In modern videogames, we’ve become accustomed to freedom, exploration, and gigantic scale. Starfield has 1,000 planets. No Man’s Sky promises a practically infinite universe that you’re free to roam, excavate, and reshape in any way you like. But before any of these contemporary space game behemoths set down, there was one bold pioneer that forged the sandbox, space game starscape. Originally released 32 years ago, it’s had a long, winding journey, but a new sequel is finally on the way.
Star Control 2 first launched all the way back in 1992. You get a short cutscene, a little bit of narrative setup, but otherwise, you’re free to explore the game’s enormous galaxy completely at your leisure. A hybrid RPG and space game, it combines quests, dialogue, and spaceship battles as you travel between planets and meet an eclectic cast of allies and enemies. Earlier this year, Star Control 2 was re-released for free on Steam, under a new name: Free Stars: The Ur-Quan Masters. Now, more than 30 years later, the game’s original creators are back with a full sequel, Free Stars: Children of Infinity.
Despite the name change, Children of Infinity picks up where Star Control 2 left off, expanding the erstwhile series’ sandbox gameplay in virtually every way. There are thousands of planets to explore, a gigantic retinue of friendly and hostile aliens to meet, and ship combat in the classic, top-down, arcade style. You can build and customize a fleet of more than 30 star cruisers and play the entirety of Children of Infinity’s story together with a friend via online co-op.
Developed by Pistol Shrimp, a studio composed of Star Control’s original creators, Children of Infinity just smashed its Kickstarter funding goal and will now include a range of expanded features. With 16 days still to go, Free Stars: Children of Infinity has already raised $447,010 against an initial target of $100,000.
As such, it will now also include local co-op play, more ships, enhanced melee combat, more missions set on gas giant planets and inside space stations, and a PC release that is completely DRM free. The open-world game has also just launched a new Steam page, so if you want to wishlist it, just head right here.
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