Does anyone else have this game? If not I massively recommend it for all fans of strategy gaming, especially turn-based space strategy.

This game is everything that the space stage in Spore should have been (though it's less pretty, that also means that it has extremely low system requirements).

Potentially massive games (the largest map sizes are HUGE), amazing customisation ability (you can build your own ships and download ships that other people have built), really clever AI that doesn't just cheat as difficulty levels rise, but rather uses more advanced algorithms (feels like you're playing against real people. Smart real people), okay graphics (though nothing to write home about), okay diplomacy. No multiplayer, though I can't really see how multiplayer would have worked with the way this game works.

The original game is fairly old, there are two expansion packs that massively upgrade it, including the graphical interface. A new "Ultimate Edition" has just been released, which includes the original plus all the expansion packs, plus a few extra tweaks to the game, for £17, so if there's any time to buy the game it's now lol.

The developers have also become my favourite in the industry. None of this DRM crap. The game works without the disc as standard, and the only thing you need the CD key for is updates (of which there are many). They actually encourage modding of the game (There's a Stargate mod that looks interesting...) and host them on their own site, as well as work with mod creators. The updates they make for the game are the result of the game forums on their site, where they actually listen to what the fans say and react.

So yeah, Stardock ++

For more detailed reviews about the actual gameplay, see Here.

 

Hey I have that game. It did not work that well on my last computer, But I have not loaded it on my new machine.

Certainly one of the best 4x in space games since Masters of Orion 2.

 

I've got it, also got Sins of a Solar Empire also by Stardock which is a bit different.

I don't really like it that much as a strategy game. I've done a few multiplayer games with housemates over LAN and it just doesn't really work that well imo, the turn based element combined with the distances ships can travel in one turn without you being able to automatically intercept them pretty much ruin the militaty side of it. Its good fun until you get into an actual large scale war where the mechanics totally let it down I think.

Sins of a Solar Empire is much much more fun for militaty strategy in space however the economic side is pretty non-existant. Unfortunately it tends to be a little unstable over LAN and likes to crash, but is very very very fun in big fights. Unfortunately more often than not that game descends into ONE huge fight where the fate of the universe is decided, you try to avoid the fight as much as possible but eventually it gets to the situation where you have to commit to the battle and the enemy is in the same situation and it descends into who has the most/better ships in the endgame. A lot of fun to watch the battles (awesome graphics) but after you lose such a decisive battle its often impossible to turn the game around.

There's almost no scope for asymmetric warfare in either game which sucks.

 

^ Mainly what Maro said.

I'll debate what he said about the big battle, though. Once you get to a certain point in a fairly even game, the outcome is determined by which side has to throw the first punch. Forcing the enemy to come after you in a heavily fortified orbit gives you a slight edge, I find. Static defenses are still useful in space combat? Who'd have thought it.

I had more fun with Sins, but Gal Civ is definitely the game I go to when I'm looking for a more in-depth and involved strategy game.

 

Yeah, Sins looks interesting but I'm not sure it would work on my laptop (GalCiv makes it overheat as it is lol) and it seems like it lacks the depth that GalCiv has.