This could be the closest thing to Reunion you will ever play.
If your strategy brain was forged in the fires of Civilization II, Master of Orion, or Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri, there’s a new retro-styled 4X game on Steam that might be worth settling into over the holidays. Splinter Colony, from indie studio Cast and Wrought Games, is out now for $14.99 USD, promising a deliberately old-school blend of exploration, colony management, and long-form sci-fi storytelling.
It’s a 2D, top-down, 1990s-inspired 4X that puts you in charge of humanity’s newest and most remote problem: a stranded space colony severed from Earth. Your job? Keep everyone alive, build a self-sustaining society, expand through procedurally generated star systems… and eventually send a hand back across the void in an attempt to reunify with the homeworld.
If some of this sounds familiar, that’s because Splinter Colony is effectively a modern reimagining of Reunion, the 1994 sci-fi strategy game that tasked you with rebuilding civilization after losing contact with Earth. It keeps that same “start small, dream big, reclaim the homeworld” arc, but reshapes it with smoother systems, cleaner visuals, and a more approachable 4X flow.
A classic 4X structure with colony-sim depth
Splinter Colony sticks closely to the traditional Explore, Expand, Exploit, Exterminate framework, but it blends that with a colony-sim structure rather than the usual nation-builder map painting. You’ll be juggling:
- Resource harvesting & logistics
- Tech research and engineering upgrades
- Fleet development and interstellar scouting
- Diplomacy, threats, and long-term strategic planning
It’s calmer, and more methodical than most modern strategy releases — arguably closer to the pacing and tone of classic strategy titles than to the flashier contemporary 4X scene.
Worth a look for retro strategy aficionados
Rather than dropping you into a faceless empire, Splinter Colony frames everything around the colony’s attempt to eventually reconnect with Earth. It’s a small shift, but it’s one that gives the whole experience a more personal, human angle.
If you’ve been craving something that feels like a lost ’90s strategy gem but with modern conveniences, Splinter Colony could be what you’re looking for. Splinter Colony is available now on Steam.
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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.
