Hard science fiction space game Lunar Strike readies demo for launch

Cognition’s philosophical and scientifically accurate game set on humanity’s final Moon base to begin a countdown towards its summer launch with a Steam demo.

Cognition Europe is today announcing a PC demo for its debut game, hard science fiction and adventure, Lunar Strike, will launch next month ahead of participation in June’s Steam Next Fest.

Players will explore humanity’s last lunar base as Bo, an archivist on a mission to digitally archive humanity’s achievements on the Moon. But as their story evolves, their mission becomes critical as sabotage and espionage threatens the colony’s future.

The hard science fiction narrative means real-world physics is fully implemented into Lunar Strike’s gameplay, including 1/6th gravity; accurate propulsion and movement of the lunar lander, the Moon rover, and characters; the toxic effects of Moon dust; and more. The story is further enriched with a lore and narrative that raises philosophical questions about humanity’s use of technologies, inclusion, and cultural preservation.

Pushing its accuracy levels further is Cognition’s use of data through photogrammetry, structured light scanning, and LiDAR (light detection and ranging) technologies to recreate the lunar and comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko surfaces with extremely high fidelity.

Cognition is closely linked to non-profit organization, The Arc/k Project, which exists to digitally preserve humanity’s collective cultural heritage. The body’s mission forms the basis for Lunar Strike’s narrative.

Brian Pope, Creative Director of Cognition and Founder of The Arc/k Project, said: “This past weekend’s successful conclusion of the Artemis II mission begins a new golden era for humanity’s exploration – and occupation – of the moon, one that continues nearly a century into the future when Lunar Strike is set. May’s demo will introduce players to the game’s mechanics and systems rooted in real-world science, and begin to raise the philosophical questions around what it means to be post-human, the intersection of the human mind and synthetic intelligence, and the implicit tug-of-war between our obligations to the Earth, our ambitions for the Moon, and ultimately to one another. We’re looking forward to receiving feedback as we continue our trajectory towards the game’s launch in the summer.”

About Cognition Europe

Cognition Europe is an independent studio based in Belgium, focused on narrative design, speculative science, and system-based storytelling. The team includes developers, researchers, sound designers, and advisors from across the space science and cultural heritage sectors. Lunar Strike is the studio’s debut title.