Benjamin Cid Perez just unveiled Shrouded Suns, a sci-fi space combat simulation that wears its FreeSpace inspiration proudly. The gameplay teaser showcases intense starfighter dogfights among asteroid fields and planetary debris, complete with missiles streaking through space and capital ships exploding in the background. Built in Godot Engine by a developer with 12 years of industry experience including a decade as creative director of Flying Sheep Studios, Shrouded Suns aims to deliver classic space combat action wrapped in a story-driven single-player campaign. The game targets late 2026 release on PC via Steam with Steam Deck verification planned.
What Is Shrouded Suns
Shrouded Suns is a single-player space combat simulator focused on dogfighting in highly customizable starfighters during a desperate interstellar war. The teaser shows first-person cockpit views as players weave through asteroid fields, engage enemy fighters in twisting dogfights, and assault massive capital ships with torpedoes and beam weapons. The visual style blends realistic spacecraft designs with dramatic lighting effects that make space battles feel cinematic without sacrificing gameplay clarity.
Developer Benjamin Cid Perez explicitly cites FreeSpace as a primary inspiration, pulling from those legendary campaigns to create a strong narrative experience. For younger players unfamiliar with the reference, FreeSpace 2 released in 1999 and remains considered one of the greatest space combat games ever made, combining tight arcade-sim flight mechanics with epic story missions featuring massive fleet battles. Shrouded Suns aims to capture that magic for a modern audience while leveraging contemporary technology and design sensibilities.
The Developer Behind the Game
Benjamin Cid Perez brings substantial industry credentials to this solo project. He spent 10 years as creative director and co-founder of Flying Sheep Studios, a company focused on HTML5 game development. His total industry experience spans 12 years across various roles including technical artist and game designer. Based in Germany, Perez studied at Fachhochschule Dortmund before entering the games industry professionally.
Working solo on a space combat simulator represents a significant challenge, but Perez’s technical art background should help him handle both the visual and systemic complexity these games require. The choice to use Godot Engine rather than Unity or Unreal Engine 5 suggests either personal preference for open-source tools or practical considerations about licensing and performance. Godot has proven capable for 3D games despite being better known for 2D titles, and several successful indie space games have used it effectively.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Developer | Benjamin Cid Perez (Solo) |
| Engine | Godot |
| Platforms | Windows, Steam Deck |
| Release Window | Late 2026 |
| Game Type | Story-driven space combat simulation |
| Primary Inspiration | FreeSpace series |
Customizable Starfighters
The Steam page and promotional materials emphasize highly customizable spacefighters as a core feature. While the teaser doesn’t show detailed customization menus, the promise suggests players will modify loadouts, weapons systems, engines, shields, and potentially visual aesthetics. This customization depth separates simulators from pure arcade shooters, allowing players to tailor their craft for specific mission types or personal playstyles.
Customization in space combat games typically involves tradeoffs between speed, armor, firepower, and energy management. Fast interceptors excel at dogfighting but lack the staying power for extended engagements. Heavy bombers carry devastating torpedoes for capital ship assault but handle poorly in fighter duels. The best space sims force meaningful choices rather than offering obvious optimal builds, creating variety across the campaign as mission objectives change.
Story-Driven Campaign Focus
Reddit comments from Perez confirm the game focuses on a strong single-player campaign experience pulling heavily from FreeSpace’s narrative vibes. This represents a design choice that prioritizes crafted missions and storytelling over emergent sandbox gameplay or competitive multiplayer. The Steam page describes the setting as a seemingly hopeless war among the stars, suggesting a desperate conflict against overwhelming odds that characterizes the best space opera campaigns.
Story-driven space combat campaigns typically feature escalating threats, memorable set-piece battles, and narrative tension that gives context to the action. FreeSpace 2’s campaign remains legendary partly because it told a compelling story about humanity’s survival against extinction-level threats, with individual missions feeling like crucial chapters rather than disconnected skirmishes. If Shrouded Suns captures even a fraction of that narrative power, it could resonate strongly with space sim enthusiasts.
