Space science fiction has loads of fans around the world, so I wouldn't be surprised to see hundreds of players having fun in DarkOrbit.

This free online web game sets you behind the wheel of a spaceship as a pilot who works for a company, which you can choose from Earth, Mars or Venus. Your main objective in the game will be to collect raw materials for your company, as this is the only way to generate energy and therefore become ruler of the universe.

Being a web game, you enter DarkOrbit right in your web browser by entering your username and password. In this way you access your user profile, containing a summary of relevant data you can check at a glance. But if what you want is some action, go ahead and click on the Play button.

This will open a new window where you can actually play the game. Graphics are quite basic, but they do the trick. Now all you have to do is travel around space (clicking on the screen with your mouse – cursor keys don't work) and collect raw material, while you gain experience by killing enemy ships and other space creatures. Experience points can also be earned by doing quests.

DarkOrbit works fine for casual gamers who just need some easy fun for a while, but I don't think it will appeal that much to hardcore gamers, who will probably feel disappointed by the game's simple plot and even more simple graphics. The connectivity issues I had while testing the game won't help either.

DarkOrbit is a free, web game that challenges you to command a spaceship and wander around space in search of raw materials for your company. However, I don't think it's the kind of game you would spend hours playing.

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Age of Empires is one of the most amazing and legendary civilisation style games that ever existed.

Now in this third part, you're taken into the New World. Players are able to develop European nations from the Age of Discovery through to the Industrial Age. There are eight playable nations that battle across a wide variety of lands - from the early beginning of the swamps of Florida to the Rocky Mountains. You can recruit Native American tribes along the way and with them, try to seize control of trade routes while being supported by your Empire back in Europe.

There's no doubt that visually, the game looks superb with some of the best graphics ever seen in the Age of Empires series. However, the developers seem to have concentrated on graphics more than the realism aspect. An exception to this is the fact that you are supported by your home European nation in your quest to plunder the New World which is something unseen in previous versions.

However, it is attention to detail and unfaithfulness to the realities of history that really let the game down. American Indians are portrayed as mercenaries rather than spiritual tribes and gold mines suddenly appear hundreds of years before they ever did!

Age of Empires 3 looks great and has the potential to be a great game but the developers probably need to pay more attention to historical facts than the graphics themselves.

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I must admit strategy games are not exactly my cup of tea, but I do appreciate good strategy titles when I find any. And Sins of a Solar Empire is one of them.

This adventure will please strategy fans for sure, as it includes all the typical elements you can find in this game genre: resource management, merciless battles and smart planning to take your empire to the highest level. But don't be fooled by this apparently traditional scheme: being set in outer space, Sins of a Solar Empire is quite original for a strategy adventure.

This particular setting means that every element in the game is related to space. So, instead of using regular soldiers, horses, combat units or even tanks, you manage spaceships. And instead of conquering towns and villages, you take over planets. Graphics are just fine, certainly not as detailed as other strategy games that are set in historical environments though.

Sins of a Solar Empire features single player and multiplayer gaming modes (though the demo only lets you play the first one). Solo gaming presents you with a series of scenarios and various challenges, including typical strategy elements such as diplomacy alliances, research and development of new strategies and a rather unconventional black market where you can trade crystal and metal without following the legal procedures. As you can see, there are many elements to be taken care of, which means that the game may feel a bit overwhelming at the beginning. This confusion is particularly noticeable when moving around the playing area, because maps are quite large and you can easily get lost.

Even if you're not a big strategy fan, you'll appreciate Sins of a Solar Empire for its original gaming environment. If you like strategy, you should definitely give it a go.

Download Sins of a Solar Empire Demo in Softonic

Battleships Forever is a new strategy game in real time that is focused entirely on space battles. It's distinguished by enormous ships and spectacular battle scenes plus some great gameplay.

You begin by choosing a number of ships from among a list destroyers, patroller or defenders. Each is composed of different "modules" that can be configured to obtain different advantages on the battlefield. From there, the whole game is controlled by using the mouse although there are hotkeys that allow you to issue orders to your fleet. The gameplay is simple but each mission is a challenge, because the artificial intelligence of the enemies and the size of some of the craft which you can also design yourself with the in game editor.

The graphics are a bit disappointing in that they are 2 dimensional but the sound effects, particularly explosions, make up for this

A great battleship game that will have space fans enthralled for hours.

