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The 2012 strategy game Oil Rush from Unigine is now free

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Released all the way back in 2012, Oil Rush from Unigine is a naval strategy game and they've now decided to set it free by removing the price. Back at release, it was probably one of the most graphically demanding games available for Linux at the time, feels like it's part of our history at this point.

Why is it free now? Tomorrow, January 25, it's the tenth anniversary of the release. Writing about it the developers said: "It's been 10 years since the release of UNIGINE's first game. We want to pay tribute to the thing that showed the world not only what our product is capable of, but also became an evidence of our team’s abilities. Oil Rush made us acknowledge our potential, opened a lot of doors for us and showed us opportunities that we’ve been taking ever since.

A decade went by, we’re working on a new yet unannounced game, and it feels like there came the time to set Oil Rush free."

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The release and early builds were back in the day when Canonical were trying to build up the Ubuntu Software Center, with it having a pre-order available there. Not only that, it was also available on Desura, one of the original indie stores that had a native Linux client before being sold off multiple times and eventually shut down.

About the game:

Oil Rush is a naval strategy game that takes place in a world where nuclear war has melted the ice caps, changing the face of the planet forever. Oil Rush offers unique gameplay, avoiding micromanagement of every single unit, while still providing full control over all important aspects of strategy and economy.

Capture, upgrade, and defend floating production platforms and oil rigs. Discover new technologies and send squads of naval and air units into the battle!

Key Features:

  • State-of-the-art visuals powered by UNIGINE engine
  • Dynamic and fun gameplay – furious enemies, massive battles, rampant attacks!
  • 16 missions of single-player campaign, from the half-flooded jungles to northern seas
  • 15 maps for multiplayer battles, each with multiple winning strategies
  • Multiplayer over LAN and Internet

Find it free on Steam.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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About the author -
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I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly came back to check on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly. Find me on Mastodon.
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15 comments
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Purple Library Guy Jan 24, 2022
Quoting: Guest
Quoting: Purple Library GuyWatched the trailer. Whoa, creepy!
Makes me kind of imagine that somewhere out there, some group is staying out of all the fights, dragging up sand and stuff instead of oil, and noodling along with solar panels.

Sounds like a movie. A world of water. A kind of....waterworld.
They could have awesome sailing ships! And a terrible plot!
CFWhitman Jan 24, 2022
I bought this game through Desura. I couldn't buy it directly from Unigine because my debit card did not allow international transactions (even with Canada). I eventually got another copy from Humble Bundle. I remember how great this looked at the time on my AMD HD 7870. The game came out a little before the card so I think I ran it first on my laptop, which I think had a Mobility Radeon HD 4530 (I don't remember for sure; it might have been a 4830).
Lofty Jan 24, 2022
Quoting: rustybroomhandleI originally bought this on Desura. RIP

wow that's a blast from the past. I remember liking Desura.
TheRiddick Jan 25, 2022
Its good that Unigine are still trying to make good games; its really needed to show off what their engine is capable of and also keep some competition going otherwise UE will simply take over (almost has).
Iggi Jan 26, 2022
Quoting: CyrilThe game was available on their website DRM-free, but now that's free it seems you can only get it from Steam...
Anyone know or can confirm about this?

It seems so - the Unigine store doesn't exist in its old form any more, and the game is not available to buy via Humble Bundle any more either. The only option left to get a DRM free version seems to be to buy the retail version of the game...


Last edited by Iggi on 26 January 2022 at 12:47 am UTC
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