Hooded Horse spaceship RPG C-Beams isn’t just a riff on Blade Runner – it’s a “modern version” of one of my favourite childhood space sims

Rock Paper Shotgun reports on C-Beams, a forthcoming space action-RPG from developer Distant Light Games and publisher Hooded Horse. While the title nods to the "C-beams" line from Blade Runner's famous "tears in rain" monologue, the writer argues its deeper inspiration is Ambrosia Software's Escape Velocity, a beloved older space sim — a lineage the author traced back to a development video from two years ago, though Escape Velocity is not credited on the game's Steam page.

In the game, players take on the role of a ship captain exploring a black hole system filled with asteroids and anomalies, mining rare elements and using rocks as cover in dogfights. It is a 2.5D title promising "highly realistic handling characteristics", requiring players to manage retro burns for deceleration, engine cut-offs for stealth, and boost fuel, with heavier ore-laden ships handling more sluggishly. Combat spans close-range recoilless weapons, guided missiles and railguns (including buyable C-Beams), while the cosmos is structured around jump points linking faction-owned planets and stations to uncharted regions. Modern touches include a hangar for swapping ships and unlockable skills, though the HUD and overall feel remain familiar; a release date is given only as "soon".