Distant Worlds 2: Return of the Shakturi

An ancient evil is returning to the vast universe of Distant Worlds 2. The Return of the Shakturi is the second expansion for Distant Worlds 2, the critically acclaimed 4X space strategy game. It adds a full endgame crisis and story, along with numerous new gameplay features and improvements that elevate the experience to new heights.

The Shakturi, a sinister alien faction, played a pivotal role in the last cataclysm that nearly destroyed the galaxy. These formidable beings originally traveled from another galaxy and possess abilities far beyond normal understanding. Their return challenges even the most powerful late-game empires, threatening to overwhelm the galaxy.

• Genetic Engineering in the game introduces a brand-new space creature and allows the Shakturi to manufacture these creatures for scouting and combat. It also grants the Shakturi influence over existing space creatures in the galaxy, enabling them to use these creatures to further their own goals.
• Biowarfare enables the Shakturi to deploy plagues that weaken other factions, making them more susceptible to Psychic influence and control.
• Psychic Abilities enhance the Shakturi's effectiveness in space and ground combat, diplomacy, espionage, and research. Countering these abilities requires innovative strategies that could potentially turn the Shakturi's strengths into weaknesses.
• Planet Destroyersand Mega Ships are powerful tools available to all factions, including those introduced post-release. These formidable assets are crucial in battles against the Shakturi, with Mega Ships offering unique functionalities, such as the Quameno Mobile Robotic Troop Foundry.
• New Space Creature – The Rift Strider introduces fresh challenges and opportunities within the game.
• Outposts allow factions to establish a presence on worlds unsuitable for full colonization, securing valuable territory for future expansion.
• The Multi-Empire Alliance System introduces new ways to coordinate and cooperate with allies, enhancing strategic collaboration across empires.
• New Space-based start with just a single colony ship and a small fleet.
• Ancient Guardian Vaults and Special Artifacts add depth to exploration and gameplay.

Distant Worlds Returns!
Distant Worlds, the critically acclaimed 4X space strategy game is back with a brand new 64-bit engine, 3D graphics and a polished interface to begin an epic new Distant Worlds series with Distant Worlds 2.

THE GALAXY LIVES ON
Distant Worlds 2 is a vast, pausable real-time 4X space strategy game. Experience the full depth and detail of turn-based strategy, but with the simplicity and ease of real-time, and on the scale of a massively-multiplayer online game. The Universe is Yours!

Huge Galaxies with up to 2,000 star systems and tens of thousands of planets, moons and asteroids are yours to explore and exploit, whether peacefully through mining and diplomacy or by conquest! The complex process of generating a galaxy ensures that every new game will be different and the many galaxy setup options ensure incredible replayability as well as the ability to have your game be just the way you like it.

CHOOSE YOUR SIDE
Galaxies are so deep, fun and immersive that you won’t want to finish the game. Choose from seven playable base game factions which cover a wide variety of playstyles. Build, expand and improve your empire while playing through the storylines, with victory conditions or in an open-ended sandbox mode. Each galaxy is packed with life and activity. Encounter other empires, independent alien colonies, traders, pirates and space monsters. Explore star systems, asteroid fields, galactic storms and black holes. Discover evidence of civilizations long since past, uncovering secrets about the galaxy's troubled history...

CUSTOMIZE EVERYTHING
Intelligent automation allows you to tailor the game to your preferred playstyle and scale. Decide how much you want to control and which gameplay areas suit you best. You can limit your focus to just one ship or expand it all the way up to everything in a vast galactic empire. Let your advisors and the intelligent automation handle the rest!

BUILD YOUR OWN
A Built-in Game Editor allows you to fine-tune your own galaxy, adding or removing star systems, planets, asteroids, ships, star bases, space monsters or anything else. Modify the attributes of any empire in your game for the ultimate custom experience.

Extensive In-Game Help is included. Exhaustive, built-in, context-sensitive help is always only a single key-press away. Press F1 at any time for a detailed explanation of the current game screen, your currently selected item, and so on, or just browse the complete “Galactopedia”.

Tutorials are included to quickly familiarize you with all of the game elements and tools.

Best of all, these all combine to let you play the game your way: enjoy a quick, intense game in a crowded sector of space or take your time in an epic game spread across a vast galaxy!