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Age of Empires III strikes back with a new expansion pack and takes you to the Ancient Eastern empires. As with any other Age of Empires adventure, The Asian Dynasties is designed with an incredible level of detail, creating an involving atmosphere that makes the game really enjoyable.

In this sense, every single element in this demo is designed according to Asian stereotypes, from player menus to background music and including, of course, buildings, cities and military units. Also, if you have played any of the previous Age of Empires, you'll master the controls in no time, as they remain just the same; if not, don't worry because they're easy to learn.

Age of Empires III: The Asian Dynasties is pure strategy: you'll have to gather resources, build your town, create and army and battle against the enemy. This demo only allows you to get a sneak peek of the whole game but the overall impression was good... at least for an Age of Empires fan like me.

Age of Empires strikes back with more nations, more units, more challenges and more fun for you.

Download Age of Empires III Demo in Softonic

Imagine if Hitler had cloned an army of zombie air fighters in some secret labs and unleashed them on the world to dominate the planet. Well, imagine no more because Sky Fire gives you the chance to put yourself in the position of an ace pilot charged with the task of stopping the Nazis' cunning plan. There are only three characters to choose from - a handsome rookie, a daredevil girl, or a seasoned veteran with a moustache, and each have different strengths and weaknesses.

Sky Fire is fast and full of action from the start, as the enemy fighters come at you from all angles, blasting terror around the screen. It's all a bit frantic to begin with, but the controls are very simple, so you soon get the hang of it. What's more, there are plenty of interesting power-ups to boost your weapons and restore health.

Unfortunately the game's simplicity becomes its downfall. The levels aren't particularly varied and apart from the background, nothing much changes between each one, aside from the fact that the number of enemies increases as you progress. The graphics aren't very inspirational and the sound is bland too. I was also very disappointed not to see a single zombie, which is, after all, what attracted me to the game in the first place.

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According to the developers, back in 1993 Privateer was released as part of the Wing Commander series and became a great success in the gaming industry. Over 10 years later a small group of Privateer enthusiasts reintroduced the game with a new graphics engine and real 3D spaceflight.

Privateer was one of the first games in offering "open ended" gameplay (like Grand Theft Auto), when finishing the main plot, you can continue your game by exploring the rest of the universe. Privateer Gemini Gold is basically a remake of that game adapting it for today's faster machines and more demanding gaming enthusiasts. Key to this is that the game uses the 'Voxel' graphics engine which offers some spectacular angles and viewpoints of the ship and impressive graphics - much less blocky than usual 3D graphics.

Your role is as Grayson Burrows who inherited a small old scout class ship from your grandfather. Your task is to start over the 'Privateer' in a new and sparsely populated sector of the Confederation. Depending on what you want to achieve, you can take your chance and become a pirate, merchant or bounty hunter. You can upgrade your ship to conquer the galaxy but life is not made simple by other barbarians, pirates and evil commanders. It's good fun once you've mastered the controls although you can't help feeling that it's a poorer imitation of Wing Commander and lacks both the quickfire action, thrills and depth of it.

Download Privateer Gemini Gold 1.02a in Softonic

Worldbuilder for Command & Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars is a tool that will enable you to create your own game maps and enjoy them in Command & Conquer 3 both in single-player and multiplayer missions. Apparently it's the same tool used by EA developers and designers to create the official maps included in the game.

The Worldbuilder download also includes a detailed instruction manual (100-plus pages) that is intended both for beginning map designers as well as advanced and returning Worldbuilder users. You'll be able to build maps for single-player skirmish mode as well as for multiplayer mode, thus expanding the game's possibilities.

Download Command and Conquer 3 Tiberium Wars World Builder in Softonic

March, 2047. A massive nuclear fireball explodes high in the night sky, marking the dramatic beginning to the Third Tiberium War and long-awaited return of the most groundbreaking Real-time Strategy franchise (RTS) of all time.

In 2047, Tiberium has blanketed the Earth, which is now divided into zones based on the level of Tiberium infestation. Pristine Blue Zones represent 20% of the planet's surface and are the last refuge of the civilized world. Partially habitable Yellow Zones make up 50% of the planet's surface; most of the world's population lives in these war-torn and ecologically ravaged areas. The remaining 30% of the planet is uninhabitable, a Tiberium wasteland swept by violent Ion Storms. Red Zones are like the surface of an Alien planet.

