Xenolander: First Contact
Land where no one has landed. Find what lives there.
At the controls of a lander, fly mission after mission over hostile asteroids: thrust, inertia and limited fuel, caves to explore, then the flight back to base. The campaign follows the search for alien life, one mission at a time, in a neon wireframe universe.
- Story campaign in three acts
- Demanding flight physics
- Modules to buy to upgrade the ship
- Keyboard or gamepad
The idea
Xenolander is a side-view lander piloting game with real physics: gravity, inertia, weight and fuel. You work through a 41-mission campaign, fit out your ship and earn the trust of three corporations.
Flying
Main thrust
Z (or Space) on keyboard, right trigger on a gamepad. The harder you press, the longer the flame and the more fuel you burn.
Rotation
Q and D on keyboard, left stick or LB/RB on a gamepad.
Action (scan, analysis)
E, or X on a gamepad. Stay inside the marked zone while the scanner works.
Beacon
B drops a checkpoint you can return to after a crash (Beacon module required).
Restart
R restarts the mission from the beginning.
Pause
Esc, or Start on a gamepad.
Every key can be rebound in Options.
Weapons (if you own any)
Primary fire
Space, or A on a gamepad.
Secondary weapon
Shift, or left trigger. Tab cycles weapons.
Managing your ship
Fuel
Thrusting burns it. Refuel at a base, or in an emergency in mid-flight at a higher price.
Hull
Impacts damage it. Repair at a base: at zero, you crash.
Weight
Cargo, fuel and modules make the ship heavier. Too heavy and it cannot lift off.
Gravity
It changes from one mission to the next: no two asteroids feel the same.
Landing
Arrive too fast and the hull is destroyed. Touch down gently: a base's services only open once you are stable.
Missions
Land and deliver
Carry cargo from one base to another without losing it.
Scan and analyze
The Scanner reads bases, the Analyzer studies terrain. Some analyses are contactless or underground.
Hover
Hold still above a zone for the required time.
Sample, build, dig
Sampling arm, 3D printer, mining laser: each module unlocks a type of objective.
Recon and combat
Approach enemy bases armed with missiles, or destroy turrets, drones and ships.
Every mission ends with a return to your starting base.
The Hub
Missions
The story comes first, then side missions. The "Generate a mission" button builds a custom one: type, steps, difficulty.
Hulls and modules
Buy new hulls and modules depending on your reputation with Axiom (science), Cordite (military) and Ballast (industry).
Equipment
Mount and unmount modules on the ship's grid.
Upgrades
Upgrade your modules for better performance.
Finances and stats
Your balance sheet and 80+ statistics.
Progress
Money and reputation
Every mission pays in credits and reputation. Crashes cost a repurchase fee, but the first one is free.
Stars
Three per story mission: finish it, finish it efficiently, then master it (first try, healthy hull, and a challenge specific to the mission).
Achievements
42 Steam achievements, from your first steps to the end of the campaign.
Tip: do a few side missions first to equip yourself before tackling a hard story mission.
Be told when the Steam wishlist opens
Leave your email: you will get one message when the Steam page of Xenolander: First Contact goes live. Nothing else.
Video coming soon
No news for this game yet.