Aug 1, 2018

ENDLESS™ Legend - Frogsquadron

Hey everyone, Endless Legend Inferno is coming to Steam this Thursday, August 2nd! We’re very proud to be collaborating with NGD Studios to bring a new life to a game that is so loved by our community. In case you’ve missed the big announcements, check out our previous blog posts, or better yet, read on as we will be showcasing some of the new stuff bit by bit.

DUST ECLIPSE OVERVIEW

The arrival of the Kapaku is marked by a strange new phenomenon in Auriga’s atmosphere. How are these two events connected, and what exactly are these “Dust Eclipses” that sweep the land?

Overall Rationale
Dust Eclipses are short periods of intense Dust activity over Auriga, but they are not as simple as just a new season. Instead of imposing restrictions on the players, we want to create new opportunities. New objectives are added to the map, rewarding players for being proactive, and new abilities are introduced to the existing factions, reinforcing lore and opening new strategies.

Dust Eclipses are not a new season, rather they are “breaks” during regular summers where new forces come into play. Effects that check for summer will still work during Eclipses, and likewise effects that only work during winter will remain disabled.

Dust Storms
Sub-Rationale
We have seen lots of talk among the community about adding Weather Effects on Land. However, there are so many layers of information already that adding a complex weather system like Tempest did would make the game too overwhelming. However, we want to try and meet these expectations halfway by introducing a temporary element to make “unmodified” terrain more interesting during the Eclipses.

Feature Overview
Dust Storms are mechanically similar to maritime Fog, swirling clouds of loose topsoil that hang in mid-air due to Dust saturation. They spawn with the onset of the Eclipse, and can cover any terrain that has no intrinsic map properties – That is to say, terrain that has no special Decals on the 2D Map.

Like Fog, Dust Storms block vision and grant Stealth to units standing in them. While in battle, units standing in a Dust Storm have increased Defense against ranged attacks, but also suffer an Attack reduction for melee attacks. With careful maneuvering, both sides of this effect can be used to the player’s advantage!

Map Boosts
Sub-Rationale
While trying to implement weather on land, we realized that placing static points of interest forced players to make awkward movement choices or force them to end their turn early in order to capitalize on the effects. So we decided to make a system where you can carry the effect with you.

Map boosts spawn in a pattern similar to Pearls, and provide an XP Boost and a buff to the army that picks it up. This buff stays on the units for the whole Eclipse. Rather than limiting movement, these effects reward players for moving quickly before their enemies can capture the effects for themselves.

Feature Overview
The Eclipse creates small swirls of “Dust Magic” across Auriga. At the start of an Eclipse, these “Confluxes” are selected randomly and the Boosts are spawned on the map. Armies that move over a Map Boost collect the effect for themselves, and become empowered with different abilities depending on the type of boost.

Confluxes have two effects, one that affects the army as it moves through the map and one that affects their combat prowess. There are different boosts that spawn on different types of terrain:

Nourishing Confluxes reduce Army Upkeep, and increase Health Regeneration.
Empowering Confluxes give Crushing, and increase Attack of units.
Swift Confluxes give +2 Movement, and increase Initiative.

Once acquired, boosts last for the remaining duration of the Eclipse.
Once the Eclipse ends, all effects on units, as well as boosts and spawn points on the map, are removed.

Once a conflux is picked up, the affected army carries a particle effect with them to indicate they are affected by the Boost. When splitting or merging armies, each unit is affected by the boost individually, and the Boost Effect particle will be displayed on the army pawn if at least one unit is affected by it. While in combat, the boost can be seen in each affected unit’s status.

Temple Searches
Sub-Rationale
The peculiar effects of the Eclipse seem to coalesce on the ancient Temples of Auriga. As an additional objective to pursue, Temples can be searched during Eclipses to gain bonus Bonus XP on the Army performing the search as well as a random reward from a curated droplist – again, regarding whoever gets to perform the search first.

Feature Overview
Highlighting the relationship between the Endless and the Eclipse, Temples become riddled with Dust during eclipses. During this time, players can investigate these ruins (Marked with a special effect on the map) to dispel these disturbances and collect bonus loot in the process. As each Eclipse begins, Temples become active again, allowing players to search them each time around.

