Fit check
Is Distant Worlds 2 worth it for you?
We tell you who should skip it, too.
Play it if you…
Good fit- Strategy players who want large-scale space exploration and empire management
- Players who prefer pausable real-time systems over strictly turn-based play
- Players who want adjustable automation and custom galaxy scenarios
Skip it if you…
Saves you a refund- Players seeking a short, tightly bounded strategy campaign may find the galaxy scale and open-ended modes too expansive.
- Players wanting direct control over every part of an empire may dislike delegating tasks to advisors and automation.
- Players looking for a squad-based, turn-based alien defense game may prefer Xenonauts.
- Players seeking historical empire management across generations may prefer Old World.
Our take on Distant Worlds 2
The broad empire scale trades concentrated tactical control for delegation. Automation can manage large parts of the game, but players who want to personally direct every ship and administrative decision must limit that assistance and accept a slower management process.
What is Distant Worlds 2?
Lead an interstellar empire through galaxies containing up to 2,000 star systems and many thousands of planets, moons, and asteroids.
Scout, extract resources, conduct diplomacy, or wage war while encountering competing powers, independent alien settlements, merchants, raiders, and creatures of space. Seven factions are available in the base game, each supporting a distinct approach. Games may follow narrative arcs and specified ways to win, or remain ongoing in sandbox mode. Automation and advisers allow control ranging from one vessel or chosen regions to the whole empire. The built-in editor changes star systems, celestial objects, ships, installations, monsters, and faction properties. Randomly created galaxies, configuration choices, tutorials, and contextual guidance provide support across multiple campaigns.
How Distant Worlds 2 plays
- 01Expansive custom galaxies
- Custom galaxies support a maximum of 2,000 star systems, with tens of thousands more objects spanning planets, moons, and asteroids.
- 02Seven playable factions
- The base game includes seven factions with different approaches to play.
- 03Flexible campaign modes
- Games can use storylines and victory conditions or continue in a sandbox without a defined endpoint.
- 04Empire management automation
- Advisors and automation can handle selected areas while control ranges from one ship to a whole empire.
- 05Galaxy editor
- The editor allows changes to star systems, planets, asteroids, ships, bases, monsters, and empire attributes.
Distant Worlds 2 compared to similar games
Distant Worlds 2 focuses on pausable real-time space empire management, with exploration, diplomacy, conquest, adjustable automation, and customizable galaxies. Xenonauts instead centers on small persistent squads defending Earth in turn-based alien encounters, while Old World follows historical empires across generations. Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation also uses a galactic setting, but its description emphasizes managing vast armies across a world under attack.
Distant Worlds 2: platforms & release
Is Distant Worlds 2 worth it?
It is worth it if: strategy players who want large-scale space exploration and empire management. Skip it if: players seeking a short, tightly bounded strategy campaign may find the galaxy scale and open-ended modes too expansive.
Where can I download Distant Worlds 2?
Use the Download Now button on this page: it opens Distant Worlds 2's store page, where you can choose how to get it.
What platforms is Distant Worlds 2 on?
Windows only.
