Master of Orion: Conquer the Stars

Although it doesn't supply intense space battles like Sins of a Solar Empire or Stellaris it doesn't have to. Instead Master of Orion delivers an exciting universe where every action has a diplomatic action or consequence you can act on.

What Master of Orion: Conquer the Stars really needs is just a set of tweaks, because the foundation is clearly there. If you're the type of person who loves spending time crafting the perfect plan and becoming immersed in a completely new world, it's worth diving into.

Master of Orion is an incredibly polished iteration and a worthwhile return to the beloved franchise, but it’s entering a galaxy full of fierce competition as the space 4X genre has seen a big bang of resurgence over the last few years. Master of Orion boasts a lot to love for new players, and it’s one of the best entry-level 4X games out there, but older veterans may find themselves searching the stars for more complexity.

Strategy for the masses, which does not come with anything new, but also does not fail in anything. Just a Civilization from space. [Issue #268]

NGD Studios has crafted a suitably epic, deeply engaging strategy game with all the bells and whistles. Despite some awkwardness with the combat, it’s a satisfying title that delivers on its core promise: to make you feel like an intergalactic conqueror.

Master of Orion returns to deliver a very interesting 4X experience, with a title that will satisfy both veterans and newcomers to the genre.

While this reboot of the classic Master of Orion series isn’t perfect, it packs massive amounts of replayability, with endless tactics and strategies to be explored.

If you are among the (still?) large group of fans who have devoured the first two episodes of MicroProse series, you will be happy to discover familiar feelings, and you'll almost feel like you never stopped playing.

If you grade Master of Orion on its own, not as a part of renowned series – it’s surprisingly alright. For a debut game, such amount of polish and depth could even be qualified as an all-around success. But publisher definitely shouldn’t have touted it as the return of a beloved franchise. [Issue#212, p.46]

Master of Orion is the resurrection of one of the most beloved games of the genre. Wargaming has created a really good 4x strategy game and a really good tribute.

A traditional, yet highly accessible 4X game that offers nothing new aside from real-time combat, but is still a lot of fun to play. A great choice for newcomers who enjoy a rich space strategy experience, but shy away from more complex games like Endless Space or Stellaris.

Maybe I was spoiled by Civilization, but Master of Orion struck me as scant in terms of bells and whistles. It also doesn’t look and doesn’t sound particularly good, but transparent rules, well-designed interface and variety of paths to victory make it a very reasonable proposal for the fans of classic 4X games. [11/2016, p.68]

Unfortunately new MOO misses most of the core points of old MOO and becomes yet another OK’ish but forgettable space game. Hint: if engaging chess-like tactical battles were half of the original game, are simplistic non-tactical battles a good idea? [Sept 2016]

Master of Orion is the perfect game for anyone who has never played a 4X-game, but veterans will not enjoy it as it misses the depth of modern 4X-titels. However, for newbies there is a lot to learn, an amazing design and an awesome soundtrack.

Master of Orion is very similar to its original game from 1993. The remake looks and sounds stunning but besides the new look, Master of Orion is too simple and lacks innovation. Fans of the game will most likely love the remake, but those who love the sci-fi genre won’t find this game refreshing or new.

Master of Orion manages to do exactly what we expected from it - to modernize a well-known game we loved, making it even grander, balancing between accessibility and depth with so many possibilities.

A good game overall, but without that innovations that have made great his predecessors.

Its gameplay loop means you’ll be able to have an entirely different experience with each playthrough — despite somewhat single-minded races — and a new story to tell with each run. If you’re into the genre or looking for a potential time-sink, jump on in.

It lacks some features that where present in the old Master of Orion II, and many of the bold ideas Stellaris and Endless Legend introduced to the genre. A playable, fun game, with great production value, but not a game that will stand the test of time.