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FreeOrion for Windows

  • Free

  • In English
  • V 0.4.10.2
  • 3.3

    (18)
  • Security Status

Galactic conquest game on an open-source independent platform

Free Orion is an open-source, platform-independent galactic conquest game in the tradition of the Master of Orion games. Its commercial competitors, just to give you an idea, are VGA planets, Galactic Civilizations and Space Empires.

Free Orion instead is a collaborative promising project, a community effort that moves forward based on the motivation and contributions of users and it is currently in the alpha stage.

Although graphics can be interesting, the game is somewhat difficult to enjoy for new players. There is little in the way of guidance and at the beginning, FreeOrion appears rather boring.

In theory, victory is achieved by eliminating all ships and planets belonging to other empires, that's fairly standard, but at this stage there isn't any combat yet.

You must read the 'quick' play guide, (which isn't that quick) in order to understand a bit what to do. The guide starts in a very step by step way: 'to start a game, run the freeorion executable, then click on the 'Single Player' button on the main menu, then 'OK' on the Galaxy Setup screen.

You should then see a starmap which you can drag around with the mouse and zoom in/out with the scrollwheel. The triangle next to the star is a fleet.

Clicking the fleet opens the fleet window. Try moving fleets around to explore, making a new colony or clicking on techs in the Research screen to read their descriptions.

If you are patient enough, and you are really passionate about strictly strategic games you might want to try this project and maybe collaborate in the related forum for further, more exciting releases.

As specified in the game's Wiki, the easiest way to contribute when new to the project is simply to join in brainstorming discussions on the forums.

FreeOrion, an open-source game inspired by Master of Orion, is a turn-based game of epic space strategy that builds on the classic '4X' model by incorporating the nation-building elements of games such as Europa Universalis 2 and a versatile tactical combat engine.

While its modular, open-source design allows for a significant degree of customization of the game engine and the story elements by the community, the FreeOrion team is dedicated to the construction of a living, breathing universe in a 'grand campaign' model.

PROS

  • Open source project developing on user’s suggestion
  • The graphic is interesting for that sort of game

CONS

  • Difficult to understand how to play

Program available in other languages


FreeOrion for PC

  • Free

  • In English
  • V 0.4.10.2
  • 3.3

    (18)
  • Security Status


User reviews about FreeOrion

  • Anonymous

    by Anonymous

    If you love Master of Orion series, you'll love this.
    Master of Orion on steroids, looks great, plays well and has a strong development community. While it isn't yet finished I love the way this is going. Thumbs up!
    Pros: Great concept, g More


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