Faction Effects
Sub-Rationale
We wanted to give each faction something new and unique to them, and using the influence of the Dust Eclipse allows us to dive further into their lore and gameplay options. Whether something new or an improvement to an existing ability, the Dust Eclipse brings new possibilities to all factions!

Feature Overview
For each existing faction in Endless Legend, we are adding a new power that becomes available only during the Dust Eclipse. Again, our intention is to force all factions out of passive play patterns and out into the map, so as much as possible we want to give Eclipse Effects that reward proactive gameplay.

Eclipse Effects are bound to the Faction Affinity, and as such are available to custom factions created with that faction’s affinity.

Wild Walkers have their senses heightened by the Eclipse, enhancing their bonds to Auriga to such extent that they have Global Sharing and reduced Movement Cost on Forests. This allows them to anticipate their enemy’s movements, and gives them the added mobility to react swiftly and meet them head on.

Broken Lords, uniquely attuned to shifting of Dust in Auriga, are able to harness the Eclipse’s power to increase the power of their armies, but at a great cost. Their units and heroes gain a new army action, similar to the Allayi Forced Shift, granting them a new capacity for a turn. This Consuming Fire increases the Damage of units by 30%, but causes the unit to take 10% of its maximum health as damage at the start of each combat turn.

Vaulters / Mezari can harness the power of the Eclipse to increase the accuracy of their Teleport. While the Holy Resource Boost is active During an Eclipse, units can be transported directly to a Vaulter or Mezari Hero’s Army – anywhere on the map. Instant reinforcements!

Necrophages will notice something some of the components of their Recycled Stockpiles are not as dead as they seem, receiving bonus Battleborns from Stockpiles. These not-so-fresh recruits receive all the applicable bonuses from buildings on the city, and make excellent last-minute defenses while the main army is away from the colony.

Ardent Mages, already uniquely attuned to Dust Magic, discover new depths to the power given to them through Ardent Fire. During an Eclipse, Ardent Fire provides bonus Damage as well as Attack, making their units even more dangerous while on low life.

Roving Clans may not be as fond of battle as other factions, but that doesn’t mean they are unable to take advantage of the unique opportunities of the Eclipse. Their Setsekes find the Dust-rich atmosphere invigorating, gaining massive stat boosts to Speed, Attack and Damage when packed up and on the move. Even while unpacked, their good spirits are infectious, providing cities a life regeneration area around them, similar to the effect found on Watchtowers.

Drakken Diplomats are able to take advantage of the general confusion and bouts of arcane mysticism the Eclipses bring to the other factions, and as such there are able to lean on others more easily, having Reduced Influence Cost for all Diplomatic Actions – Even Forced Truces and Alliances.

Cultists, on the other hand, spur the feelings of zealousness and fanaticisms that the Eclipses instill in Minor Factions as a sign from the Queen, giving all Minor Faction Units a Stat Boost based on City Level. This effect is similar to Unleash Potential, but multiplied by the City Center level of their Capital.

Forgotten can leverage the liquidity of Dust during an Eclipse to perform a unique Infiltration Action, Dust Opportunist steals directly from the coffers of the infiltrated faction. This action steals a small flat amount of Dust and a small Percentage amount of Dust from the target, meaning that it can bankrupt poor factions or produce large amounts of Dust by stealing from rich ones.

Allayi see this unnatural turn of events as a clear sign of Auriga’s last dying throes, and in this Time of Need they move swiftly to save her. All armies under their control gain increased Movement during an Eclipse, as well as an additional action point.

Morgawr are the only faction able to take advantage of the rough seas created by the Eclipse’s influence. As Riders of Wild Winds, they gain massive Embarked movement during an Eclipse.

The Kapaku, although strangers to Auriga, have a very keen sense of earthen energies. During Eclipses, they are able to sense the locations of Map Boosts in their settled regions and their neighbors’, and they receive increased effects from the Boosts they collect.

We hope you have enjoyed this first look at the Dust Eclipse. Tomorrow, we’ll look at the new Volcanic Terrain!

