Roaming space on a destructive warpath. Your mission? Destroy man-made items orbiting Mars. The main character isn't a space captain, superhero, or astronaut. The only character is an asteroid scarred by Earth's collapse. Asteroid Requiem, developed and published by Wizards In Training, tells a story about how Earth was destroyed by an environmental crisis, told from the asteroid's perspective. Once 50 pieces of space trash are destroyed, the story comes to an emotional conclusion. On paper this sounds like a fun, story-focused game. Unfortunately, in execution it came across as brief and hollow.
The core messaging in this game is "protect the earth." The developers convey this message by offering a what-if scenario where Earth is no longer inhabitable and is recounted by a sentient asteroid as it gradually regains memory of what happened. They highlight that humans don't get the happy ending by showing how Mars was unable to be colonized. The desolation of space, paired with the absence of any human characters, adds to the isolation and the magnitude of humanity's loss. Together the passionate voice, the absence of life, and the stark environment not only show parallels to modern-day issues but also drive the narrative home to the player.
The entire game boils down to two controls: increasing/decreasing speed and turning left and right. Turning to aim at objects felt too difficult, causing multiple near misses when trying to smash into junk. It felt like being chased by something horrifying, yet your body felt like it was made of pudding. It did get easier the more I played. Eventually I could anticipate how to move the asteroid as the debris got closer. Moving up or down was equally difficult at first. Overall it didn’t seem like the movements translated very well. The sense of orbiting Mars was well done, avoiding the dizzying effect of doing circles.
Asteroid Requiem at times felt tedious. There was little variety in the debris I could bust through, and I had to circle Mars multiple times to find junk. They have an end goal of 50, so I knew when the grind was over. The story was slightly generic, yet the idea of an asteroid being sentient felt unique. It did leave me wanting more. The emotion in the dialogue was great, the voiceover was impactful, and the emotion behind the story was palpable.
I appreciated the game's art style and how the colorful trash contrasted with the darkness of space. There is the option of what color the asteroid tail and shape are, although the shape did not affect my ability to destroy objects. Asteroid's soundtrack dynamically changed as the story progressed. The music choice was a melancholy electronic beat. It did pick up the pace to add an emotional finale to mark the end of the story. The art style was well done using Unreal Engine 5. Controls felt rough and too tight for maneuvering. This caused frustration while attempting to smash into each item.
If you have $1.99 sitting in your Steam account and enjoy games rooted in environmental activism, then this might be for you. Asteroid Requiem, released on July 14th, 2025, makes it clear through its narrative that the developers care for our earth and worry for its future. If looking for something quick to play on your lunch break is the goal or a game that is rooted in poetry, then try this out.
Disclosure: We received a free review copy of this product.
