Endless Space

 PC
User Score
7.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 566 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 345 out of 566
  2. Mixed: 151 out of 566
  3. Negative: 70 out of 566

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  1. kazi
    Jul 6, 2012
    8
    A great game, but there is a lack of depth when you reach high-level play. It's still a lot of fun though, I suggest purchasing it.

    This game is easy to learn, and easy to master. Don't get me wrong, it's amazingly fun to play. Even if you've never played a 4X game before, I can guarantee you will like this game. Nevertheless, once you grasp the basic mechanics, Endless space is not    A great game, but there is a lack of depth when you reach high-level play. It's still a lot of fun though, I suggest purchasing it.

    This game is easy to learn, and easy to master. Don't get me wrong, it's amazingly fun to play. Even if you've never played a 4X game before, I can guarantee you will like this game. Nevertheless, once you grasp the basic mechanics, Endless space is not quite as deep as it seems. Combat/ship design is rather rock/paper/scissors-ish. Upon colonizing a new system, I will always build the same improvements over and over again. Diplomacy is rather simple. There are very few ways to play this game, but somehow it's still very enjoyable. The GUI is amazing, and tooltips make the game very approachable. The game is actually quite beautiful. Whenever I start a game, it is very difficult to stop playing.

    This game is both enjoyable and addictive, although is very simple gameplay-wise. If you buy it, you won't regret it. Just don't expect deep strategies or tactics. You will use the same strategy EVERY TIME.    … Expand
  2. Major_Death
    Jul 6, 2012
    6
    I am surprised at the number of 10's this game is getting. It's not a bad 4X game, but its not an outstanding one either. The combat system is bit pot luck, and the lack of ingame info is very frustrating. I get the feeling we will see more features as the game gets patched.
  3. Vasot
    Apr 30, 2013
    5
    AWFUL BATTLE SYSTEM THAT COMPLETELY RUINS A MAJOR PART OF THE GAME The battles are pre-render boring cutscenes and you have to use cards in battles. Why they made the battle system into something like Yu-Gi-Oh is beyond me. Tthe battles are a complete turn-off from my point of view As for the rest of the game (economy, colonization etc) fortunately it is better but everything you do inAWFUL BATTLE SYSTEM THAT COMPLETELY RUINS A MAJOR PART OF THE GAME The battles are pre-render boring cutscenes and you have to use cards in battles. Why they made the battle system into something like Yu-Gi-Oh is beyond me. Tthe battles are a complete turn-off from my point of view As for the rest of the game (economy, colonization etc) fortunately it is better but everything you do in the game feels like a chore somehow. After playing some hours i got bored with the game. Does not have the same kind of addiction like MOO2 had it becomes "stale" after playing some hours with it… Expand
  4. clayesterling
    Jul 5, 2012
    9
    Space turn-based strategy.

    It hasn't been out long at this point but I'm thoroughly enjoying it so far. It feels very clean and crisp (bug free - though I know the forums have reported at least one substantial bug). Yesterday I couldn't help but fall into a '1-more-turn' trap, similar to Civ of old. I found myself up until 4AM the day until I finally passed out at the keyboard. The    Space turn-based strategy.