Aug 1, 2018

Inferno - Additional Free Update & Kapaku Faction

ENDLESS™ Legend - Ato

Hey everyone,

Endless Legend Inferno is coming to Steam this week, on August 2nd! We're very proud to be collaborating with NGD Studios to bring a new life to a game that is so loved by our community. In case you've missed the big announcements, check out our previous blog posts, or better yet, read on as we will be showcasing some of the new stuff bit by bit.

FREE UPDATE CHANGES AND ADDITIONS

First off, we're starting with an oft-asked question: yes, there are bug fixes in Endless Legend coming along with the expansion! What's more, in the tradition of Amplitude-releasing-things, these changes come for free. There's a much longer list that includes fixes, but these are the main important bits:

Changed savegame and map file extensions to prevent antivirus and firewall software from blocking their usage.
The game now supports Chinese, Japanese and Korean characters (modding only).
Changed the way cutscene subtitles are handled (they can now be modded).
Prioritized factions with special needs when choosing spawn positions to give them more chances of a good spawn.
Increased the AI priority of faction-specific military technologies for all major factions.
Cities traded with the Cultists are destroyed immediately as they do when conquered by force in order to avoid Cultist empires with multiple cities.
Break down of trait-based FIDSI output in tile tooltip for cases where a faction has multiple traits affecting the same currency output.
Added a notification when playing a new faction for the first time (Kapaku only, for now).

These changes should improve Endless Legend immensely, and solve some issues with returning players. The list including fixes comes on release date! Now let's move on to the new guys in town...

KAPAKU FACTION

Rescued from the brink of extinction after the invasion of their home world, the Kapaku were evacuated by the Concrete Endless and sent to Auriga. They were promised a new beginning on a new planet, but discovering the true intentions of their saviors will pit them against both Auriga’s current denizens and the dark remnants of the Dust Wars.

Overall Rationale

The Kapaku are tinkers and inventors, a race of craftsmen with powerful bonds to earthen energies. Small in size, their resourcefulness and skill led them to create powerful stone golems to use as labors and soldiers.

The Kapaku are a new race uniquely suited to the Volcanic Terrain, able to thrive off it where other races would struggle, and their symbiotic relationships with their golems allows them to exploit more resources more efficiently, fueling their machinery to turn Auriga into a new Volcanic Paradise.

Faction Affinities and Traits

Sub-Rationale

The Kapaku have a unique connection to the Dust Eclipses, borne out of their relationship to the Concrete. They are also very powerful on volcanic tiles and are able to create more volcanic terrain by “volcanoforming” the map, but require sizeable amounts of strategic resources to do so. Their perks should reflect these special bonds, while highlighting their skill as builders and artisans.

Feature Overview

The Kapaku Affinity is Born of Ash: They are able to gather food on volcanic tiles, but can’t get food on any other terrain. Due to their alien diet, they must char and burn what would otherwise be edible food for other factions, but can find ample nourishment in the ashes and minerals of volcanic tiles.

This affinity is complemented by a new capacity shared by all Kapaku units, Inner Fire. This ability gives Kapaku units additional bonuses both in and out of combat for fighting and ending their turn on volcanic tiles. Kapaku units gain bonus damage when fighting on Volcanic Terrain, and they are able to regenerate life normally, ignoring the penalty of Volcanic Terrain. Kapaku armies can also move over Lava Rivers without harm. Now if only there was some way to make more of a given type of terrain…

Fortunately for them, Kapaku have access to Volcanoformation, a powerful technology handed to them by the Concretes that can turn any terrain into volcanic tiles. They are able to use any strategic resource to create and stock Volcanoformers, which can then be placed by their armies anywhere on the map. After a few turns to power up, the device goes off and transforms the tile it’s placed on and all surrounding tiles to Volcanic-type tiles. Enemies can tamper and disable devices, so they must be careful!

In order to tame Auriga, the Kapaku will need as many resources as possible. To that end, they can rely on their Golems to exploit additional tiles for them through a Golem Camp. Camps are a special kind of extension that must be researched once the Kapaku have reached Era II. Each city can build one Camp anywhere on the region – even if it’s not connected to the city – and it will exploit the surrounding tiles as if it were a regular borough. Camps don’t level up nor contribute to leveling up districts, but can be broken up and relocated once the city catches up to them.

