Master of Orion

65%
Game Brain Score Based on 4,439 reviews
  • graphics
  • gameplay
  • music
Master of Orion Game Cover
A moderately successful execution of the standard 4X formula with a flair for leaders and enjoyably complex combat.
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"Master of Orion" is a 4X strategy game where players must expand their empire in a universe with depleting resources. Featuring advanced diplomacy, tactical ship combat, and 60 technology fields, players must conquer alien star systems and defeat the Antarans to secure their supremacy. This game is part of the Master of Orion: Collectors Edition and will be available for stand-alone purchase in the future.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
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  • Linux
  • Ms Dos
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

65%
Audience ScoreBased on 4,439 reviews
graphics364 positive mentions
stability137 negative mentions
  • Faithful remake of the original Master of Orion, capturing the nostalgia and charm of the classic games.
  • Great graphics and voice acting, with a talented cast that enhances the overall experience.
  • Engaging gameplay with multiple paths to victory, allowing for varied strategies and replayability.
  • Numerous bugs and performance issues, especially in late-game, causing long processing times and crashes.
  • Simplified mechanics compared to previous titles, leading to a lack of depth and complexity in gameplay.
  • Real-time combat can feel chaotic and unmanageable, detracting from the strategic elements of battles.
  • graphics801 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received generally positive feedback, with many users praising the modernized visuals and attention to detail that enhance the nostalgic experience of the original Master of Orion titles. While some reviewers noted that the graphics are not as groundbreaking as those in other contemporary games, they still appreciate the aesthetic improvements and vibrant designs, particularly in ship and planet visuals. However, there are criticisms regarding performance issues and occasional graphical glitches, suggesting that while the graphics are a significant upgrade, they are not without flaws.

    • “The graphics are absolutely gorgeous.”
    • “The graphics, voice acting, and gameplay are excellent.”
    • “The graphics are stunning, especially if you've played moo1-3 lately.”
    • “The graphics of the ships in this game are mediocre to poor.”
    • “Despite all the effort for graphics and voice acting, this version of Master of Orion seems unfinished and lacks enough love for the game.”
    • “This game brings back a lot of memories with better graphics, but it feels like a lazy update to the old game with only a bit better graphics and that's about it.”
  • gameplay685 mentions

    The gameplay of the new Master of Orion has received mixed reviews, with many players noting that it closely resembles the original games but lacks depth and innovation. While some appreciate the nostalgic elements and smooth mechanics, others criticize the game for being overly simplistic, repetitive, and bogged down by tedious mechanics like pollution management. Overall, the game offers a familiar 4X experience with modern graphics, but many feel it falls short of the complexity and engagement found in contemporary titles.

    • “A fantastic strategy game with incredible depth and variation of gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay is deep and strategic, and the variety of races and technologies adds a level of replayability that is hard to find in other games.”
    • “It's a perfect blend of modern mechanics and classic charm, with deep gameplay, epic space battles, and a healthy dose of humor.”
    • “It's not even broken in a way that's interesting or something one can point to, it's just that after just a few hours of gameplay, it becomes boring.”
    • “I applaud the guys for the effort they put into modernizing MOO and the graphics look great, but the actual gameplay sucked the life out of the game.”
    • “The gameplay is bland and generic with almost no innovation except for the voice acting.”
  • music170 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising the quality of the compositions, particularly those by Dave Govett, which are described as some of the best in the genre. However, criticism arises from the repetitive nature of the soundtrack, with players noting that it often loops the same few tracks, detracting from the overall experience. While some find the music immersive and fitting, others feel it lacks distinctiveness and emotional impact, suggesting that improvements in its implementation could enhance the game's atmosphere.

    • “The game's music is also excellent, with a sweeping orchestral score that adds to the epic scope of the game.”
    • “The music captures a mix of classical and 1990s science fiction ambience, relaxing yet full of suspense and the wonder of discovering a universe.”
    • “I enjoyed the music a lot when I started playing as it has a great drifting-above-it-all-in-space sort of vibe.”
    • “The music composed by Dave Govett is some of the best I have heard in these types of games; however, the way his music is incorporated into the game is very poor, where we end up hearing basically the same two musical loops over and over again, ad nauseam.”
    • “The soundtrack is like 3 songs that loop over and over again.”
    • “The music is just elevator music; I could recommend Endless Space 2 again or I could go to Stellaris, which also has a very good soundtrack, or I could even cite Galactic Civilizations 2, which is free or something these days, apparently, and has at least one good, memorable song.”
  • stability149 mentions

    The game's stability is widely criticized, with numerous reports of severe bugs, frequent freezes, and crashes, particularly during combat and turn processing. Many players recommend installing unofficial patches to mitigate these issues, as the game is described as "incredibly buggy" and "unfinished." While some users report minor glitches, the overall consensus is that the game is plagued by significant stability problems that hinder gameplay.

