Paradox Interactive announces that Sword of the Stars II: Lords of Winter has launched, and Kerberos Productions' space-themed 4X strategy sequel is now "available on all major digital download portals." This release trailer offers a look at the game, and here's a bit from the announcement:

Sword of the Stars II is the sequel to the cult strategy favorite Sword of the Stars and continues the franchise emphasis on meaningful strategic choices, thrilling space combat and galactic conquest in a universe rich with personality and history.

The races from the first game have now established themselves in small empires in the stars, but new challenges and new technologies await, as does an ancient enemy from the past that you can call on to buttress your alliance – if you dare.

Sword of the Stars II: Lords of Winter has an entirely new graphics engine to make its real time space combat come alive. Navigate your fleet in battle in a 3D environment that lets you target your enemy's weak spots, dealing crippling blows with carefully prototyped standard vessels or massive starships.

The strategic layer adds provincial management to help you keep an eye on the big picture as your empire grows. Your civilization develops with you, and the choices you make will determine what kind of government your citizens live under. The tech tree you can research is never exactly the same from game to game, ensuring tons of replayability even on identical maps.