research points and artifacts can be collected along the way.
A searchable ship log records every encounter and interaction, allowing players to revisit details and plan future missions efficiently.
- Check the ship log after missions to uncover hidden clues.
- Complete side quests to boost research points before tackling main story arcs.





COMMUNITY
Player discussion