Get ready to bleed credits and lose friends — Space Scum, the new turn-based tactical RPG from Honey, I Joined a Cult dev Sole Survivor Games and Cash Cleaner Simulator publisher Forklift Interactive, has officially revealed its first gameplay trailer. The stylish, brutal, comic book-inspired sci-fi title will be making its hands-on debut at this year’s gamescom Indie Arena Booth (Aug 20–24), with a free Steam demo launching this August.
Scum, Guns, and Strategy in the Outer Rim
In Space Scum, you’re building the nastiest, scrappiest mercenary company this side of the galaxy — one corpse at a time. Each mission pits your ragtag crew against overwhelming odds in tactical, turn-based skirmishes across procedurally generated hellholes. Your mercs all have specialized roles — from axe-swinging brutes to turret-hacking tech-heads — but there’s one thing they all have in common: permadeath. Once they’re gone, they’re gone.
Between fights, you’ll be managing your crew and gearing up. Use credits and scrap from successful missions to hire new scum, upgrade your ship, and stockpile gear. But replacements don’t come cheap, and every recruit comes with different skills, personalities, and risks.
What Sets Space Scum Apart
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Turn-Based Combat with Teeth: Strategic, brutal, and unforgiving — just the way fans of XCOM, Darkest Dungeon, and Battle Brothers like it.
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Permadeath is Permanent: Losing a merc hurts. But it also makes every victory feel earned.
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Custom Company Origins: Choose your own starting backstory and shape the fate of your merc outfit.
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Procedural Planet Hopping: Every planet, mission, and outcome is different, packed with random events and faction drama.
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Merc Variety: Build a balanced squad with sharpshooters, shield-tanks, tech experts, and good old-fashioned bloodthirsty maniacs.
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Faction Shenanigans: Work with, betray, or destroy factions across the galaxy. Politics here are dirty — play them or get played.
Devs Aren’t Pulling Punches
“We make no apologies – Space Scum is a grueling experience where failure has grave consequences,” said Simon Reynolds, developer at Sole Survivor Games. “But the thing with challenging games is, the feeling of accomplishment when you learn from your mistakes and apply the lessons from past failures, is second to none. That’s why we made Space Scum.”
Whether you’re into punishing tactics, procedural chaos, or just want to watch your space-axe-wielding best friend get blown in half for the 10th time, Space Scum is shaping up to be a must-play for fans of hardcore strategy with style.
Watch the first gameplay trailer now, wishlist Space Scum on Steam, and be sure to check it out at gamescom 2025 or during the August demo drop. Mercenary work has never looked so messy.