    It hasn't been out long at this point but I'm thoroughly enjoying it so far. It feels very clean and crisp (bug free - though I know the forums have reported at least one substantial bug). Yesterday I couldn't help but fall into a '1-more-turn' trap, similar to Civ of old. I found myself up until 4AM the day until I finally passed out at the keyboard. The planet/system improvements are well done, the technology trees are massive and interesting, the hero experience system is rewarding and fun. I really enjoy getting a new technology for weapon/armor upgrades and then retrofitting my fleet. The combat system leaves a little to be desired. You can select Auto or Manual whenever a battle is initiated. Auto - the computer sims the fight. Manual - You select 3 different actions that play out in order (some actions counter other actions, but overall this feels pretty random). This is minimal though, and can still be fun when you guess the right counter actions to your enemies actions. I recommend this one if you're in the mood for some turn-based strategy fun.    … Expand
  5. BlueAardvark
    Jul 14, 2012
    2
    The Steam video was impressive, lots of action, the promise of a really good space adventure comparable to Masters of Orion from years back. I bought the Deluxe version with the Dreadnaught and off I went to play... end turn... end turn... end turn... end turn... end turn... The strategy is limited to researching terraforming techniques to inhabit other systems in a land grab, thenThe Steam video was impressive, lots of action, the promise of a really good space adventure comparable to Masters of Orion from years back. I bought the Deluxe version with the Dreadnaught and off I went to play... end turn... end turn... end turn... end turn... end turn... The strategy is limited to researching terraforming techniques to inhabit other systems in a land grab, then building endless numbers of disposable ships to wage a 'rock, paper, scissor' battle where the resolution is painfully simplistic and offers little for interaction to the outcome. The races are somewhat different technically, but offer no real interaction that makes Amoeba's different from the Humans. No voice overs, no videos, very 1990's interaction. Shipbuilding is limited to an 'auto-upgrade' feature, anything less and you are not effectively utilizing the capacity/firepower ratio that ultimately determines victory or defeat. If you are looking for a fun space adventure game, keep looking. $34.99 wasted, I've seen better facebook games that do the same thing, for free.… Expand
  6. HARALD
    Jul 5, 2012
    10
    4x space strategy game for people who love strategy. This is the best sci fy 4x game since master of orion 2. For me find the combat a tad bit poorer then moo2 but this game deserves to be named in the same sentence. I played this game from alpha to beta and now as a release, and I have enjoyed playing the game from day one. The feeling that each game is unique makes you feel that you are4x space strategy game for people who love strategy. This is the best sci fy 4x game since master of orion 2. For me find the combat a tad bit poorer then moo2 but this game deserves to be named in the same sentence. I played this game from alpha to beta and now as a release, and I have enjoyed playing the game from day one. The feeling that each game is unique makes you feel that you are playing a new game eache time you play. The different races gives the game also different flavor which for makes hours and hours of fun. As if that was not enough to make you buy this game ill add something more. The game is working stabile and has very few bugs, and you don… Expand
  7. JranZu
    Jul 6, 2012
    3
    I found the game very inanimate, while the graphics are not bad, they are not great either. The game play is stagnate with only a minimal amount of feeling. There are other games out there that do everything this game does and more; I feel like the time and money I put into this were wasted.
  8. TsukasaHiiragi
    Jul 27, 2015
    4
    Unfortunately ES isn't a very good 4x strategy game, playing it more only reveals all the major flaws of the game, however one major aspect of any 4x game is decently programmed AI, and that is something Endless Space doesn't have at all, since the AI is poorly programmed and starts with more or less infinite bonuses and the ability to do things the player can't - the outcome of the gameUnfortunately ES isn't a very good 4x strategy game, playing it more only reveals all the major flaws of the game, however one major aspect of any 4x game is decently programmed AI, and that is something Endless Space doesn't have at all, since the AI is poorly programmed and starts with more or less infinite bonuses and the ability to do things the player can't - the outcome of the game almost always leans in favor of the A.I winning no matter the difficulty setting, unless the player has enough experience to know all the aspects of the game, knows the skill tree and how to get important research done first and of course, the player gets an almost legendary start.

    Even on the easiest of difficulty settings, the A.I can still easily beat a skilled human player because of the boosted AI stats. Not to mention, throwing almost endless high powered fleets of ships if war is declared against the player and to add further insult, knowing almost intimate information about the players empire so it can attack your weakest points at any time, like many 4x games - basically the AI is programmed to cheat since thats the easiest way to program an AI to give a human player a challenge, even on the newbie difficulty A.I difficulty makes me want to face palm. I'd like to know how its possible for an A.I player with a couple of planets to have nearly double the score I have sometimes when I have nearly triple the star systems, wonders and a large fleet of ships?

