In this first look at the Drake Golem OX in Star Citizen Alpha 4.4, Subliminal highlights its impressive speed, detailed industrial design, and potential as a cargo transporter, but expresses concern over its surprisingly low durability and weak combat capabilities. Despite its appealing features, the ship’s vulnerability and prolonged combat encounters raise questions about its balance and effectiveness in its intended role.
In this first look video, Subliminal explores the Drake Golem OX ship in Star Citizen’s Alpha 4.4 update. Initially, he is a bit confused about the ship’s purpose and size, mistakenly comparing it to the Drake Golem and other cargo ships like the Argo and the Raft. He clarifies that the Golem OX is a cargo-oriented variant with a cargo grid capacity of 64 SCU, which surprises him given the size of other cargo ships like the Raft that hold significantly more. Despite some initial confusion, he appreciates the detailed industrial design of the Drake ships and finds the Golem OX visually appealing, even preferring it over some competitors.
Subliminal then takes a closer look inside the ship, examining the cargo space and components. He notes that the cargo hold is designed well, with physical buttons and controls, and even tests the tractor beam controls, though he finds them somewhat awkward and difficult to manage with joysticks. He comments on the ship’s potential as a cargo transporter, mentioning that it might be a good option for starting a trading profession in the game. The ship’s small weapons are dismissed as mostly ineffective, intended more for defense against minor threats rather than combat engagements.
Next, he performs a flight test to evaluate the ship’s speed and maneuverability. The Golem OX impresses him with its quick acceleration and good boost capabilities, outperforming other cargo ships like the Hull A and the Raft in speed tests. He notes the ship’s ability to stop quickly and handle well in space, making it a practical choice for cargo runs that require agility. However, he remains cautious about the ship’s durability and overall health pool, which he finds surprisingly low for an industrial ship.
Subliminal dives deeper into the ship’s durability stats using SP Tracker, revealing that the Golem OX has an alarmingly low hull hit point value, comparable to the nose of a Gladius fighter. This causes concern as it implies the ship could be easily destroyed, even by environmental hazards like space dust. He hopes this is a bug or something that will be addressed in future updates, as the ship’s vulnerability seems unrealistic for its intended industrial role. He compares the Golem OX’s stats to other ships like the Cutter and the Raft, emphasizing the need for better durability.
The video concludes with Subliminal testing the ship in combat scenarios against a Cutter, where he finds the fight frustratingly long and tedious due to the Cutter’s strong shields and the Golem OX’s weak firepower. Despite hitting critical components, the Cutter’s shields regenerate, making the encounter drawn out and less enjoyable. He expresses fatigue and frustration with the prolonged combat, questioning the balance of the ship’s role and its combat capabilities. Overall, the Golem OX is seen as a promising cargo ship with good speed and design but flawed by its low durability and weak defensive abilities.