Through their voyage with the Concrete, the Kapaku became avid Stargazers, and as such have acute knowledge of the mysterious patterns of Dust Eclipses: They are able to predict them as accurately as the Allayi can predict winter.

Their encounter with the Endless has also instilled in them an Endless Fascination, and while exploring the many ruined temples of Auriga they gain new insights into their mysterious technology. Kapaku search parties gain a small Science boost when exploring ruins, and exploiting ruins yields bonus science.

A master craftsman wastes no materials, and the Kapaku are no different. After some careful study of their enemy’s fortifications (Available in Era III), they are able to apply their Siege Engineering knowledge to repurpose the rubble from felled enemy defenses into usable building materials. Siege Damage dealt to enemy cities is accumulated and converted into Industry Stockpiles.

Faction Heroes

Sub-Rationale

Kapaku Heroes embody the crafty and resourceful nature of their kind. Their capacities and abilities must reflect both their connection to volcanic terrain as well as their skill as tinkers. In order to make them stand out in spite of their small size, they mount large stone golem “beasts”, making them the first Cavalry Hero in Endless Legend!

Feature Overview

Kapaku Heroes have a lot to unpack in such a small frame. No wonder they ride around in such large golems! Let’s take a look one section at a time: Their Capacities, their Skill Tree and the Cavalry Tree.

Like all Kapaku units, Heroes have the Inner Fire capacity, increasing their damage while on Volcanic Terrain while in combat, as well as granting them Health Regeneration when ending their turn on it.

The Cavalry Class Skill Tree focuses on helping your army hit hard and fast. This helps shore up some of the shortcomings on flame units, that tend to be rather slow, but can be used to devastating effect as a hired hero for more offensive factions!

Battlefield Vantage: +5 / +5 / +15% Attack on Units on Army
Agile Mover: +1 / +1 Movement on Units on Army
Saddle Up: +1 Accessory Slot on Hero
High Strike: +10 / +10 + / 15% Damage on Hero
Practiced Strike: +5 / +7 / +15% Initiative on Units on Army
Stirring Dragoon: +1 / +1 Morale on Units on Army

The Faction Skill Tree for the Kapaku is tailored to provide positive interactions with the new elements introduced on this expansion, as well as helping shore up some of the difficulties that other factions may face when starting in a Volcanic Region.

Volcanology: +1 Food, Dust and Science / +2 Industry and +1 Influence on Volcanic Tiles
Heat of the Hearth: +2 / +2 City Approval per City Tiles on Volcanic Terrain
Blazing Ingenuity: +10% / +10% / +15% Science output on City
Reclamation Genius: +10% Retrofit cost reduction / Retrofit Anywhere.
Geomantic Wiles: +1 / +1 Strategic Resources on Deposits exploited by the City
Bloodboiler: +50% / +50% Attack on Units during a Dust Eclipse.

Faction Units

Sub-Rationale

The twin strengths of the Kapaku are their symbiotic relationship with their golems, designed to be powerful and durable, and their connection to earthen powers, that allows geomancers to buff their allies with the power drawn from where they stand.

While golems charge into battle and hold the front lines, geomancers must plan their movements carefully to place the right effect on their allies at the right time.

Feature Overview

Kapaku armies have three distinct roles to fill: The slow and durable Tier 1 Stone Sentinel marches forward to take the brunt of the enemy attack, while Kapaku support spell casters, the Geomancers, maneuver in the back lines to buff their minions. Meanwhile, the powerful Golem Riders can move ahead and attempt to flank the enemy or attack their ranged units using their powerful charge and sweeping attacks.

Stone Sentinels are the backbone of the Kapaku Army.

High Defense and Life
Low Attack, Initiative and Speed

Sentinels wield massive two-handed weapons: Claymores and Battle Axes. Being made of stone, it would seem their makers didn’t see fit to give them the self-preservation required to use a shield.

Sentinels have Inner Fire, are Disease Immune, and being Automatons have no army upkeep. However, given their relatively poor stats they require additional support from Kapakus or Minor Faction units in order to be effective in battle.

Geomancers are spell casters capable of hindering their enemies with their long-range attacks or place different buffs on their allies using the terrain where they stand.

