4x games and alike

[Zorder]

So after beating XCOM: EU I kinda felt like going back to strategy games and I just upgraded my Civ 5 to Gold Edition. Also I have Hearts of Iron 3 laying on my Steam library just waiting for me to give it a shot. Meanwhile I'm kinda interested in Crusader Kings 2 which from what I heard it's a very good game with tons of depth into it. I also always wanted to get more into 4x space strategy games and I have kept an eye on Endless Space and Sins of a Solar Empire Trinity and Rebellion. Since Sins of a Solar Empire Trinity is on sale I decided to make this thread and ask some advice from you guys, and maybe any hardcore strategy fans out there. What are your thoughts about the Sins of a Solar Empire games? Which one is better? Or do you guys think that you think Endless Space and/or Galactic Civilizations 2 has more potential? Can you even compare these games to Civ 5 or even Hearts of Iron 3 and Crusader Kings 2? Give me your thoughts if you please.

Crusader Kings 2 is not really a 4x but it will suck your life away like one! Its a grand strategy game, same as Hearts. Its more about rulers and marrying of daughters for alliances and all that intrigue. It has some conquering, but its usually caused because your step son, broke from an alliance and you realise you can take over Spain because of your grandson was married to the right person. I love the game. Only some of the dlc is good, and you should get Sword of Islam and Legacy of Rome. I haven't got Republic yet, but it adds a whole new way of playing, you can play as merchant families, and take over holdings etc. Islam and Rome add new features that you will miss if you don't have it. There is a huge amount of depth to it. I have spent 10 generations or so, starting out as Leinster, and taking over Ireland and now I am King of Ireland, King of Wales, King of Scotland and moving south to England to unite the Ilses.

Endless space is very good, but weak. I really enjoy it, but it has issues in depth. It doesn't have the depth of Civ, you expand, and research but never exploit. There is no real bad planets, just different ones, and as you build improvements on a star system rather than each planet you never really have to worry about which improvement to build, they are all pluses really. Its had to screw up your systems, and as some who loves the building up and exploring part of 4x games, it feels weak.

Gal Civ 2 is great, lots of depth, its Civ 4 in space. There are some weak points but not many. If you want a space 4x this is the one.

Sins is a big RTS with 4x elements, its all real time, and about building massive armadas and invading, not really my thing so only played a little. It does it very well, so if you love fighting, its great!

One that you haven't mentioned that might be worth a look, if you can get it on sale is Fallen Enchantress Its Civ meets Heroes of Might and Magic, it has its bugs and issues, but the game is fun and solid. Tactical battles where you control the heroes, sprawling cities that grow the more you build in them, quests and fantasy setting.

There is also the Total War series of games, the campaigns are detailed and hard, the graphics stunning, the battles are real strategy and engaging. I would go with Shogun 2 first then Empire or Napoleon. I have 610 hours on Empire, my best game was taking 56 provinces, in 60 turns with Great Britain on very hard.

I LOVE 4x and strategy games! One I like the look of thats coming soon is Divinity - Dragon Commander You play as a commander that oversee the expansion of an empire, you play cards in provinces and control the strategy side, oh and you you are dragon with a jet pack and nukes and can enter the fight your self!!

[Zorder]

Well I just managed to grab CK2 and some of it's DLCs (but not Sword of Islam, Republic and Legacy of Rome) pretty cheap on SteamTrades. I'm really looking foward into getting into it.

As far as Endless Space goes, I heard mixed things about it. Some people say it's a good game but doesn't really provide much depth compared to other space strategy games but it's a good game to get into the genre.

I'll probably grab Galactic Civilizations 2 on Steam on the next sale since it drops the price about 75% usually or maybe on a future IndieGala, I think it will eventually pop up on an IndieGala because Gal Civ 1 was on the Colossus bundle.

I'm actually really ashamed of myself but I honestly thought that Fallen Enchantress was Tower Defense game, don't know why. It seems I confused it with Shad'O for some reason, I'll have a look at it.

As far as Total War goes I was never into it since it's more combat orientated in some way. I guess the only chance I get into that series is if Warhammer 40k Total War becomes a thing.

About Divinity Dragon Commander well, I first saw its trailer on the TGS Podcast but it didn't really caught my eye but you know, you play as a dragon... with a jetpack so... who knows!?

Don't worry about the dlc for CK2, the main is very very good. There are guides on the steam forums if you get stuck. Remember its all about the intrigue, if you lose the claim to something and end up as a vassal, consolidate, build up your money, and try get an ally and press back with mercenaries when you can take something. If you hire the mercs, he won't have them available. Also put aside a few hours for your first play, if you get sucked in, you'll be gone for hours

I really wish there was more in this genre. Especially in the swords and knights era, Rome 2 is coming soon though

[PlayerReview]

jury is still out on best 4x space game although most say either sots or galciv2 (both in my backlog) - i have started sins of solar empire: rebellion, but haven't had a chance to really play.

80 minutes into ck2 (only dlc i have is Sword of Islam) and haven't finished the tutorials somehow (think i must have left computer in-game when i went afk).

my favorite 4x games have been Alpha Centauri, civ series (favorite is civ IV - go Spock!) and Rome:Total War as well as Medieval 2:tw (tw doesn't have as much exploit as it used to).

You have inspired me to play some more sins of solar empire: rebellion tonight since i have barely played it.

Here is my favorite GalCiv2 Steam community screenshot.

[Zorder]

lol @ that pic
And also, thank you for reminding me about Alpha Centauri, I have that one laying around.
I guess I'm gonna start saving for the next Steam sale and get all those including the main DLCs for CK2 and maybe even the XCOM DLCs even though they are really overpriced, my wallet will be mad... real mad...

[Zorder]

Apparently this is coming to Steam today. According to the website it has been kickstarted and funded via the Desura alphafunding section but I never heard of this untill now. Was anyone aware of the existence of such thing?

http://www.stardrivegame.com/

Zorder wrote:

Apparently this is coming to Steam today. According to the website it has been kickstarted and funded via the Desura alphafunding section but I never heard of this untill now. Was anyone aware of the existence of such thing?

http://www.stardrivegame.com/

I have seen bits of it, but I wasn't it a position to hit it up on kickstarter, it looks promising.

I had a lot of fun with UFO: Afterlight until it basically got so difficult I could no longer progress.

You can get the UFO trilogy for $20 on GG. I'd recommend it for anyone looking for some more games in the genre; that said, I have only played the last one (Afterlight).

[Zorder]

I have Afterlight on Steam but haven't felt like playing it. I'll probably grab Aftermath and Aftershock on GOG in the near future. I wonder why Afterlight got removed from Steam, I never found an official statement from the devs themselves, I tried checking the official forum but it seems to be down.

Zorder wrote:

I wonder why Afterlight got removed from Steam, I never found an official statement from the devs themselves, I tried checking the official forum but it seems to be down.

That's strange... I hadn't even noticed. Can people that already own the game continue to play it?

I wonder what's going on.

[Zorder]

I assume you can still play it and as long as keys go, I got one gifted to me about 1-2 weeks ago and by then the game was already off the Steam Store so I guess you can still both play it and use Steam keys that are still around from one of the IndieGala's.

[Zorder]

http://forums.amplitude-studios.com/content.php?263-Virtual-Awakening-Release-notes
Looks like I might be grabbing something tomorrow...

[Zorder]

After barely playing over an hour of Endless Space and having no idea what I was doing I realized how gorgeous the soundtrack is. You can check it out over here.

Yes the soundtrack and visuals of Endless Space are gorgeous.