    Some would say its a "Smart A.I" but there is a difference between a proper smart A.I and one that has been programmed with cheap bonuses that more or less gives it a clear winning edge against the player. Also, I think the galaxy map isn't big enough, the so called "Huge" map feels quite small by comparison to other 4x space strategy games with maybe less than a 100 star systems without mods. Many of the good mods unfortunately break the game completely as they haven't been updated, these mods we're perhaps the saving grace of the game but now its more or less been abandoned.

    Like someone commented, this game seems to be better played co-op against A.I players. Single player just isn't worth your time, especially if your a 4x fan - ES seems to be more like a zerg rush than empire building, which weakens the gameplay considerably - so the title really should be changed to Endless Zerg or Endless Fleets.

    I think the premise of the game is fairly good, the graphics, sound - all that is fine. The problem really lies with the execution of the gameplay, thats where it falls down. I think a sequel that fixes all the major problems the original has would be a good contender for the top 4x space strategy title, but they need to fix a lot of problems and make sure they don't make the same mistakes.

    4x space strategy is about expansion, empire building - in a nutshell turtling out your empire, building fleets - defending choke points - exploring the galaxy. ES does this, but in such a way it all takes the back burner, the galaxy without 'working' mods is way too small - The AI cheats too much to make the game fun or interesting, so a sequel needs better programmed AI without infinite bonuses or other stupid stuff.

    Overall, 4/10
    Endless Space isn't 'terrible' per say, but AI does heavily let the game down. GalCiv remains the king of 4x space strategy games. I'm glad I got this from the Humble Bundle sale, I would never pay full price for this. I would like to see a sequel to see if they can improve the game.    … Expand
  9. Rylan
    Jul 8, 2012
    6
    A particularly unengaging turned based strategy game which fails to deliver. The menu's, whilst crisp and clean, are unhelpful and confusing and the labels shown on new research skills provide little help as to what each actually provides. The control interface is counterintuitive and sluggish.

    The most important thing is that, for a strategy game, it is completely devoid of that. For    A particularly unengaging turned based strategy game which fails to deliver. The menu's, whilst crisp and clean, are unhelpful and confusing and the labels shown on new research skills provide little help as to what each actually provides. The control interface is counterintuitive and sluggish.

    The most important thing is that, for a strategy game, it is completely devoid of that. For the first 60 turns the only option is to colonize everything in site and the next 60 turns is spent building as many ships as you can to steamroll your opponents employing any other tactic.

    The space combat is dull and the camera spins around with little to no focus on what is actually happening and the Rock Paper Scissors gameplay adds little to the zergfest. Whoever has the most ships wins in almost all cases.

    Perhaps with much more content added this game will make something of itself but right now it's too much "End Turn" and not enough gameplay.    … Expand
  10. Leonius
    Jul 9, 2012
    6
    This game is way too simple and the tech tree needs some balancing too, whit some tech pretty much useless. I did liked it, but after the first game it gets boring really fast. What really left me disappointed were the "battles". You can "control" your ships choosing a battle card that has almost none impact on the battle, you can' t really control anything. The battles are slow, boring,This game is way too simple and the tech tree needs some balancing too, whit some tech pretty much useless. I did liked it, but after the first game it gets boring really fast. What really left me disappointed were the "battles". You can "control" your ships choosing a battle card that has almost none impact on the battle, you can' t really control anything. The battles are slow, boring, and you don' t really have time to choose the best card, you have to pick one, hoping. Yes, the game has pretty good graphics, and it' s one of the few games with a turn-based gameplay, but the combat is unbalanced (lasers are OP, along with missiles) and you can' t really customize your ships, it' s all about putting your best techs. When I played, let' s see, in MoO2, I customized my ships in order to give a role to every ship, but in endless space support ships go front line, exploding after few shots. Also the planet management is quite a mess, and you don' t know what will happen unless you do it. Also I have seen many people comparing this game to MoO2, and I can assure you that Master of Orion is on a higer level. The best part about this game is its price.… Expand
  11. Bobchillingwort
    Jun 29, 2013
    4
    Purchased the game on Steam sale recently after hearing a lot of hype. Endless Space looks pretty- the graphics a good for an indie title, and the menus have a pleasingly clear aesthetic. Unfortunately this title fails in some fairly basic areas of the 4X genre.