High Initiative and Movement
Low HP

Geomancers are support units, able to debuff the enemy using Quarterstaves and Longscepters. They are Fast, and have Range 3 in addition to Inner Fire.

Their Geomancy capacity allows them to cast buffs on their allies based on the type of terrain where they stand, so careful maneuvering is key to make the most out of this units. Volcanic Terrain applies an Attack Boost on the unit, Forest and Frozen Spikes give bonus Initiative, and other terrains apply a Defense Boost. In order to clearly differentiate between these terrains, volcanic tiles have their own decal to be shown during battles (Like forests and frozen spikes) to make it easier to plan your strategy.

Golem Riders powerful cavalry units that charge into battle and are capable of wreaking havoc in the enemy lines, softening them up for the advance of the Sentinels.

High Attack, Defense and HP
Average Damage, Low Initiative

Golem Riders can attack from their mount using Longspears, or they can just rely on their mounts' powerful Claws to take care of their enemies. They have several staples of Cavalry Units, such as Fast and Charge, but their Inner Fire combined with Circular Attack make them very dangerous to tightly packed enemies. Properly supported, these behemoths can end battles before they really start.

We hope you have enjoyed this first look at the Kapaku faction, and that you are eager to learn more about the changes and fixes coming to Endless Legend!

Source

Jul 26, 2018

Endless Space 2 and Endless Legend to get new expansions in August

ENDLESS™ Legend

You wait all day for a Fire Ship and/or Dreadnought then two come along at once. Amplitude Studios has unveiled new "major" expansions for both Endless Space 2 and Endless Legend. Both are due on August 2.

Which is one week from today. Lovely. Let's have some trailers, then we'll talk to the nuts and bolts. First, Endless Legend Inferno.

Second, Endless Space 2 Supremacy.

Working alongside NGD Studios—the folk responsible for the Master of Orion reboot—Amplitude has added the Kapaki, a Lava Biome and Dust Eclipses to Endless Legend via Inferno. Forced to leave their native volcanic homeland, the former are determined to set up shop among the ash, fire and ruin and are billed as a "crafty new faction of tinkers and inventors."

The fiery landscape isn't exactly brimming with life, but is ripe in industry, science, dust and volcanic anomalies—which is where Dust Eclipses come in.

"In these new events, you’ll notice the skies darken and the atmosphere become thick with Dust," explains publisher Sega. "Now, in normal conditions, this would be a pain, but Auriga is special, and these Dust infusions will create short-lived 'Dust Confluxes' all over the map, bestowing a temporary boon to whichever army reaches them first."

Onto Endless Space 2, and The Hissho mark Supremacy's newest major faction. Having first featured in the original ES, the group's central feature is Keii, "or honor", that powers special abilities and can boost systems and fleets mid-battle. Keii is replenished through combat, which leads Sega to say: "space is about get a little bit rowdier." The Hissho also bring minor faction Illo to fight—machines said to be "hell-bent" on eliminating the weakest species of war.

Supremacy also brings with it a new ship type for all factions. Here's more on The Behemoths:

Ever wished for a gigantic ship that was customizable to your specific purposes? Wish no more! These gigantic ships are remnants of the mysterious Endless era, providing significant economic or scientific boosts, and can be customized into “Obliterator”, “Juggernaut”, and “Citadel” specializations. The Hissho start the game with one they’ve just awoken, and the rest of the players can catch up through a cooperative quest.

Again, both Endless Space 2 Supremacy and Endless Legend Inferno land on August 2. Available on Steam, pre-orders cost £9.89/$11.69 (ten percent off) each, or £17.58/$ 20.78 (20 percent) when purchased together.

Apr 3, 2018

The best 4X games on PC

Sid Meier's Civilization® V

Welcome to our round up of the best 4X games on PC. Ever since the term '4X' was coined for the original Master of Orion, we’ve been Exploring, Expanding, Exploiting, and Exterminating our way through fantasy, history, and the depths of space. The genre has seen something of a renaissance in the last half decade, and while it’s great to have options, there’s also a lot to sort through.

Not every 4X game is for everyone, so we’ve taken a look at all the major players to enter the stage in recent years and why you might, or might not, want to play them.

