Everspace 2is a fast-paced arcade space shooter. In it, players take on the role of a rogue pilot doing his best to escape a war-torn sector of space filled with bandits, warlords, and cultists.Everspace 2challenges players to navigate through dangerous corridors, delve into derelict ships and combat ruthless enemies all from within the cockpit of their chosen ship.

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Flying a ship in three dimensions requires precise controls and a variety of inputs, so many players tend to use aHOTAS(Hand on Throttle and Stick) setup. It’s an excellent choice forcerebral space simulators likeElite: Dangerous, but arcade shooters likeEverspace 2require fast throttle changes and jerky movements that can cause significant wear and tear on a HOTAS. Nonetheless,Everspace 2does support HOTAS input. Here’s how to set it up and get the most out of it.

How to Enable HOTAS Input in Everspace 2

A HOTAS can be invaluable for precise flight control and pinpoint accuracy. The plethora of switches and buttons available ensures every flight control has a mappable key. That said,Everspace 2isn’t as input-hungry asmany other flight games. While there are a fair number of controls, there aren’t so many that a controller can’t handle it almost as well.

A HOTAS offers total control over pitch, roll, yaw, and maneuvering thrusters at all times, whereas a controller would need to remap some keys needed elsewhere. The controller options have a setting for Automatic Rolling that helps, but players might find that unsatisfying.

controls menu

Here’s how toenable HOTAS controls inEverspace 2:

After the controls are set, players should go back to the “Input” tab of the Settings Menu and selectJoystick.There they’ll find a few more settings tohelp optimize their experience. Auto-Aim, Boost behavior, and Automatic Rolling can all be adjusted here. Automatic Rolling should be disabled for a HOTAS setup, but everything else is up to the player’s preference.

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Tips for Using a HOTAS in Everspace 2

As previously stated, using a HOTAS in an arcade-style space flight game is risky business. A HOTAS is a notoriously fragile peripheral. Hard and fast controls can quickly damage it. That said, it can be effective and fun. Here are a few tips to help get the most out of using a HOTAS inEverspace 2:

Everspace 2is out for PC, with an Xbox Series and PS5 version coming in the summer of 2023.

A ship in combat