http://code.google.com/p/open-ig/

„Open Imperium Galactica (Open-IG) is an open source JavaTM reimplementation of the Digital Reality game Imperium Galactica, a popular real time space strategy game developed around 1996 in Hungary.

Open-IG attempts to mimic the original game as closely as it makes sense in 2011, while extending it with new features. The project contains all necessary files to run the Open Imperium Galactica standalone: there is no need for the original files.”

Gameplay from the version 0.71 (note that, the current version is 0.93 - almost Beta)

Installation:
1. Make sure you have Java installed (at least v6. Java 7 is recommended)
2. Download and run launcher.
3. Click on the first 'Install' button, below 'Game' and above 'MapEditor'.
4. Wait until it downloads the necessary files, then Start.
5. Have fun!

Theoretically it's platform free due to Java, but I could only play on Windows 7. Only the Menu appeared on Ubuntu 11.10.

Sounds interesting - I bought the original on budget a year after release or so but never really played it much although I had fun with it. Too many great games were released around that time and you know how it goes.

The original was quite unstable in DOSBox last time I checked - it used to be even unstable in real DOS from what I remember. DOS4GW errors all over the place.

Wow, fantastic! I've only played ImGal2, but I absolutely loved it. If this is anything like that, I should be in for a treat. Definitely checking it out.

Edit: Please tell me that the game also has an English version though.

Of course it has! English is the default version (intros only dubbed and subbed for english, the original records are hungarian).