The infamous Kane has returned to lead the Brotherhood of Nod in a massive global assault on the Global Defense Initiative and the few remaining Blue zones left on the planet. Only you can stop him. The fate of humanity – and the planet – is in your hands.

Featuring state-of-the-art, next-generation graphics, an epic story with live action, full-motion video sequences, and the classic fast-paced C&C style of play, C&C 3 sets the standard for the single player RTS experience. When you decide to test your skills online, a suite of truly innovative features, such as the ability to transform online battles into a spectator sport, unfold.

Fast, Fluid, Fun

The ultra-responsive, smooth-as-silk gameplay C&C invented is now better than ever, intuitively placing your entire arsenal at your fingertips.

Over 30 Single Player Missions

In a vast open-world 'theatre of war' where each decision you make matters, you'll experience one cohesive, epic story told from the unique perspective of all three warring factions.

Story Like You've Never Seen

High-definition, live action video sequences that seamlessly tie the game's epic story together featuring an unparalleled, diverse cast.

New Ways to Attack

Keep your opponent guessing by building flying battleships, wielding the power of terrifying Ion Storms, and combining units to form powerful never-before-seen super-units.

Battle the Best Online

With multiple online game modes, all-new multiplayer maps, and a fully featured content editor, go online to see how you stack up in RTS' ultimate forum.

Download Command and Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars Demo in Softonic

Join a battle fighting for all galaxies in the Universe. In BattleCruiser Millenium, the only limit is your imagination!

Your role in this adventure is not just being a combat spaceship pilot. In fact, you will be able to control many different kinds of ships or even tanks. Just about anything you need to conquer the whole universe.

You better start off with the tutorial level in order to learn all the tricks in this game. Then you'll be ready for the battles all along thousands of planetary systems.

Despite being somewhat poor in graphics, BattleCruiser Millenium features an unbelievably huge number of planets, models and units. A completely free game that ensures hours of fun.

This is what BattleCruiser Millenium has to offer:

• Play as one of 12 races or 13 castes
• Six career modes, including commander, pilot and marine types
• Over 60 user controllable space, ground and air units
• More stations to trade with, destroy, capture, defend etc.
• Advanced Fleet C&C of human and NPC forces
• Advanced station capture with full blown inventory management
• Seamless first person class-base combat as various crew types
• Full inventory of first person gear, incl jetpack, sniper rifle etc.

Download BattleCruiser Millenium 1.09.03 in Softonic

The legendary planet Dune did for RT strategy, what Wolfemstein 3D did for first-person shooters. At almost fifteen years old, this is the mother of all strategy games. Your mission is to build a functional base using the facilities on offer, and to construct a powerful army that will face and defeat opposing forces. You may choose from four houses, much as you could pick GDI or NOD in the Command and Conquer series.

Dune II was a defining game which has influenced countless others since then. Anyone that wants to see raw gameplay at its best from the early 90s, download this.

Download Dune II Abandonware in Softonic

Experience the most gripping and famous battles of WWII through the eyes of a squadron commander and ace fighter pilot. From the battle for England, the attack on Pearl Harbor, to the bombing of Berlin, your pilot skills will create WWII history. Conquer the skies of Western Europe, North Africa, and the Pacific and bring your squadron back alive.

Download Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII Demo in Softonic

Praetorians is an epic 3D troop-based strategy game set amidst the historical battles from the campaigns of Julius Caesar. As a Roman General, you will be transported back to the dusty battlefields of Egypt, the frozen lands of the Gauls, and to the heart of the Empire itself, Italy. Your quest will be no easy task as the lands you seek to conquer are heavily defended by thousands of different troops, each with special skills, individual strengths, and various war machines.

You will be given the opportunity to command the forces of not only the Romans, but also the ferocious Gauls, and the religiously fanatical Egyptians. Victory depends on strong strategic skills - learning to combine units and exploit the enemy's weakness is key.

Played out in jaw-dropping 3D visuals from the immense scale of the Pyramids right down to the individual centurion Praetorians is stunning in its detail, scale and beauty. The game is incredibly intuitive, belying its sophisticated game engine and allowing skilled strategy gamers and beginners alike to fully immerse themselves in the story with absolute ease.

Download Praetorians Demo in Softonic