Darwinia

2005 Introversion Software Indie, Strategy

Windows 11Runs

MacNot confirmed

LinuxNative

Steam DeckPlayable

Gamicality score

Metacritic 844

OpenCritic Not rated

Steam players 761

How it’s combined

Playability today

Runs today5/5

Design today5/5

Steam user reviews

Very Positive

80%

1,080 reviews1

Get it on Steam Watch the trailer

Facts checked November 1, 2026

Does Darwinia run on Windows 11, Apple Silicon Macs, Linux and Steam Deck?

Windows 11Runs

Sold for Windows today, no problem on record.1

Mac (Apple Silicon)Not confirmed

A Mac version is sold. Not yet confirmed on Apple Silicon.1

LinuxNative

Native Linux version.1

Steam DeckPlayable

Playable, as rated by Valve. May need some setup.1

Played Darwinia lately?

One click, no account, so the next player knows. How we check where it runs

Synopsis

Darwinia is a real-time tactics game from Introversion Software set inside a glowing digital world whose small inhabitants, the Darwinians, are under attack by a red virus. Players run programs from a task manager, such as squads, engineers and officers, to clear infected areas, rebuild systems and herd the Darwinians to safety across a series of linked locations.

Developer: Introversion Software
Released: 2005
Best version: The current Steam build includes the 2022 remaster with a rewritten renderer and DPI-aware interface, and the older legacy build remains available as an option.
Genre: Indie, Strategy
Where to get it: Steam

Reception

Critics praised its striking vector style, humor and original ideas on release, and it holds a PC Metascore of 84. The original mouse gesture controls drew mixed reactions, and a 2005 patch added a click-and-hotkey task manager as the default. Players today still love the mood and look and appreciate that Introversion keeps updating it, though some find the game short, slow-paced and too easy, and a few dislike its mix of light strategy and action.

Trailer from Steam

Playability today

The average of two parts, each from 1 to 5. Tap a check to see why. How it works

Runs today

5/5

Sold or given away today by an official source
Runs on Windows 11 without fan patches
?Not confirmed yetSingle-player works without an internet connection
No source covers the current version yet, so this check counts as open, not passed. Played it lately? Tell us
All of its content still works (servers, DLC, unlocks)
The game is single player and nothing has been removed, with a legacy build still offered (PCGamingWiki).
Supports modern resolutions and widescreen
Widescreen, ultrawide and 4K are supported (PCGamingWiki).
Full controller support or remappable controls
Full controller support with key remapping (PCGamingWiki).
Steam Deck Verified or Playable
No intrusive DRM or required third-party launcher account
No pay-to-win or pushy microtransactions
No known game-breaking bugs in the current version
PCGamingWiki lists no open issues, and recent Steam players report it running fine on modern PCs and through Proton (PCGamingWiki).

Design today

5/5

Controls feel natural on a modern controller or mouse and keyboard
Holding Tab opens a task manager where units are summoned by clicking icons, keyboard shortcuts cover the main actions, the original gestures remain optional, and full controller support was added. Source: worthplaying.com, pcgamingwiki.com, gog.com.
Menus, text and interface are clear on today's screens
Widescreen, ultrawide and 4K are supported, and the 2022 update made the interface scale with screen size and DPI. Source: pcgamingwiki.com, gamingonlinux.com.
Saving is fair: free saves or frequent checkpoints, little lost progress
Each location keeps its progress, including running squads and engineers, and cloud saves were added in 2022. Source: worthplaying.com, gamingonlinux.com.
It teaches itself: no guide needed to make progress
A first-time intro walks through the basics and can be replayed from the settings, and players describe the game as straightforward and hard to lose. Source: worthplaying.com, gog.com, steamcommunity.com.
Pacing holds up: little grind, filler or forced backtracking
The campaign runs around ten hours with little time pressure, though some players find later missions slow when several objectives stack up. Source: gog.com, gamereactor.eu.
Camera and movement never fight the player
The camera flies freely over each level, and patch 1.3 made its zoom smoother; no opened review or forum thread reports camera trouble, though no PC review discusses the camera in detail either. Source: worthplaying.com.