Note: during this review I refer to the title as it's current name "Juno" even during time frames when simple rockets would be more appropriate. For those new it's un-needed and adds nothing to the points made. For those already aware...your already aware 2nd Note: any comment with "ksp" refers to ksp1. For KSP2 I say KSP2(it gets special treatment for being a "special" child) For the IP as a whole I say Kerbal It's decent. Think KSP without the funny. If your familiar with ksp most will be familiar with a few tweeks. Stock juno is arguably a better game than a stock ksp. However, be aware mod support for juno is no where near what it is for ksp.....by orders of magnitude. Which makes that comparison irrelevant, since a modded ksp can be a better game than even a fully modded juno. Also unlike squad, juno devs haven't been, and aren't focused on juno. Which means dev involvement is largely non-existent, current bug list is likely permanent, and don't expect new content, dlc or x-pac As far as bugs, there are a few a couple that could impact play seriously. For the most part they won't impact you, but like ksp when they hit a cheap monitor and/or mouse you can throw works wonders. However ksp has it's own bugs different ones but comparing the pending lists is like saying potatoe or potaaaato. pick yer poisen takes yer chances. Both are done actually fixing anything outside of mods. Sound I actually like junos better along with it's stock skybox. both of those are subjective however your mileage will vary and I don't care. As far as graphics the only pet peave I really have is junos water when it's dark...drives me nuggen futz If you liked the "atmosphere" the green dudes gave your play in ksp your not gonna be impressed with juno's doods. They are about as forgettable as it's possible to be while still existing. I've seen balance spreadsheets with more personality. Junos design tab is somewhat less user friendly than the ksp vab or hanger. but once learned both are equal in benefits and frustrations. However in junos system you don't have to jump back and forth depending on if your making a boom boom or a zoom zoom. The one major difference is visso, vizzo, vazzooo?......it starts with a V. a fairly stupid programming for kids language. if anyone reading this is a mecjeb user in ksp your gonna need to learn it and use it, or start doing the math on your own. There is no equivalent mod to my knowledge. /shrugs if you have ksp and enjoy it....you probably won't get anything out of juno unless you only play ksp stock. If your new to the space launch genre I would recommend ksp, it is more approachable, has better tutorials, and is more transparent in how progression flows in career. If your bored of ksp, juno's your best bet it's the closest to a feature complete launch game. If your looking for a modern, feature complete, new engine example...nothing like that exists yet and starting to look like it never will. Juno's the next best thing after ksp1 As I stated above for a ksp vet, nothing in JUNO is going to be terribly different, right down to the UI. Which is likely it's biggest barrier to gaining market share. It's too similar without offering anything truly unique to make ground. It's like caparisoning 2 different survival genre titles With nothing that really screams a better experience, paaired with lackluster mod support, while simultaneously making it harder to get into for new players to the genre it will never be more than it is. __________________________________________________________________________ Following is a rant about the genre as a whole. feel free to skip. you can leave a comment about it if you wish agreeing or not even calling me names...I won't read it but you do you. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I'll be honest when T2 announced KSP2 going early access I was surprised the Juno devs didn't start churning out content preparing for the coming opportunity. Nothing says emergency like a AAA publisher going EAccess. It's the main reason I got it(juno), I figured only a moron wouldn't see the golden opportunity about to drop and juno would bottle the lightning. They were almost in the perfect position at the time. I was even more surprised they did nothing when KSP2 inevitably imploded. So I'm not just blowing smoke when I say whats done is all there is and all there will ever be. They have shown that even under near perfect conditions they aren't interested. Don't see that changing now that the opportunity is largely passed, along with the reward. T2 all but crucified the Kerbal IP so don't look for anything from them(or whoever they sucker selling the rights too) but the total market for this genre is so small and ksp1 takes such a big chunk of it while also having excellent mod support it sucks all the oxygen out from anyone else taking a big risk. Juno had an opportunity to jump in, but they had better things to do apparently. So for those looking for a successor to ksp....probably won't happen in the next decade ...or two. Nobody going the EACCESS route is gonna have the shear mod support ksp enjoys which means they will always play second fiddle in drawing a player base big enough to feed a major step forward for the genre. It would take a triple a entity to push out something that AT LAUNCH has as many features, content, quality of life improvements that a fully modded ksp does. I don't see anyone throwing down that kinda cash for a market this small....sorry. Now if for some reason ksp1 ever implodes then the potential exists, but failing that? the genre is now stagnant. Now maybe if harvester and some of the crew purchased the rights and hired SM as the lead play tester, maybe we'd see something within the next decade. Simply because those two names could un f*** the brand damage kerbal took almost passively. No one else has the PR chops to do it easily or quickly. The above scenario would have better tailwinds under a publisher with capital or a golden angel. Under EAccess...still a big maybe. That mod and feature deficit would still be a big barrier to market share for an EA title. But that scenario is the only way I see the genre advancing to any degree within the next decade. But that is likely only possible in my dreams. The sad fact is the survival genre of hit a tree get a log pick up a rock make something to hit a bigger tree get a different log, hit a boulder get more rocks. makes some other BS hit more trees, hit different boulders to get different rocks, carry gods own suitcase in your back back...because that is what you do in a survival situation, all while being a master mechanic, architect, magic user if applicable in your BS world, electrician if applicable in your BS world. blade master, sailing master, and map maker, and all around good guy .....is likely to prove more innovative(eventually) than the spaces build/launch genre will likely remain for some time. The survival genres shear size means eventually someone other than a moron will design one. There be money thar. Not a whole lotta money in launch systems simulations. The next big thing aint coming...not anytime soon anyway.
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