Distant Worlds: Universe

 PC
Distant Worlds: Universe Image
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 6 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 104 Ratings

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  • Summary: Distant Worlds is a vast, pausable real-time 4X space strategy game. Experience the full depth and detail of turn-based strategy, but with the simplicity and ease of real-time, and on the scale of a massively-multiplayer online game.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 6
  3. Negative: 0 out of 6
  1. GameWatcher
    Jun 12, 2014
    90
    It's a challenging and complex game packed with features that allows you to choose just how you want to play it, while accommodating a wide variety of play-styles and strategies.
  2. PCGamesN
    Jun 27, 2014
    90
    An exceedingly complex, infinitely rewarding space strategy game. It’s made me more excited about the genre than any other game of its kind since Galactic Civilizations II.
  3. Digitally Downloaded
    Jun 17, 2014
    90
    Distant Worlds: Universe is a corker. But make no mistake: while it’s not as forbidding as some Grand Strategy games, patience and a degree of head-scratching will be required. But it’s worth the effort. It’s enormous, complex and – above all – fun.
  4. Gamer.no
    Jun 18, 2014
    90
    An already great game returns as one of the best space strategy games ever made.
  5. IGN Italia
    Jun 2, 2014
    79
    A one-of-a-kind 4X, Distant Worlds blends epic scale and macromanagement. The Universe release doesn't bring a lot of new content, but is a nice wrap-up nonetheless.
  6. Eurogamer
    Jun 30, 2014
    70
    While Distant Worlds may be a paragon of its style, I can only recommend it to a select few: those with beefy computers and plenty of time to really dig into the meat of this stunningly elegant and impressively wide-ranging bit of software.

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 23
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 23
  3. Negative: 4 out of 23
  1. Animorganimate
    May 23, 2014
    10
    Distant Worlds has ruined me for other space-based 4X-strategy games, which is a genre I love more than any other. I try to go back to GalCivDistant Worlds has ruined me for other space-based 4X-strategy games, which is a genre I love more than any other. I try to go back to GalCiv and MoO once in a while, but nothing matches the scale and minute level of control that Distant Worlds offers. I'll be playing this for years to come.… Expand
  2. Pipewrench
    Jun 1, 2014
    10
    Truly one of the best games out there. Warning: playing this will make you lose sleep and ruin relationships. Build your empire and prepareTruly one of the best games out there. Warning: playing this will make you lose sleep and ruin relationships. Build your empire and prepare for the unknown, which is not kind.… Expand
  4. alienrenegade
    May 26, 2014
    10
    If You are a fan of MoO, Endless Space, Space Empires or any other great 4X sci-fi You should definitely buy Distant Worlds: Universe. ThisIf You are a fan of MoO, Endless Space, Space Empires or any other great 4X sci-fi You should definitely buy Distant Worlds: Universe. This game is a true gem in this genre and with the modding capabilities added in the last expansion You can play this game in Mass Effect, Star Trek or other themes. Definitely the best 4X sci-fi game ever created.

    TL:DR
    Totally must have for any 4X sci-fi fan!    … Expand
  5. Jenner380
    Sep 17, 2015
    9
    Nice tutorial. Nice gameplay. Got destroyed by hamster aliens. 9/10 would be killed by race of sentient pets again.
    The only bad part about    Nice tutorial. Nice gameplay. Got destroyed by hamster aliens. 9/10 would be killed by race of sentient pets again.
    The only bad part about the game is it's price.    … Expand
  6. Icemania
    Jun 20, 2014
    9
    A couple of years ago I found this game by pure chance. After many years of playing almost every Space 4X I was desperate to find somethingA couple of years ago I found this game by pure chance. After many years of playing almost every Space 4X I was desperate to find something better and luckily I found it ... Distant Worlds is best in class and it's since become my most played game. It's a huge relief to see it on Steam because it's ready for Prime Time.

    A couple of key things to keep in mind before you purchase:

    1. This is a massive game and it will take some patience to get over the initial learning curve. You can choose what to automate and what to control, so start with manual control in one or two of your favourite areas only (e.g. for me it was research and fleets) and build from there.

    2. Once over the learning curve hump, if you like this type of game, you'll probably be hooked. In time you will find more layers of the onion to peel away. My game strategies were still evolving 100's of hours later.

    3. It's a real time game but you can pause to make it feel somewhat like a turn based game and to help keep your massive empires under control. As a result don't be put off by real time if you prefer turn based games.

    4. The graphics are average. If this is your primary driver this probably isn't your game. But if you want plenty of massive battles you'll get them.

    5. There is a massive array of setup options and as a result the game has significant longevity.

    6. The Universe release has greatly expanded mod capability. I don't play with many mods but Distant Worlds has some good ones.

    7. The Developer has a long track record of providing support and patches. This game will continue to improve ...

    If this sounds like your type of game then I recommend it highly.    … Expand
  7. Krotera
    Aug 11, 2014
    9
    I've used Metacritic a lot, but this is the first game that urged me to sign up and write a review. I've also played many sci-fi 4X games, andI've used Metacritic a lot, but this is the first game that urged me to sign up and write a review. I've also played many sci-fi 4X games, and this has to be one of the best. It's not new and it looks a little dogeared compared to other titles (although I love the native Windows UI; you can even print out pages of the in-game manual, just like that!) and it's not as complex as Aurora (though, if you know what that is, you'll know why it doesn't count), but it's richly detailed AND features the optional (and pretty comprehensive) automation to not get overwhelmed by that if you're not into constant clerical work and micromanagement!

    This game misses a lot that I've seen in other games of the genre (the ability to create your own species, a more expansive research tree, better unit selection, like with the Control key), but it has so many great features that I HAVE seen in other games and thought, "Why doesn't THIS game have that too?!" and many more I haven't, from huge scale to attention to fuel mechanics, weapon firing arcs and projectiles that can miss, ship handling, and detailed and moving bodies around stars, that I dare call it a modern crowning achievement in sci-fi 4X. How it's this good and I've NEVER heard about it until it hit Steam, I have no idea, but it hurt.

    If, like me, you love these kinds of games and have been disappointed with new and sexy yet relatively shallow titles like Endless Space or neat but rather limited ones like Star Ruler (not that it's apples to apples with either of those), this is a surprisingly refreshing discovery [and you should get it (now)].    … Expand
  8. JaysWay
    Dec 17, 2014
    0
    I was a new player for Distant Worlds and i gave up after watching more than 6 hours of crappy tutorials & gameplay.
    I didn't even managed to    I was a new player for Distant Worlds and i gave up after watching more than 6 hours of crappy tutorials & gameplay.
    I didn't even managed to folow 1 of those from the start, because the development progresses differently during gameplay.
    The game is over documented like a 30 yo text base game, and doesn't show new players what it's all about. To me it seems like some programmer is trying to create a game that cannnot be understand by normal people who love space games, he's just trying to annoy us ! Well, SCREW THIS WANNABEE SPACE GAME, it has lost me ( and i'm sure a lot more people )    … Expand

See all 23 User Reviews

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