For many decades, sci-fi buffs have debated the exact nature of the “C-beams” mentioned by Roy Batty/Rutger Hauer in Blade Runner’s legendary “tears in rain” soliloquy. Cutter beams used in construction? Weapon systems? Fey astral phenomena? The beauty of the term is its ambiguity, perhaps. Not any more, though. Now, whenever anybody muses moist-eyedly about the replicant’s parting phrase, I can say: “actually, he was referring to the forthcoming space action-RPG C-Beams from Distant Light Games and publishers Hooded Horse, which also takes heavy inspiration from one of my childhood favourite space games – Ambrosia Software’s Escape Velocity.” Time to die roll the trailer.

In C-Beams, you’re a budding ship captain exploring a black hole system full of asteroids and anomalies. Seems like a place to avoid, but there’s rare elements in them thar asteroids, and besides, you can use them for cover when dog-fighting.

It’s a 2.5D game with lush expanses of space rockery below the navigable plain. It boasts of “highly realistic handling characteristics”. Amongst other things, you’ll need to master the art of retro burns for deceleration, cutting your engines for stealth, and managing your supply of boost fuel. If you’re piloting a heftier class of ship, full of precious ore, you’ll be correspondingly slower and clumsier. In combat, you can shred enemy vessels up-close with recoilless weaponry, or boff them afar with guided missiles and railguns. Yes, you can buy and equip C-Beams, the better to inspire any watching Roy Batty-likes in their eventual dying moments.

The game’s cosmos is a web of jump points – extending from settled planets and stations, owned by different factions, to a mess of uncharted regions. The visuals are a lightyear beyond Escape Velocity, and there’s more of an emphasis on mining. Touches of modernisation include a hangar where you can swap between ships, and there are skills to unlock. Still, the HUD, view dimensions and overall vibe are immediately familiar.

Escape Velocity isn’t mentioned on the Steam page, but I was convinced of the train of influence – and extremely smug when I tracked it back to this development video from two years ago. Did you ever play an Escape Velocity game? Do you remember Captain Hector? God, I used to adore Captain Hector. Imagine if Roy Batty’s dying words had been “I watched enraged parrots bellow at me about shareware registration near the Tannhäuser Gate.” Anyway, look out for the release of C-Beams… “soon”. Escape Velociteers who can’t wait that long might want to investigate Endless Sky and 3030 Deathwar.