Dominions 5

Let's start with an unusual one. Dominions 5 is a 4X game about warring gods and their fantastical armies. You start by designing your deity, which could be a raging dragon or a mystical inanimate rock. Turn by turn you muster armies, recruit wizards to research apocalyptic magic spells, and fend off the attentions of other pretender gods.

Dominions' visuals are... old school, let's say. You need to dig into the community and get some decent user-made maps but, once you've done that and scanned the manual you'll find a detailed strategy game that generates mad stories. I'm used to controlling spaceships and cavalry in 4X games, only in Dominions can I send an alliance of satyrs, wyverns, elemental spirits and ghosts off to fight some atlanteans. The AI is easily to beat once you have played a few games but the game thrives in multiplayer about other people.

Who's it for: Players happy to get past primitive visuals to unpick a detailed magic system and command dazzling and varied factions.

Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion

A unique blend of 4X and RTS set in space, Rebellion is more fast-paced than most of the games on this list. It’s a standalone expansion, but also the definitive version of Sins currently available—so you don’t need to worry about grabbing the original to have a good time.

Who it’s for: Existing RTS fans who want to branch out into 4X, and players who like to get to the action fast and maintain a challenging pace. This one may be a little chaotic for the turn-based armchair generals of the world.

Fallen Enchantress

This turn-based fantasy 4X revolves heavily around Hero characters and a faction leader called a sovereign who can go on RPG-style quests and be used in many aspects of empire management, not just limited to combat.

Who it’s for: Classic RPG fans will feel right at home with the quest system, and the customizable fantasy armies are likely to appeal to tabletop miniature painters of the Warhammer and Hordes persuasions.

Endless Space

One of the most intriguing aspects of the universe in which Endless Space (and its sequel) are set is the mythology behind it. Much revolves around the ancient empire known as the Endless, and the quasi-magical Dust they left behind.Who it’s for: A good all-around entry level space 4X that will also challenge experienced players, and holds added appeal for anyone who wants to unravel facets of a mysterious, pre-written story while dominating the galaxy. It’s also available for beans now that ES2 is in Early Access.

Sid Meier’s Civilization 5

If we could crown a king of 4X, Sid Meier’s Civilization would have little competition for that throne. Taking one of an armload of civilizations from the ancient to the modern age while competing for various victory conditions, this is the series that has championed the genre for years.

Who it’s for: Even with Civ VI out, Civilization V frequently goes on sale for absurdly low prices, so if you’re not sure you’ll like the series and just want to try it out without dropping the full $60 on the new one, by all means take advantage. It’s certainly an excellent, entertaining game in its own right, particularly with the Brave New World expansion. Plus, the mod scene is excellent.

Europa Universalis IV

While most of the other games on this list put you in a randomly-generated world or galaxy, EU4 is built on an extremely in-depth recreation of Earth between the years of 1444 and 1821. You can lead any nation on the planet, from France to the Comanche, through centuries of colonization, exploration, and technological discovery.

Who it's for: Considering it’s the highest review score I’ve ever given out, it’s almost easier who to ask who it’s not for. The complexity of the simulation and sprawl of interlocking systems for trade, war, and diplomacy might intimidate newcomers to 4X and grand strategy, but EU4’s interface and tooltips do an excellent job of helping you wade into the shallow end and get a feel for the water.

Eador: Masters of the Broken World

Taking the role of a demigod battling others of your ilk for control of the shards (all that’s left of the eponymous broken world), Eador is another 4X game that’s hard to categorize. It features 4X, RPG, and board game-like, tactical turn-based elements.

Who it’s for: Eador’s greatest strength might just be how different its setup is compared to most other 4X games. The breaking of the game world into shards, which each behave like a smaller version of a strategic map in a game like Total War or Crusader Kings, means you’ll enjoy it if you’re looking for something a bit different than the standard map conquest or flipping largely static planets in a vast expanse of space to your color.

Sid Meier’s Civilization: Beyond Earth

Taking the Civilization formula into space, Beyond Earth casts you as the head of one of the first human colonies on an alien planet. You guide its development and compete with other colonial concerns using mechanics that will feel highly familiar if you’ve played Civ 5.Who it’s for: Beyond Earth is, in my opinion, a bit of a misstep in the Civ series, lacking elements that drive its siblings to success. While it has some cool things going for it, like a nonlinear tech system that allows you to evolve your futuristic technology in a number of distinct directions, it ultimately feels like a high budget Civ 5 mod that didn’t hold my interest for more than a couple dozen hours.

