Gratuitous Space Battles 2

Gratuitous Space Battles 2 is a fleet-management and simulation game in which you design ships, assemble a space fleet and give it orders. You command from fleet headquarters and watch the battle unfold rather than flying ships yourself. The game retains the original’s core gameplay and rebuilds its graphics engine.

Design your fleet

You build each ship from a base hull and adjustable visual components, controlling both its composition and appearance. A wide range of components gives you extensive scope for ship design, and enemy ships can look different from one challenge to another. New ship classes include the Dreadnought, destroyer and gunship.

Command in battle

Set formations and orders for your fleet, then watch it fight. Formations remain in place even when individual ships are lost. Carrier modules bring fighters into battle and refuel them during combat, while support beams let ships act as tugs or mobile target-boost assistance vessels. Weapon combinations include radioactive plasma torpedoes.

Challenge other fleets

The asynchronous online challenge system lets you upload a fleet with its orders, formations and custom ship designs. Other players can download it and pit their fleets against it.

Visual features

The rebuilt graphics engine includes beam lasers, explosions, a lighting system and parallax effects intended to give battles a more 3D, cinematic appearance. The game also supports multi-monitor setups and resolutions of 5120 and beyond, and includes a 30 FPS mode for video capture.