Master of Orion 1 on Steam - User reviews, Price & Information
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Forge an empire in a universe where population growth is stripping away planetary resources. Colonize unknown planets and trade with other races for their knowledge.
Master of Orion 1 is a strategy, 4x and turn-based game
developed by SimTex
and published by Wargaming Labs.
Released on February 25th 2016 is available on Windows, MacOS and Linux
in 3 languages: English, French and German.
It has received 398 reviews of which 360 were positive and 38 were negative resulting in a rating of 8.4 out of 10. 😎
The game is currently priced at 5.99€ on Steam.
The Steam community has classified Master of Orion 1 into these genres:
Media & Screenshots
Get an in-depth look at Master of Orion 1 through various videos and screenshots.
System requirements
These are the minimum specifications needed to play the game. For the best experience, we recommend that you verify them.
Windows
- OS *: Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, 10
- Processor: 1 GHz
- Memory: 256 MB RAM
- Graphics: 3D graphics card compatible with DirectX 7
- DirectX: Version 7.0
- Storage: 161 MB available space
- Sound Card: DirectX 7 Compatible
MacOS
- OS: Mac: OS X 10.6.8 or later
- Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo 2GHz+
- Memory: 1 GB RAM
- Graphics: 64MB of video memory
- Storage: 161 MB available space
Linux
- OS: Ubuntu 14.04, Linux Mint 17
- Processor: 2.0 GHz
- Memory: 1 GB RAM
- Graphics: 256 MB VRAM, OpenGL compatible
- Storage: 161 MB available space
User reviews & Ratings
Explore reviews from Steam users sharing their experiences and what they love about the game.
I assume most of the players are from the 90`s era. I played this game when the Intel Pentium 1 was at the top of the "world". Back then, I met some "old kids" who constantly talked about Commandore 64 and earlier consoles as retro. I never thought at the time that this game and those years would be my retro gaming comparison. Yet, here I am, playing now and then this and other universe-conquer games. To be fair, I won only one time when I was a kid, but it must make a big impact since I have it and play it on Steam. Back then, I didn`t understand a word, always lost the battle and somehow still, I enjoyed it. That`s the only game where I wasn`t mad about losing. I know it is a biased opinion, but I think it is a great game overall. It would be nice to have a better visual by now, but hey, it is what it is. I haven`t played any game above average level, since the trauma that I had as a kid. I remember all those 90s games where the computer cheats like no tomorrow. And this game back then traumatised me with "million ships everywhere" in a short time :) I can`t remember if it was on hard or impossible gameplay, but I know for sure: I won`t touch it again :D It`s funny: time and memories make this game great again. Certainly, I would recommend the game to anyone who already played it back then. There are always some games made with some kind of "old school" visuals/design, and honestly: if this game had come out recently with a similar design, I wouldn`t pick it up. I just enjoy more recent games with smoother look. But as retro glory? I love it. I guess it is like the first love. I won`t forget... Or I am just mentally ill. Probably the first option is true anyway: The voice in my head told me that I am fine. So, I guess all I have for this game is to share my memories with other 80s "kids" and have a good time. So, have fun.
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Best game ever created. Graphics are super dated but the gameplay and music makes up for it.
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This is an outstanding game. I have played it many times since it's original release, and it still is a great game. Once you master it though it is a bit easy to beat, and the harder levels just mean that the AI enemies cheat a lot, but still fun. As great as this game is, the remakes are not awesome (the new MoO is good). Remnants of Precursors is the true evolution of this game, play it, its good.
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Master Orion is amazing. It puts to shame most space games. Yeah i'm looking at you Stellaris, MO2, MO3 and whatever else you can come up with. It's great depth hidden from the easier levels. The designs, ships and tactics are wide whilst there is a simplicity and ease of use with the interface. If it feels slow using dos-box just do ctrl+F12 to increase CPU cycles. Well worth the price
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Gameplay: 10/10 Story: 6/10 Graphics: 7/10 (for the time) Performance: 5/10 Overall: 7/10 Master of Orion is a name that should immediately command respect when it comes to the 4x genre. Released in 1993, this it laid the groundwork for the entire 4x space strategy genre, setting the stage for titles like Galactic Civilizations and Stellaris. But what makes this arguably fully pixelated piece of gaming history so remarkable? Master of Orion puts you in control of a fledgling spacefaring civilization, tasked with exploring the stars, expanding your empire, exploiting resources, and exterminating rival species, and thats precisely where the term, "4X" comes from. Most people would have heard of the Civilization series, which set the groundwork, for all 4x games. Master of Orion takes this further to a space setting and all the challenges that come with this. Diplomacy, technology research, and fleet management are key components, and the game gives you a remarkable level of freedom in how you approach each. For example, one distinct aspect that even modern 4x games can't emulate is that the CPU takes a "I'm in it for me" attitude, rather than simply ganging up on the player. CPU opponents will challenge and wage war against each other. It's very possible to complete a Master of Orion