The FreeSpace Legacy
Understanding Shrouded Suns requires understanding FreeSpace’s influence on space combat games. Developed by Volition and released in 1999, FreeSpace 2 combined accessible arcade-style flight with simulation depth, creating a sweet spot that satisfied both casual and hardcore space sim fans. The game featured spectacular capital ship battles where your tiny fighter dodged beam cannons capable of vaporizing you instantly while trying to destroy subsystems on kilometer-long warships.
FreeSpace 2’s campaign told a dark story about the return of the Shivans, an ancient alien race bent on destroying all sentient life. Missions escalated from routine patrols to desperate last stands, with the player character participating in battles that determined humanity’s survival. The writing, voice acting, and mission design combined to create emotional investment rare in action games. Modern space sims including Everspace 2 and Star Wars: Squadrons owe significant design debt to FreeSpace’s template.
Why Godot Engine
The choice to build Shrouded Suns in Godot Engine deserves examination. Godot is an open-source game engine that’s completely free with no royalties or licensing fees, making it attractive for solo developers and small studios. While better known for 2D games, Godot’s 3D capabilities have improved dramatically in recent versions. Several successful indie space games use Godot, proving the engine can handle the technical demands of space combat simulation.
For a solo developer, Godot offers advantages beyond cost. The engine’s lightweight nature means faster iteration times and easier debugging compared to heavier engines like Unreal. The integrated scripting language GDScript is Python-like and approachable, though Godot also supports C sharp and C++ for performance-critical systems. The active community provides resources and support valuable for independent developers tackling complex projects alone. The tradeoff is potentially less visual fidelity than Unreal Engine 5 would provide, but indie space sims succeed on gameplay and atmosphere rather than cutting-edge graphics.
Steam Deck Verification
Perez plans to verify Shrouded Suns for Steam Deck, Valve’s handheld gaming PC. This represents an interesting choice for a space combat simulator given the genre’s traditional association with joysticks, throttles, and complex control schemes. However, many modern space games including Everspace 2 work well on controllers, and the Steam Deck’s dual trackpads offer precise aiming that works surprisingly well for cockpit-based games.
Steam Deck verification requires meeting specific performance targets, control scheme compatibility, and UI readability at the Deck’s 1280×800 resolution. For a solo developer, this adds development work but potentially expands the audience significantly. The Steam Deck has sold millions of units and created a market for games that run well on handheld hardware. Space combat’s episodic mission structure actually suits portable gaming well, allowing players to complete missions during commutes or travel.
Community Response
The gameplay teaser generated positive reactions from space sim enthusiasts on Reddit and social media. Comments praised the visual fidelity and the fact that another developer is attempting to revive the FreeSpace-style campaign formula that’s been underserved in recent years. Some discussion focused on control schemes, with traditional joystick purists expressing concern about gamepad and mouse controls becoming standard rather than true flight stick support.
Others expressed cautious optimism about a solo developer tackling such an ambitious project. Space combat simulators require balancing complex systems including physics, AI, mission scripting, and performance optimization while maintaining 60fps during chaotic battles with dozens of ships on screen. However, Perez’s industry experience and technical art background suggest he understands the challenges. The late 2026 release window provides substantial development time rather than rushing to market.
The Modern Space Sim Renaissance
Shrouded Suns arrives during a modest renaissance for space combat games after years of dormancy. Star Wars: Squadrons proved appetite exists for story-driven starfighter combat in 2020. Everspace 2 successfully blended roguelike elements with traditional space combat in 2023. Star Citizen continues its controversial but technically impressive development. House of the Dying Sun delivered tactical fleet combat for VR enthusiasts. Even classic titles like FreeSpace 2 maintain active communities with graphics mods and community campaigns.
This renewed interest creates opportunity for indie developers willing to serve the niche but passionate space sim audience. While these games rarely achieve mainstream success, they can find sustainable audiences among fans who’ve been waiting decades for the genre’s return. Shrouded Suns doesn’t need to sell millions of copies to succeed; it needs to deliver a compelling campaign that satisfies the specific audience seeking FreeSpace-style space combat.