    • “I had no glitches, crashes, or slowdowns; it was a beautiful seamless experience.”
    • “It has AAA graphics and voice acting, and despite a few examples, it is bug-free and performs well on a technical level.”
    • “For an early access game, it is incredibly bug-free.”
    • “The game itself is great, however it freezes up constantly in combat and sometimes in between turns.”
    • “Crashes and freezes on a regular basis once your galaxy gets a bit large.”
    • “It's just too damn buggy!”
  • story97 mentions

    The reviews indicate a mixed reception regarding the game's story aspect. While some players appreciate the engaging backstories and unique traits of different factions, many express disappointment over the lack of a cohesive campaign or significant narrative depth, often feeling that the game lacks a compelling storyline to enhance the strategic gameplay. Overall, the game is seen as more focused on mechanics and gameplay rather than delivering a rich, immersive story experience.

    • “Baldur's Gate 3 is a good example where good voiceovers in a very rich storyline with alternate paths are a key investment!”
    • “The game's single-player campaign is engaging and well-written, with a variety of missions that test the player's strategic abilities.”
    • “Good simple gameplay, story, and world building.”
    • “Throughout the whole game, I was left wondering when some sort of story would show up.”
    • “The game has almost no storyline and very few side interactions.”
    • “However, the total lack of a campaign or any kind of story, except for lore built in the game, discourages me.”
  • optimization85 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization has received significant criticism, particularly in late-game scenarios where turn processing can take several minutes, even on high-end systems. Many players report severe performance issues, including long loading times and sluggish gameplay, which detracts from the overall experience. While some users have found workarounds or mods to improve performance, the consensus is that the game has not been adequately optimized to leverage modern hardware effectively.

    • “The graphics are really stunning for a 4x strategy game and it feels very well optimized for a game still in early access.”
    • “The game runs smoothly on my older system and looks fantastic.”
    • “With optimization and time, this will shape up to be a great 4x title when all the wrinkles get ironed out.”
    • “This game hasn't been optimized to take advantage of modern hardware, and about halfway through a long game most actions take several seconds to execute, AI turns take forever, and you're left pondering your life choices more than you're comfortable with.”
    • “Edit: this game has the worst performance I have seen in my life. Late game in a huge galaxy, it's able to freeze a high-end PC made 5 years after this game was released for over a minute between turns, and for a good 3 minutes on game load.”
    • “It's so poorly optimized that you won't be able to enjoy the excellent visuals even with a beastly rig.”
  • replayability78 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while many players find it highly engaging and addictive with various strategies and races to explore, others feel it lacks depth and can become repetitive over time. Mod support enhances replayability for some, but concerns about the game's longevity and variety persist, especially compared to its predecessors. Ultimately, the experience varies significantly based on individual preferences and play styles.

    • “The gameplay is deep and strategic, and the variety of races and technologies adds a level of replayability that is hard to find in other games.”
    • “Fun 4x game that's easy to understand and has plenty of replayability.”
    • “This game has a high replay value and has a lot to do in-game from designing ships to assigning population tasks on a planet (think Civ in space) and a lot more besides.”
    • “It's fun, but it definitely gets old and doesn't offer a lot of replay value in my opinion.”
    • “After you've explored what the game has to offer, the replay value falls off.”
    • “The game feels short and with so few races and differences, it has little replayability.”
  • humor64 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its quirky moments, amusing voice acting, and the entertaining Galactic News Network (GNN) segments that provide comic relief throughout gameplay. However, some critics feel that the humor can be overdone or cheesy, detracting from the overall experience, and that it lacks the charm of earlier titles in the series. Overall, while the game successfully incorporates humor into its strategy elements, opinions vary on its effectiveness and execution.

