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 (Metacritic) | – | 84 | 6 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 96% | 92 | 875 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 92 | 3 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 100% | 97 | 5 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Acclaim gate: the raw blend lands at 90.6, but scores above 88 must be earned in front of a mass audience; this verdict rests on 1,801 player reviews, a largely self-selected fanbase. As more players weigh in, the ceiling rises (full scale unlocks at 100,000 reviews).
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 13 reviews sampled · 13 total reviews in window · weighted 12.1 up / 0 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (9)
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.
- 87
“Players who love strategy games will go nuts for Master of Orion II. Its detailed play options, random encounters, multiplayer options, and customizing capabilities are everything that the hard-core veteran dreams of.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Master of Orion 2 is just INTENSE! I absolutely loved this game and if you liked the original Master of Orion I think you will too.”
read full review ↗ - 86
“A great update of a classic game, even with the micromanaging. [Mar 1997, p.134]”
- 80
“With the exception of Firaxis' "Alpha Centauri" (which owes more to Civ than these space opera games), no science fiction game has come close to the amount of atmosphere in Master of Orion II.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“While an excellent game, it just lacks that particular oomph the original had. Perhaps, being a sequel, it couldn't have the same impact as being something completely new.”
read full review ↗ - 92
“It's a high quality product that blends tactics, strategy and management into an accessible and playable game -- just watch out for the appearance of any latent megalomaniac tendencies.”
read full review ↗ - 83
“One of the coolest features in Master of Orion 2 is the ability to do research. There are over 200 different technologies that you can acquire by the use of scientists in your empire. You get to choose many different technologies to research at any point and time.”
read full review ↗ - 90
“Great game, but a bit off from perfect. One of the things that irks me most is the race creation options. Getting to choose from only 4 similar governments is not enough.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“There is so much to do in this game that if you like space opera strategy, you’ll have to have it... One of the better strategy games of 1996, but one with significant flaws. Good, yes; a classic, no.”
read full review ↗
GameSpot
PC Gamer
IGN
Game RevolutionPatch history
No patch announcements found on Steam yet.