ALPHA 9 · 100 WORLDS
A shared sector so big you need cruise drive and a star map. Worlds go from level 1 next to Haven Prime up to level 100 at the far edge. Zoom out to see everything around you.
AGMARS INTERACTIVE · FREE · PLAY IN YOUR BROWSER
The Nova Horizon is lost. Find the way home, then warp to Alpha 9: 100 worlds, pirates, alien swarms and dinosaurs.
ALPHA 9 · DREADNOUGHT VS THE SWARMWhat is Ares?
A STORY OF THE NOVA HORIZONAres: The Awakening is a story space adventure. A strange harmonic signal throws the Nova Horizon across the galaxy, and Captain Steelman and the crew wake up far from anywhere they know. To get home, they need four lost pieces of old technology, each one hidden on a different world.
You fly the Bastion shuttle out of the Nova Horizon, fight drones in the Rift, then land and explore on foot: jungle caves, volcanic wrecks, frozen oceans and a dead world at the source of the signal. Gather materials, craft new weapons, suits and ship parts, and level up your captain.
When the story ends, the Nova Horizon is parked next to Earth, and a wormhole past the Moon opens to Alpha 9: a huge sector you can fly across for half an hour. It holds 100 worlds from level 1 to 100, space stations to trade at, pirate gangs, alien hives and a neutral zone where pilots fight each other.
It is online. Other captains show up in your sky and on your planet in real time. Fight beside them, chat, and trade materials on the shared market. It is free, with no ads and no purchases.
CAPTAIN STEELMAN · NOVA HORIZON"We did not choose to come this far. But we are going home, and we are going together. Shuttle crews, suit up."
Features
SIX REASONS TO LAUNCH
GROW YOUR SHIP 5X
Frigate, Cruiser and Dreadnought frames grow the shuttle up to five times its size, with up to 12 turrets, venom stings and smart robots: gunner, medic, miner and shield bots.
PIRATES AND ALIENS
Three pirate gangs with their own ships, and eight biomechanical alien species that each fly their own way: swarming mites, slithering wyrms, gliding mantas, and the giant Void Leviathan.
HUNDREDS OF MATERIALS
Over 250 materials, each with its own effect. Infuse them into your ship for burn, chain lightning, critical hits and leech, or heart-grade ones for abilities like Supernova and Blink.
DINOSAURS, DIGGING, TALKING ANIMALS
Raptor packs, charging rexes and diving pteros. Dig up buried relics with a drill and open shafts to the depths. Cute settlers and talking animals give you gifts and hints.
TRADE, FLEETS AND PVP
Click another pilot to trade with them or follow them, with fleets of up to 10. Stations pay different prices and post contracts. Fly into the neutral zone to fight other pilots.
AUTO-FIRE COMBAT
Your primary guns fire on their own at the nearest target, so you can focus on flying. Switch your secondary weapons to auto too, or fire them yourself.
BUILD YOUR SHIP
Four frames with up to six hardpoints. Snap in beam lasers, tesla coils, harmonic lances, swarm pods, torpedoes, shields, a wingman drone and more.
SUITS FOR EVERY WORLD
Each planet has a hazard: toxic spores, extreme heat, deep freeze, harmonic static. Craft the right suit, helmet, boots and pack to survive it.
FIND THE MECH
Somewhere on Ashfall a Warden mech waits in the ash. Find it, climb in, and turn its cannon on everything that lives in the lava caves.
LAND TOGETHER
Land on the same planet as your friends and explore it side by side. Planets share a layout for everyone online, so you can meet up and clear it as a team.
LEVEL UP
Earn XP by fighting, crafting and finishing chapters. Spend skill points on Marksman, Toughness, Ace Pilot, Scavenger, Engineer and Ghost.
Four worlds
EACH ONE HOLDS A PIECE OF THE WAY HOMEStart in the Rift, where the signal tore space open, and harvest harmonic energy for the Nova Horizon. Then follow the trail world by world.
Every planet is a cave system with its own creatures, hazards and materials. Scanners show what is nearby. A cloak field lets you slip past what you cannot fight.
Bring each relic back to the ship to finish its chapter and open the next.
THE RIFTDANGER ■□□□□
VERIDIA · JUNGLEDANGER ■■□□□
ASHFALL · VOLCANICDANGER ■■■□□
THALASSA · FROZEN OCEANDANGER ■■■■□
THE CRADLE · DEAD WORLDDANGER ■■■■■
Pictures
TAP TO ENLARGEPlay on any device
- Tap PLAY IN YOUR BROWSER at the top of this page. Nothing to download or install.
- On a phone, turn it sideways. The on-screen sticks and buttons appear by themselves.
- On a PC, use the keyboard and mouse, or plug in a gamepad.
- Make a free captain account so your progress follows you to any device.
- Tip: on a phone, use your browser's "Add to Home Screen" to open Ares like an app.
Controls
| ACTION | KEYBOARD | GAMEPAD | TOUCH |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fly / walk | WASD or arrows | Left stick or D-pad | Left joystick |
| Fire | Space | A or RT | FIRE |
| Harvest / land / dock | E | X | ACT |
| Missile / grenade | F | Y or RB | MSL |
| Boost / run | Shift | B or LT | BOOST |
| Secondary auto on/off | G | LB | AUTO2 |
| Cloak | C | CLOAK | |
| Chat | T | CHAT | |
| Zoom in / out | Z · mouse wheel · - = | Right stick | ZOOM · pinch |
| Cruise drive | Hold Shift with no enemies near | Hold B | Hold BOOST |
| Trade / follow a pilot | Click a ship · right-click to follow | Tap a ship | |
| Map / pause | M · Esc | Select · Start | MAP · II |
Questions
Is it really free?
Yes. No ads, no purchases and no account. Download it, share it with friends, and play.
How does online play work?
When you start, the game asks for a captain name. Then you see every other captain who is playing right now, in space and on the planet you land on. You can chat, fight together and trade on the market.
Can I keep my progress on another phone or PC?
Yes. On the title screen choose SIGN IN / CREATE ACCOUNT, pick a captain name and a 4 to 8 digit PIN. Sign in with the same name and PIN on any device and your save comes with you.
Does it need the internet?
Only for online play. Without a connection the game runs solo, and your progress still saves.
Does my captain work on the forum?
Yes. Sign in on the forum with the same captain name and PIN you use in the game.
What about iPhone?
On iPhone and iPad, use Play in your browser. Add the page to your home screen to launch it like an app.
I found a bug or have an idea.
Tell us on the forum or in our Discord. We read everything, and the best ideas go into the next update.
The Nova Horizon is waiting, Captain.
Free. Play right now in your browser, on PC or phone.