The galaxy lies broken in the aftermath of the Cataclysm that ended the last great war.
Civilizations have collapsed. Hyperspace travel is dangerous. Planets were shattered by doomsday weapons and remain devastated by engineered plagues. The Hive emerges from the remains of the Shaktur Axis and consumes all in its path. Across the stars, scattered survivors cling to life aboard hidden stations, outlaw fleets, and wandering ships. In this dark age, the best chance for survival and power belongs not to planetary empires — but to the Pirates.
Distant Worlds 2: Shadows Rising is the second major feature expansion for Distant Worlds 2, fundamentally expanding gameplay with entirely new ways to experience the galaxy. Command a fully space-based Pirate Faction or try to succeed with a single ship as a Lone Pirate. Do well enough and you could achieve Legendary status or even found a new Pirate Empire that will span the stars.
Raiding, Smuggling, Privateering, Theft, Ransom, Mercenary contracts as well as peaceful mining and Trade – all of these are at your disposal. Spread your influence and corruption across the inhabited worlds to keep them under your thumb, establish hidden pirate bases and criminal networks, build out your network of spaceports and mining and research stations, deal with the new Shadowports for equipment upgrades, ship upgrades and other benefits, explore new pirate locations and events to explore the story. Pirates will also have a new option to play during the “Age of Shadows” era, before the rebirth of space-faring empires when Pirates had more freedom to expand, but when the Hive is also stronger than ever.
If you're not feeling Piratical, Distant Worlds 2: Shadows Rising also makes Empire play more interesting, with new interactions and challenges with the fully developed Lone Pirates, Pirate Factions and Shadowports that now populate the galaxy. Fight against them or get them to work for you through the new Contract system for Resources and Privateering which allows you to hire Pirates to fight your enemies for you. Independent worlds, if left unchecked, can also now grow into full Empires which give you even more competition.
Distant Worlds 2: Shadows Rising transforms the galaxy into a struggle between pirate warlords, smugglers, mercenary fleets, emerging civilizations, and the ever-present threat of the Hive.
Shape the future of the living galaxy ... from the Shadows.
Key Features
- Play as a Lone Pirate and begin with a single ship and rise toward pirate infamy to become a Legendary Lone Pirate or grow into a Pirate Faction.
- Periodically jump into your ship’s new cockpit or bridge view to experience the action from a unique first-person perspective.
- Play as a fully space-based Pirate Faction with much more control over a new economy based around mining and trade, smuggling, raiding, privateering, espionage, influence and corruption and contracts of all kinds from different sources.
- Grow strong enough and you may transition from a fully space-based Pirate faction into a new Pirate Empire with its own unique government type — or remain space-based and become a Legendary Pirate Faction.
- Experience the new “Age of Shadows” starting era, where pirates must survive against increased threats from the Hive and build up as independent colonies look to become the first full space-faring empires that will challenge your dominance of the galaxy.
- Choose from four different playstyles: the jack-of-all trades Pirate, the chaotic and aggressive Raider, the trading-focused Smuggler, or the combat and privateering-focused Mercenary.
- Complete contracts, raid planets or guard planets to fight off rival pirate factions to make sure your influence spreads unabated. Influence creates corruption and will covertly siphon off income and expand black market resource offerings for smuggling.
- Establish Hidden Pirate Bases and Pirate Fortresses to solidify your presence on key worlds. Upgrade a fortress into a Criminal Network to lay the foundation for your Pirate Empire or build the Legendary Anarchopolis.
- Undertake and compete for contracts across the galaxy that include resource deliveries, espionage missions including artifact theft and ransoming characters, and destroying assigned targets or fighting on the side of another faction.
- The powerful Shadowports act as neutral pirate-aligned hubs where pirate factions trade ships, technology, and rare equipment. They also offer contracts to support pirate efforts, especially to keep Independent worlds and planetary Empires under control and to counter the Hive.
- A new smuggling system allows you to transport contraband resources to buy and sell at premium prices. There is risk though as your smuggling operations may be discovered, which could result in the destruction of your ships and reduce your reputation with your trade partners.
- Discover expanded Independent Worlds with unique bonuses, artifacts, defenses, and which can now evolve into powerful new empires.
- Customize your faction’s behavior with expanded pirate policy systems governing contracts, smuggling, influence, and fleet operations.
- As an Empire, experience new interactions and challenges with the fully developed Lone Pirates, Pirate Factions and Shadowports that now populate the galaxy. Fight against them or get them to work for you through the new Contract system for Resources and Privateering which allows you to hire Pirates to fight your enemies for you.
