[Watch] Star Citizen shows off 45 minutes of pure gameplay from Alpha version 3.0

New facial animations, contract quest, and seamless space-to-planet landing.

Star Citizen continues its push towards the release of Alpha version 3.0, and in a mega update during Gamescom 2017, Roberts Space Industries showed off 45 minutes of gameplay, showing off the new facial animation system and reinforcing its seamless transitions between space and planetary exploration.

Check out the video (via Kotaku AU)

The demo begins when your character awakens aboard a space station in their quarters, and they set out and accept a contract mission. It's a bit subtle, but once the demo starts into its multiplayer showcase, the character's facial animations begin to change dynamically. This is because Alpha 3.0 introduces a feature that reads the player's real-life facial expressions, and translates them into the game in real-time for an added level of immersion. Yes, even your most unattractive faces.

The demo eventually transitions to a driveable ATV, which the players then take to their ship. Of course, it wouldn't be a Star Citizen demo without a planet to space transition or vice versa. But naturally, we are treated to both, which accentuates just how massive Star Citizen really is.

Star Citizen's Alpha Version 3.0 was recently delayed from its August 2017 launch window, but will now release at the beginning of September.

Source: [Kotaku AU]