Master of Orion II: Battle at Antares
Master of Orion II: Battle at Antares is a 1996 turn-based strategy game developed by Simtex. A landmark space 4X title, it has players build a galactic empire by colonizing planets, terraforming worlds, researching technology, designing custom starships, and engaging rival races through diplomacy, espionage, and war.
The game refined its predecessor with extensive customization, letting players build a race from selectable traits or pick from established species, then design warships by mixing hull sizes, weapons, shields, and special systems. Combat was resolved on a tactical grid where ship design and positioning proved decisive, and a galactic council could vote a dominant player to victory. Widely regarded as one of the finest space strategy games ever made, it set a benchmark that later titles in the genre have long been measured against.
Master of Orion II remains available through digital storefronts, and its influence is evident in the space 4X games and later series revivals that followed in its wake.
Play it today
Modern alternatives to Master of Orion II: Battle at Antares, with the devices they run on and their price. Ordered editorially by how well each one stands in for the original, with community votes weighted in as they accumulate.
Prices, platform availability and Steam Deck compatibility can change at any time. Always check the store page before buying.
| Alternative | Price | Steam Deck | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interstellar Space: Genesis Indie | € 29,99 | Steam Deck Playable | PC, Mac |
| Master of Orion (2016) | € 29,99 | Steam Deck Playable | PC, Mac, Linux |
| Distant Worlds 2 | € 48,99 | Steam Deck Playable | PC |
| Master of Orion II: Battle at Antares | € 5,99 | Not on Steam | PC |
| Sword of the Stars: Complete Collection | € 9,99 | Steam Deck Unsupported | PC |
Interstellar Space: Genesis Indie
€ 29,99An indie space 4X directly inspired by Master of Orion II.
Interstellar Space: Genesis runs on PC, Mac. Not available on Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch.
Master of Orion (2016)
€ 29,99A modern reboot returning to the classic galactic 4X formula.
Master of Orion (2016) runs on PC, Mac, Linux. Not available on iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch.
Distant Worlds 2
€ 48,99An enormous real-time space 4X you can automate as much or as little as you like.
Distant Worlds 2 runs on PC. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch.
Master of Orion II: Battle at Antares
€ 5,99The classic space 4X, packaged for modern systems.
Master of Orion II: Battle at Antares runs on PC. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch.
Sword of the Stars: Complete Collection
€ 9,99A space 4X with genuinely different drive technologies per race and deep ship design.
Sword of the Stars: Complete Collection runs on PC. Not available on Mac, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android phone, Android tablet, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch.
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