If you grew up around Acorn Archimedes machines, you’ll know the platform had a peculiar charm — crisp RISC OS desktops, reassuring clacks of the mouse buttons, and a library of games that never quite got the recognition they deserved. Some titles stood out, like Zarch; others quietly existed without ever crossing your radar.
Exodus: The Colonization of Space falls firmly into that second camp for many of us… but it looks like it’s getting a second shot at the spotlight. Originally released in 1997 on the Acorn RISC OS platform, this ambitious galactic strategy sim is coming to PC via Steam on December 1st — and brand-new screenshots from the port have just been released, along with pre-launch beta keys.
Developed by Jan Klose, who would go on to co-found Deck13 (The Surge, Lords of the Fallen), Exodus represents his earliest commercial work. It’s retro in all the best ways: chunky pixel solar systems, crunchy menus, and a type of strategy gameplay that feels closer to a personal project from a brilliant teenager than a corporate design document.
A retro strategy galaxy waiting to be conquered
Exodus drops you into a procedurally generated galaxy and asks one question: can you rule it?
You’ll expand across star systems, claim planets, battle rival factions from four alien species, and negotiate alliances. It’s 4X distilled through a 90s lens — optimistic, quirky, and far less interested in modern streamlining.
Each planet also features its own city-building layer. You’ll manage climate, farmland stability, resource extraction, nuclear plants that may or may not explode, and the occasional rebellion if your population doesn’t like your laws. (Yes, you can literally outlaw narcotics or decide whether civilians get access to weapons.)
Turn-based battles with a 90s twist
Combat takes place on a tactical map with turn-based unit control — though if micromanagement isn’t your style, your general can handle it. Meanwhile, your scientists can develop new technologies, eventually letting you build an artificial planet that can move between solar systems.
It’s deep, and so wonderfully 90s that it feels slightly out of place… that rare type of strategy from the days of Civilization where no one really said “4X” nor knew where the genre was heading; it could go anywhere, and often did.
A lost slice of RISC OS history
The port includes the original 1997 soundtrack from composer Thomas Mohr, pixel-clean visuals, and all the eccentric simulation mechanics intact. For anyone with a nostalgic streak for Acorn hardware — whether from school computer labs or early-90s programming sessions — this is a rare chance to experience a slice of the platform’s history.
(These days, most Acorn Archimedes software is run on a Raspberry Pi in the absence of original hardware.)
And if you never played Exodus back in the day? You’re not alone. The Archimedes era was full of gems that flew under the radar before Acorn machines were quietly swapped out for rows of bland, beige 386 PCs running MS-DOS (that happened at my college…). Exodus is one of those nearly-forgotten curios, now getting the modern preservation it deserves.
Get it on your wishlist and grab a pre-launch key on the Exodus: The Colonization of Space Steam page.
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Christian Cawley is the founder and editor of GamingRetro.co.uk, a website dedicated to classic and retro gaming. With over 20 years of experience writing for technology and gaming publications, he brings considerable expertise and a lifelong passion for interactive entertainment, particularly games from the 8-bit and 16-bit eras.
Christian has written for leading outlets including TechRadar, Computer Weekly, Linux Format, and MakeUseOf, where he also served as Deputy Editor.
When he’s not exploring vintage consoles or retro PCs, Christian enjoys building with LEGO, playing cigar box guitar, and experimenting in the kitchen.
