Free Stars: Children of Infinity combat demo launches on Steam and GOG
Pistol Shrimp Games released a free public combat demo for Free Stars: Children of Infinity, the official sequel to The Ur-Quan Masters from the original game's creators. The demo is live on Steam and GOG for Windows, Mac, and Linux, with console versions still in the works.
The demo covers the arcade-style melee portion of the space adventure RPG, letting players pick from 38 ships and face off in one-versus-one battles against another player or a computer opponent. Returning ships from The Ur-Quan Masters are present with one exception, the Slylandro probe, alongside new ships from the sequel and melee-only designs from Kickstarter backers.
The release caps five years of development. Returning ships have been rebuilt in Fred Ford's new SIMPLE game engine, and the article notes a key change from the 1990s original: ships now turn more naturally.
Ars Technica's Lee Hutchinson disclosed that he has volunteered on the Children of Infinity writing team since 2021, contributing NPC dialogue and story content, and receives no compensation from the demo or eventual full release.
The demo gives players their first hands-on look at the long-awaited sequel from the original Star Control creators, reviving a beloved 1990s space combat franchise after five years in development.