Nox Imperii II, my second attempt at an Escape Velocity-inspired game ten years after the first: carry annoying tourists across the galaxy, fight barbarians, ransom captives, betray humanity, get rich or die trying
I first tried making this game ten years ago, as a fork of Naev. This is my second attempt, as a browser game made from scratch. A mostly open-world space game with a strong exploration focus, in an Art Nouveau steampunkish universe, inspired by Escape Velocity and classic science-fiction novels.
Carry annoying passengers, use local tragedies to make a killing on sales, turn to piracy or even ransom captives, take part in missions that will shape the galaxy, go beyond civilized space looking for natives you can barter with, betray humanity if you feel like it - whatever makes you money or inspires you.
The game is playable, but rough around the edges, and the storylines in particular are very much a work in progress.
It's 100% free, no accounts, no ads, playable in any desktop/laptop browser, but requires a keyboard. Play straight on https://www.noximperii.com/play or visit https://www.noximperii.com for more details.
Two notes:
- my original attempt was handmade, this one uses AI extensively (Claude Code) to help with coding and assets. No image or music generators
- the somewhat cramped UI in the video is due to shooting it with a small window size, it's not like that in game
What I'd love to know:
- What you think of the graphic design. Does the mix between fairly “classic” spaceships and more art nouveau UIs, landscapes and portraits work?
- What did you try, and did it work?
- Where did you get stuck or bored?