So, remember a few weeks ago when I was suddenly stricken with a longing for an old game I hadn’t played in almost twenty years? Well, it turns out that thanks to the magic of the internet and some dedicated fans I was unaware of (as well as a fan of mine who happened to be knowledgeable of such things), it turns out that longing didn’t need to go unfulfilled. Because OutPost 2 is an abandoned game. So while there hasn’t been anyone out there who’s tackled this concept and taken it somewhere new (or even returned to the same concept) one can still download and play a rebuilt, modified for modern systems version of the original.

There it is, running on my modern system at resolutions that a ten-year old me would never have believed were serious. And with nary a hiccup as well. Aside from the game being a lot harder than I remember. How did I ever manage to beat this as a kid? Was I running in easy mode the whole time? I don’t really know.

In any case, the link I was given to find this wonderful, adapted for modern computers copy of this lost game is right here. EDIT: This link has been changed, as GOG now offers Outpost 2! As far as I’m aware it’s a legal download, as the game was abandoned by its license-holder some time ago, and the version hosted here has been modified to run on modern machines (as well as to have working multiplayer). It’s not perfect (I’m actually particularly surprised that the fans who went through this much effort didn’t add in a skirmish option or include more colony gametype maps of their own design), and some of the design is a little archaic (after all, the game came out a while ago), the game is still wonderfully enjoyable and frustrating, and definitely worth spending a few hours on if you ever spent time playing the original.

That said, now that I’ve spent a good couple of hours on it over the weekend, I’m inclined to repeat my earlier claims. Any developer who comes up with a Kickstarter for a competent, modern version of this type of game is going to get my interest. And even some backing if I actually have money when the day ever comes.

Anyway, just a happy update to what I expected to just be a unfulfilled longing. Now that longing is full of unhappy colonists who aren’t training enough workers!