Endless Legend

Similar to its sci-fi counterpart Endless Space, the unfolding fantasy epic of Endless Legend takes place in a richly realized world with character and backstory to spare. Civilizations are highly customizable, and each presents distinct opportunities.

Who it’s for: We awarded Endless Legend a Commendation for Design in 2014. It has its foundation in the time-tested elements that make 4X what it is, but is unafraid to build on and remix them in ways that will especially interest long-time players who might be suffering from genre fatigue. Beyond that, anyone just wanting to explore a rich and interesting new fantasy setting won’t be at all disappointed.

Warlock II: The Exiled

Warlock is pretty close to what I’d imagine a well-done fantasy overhaul of Civilization might look like. It makes good use of neutral factions on the map to be more than just an early-game annoyance.

Who it’s for: Due to its relative simplicity and adherence to genre norms, this is a fairly welcoming first step for those wanting to branch out into fantasy 4X from other subgenres. It also has a sharper sense of humor than its more dour, grandiose counterparts like Endless Legend and Fallen Enchantress.

Distant Worlds: Universe

Allowing you to discover the stars in a pausable, real-time galaxy, Distant Worlds features one of the more robust models of a civilian economy (which can run on auto-pilot while you handle the political stuff) I’ve seen in a 4X game.

Who it’s for: Aside from just being an overall well-designed 4X, Distant Worlds will have a special appeal for those who like to focus on exploration. This is because it really succeeds where so many other sci-fi games have failed: it makes space feel really, really big.

Star Ruler 2

Similar to Sins of a Solar Empire, Star Ruler 2 is a bit of a 4X/RTS hybrid. It boasts quite in-depth systems for diplomacy and planetary development.

Who it’s for: This one skews toward the higher end of the complexity scale, and the sheer amount of fine control you have over its systems might be intimidating to newcomers. If you’re looking for gigantic, animated space battles, however, it may be worth your time to wrap your head around it.

Galactic Civilizations III

Galactic Civilizations has cemented itself as the other 'blockbuster' contender in the 4X space, and GalCiv III is the most polished and extravagant entry to date.Who it’s for: If you’re sick of cookie-cutter victory conditions, one of the most positive changes GalCiv 3 made to the series’ formula was turning victory into a set of objectives you can pick and choose from. So even two different runs going for the same victory condition might look different.

Stellaris

Stellaris takes Paradox’s historical formula and blasts it to the stars where you’ll manage military, political, and economic aspects of your space empire.Who it’s for: Fans of historical grand strategy will feel at home in Stellaris, but for those used to more traditional 4X, it takes some getting used to. There’s a much heavier focus on politics, with elements like your form of government and the will of your citizens playing a large role.

Master of Orion

The most recent in the lauded Master of Orion series doesn’t do much we haven’t seen before, but it plays the old hits well and wraps them in stratospheric production value and some big name sci-fi voice talent.Who it’s for: Despite being so new, MoO is bog standard 4X. Not much has changed here since its 1996 predecessor other than the graphics. That does make it a nice starting point for total newbies, but the real draw is hearing John de Lancie lament the war that's brewing between his empire and yours.

Endless Space 2

Endless Space 2 builds on some of the best ideas of its predecessor, this time crafting more unique story content for each of the distinct interstellar empires.Who it’s for: It shouldn’t surprise you at this point in the list that connoisseurs of interactive storytelling should jump for anything that says 'Endless' on it. Endless Space 2 is also arguably a better starting point for newcomers than the first one, as it’s made lots of improvements to your ability to access important, contextual information.

Sid Meier’s Civilization VI

Civilization VI emerges from its chrysalis to reveal the most transformative and fresh take on the series in its storied history. Also, it has Sean Bean.

Who it’s for: Just about anyone who enjoys turn-based strategy. It presents lots of new challenges and opportunities even for the most weathered series veterans, but also remains among the most inviting 4X games for first-timers.