game having never gone to war with anyone. Unlikely, but possible! To that end, the game often feels more like a scaled down empire simulator than an actual game. You can very quickly become immersed in the addictive gameplay! The story in Master of Orion is not a strong point and can be summed up very easily. You take control of a single empire ranging from the simple, but balanced humans who excel at diplomacy to alien bears that would make Wookie's fur tremble or evil alien cats (because every space game has to have evil alien cats since Wing Commander established the trope). You can usually guess what a race's abilities will be based on their appearance. The focal point of the game is the Guardian who naturally guards the Orion system, which holds some of the most advanced technology in the game after being left by the stereotypical "precursors". Any civ that beats the Guardian and claims this mythical world ultimately has a much better chance of winning the game. Although, beating the Guardian is entirely optional. This is about the extent of the story. Definitely don't go into Master of Orion expecting a thrilling story. Like many 4x games, you must create your own story as you play and the story becomes its own from the choices you make. Visually, Master of Orion is definitely a product of its time. The graphics are simple, with a pixelated charm that evokes nostalgia for early '90s gaming. While the visuals may not hold up by today's standards, they were adequate for the era and serve the gameplay well. The game's interface is clean and functional, allowing you to focus on strategy rather than getting lost in flashy visuals. Performance-wise, is where I give the lowest marks to Master of Orion. Normally, I can tolerate old games, but there is just something about DOSBox emulation that I just can't stand. As a result, there are very few games I can tolerate. I'll take a Windows port any day of the week. So naturally, it was one of the first things I sought when I started playing Master of Orion. Thankfully, a sort of "port" exists in the form of 1OOM. Although, installing it was a pain. I'll save you the trouble of posting how to install it below: Go to : https://gitlab.com/KilgoreTroutMaskReplicant/1oom/-/tags Pick 1.0 and then on the right download as a zip. Unzip this and put it into your Master of Orion Steam directory (where you installed the game). Then Go To: https://github.com/1oom-fork/1oom/releases and download 1oom-v1.11-x64.zip (if you're on a 64 bit PC and why wouldn't you in 2024?). Copy all the .dll files and put them in your Master of Orion directory and then copy over the 1oom_classic_sdl2.exe file. Use this file to run the game. Congrats! You now have what is probably the best version of Master of Orion to play without all the hiccups, lag and otherwise unpleasantness of the DOSbox version. It even comes with mouse drag support! As a final tip, make sure you read the included manual and check out the strategy wiki.You'll be thankful you did!: https://strategywiki.org/wiki/Master_of_Orion Overall, Master of Orion is a must-play for anyone interested in the roots of strategy gaming. It may not have the flash of modern titles, but its gameplay depth and strategic complexity more than make up for it. Whether you're revisiting this classic or discovering it for the first time, Master of Orion offers a timeless experience that stands tall in the annals of gaming history. If not for its critically better sequel, it would be hailed as the greatest space 4x game of all time.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Master of Orion 1 is currently priced at 5.99€ on Steam.
Master of Orion 1 is currently not on sale. You can purchase it for 5.99€ on Steam.
Master of Orion 1 received 360 positive votes out of a total of 398 achieving a rating of 8.38.
😎
Master of Orion 1 was developed by SimTex and published by Wargaming Labs.
Master of Orion 1 is playable and fully supported on Windows.
Master of Orion 1 is playable and fully supported on MacOS.
Master of Orion 1 is playable and fully supported on Linux.
Master of Orion 1 offers both single-player and multi-player modes.
Master of Orion 1 offers both Co-op and PvP modes.
Master of Orion 1 does not currently offer any DLC.
Master of Orion 1 does not support mods via Steam Workshop.
Master of Orion 1 does not support Steam Remote Play.
Master of Orion 1 is enabled for Steam Family Sharing. This means you can share the game with authorized users from your Steam Library, allowing them to play it on their own accounts. For more details on how the feature works, you can read the original Steam Family Sharing announcement or visit the Steam Family Sharing user guide and FAQ page.
You can find solutions or submit a support ticket by visiting the Steam Support page for Master of Orion 1.
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Additionally, we incorporate data from the SteamSpy API, which offers insights into game sales and player statistics. This helps us present a comprehensive view of each game's popularity and performance within the gaming community.
Last Updates| Steam data | 09 June 2025 11:10 |
|---|---|
| SteamSpy data | 11 June 2025 18:36 |
| Steam price | 15 June 2025 04:45 |
| Steam reviews | 13 June 2025 13:56 |
If you'd like to dive deeper into the details about Master of Orion 1, we invite you to check out a few dedicated websites that offer extensive information and insights. These platforms provide valuable data, analysis, and user-generated reports to enhance your understanding of the game and its performance.
- SteamDB - A comprehensive database of everything on Steam about Master of Orion 1
- SteamCharts - Analysis of Master of Orion 1 concurrent players on Steam
- ProtonDB - Crowdsourced reports on Linux and Steam Deck Master of Orion 1 compatibility
Game modes
Features
Online players
72
Developer
SimTex
Publisher
Wargaming Labs
Release
25 Feb 2016
Platforms