Experience the award-winning space saga. Travel to hyperspace, discover alien worlds, and meet an eclectic cast of characters. Find out what happened after the Ur-Quan invasion. And if the war still rages, fight for Earth and the Alliance of Free Stars!
All Reviews:
Very Positive (281) - 97% of the 281 user reviews for this game are positive.
Release Date:
Feb 19, 2024
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Reviews

“... one of the greatest games of all time.”
IGN

“One of the finest space exploration games ever made.”
Retro Gamer Cover Feature

“... a hitchhiker's fight for the galaxy.”
PCGamesN: Best Space Games

About This Game

You are the captain

Free Stars: The Ur-Quan Masters® is a classic space game that captures the charm of retro science-fiction, space combat, and high adventure. Your story begins as the captain of the last human starship, with Earth trapped under a hostile forcefield. You are the last hope for humanity in a fight for control of the galaxy, as you explore thousands of unknown worlds and get dozens of quirky aliens to help.

Meet fascinating alien characters


​The galaxy is thriving with alien species, each with unique mysteries and motives. Meet an eclectic cast of characters, brought to life with full English voiceover. Ask sharp questions, make new friends, and exchange colorful insults.

Adventure through HyperSpace


Discover a vibrant galaxy filled with wonder, terror, and absurdity. Explore thousands of uncharted worlds across hundreds of stars, and gather important resources and technology.

Battle your rivals in starship combat


Build your fleet and battle enemy starships, facing off against friends or the computer-controlled AI. Play action-packed Super Melee as its own mode, or as part of the single-player adventure – or choose automated combat to stay focused on the story.

Experience a sci-fi classic – for free!


As a celebrated piece of gaming history, Free Stars: The Ur-Quan Masters® has also received wide acclaim for its story, characters, and setting. It was created as a love letter to classic science fiction like Douglas Adams, David Brin, and Jack Vance. In turn, its setting inspired a new wave of game creators, including the visionaries behind Mass Effect, No Man’s Sky, Subnautica, Starfield, Fallout, and Stellaris – to name just a few.

In 2002, the game was released under an open source license thanks to the generosity of Paul Reiche and Fred Ford. It continues to be available to play as a free download, for game historians and fans to enjoy.

Game features

  • Experience an open-world adventure, venturing through space to defeat the invading Ur-Quan and its hierarchy of battle thralls.
  • Travel through extra-dimensional HyperSpace and discover nearly 500 unknown star systems filled with alien worlds.
  • Fight enemies in fast-paced space battles with 25 different starships, each with its own unique attacks and powers.
  • Befriend, threaten, or fight a diverse cast of aliens with unique personalities, from scary, to funny, to just plain weird.
  • Explore thousands of planets, collecting resources and technology to upgrade your flagship and grow your fleet.
  • Play standalone Super Melee to practice space combat against AI opponents or to duel against a friend.
  • Mod and tinker with freely available, open-source code and content.

Mature Content Description

The developers describe the content like this:

Game contains some audio and text descriptions implying sexual conduct.

System Requirements

Windows
macOS
    Minimum:
    • OS *: Windows XP/7/8/10 or higher
    • Processor: Intel Pentium or equivalent
    • Graphics: Integrated or better
    • Storage: 150 MB available space
    • Sound Card: Any
* Starting January 1st, 2024, the Steam Client will only support Windows 10 and later versions.
    Minimum:
    • OS: macOS 10.12
    • Processor: Apple M1 or Intel
    • Graphics: Integrated or better
    • Storage: 150 MB available space

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