It’s been a while since I last thought about the saga of Battlestar Galactica. Hearing the show’s distinctive, somber theme during the Gamescom Opening Night Live event didn’t quite evoke full-blown nostalgia, but it did make me want to explore fan-made fleet enhancements for Homeworld.
The exciting game reveal was for Battlestar Galactica: Scattered Hopes, a fresh tactical roguelite title crafted by the team behind Crying Suns. Published by Dotemu, the game places you in a quasi-isometric command position, leading the remnants of humanity as they desperately try to outrun the relentless Cylon forces. Gameplay centers on balancing crew morale through dynamic story choices, strategically deploying limited resources for upgrades, acquiring new ships from visited planets, and engaging in real-time space skirmishes against the cunning Cylons. Take a look at the trailer below.
The roguelike elements appear fairly conventional, generating a fitting atmosphere of desperation. Each playthrough involves navigating across a star map, discovering planets and points of interest holding potential rewards and dangers. Your actions will hasten the Cylon’s advance. To escape, you must endure the Cylon offensive long enough to execute a hyperspace jump to the next sector. Use the tactical pause feature to plan your strategies. Beware of internal threats as well: Cylons capable of mimicking humans lurk among your crew. The game makes me wonder if there’s a Battlestar Galactica version of Among Us. No doubt, a mod exists.
I find Crying Suns to possess a richer atmosphere overall. I still find the game’s imposing bridge viewscreen to be visually captivating. Scattered Hopes feels more generic, taking on a more clinical visual style. Nonetheless, the idea of building a fugitive fleet is always appealing, especially considering the unfortunate suspension of Jumplight Odyssey and the recent struggles within the Homeworld series. The slightly run-down, “low-tech” nature of Battlestar’s ships are an interesting element, contrasting against the near-magical technology prevalent in series like Star Trek.
Scattered Hopes is scheduled for release in Q1 2026, targeting late winter or early spring. You can find further information on Steam. If you view roguelikes as a form of Cylon trickery, Slitherine produced Battlestar Galactica Deadlock in 2017, a game more closely resembling Homeworld. Switching gears from strategy entirely, I was very pleased to discover an ancient Battlestar modification for Freespace 2.
Be sure to visit our Gamescom 2025 hub for comprehensive PC game announcements and in-depth previews from Cologne.