    • “But what sets Master of Orion apart from other space strategy games is its humor.”
    • “The game doesn't take itself too seriously and is full of quirky and funny moments to keep you entertained throughout your gameplay.”
    • “It's a worthy 4X strategy all over, has a good sense of humor and such but it needs a little more polishing.”
    • “Oh, I almost forgot how annoying and unfunny the humor is.”
    • “The jokes fall flat and feel forced, making the experience more cringeworthy than entertaining.”
    • “I expected some clever wit, but instead, I was met with tired clichés and unoriginal gags.”
  • grinding61 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is frequently criticized for being tedious and repetitive, particularly in late-game scenarios where managing multiple colonies and fleets becomes overwhelming. Players note that while some improvements have been made to streamline processes, the overall experience can still feel like a laborious grind, especially with micromanagement tasks and slow turn resolutions. Despite these frustrations, some players find enjoyment in the strategic elements, though many agree that the game can become dull and monotonous over time.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The world-building is simple, but not tedious; they need to fix the production function, you should be able to 'idle' your production if you need to for whatever reason.”
    • “What starts as a sleek interface with pretty cut scenes and space combat quickly turns into a tedious 'colonize every planet, build every building, research all technologies, make some ships, and watch boring combat where choices don't matter.' Somehow worse than Moo3.”
    • “Its biggest downside is that when you own a lot of planets, micromanaging them can get quite tedious and repetitive.”
    • “The bad: much of the game is spent tediously waiting for things to complete.”
  • atmosphere31 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its beautiful graphics, immersive music, and strong voice acting, creating an inviting and engaging experience for players. Many reviewers appreciate the nostalgic feel reminiscent of classic 4X games, though some note a lack of depth in gameplay that could enhance the overall atmosphere. Overall, the combination of aesthetic elements effectively captures the essence of space strategy, making it appealing to fans of the genre.

    • “The voice acting of the AI factions is very good, and the whole game has a nice atmosphere as a result.”
    • “It's a rather niche and simple 4X game, but the art, voice acting, and music create a very inviting atmosphere.”
    • “The graphics, soundtrack, and general atmosphere of the game are great.”
    • “You have the droning, depressing atmosphere of ES2, where the soundtrack was basically ripped out of songs of praise (google it if unsure what that is - choir singing. Horrible).”
    • “I didn't get the atmosphere or the mood of a vast and overwhelming universe full of dangers and artifacts, which I always expect to experience playing 4X space strategies.”
    • “It is lacking depth (tactical combat, AI, diplomacy, espionage, heroes, Antarans,...), comfort (especially ordering colony ships from the planet overview...) and atmosphere (missing animation for ground combat, star destroyer ...).”
  • emotional14 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is a mixed bag, with some players feeling nostalgic and inspired by its heartfelt remake and engaging music, while others express disappointment over its lack of innovation and emotional depth in gameplay. The game evokes strong feelings of nostalgia for some, reminiscent of past experiences, but fails to deliver on emotional stakes during combat, reducing significant events to mere economic losses. Overall, while it captures some emotional resonance, many players feel it falls short of fully engaging them on a deeper level.

    • “Heartfelt remake of the greatest 4X game ever.”
    • “Playing it made me feel like it did back then, and that's what I wanted.”
    • “Excellent music and voiceover work made me feel inspired in the way that a space orchestra really should do - to put forth your most noble effort to expand your race's horizon.”
  • monetization5 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game has been heavily criticized, with players expressing frustration over constant advertisements that interrupt gameplay and a perception that the game is a cash grab exploiting nostalgia. Reviewers feel that the aggressive ad placements detract from the experience and contribute to a sense of clumsy delivery and poor quality.

    • “Every time I start the game, I am forced to watch 10 seconds of advertisement.”
    • “The perfect example of a cash grab using a famous series.”
    • “Now I see that this was just another cash grab seeking to take advantage of an existing fanbase so they can milk the nostalgia for all it's worth before presenting a steaming pile of shiny crap.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Reviewers appreciate the character development for its nostalgic ties to the original game's designs, highlighting how the new character designs effectively draw inspiration from the series' best elements.

    • “Many of the character designs of the original species really hearken back to the first game's designs, and it's great to see that they drew inspiration from the best the series had to offer.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

66% average critic score

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Play time

33hMedian play time
89hAverage play time
11-171hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 41 analyzed playthroughs

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