What We Still Don’t Know
The brief teaser and minimal marketing materials leave many questions unanswered. What’s the actual story premise beyond a desperate war? How many missions comprise the campaign? What enemy factions will players fight? Does the game include wingman commands and squadron management, or do you fly solo? Will there be voiced dialogue and mission briefings, or text-based presentation?
Technical questions also remain. Does Shrouded Suns use Newtonian physics or arcade-style flight? How deep does customization go – simple loadout selection or detailed subsystem management? What difficulty options exist? Most importantly for many players: does the game support HOTAS controllers and flight sticks, or is it designed primarily for gamepad and mouse? These details will determine whether Shrouded Suns appeals to hardcore sim enthusiasts or targets a broader audience with more accessible mechanics.
FAQs
When is Shrouded Suns releasing?
Shrouded Suns targets a late 2026 release window on PC via Steam. No specific date has been announced beyond that general timeframe. The game will also support Steam Deck with official verification planned.
Who is developing Shrouded Suns?
Benjamin Cid Perez is developing Shrouded Suns as a solo project. He brings 12 years of games industry experience including 10 years as creative director and co-founder of Flying Sheep Studios. He’s based in Germany and works as a technical artist and game designer.
What engine is Shrouded Suns using?
Shrouded Suns is built in Godot Engine, an open-source game engine that’s completely free with no licensing fees. While better known for 2D games, Godot’s 3D capabilities have improved significantly and several successful indie space games use it.
Is there multiplayer in Shrouded Suns?
No, Shrouded Suns focuses exclusively on single-player campaign experience. The developer confirmed on Reddit that the game pulls heavily from FreeSpace’s story-driven mission structure rather than including competitive or cooperative multiplayer modes.
What games inspired Shrouded Suns?
The primary inspiration is the FreeSpace series, particularly FreeSpace 2’s campaign vibes. FreeSpace 2 is considered one of the greatest space combat games ever made, combining arcade-sim flight mechanics with epic story missions and massive fleet battles.
Will Shrouded Suns support flight sticks?
This hasn’t been officially confirmed yet. While space sim enthusiasts prefer HOTAS controllers and flight sticks, many modern space games prioritize gamepad and mouse/keyboard controls. Players should wait for official control scheme announcements before assuming specific hardware support.
Can I wishlist Shrouded Suns on Steam?
Yes, the Steam page is live and available for wishlisting. Wishlisting helps you track development updates and ensures you’ll receive notifications when the game launches in late 2026.
What platforms will the game release on?
Shrouded Suns is confirmed for Windows PC via Steam with Steam Deck verification planned. No console ports or other platforms have been announced. As a solo developer project, Perez is likely focusing on PC to manage scope.
Conclusion
Shrouded Suns represents exactly the kind of passion project space combat fans hope to see from experienced developers. Benjamin Cid Perez isn’t chasing trends or attempting to reinvent the genre; he’s making the FreeSpace-inspired campaign experience he wants to play. The late 2026 release window provides substantial development time for a solo project of this scope, suggesting realistic planning rather than overpromising. Building in Godot Engine keeps costs manageable while the engine’s capabilities have proven sufficient for impressive 3D space games. The focus on story-driven single-player experience over multiplayer or sandbox elements narrows scope to something achievable for one person. Whether Shrouded Suns ultimately delivers on its FreeSpace inspiration remains to be seen, but the teaser demonstrates visual fidelity and gameplay fundamentals that look promising. The space sim community has learned to temper expectations after decades of disappointments, but there’s genuine hunger for well-crafted campaigns that recapture the narrative magic of classics like FreeSpace 2. If Perez can deliver even a dozen compelling missions with memorable setpieces and a story that gives context to the dogfights, Shrouded Suns will find an appreciative audience. Head to Steam and wishlist it now if you’ve been waiting for someone to make a FreeSpace successor that focuses on what made those games special: the campaigns that turned space combat into something more than just shooting.