Original War background
Original War cover

// Original War(2001)

total reviews
0
0
0
1

Scroll to load trailers

About Original War
An American geological expedition, under a UN mandate, assesses the natural resources in a distant part of Siberia, deep in the trackless steppes of Eastern Russia. But instead of oil, they discover a deposit of a hitherto unknown mineral. American scientists working for Department of Defense find out that this mineral is in fact identical to the substance used to power an extraterrestrial artifact in their possession. This object is called the EON (Extraterrestrial Object Nexus). It was found in 1919 by Colonel Emerson near the site of the Tunguska explosion. Emerson was the commander of a US military unit in charge of transporting US war supplies from the city of Vladivostok to the Eastern front during World War I. DoD Experiments have shown that items placed in the capsule are transported hundreds of thousands of years back in time. The American scientists were not able to understand its construction, nor could they manage to synthesize its fuel. Eventually, the machine - classified Top Secret - was stored, pending further advances in human science.
Release Date
Jun 15, 2001
Developer
ALTAR Games
Publisher
Bohemia Interactive Studio
//

Original War FAQ & buying guide

Is Original War worth buying?

Steam
95.02% positive
'Overwhelmingly Positive', 2,149 reviews
Metacritic
61
Critics (IGDB)
80/100
1 critic

Be the first to review Original War

What is Original War about?

The game's story revolves around an extraterrestrial mineral, Siberite, that can catalyze cold fusion and serve as fuel for an alien artifact. Siberite and the artifact - named EON - are discovered by a U.S. expedition to Russia during World War I. EON is revealed to be a time machine capable of sending objects into the past, but by the time of the discovery, Siberite stocks are exhausted and research stops. Then in the new millennium vast deposits of the mineral are found in Siberia, and Americans are able to extract enough of it for small-scale time-travel. The U.S. comes up with a plan to send a small force two million years back in time. There it will mine the Siberite and transport it over the Bering Land Bridge to Alaska, into what will one day be in American hands. The best troops are selected, briefed, and told that it is a one-way trip back through time. This results in a new time line with the mineral located in Alaska and the U.S. being the only undisputed superpower thanks to the inexhaustible source of energy. Here the time machine wasn't found by the U.S. but the Russians instead. The USSR fumes under American supremacy. Frustration turns to outrage when Soviet scientists find traces of American settlement and Alaskite, the source of U.S. power, in remote Siberia. A Soviet expedition is sent through the EON, here called TAWAR, to repel the American thieves and preserve what is rightfully theirs.

StrategyRTSSci-fiSingleplayerReal-Time with PauseTime TravelRPGIndie

Game modes: Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative

Quick answers

What is the cheapest place to buy Original War?

Right now the lowest price for Original War we're tracking is $1.70 at Kinguin โ€” 83% below Steam's $9.99. We compare 4 stores and prices refresh every few minutes.

What is the lowest price Original War has ever been?

The lowest price we've recorded for Original War is $1.37 at Kinguin on February 9, 2026. The current best price is about 24% above that low.

Is Original War worth buying?

95% of 2,149 Steam user reviews for Original War are positive ("Overwhelmingly Positive"). It also holds a Metacritic score of 61.

When was Original War released?

Original War released on June 15, 2001, developed by ALTAR Games and published by Bohemia Interactive Studio.

What platforms is Original War available on?

Original War is available on PC (Microsoft Windows). It supports single player, multiplayer, co-operative.

When do Original War prices drop?

Original War last hit a new low of $1.37 on February 9, 2026 at Kinguin. Current best price is $1.70. Prices on this page refresh every few minutes, so check back around seasonal sales for new lows.

Where's the cheapest place to buy Original War?

The cheapest Original War price right now is $1.70 at Kinguin, 83% below the Steam price.

Original War price comparison across stores
StoreDiscountPriceBuy link
KinguinBest priceโ€”$1.70Buy Original War at Kinguin
Instant Gaming-65%$1.84Buy Original War at Instant Gaming
Gamivoโ€”$2.04Buy Original War at Gamivo
Steamโ€”$9.99Buy Original War at Steam

All-time low: $1.37 at Kinguin on Feb 9, 2026 โ€” the current best price is 24% above it.

Prices in USD, refreshed every few minutes. Switch currency on this page for EUR/GBP/BRL and more.