Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 79 | 6 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 77% | 72 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | – | 0 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 66% | 64 | 6 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 16 reviews sampled · 13 total reviews in window · weighted 9.7 up / 5 down · computed 4h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (18)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 90
“Master of Orion delivers exactly what it promises, but the depth of strategy games in the mid-90s does leave a bit to be desired.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“These are are the voyages of starships and enterprise, boldly going where every 4X game has been before.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Overall, Master of Orion is a good turn-based 4X strategy game, but it lacks the depth found in many other titles in the genre.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Despite some rough edges and frequent moments of boredom, Master of Orion is an engaging reboot of a classic sci-fi strategy title.”
read full review ↗ - 73
“A fun, serviceable update to the 4X legend that brings little memorable to the genre aside from its personality.”
read full review ↗ - 71
“There’s not much that’s outright wrong with Master of Orion, but there’s not much memorable or endearing about it either. It’s built on a moderately successful but bland execution of the inside-the-box space 4X formula. The moments when its flair for leader characterization and an enjoyably complex combat engine take center stage are the only times anything about it really stands out. There’s definitely enough game here that I wouldn’t turn anyone away from giving it a spin, but I also can’t say you’d be missing anything special by skipping it.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“It plays much like any other great strategy game, and like I said, my biggest problem with it was the news interruptions that added very little to the gameplay and were just painful to watch.”
read full review ↗ - 83
“A polished renewal of the classic franchise that’s more suited for genre newcomers than for fans looking for a highly complex strategy game.”
read full review ↗ - 85
“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. The AI does a fantastic job at staying true to each races individual strengths and weaknesses during a campaign. The game is so well designed. Micromanagement and nitty gritty work is made effortless. Just look at how players control pops on each planet. The screen is never cluttered with useless data and comedic relief is delivered through news highlights of a galactic news network.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“Its gameplay loop means you’ll be able to have an entirely different experience with each playthrough”
read full review ↗ - 85
“One of the most marquee franchises in 4X history returns, with modern advancements and all 10 races from the original.”
read full review ↗ - 78
“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.”
read full review ↗
The Escapist
Eurogamer
Rocket Chainsaw
GameSpot
PC Gamer
IGN
MMOGames
Game Informer
Gaming Nexus
Stevivor
CGMagazine
Everyeye.it…and 6 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Ni Hao! Now in Chinese!Mar 12, 2020
- Master of Orion – Patch Notes v55.1.1May 5, 2017
- Master of Orion – Patch Notes v55.1.1May 5, 2017
- Master of Orion – Patch Notes v55.1Apr 25, 2017
- Master of Orion – Patch Notes v55.1Apr 25, 2017significant · resets scoring window
- Master of Orion – Patch Notes v54.11Dec 29, 2016
- Master of Orion – Patch Notes v54.11Dec 29, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Master of Orion – Patch Notes v54.8Dec 19, 2016
- Master of Orion – Patch Notes v54.8Dec 19, 2016
- Master of Orion - Patch Notes v54.7Dec 7, 2016
- Master of Orion - Patch Notes v54.7Dec 7, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Master of Orion – “Revenge of Antares” and update v54.6 Patch NotesDec 1, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Master of Orion – “Revenge of Antares” and update v54.6 Patch NotesDec 1, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Master of Orion - Patch Notes v51.3Nov 11, 2016
- Master of Orion - Patch Notes v51.3Nov 11, 2016
- Sneak Peek of the upcoming DLC and free update!Nov 11, 2016
- Sneak Peek of the upcoming DLC and free update!Nov 11, 2016
- Master of Orion - v51.2 Patch NotesNov 1, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Master of Orion - v51.2 Patch NotesNov 1, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Master of Orion - Version 49.5 Patch NotesOct 3, 2016
- Master of Orion - Version 49.5 Patch NotesOct 3, 2016
- Master of Orion - v49.4 Hotfix NotesSep 19, 2016
- Master of Orion - v49.4 Hotfix NotesSep 19, 2016
- Master of Orion v49.3 Patch NotesSep 15, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Master of Orion v49.3 Patch NotesSep 15, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Master of Orion - v48.4.1 Patch NotesAug 31, 2016
- Master of Orion - v48.4.1 Patch NotesAug 31, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Master of Orion - v48.3.2 Hotfix NoteAug 26, 2016
- Master of Orion - v48.3.2 Hotfix NoteAug 26, 2016
- Master of Orion - v48.3.1 Patch NotesAug 25, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Master of Orion - v48.3.1 Patch NotesAug 25, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Master of Orion - v47.0.1 HotfixAug 11, 2016
- Master of Orion - v47.0.1 HotfixAug 11, 2016
- Master of Orion - v47.0 Patch NotesAug 11, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Master of Orion - v47.0 Patch NotesAug 11, 2016significant · resets scoring window
- Master of Orion - Patch Notes v46.4.1Jul 26, 2016
- Master of Orion - Patch Notes v46.4.1Jul 26, 2016
- Master of Orion - Patch Notes v46.4Jul 21, 2016significant · resets scoring window
…and 30 earlier patch announcements.