UFO: Aftermath

2003 Altar Interactive Strategy

Windows 11With a fix

MacNot sold

LinuxGold

Gamicality score

Metacritic 675

OpenCritic Not rated

Steam players 731

How it’s combined

Playability today

Runs today3/5

Design today2.5/5

Steam user reviews

Mostly Positive

78%

306 reviews1

Get it on Steam Watch the trailer

Facts checked November 1, 2026

Does UFO: Aftermath run on Windows 11, Apple Silicon Macs, Linux and Steam Deck?

Windows 11With a fix

Runs with a fix. See the steps below.1

Mac (Apple Silicon)Not sold

No Mac version is sold.

LinuxGold

Through Proton. ProtonDB: Gold, runs perfectly after tweaks.3

Played UFO: Aftermath lately?

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

How to get UFO: Aftermath running today

If the game does not start through the new launcher, open launcher.ini in the game folder and delete the line that starts with id= (Steam discussion), or start ufo.exe directly (Steam discussion).
If the game crashes when loading the first combat map with a strat_00000000.vfs error, create a new profile instead of playing on the Default profile (Steam discussion, Steam discussion).
Cap the frame rate at 60 with an external limiter so the world map runs at the right speed (PCGamingWiki).
Optional: the community UFO Aftermath Display Fix & Mod Loader adds borderless fullscreen and a frame limiter.

Synopsis

UFO: Aftermath is a squad tactics game in the spirit of X-COM, set after an alien spore cloud has wiped out most of humanity. On a world map, players expand a network of bases, research alien technology and pick missions, then lead a small squad through real-time battles that pause automatically whenever something important happens.

Developer: Altar Interactive
Released: 2003
Genre: Strategy
Where to get it: Steam

Reception

Critics found it a solid but budget-feeling heir to X-COM, liking the pausable real-time combat and the creepy story while noting simplified bases, dated graphics and weak voice acting, for a Metascore of 67. On Steam it is Mostly Positive, with fans calling it addictive and a worthy alternative to the newer XCOM games. Players returning to it today complain about the same maps and mission types repeating, sudden difficulty spikes, a resolution locked to 1024×768 and a recently added publisher launcher that stops the game from starting for some.

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

3/5

Sold or given away today by an official source
Needs fan patches to run well on Windows 11
?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 only and nothing has been removed (PCGamingWiki).
No proper support for modern resolutions and widescreen
Widescreen resolutions are not supported (PCGamingWiki).
No full controller support and no remappable controls
Controllers are not supported (PCGamingWiki).
?Not confirmed yetSteam Deck Verified or Playable
No source covers the current version yet, so this check counts as open, not passed. Played it lately? Tell us
No intrusive DRM or required third-party launcher account
No pay-to-win or pushy microtransactions
Known game-breaking bugs in the current version
A publisher launcher added in recent years keeps the game from starting for many players until its config file is edited (Steam discussion).

Design today

2.5/5

Controls feel awkward on a modern controller or mouse and keyboard
Keys cannot be remapped, orders must be queued around constant automatic pauses, and players say the controls take time to get used to. Source: pcgamingwiki.com, forceforgood.co.uk, steamcommunity.com.
Menus, text or interface are hard to read on today's screens
The game is locked to 1024×768, so menus appear tiny or stretched on modern screens, especially at 4K. Source: pcgamingwiki.com, steamcommunity.com, steamcommunity.com.
Saving is fair: free saves or frequent checkpoints, little lost progress
The game can be saved and loaded at any time, including in the middle of a tactical mission, so a lost fight can be replayed from just before it. Source: gog.com, steamcommunity.com.
Hard to make progress without a guide
A tutorial mission covers the basics, but Normal difficulty is harsh and unforgiving, and players recommend Easy and describe learning its systems through trial and error. Source: steamcommunity.com, steamcommunity.com.
Pacing drags: grind, filler or forced backtracking
Most of the game is spent on randomized missions that reuse a small set of maps, and base capture missions repeat until players tire of them. Source: steamcommunity.com.
Camera and movement never fight the player
Complaints about the tactical camera are isolated: one recent review grumbles about it, and a rare known bug that locks it facing north clears after saving and reloading. Source: steamcommunity.com, steamcommunity.com.