    First of all, the game does a poor job of explaining game mechanics to you, optional tutorial notwithstanding. It is    Purchased the game on Steam sale recently after hearing a lot of hype. Endless Space looks pretty- the graphics a good for an indie title, and the menus have a pleasingly clear aesthetic. Unfortunately this title fails in some fairly basic areas of the 4X genre.

    First of all, the game does a poor job of explaining game mechanics to you, optional tutorial notwithstanding. It is difficult to tell how much food you need to a planet to add a new population point, or when your borders will expand (and by how much), or even how missile weapons actually work (the game's description is misleading). There is no in-game 'Pedia, but rather a link to the fan-made Wikia, which is out-of-date on some topics and useless on others.

    Second, the combat system is awful. As many people have commented here, a lot of it comes down to guessing the correct cards to counter the AI and loading your fleets with energy weapons and heroes. There is some strategy in the form of ship load-outs, but even that basically boils down to "lots of lasers & some defensive modules". Invading planets is a hideously boring affair, where you camp above AI worlds for potentially dozens of turns (and at least four), fending off the disposable fleets the computer pulls from its ass. Far too much is automated, leaving the player with little to actually control. Apparently the new expansion pack (from a different studio) resolves some of these issues, but I am not particularly inclined to invest 10 more bucks to make the combat system enjoyable.

    Finally and most egregiously, there just isn't a whole lot to do in the game. Even on a large map you'll expand to a half-dozen or so systems and then find your only options are to sit around teching for eternity or build up enormous fleets to take on an AI which hates to make peace, gradually wiping out one faction after another. If battles were more enjoyable to fight you might want to go after other empires for the sake of combat, but it's a mostly joyless affair. There's nothing much to explore once you've colonized your core systems and met your neighbors. Really, it ought to be called "Empty Space".    … Expand
  12. Osmium
    Jul 29, 2013
    4
    As much as I want myself to actually like this game, I just cannot really get myself to give it another go. Being a big fan of space strategy (or 4x) games and having played for around 30 hours, I find the game mediocre at best. The start is extremely slow and tedious. The starting position in this strategy game and the first hour of gameplay basically defines if you will have a chance toAs much as I want myself to actually like this game, I just cannot really get myself to give it another go. Being a big fan of space strategy (or 4x) games and having played for around 30 hours, I find the game mediocre at best. The start is extremely slow and tedious. The starting position in this strategy game and the first hour of gameplay basically defines if you will have a chance to prosper or fail miserably. Also, I found yourself confronted with an AI that clearly cheats so hard in this game (starting from "normal" difficulty, everything below is pointlessly easy) it makes you feel absolutely incompetent. Fighting and invading usually comes down to who has the bigger fleet, which in turn comes down to who has the bigger empire. The slow pace, the weird balance due to AI cheating, the boring combat system, and the somehow lifeless and uninspired presentation made this game a disappointment to me.… Expand
  13. Flatroy
    May 19, 2014
    9
    This game like Civilization 4 in space. Beautiful graphic, good game play; at first glance difficult, but not really, with the constructor of ships, and with lots of technologies and capabilities to win...
  14. krkbomb
    Jul 14, 2012
    5
    It wasn't terrible. Neither was it very good. The "simultaneous turn-based" gameplay makes absolutely no sense. I cannot imagine the clusterF*** that is in multiplayer. Pick one or the other, please. The interface is clean and good-looking, but cumbersome to use for repetitive tasks. Also some very weird design choices, like severely penalizing expansion... Isn't expansion the POINTIt wasn't terrible. Neither was it very good. The "simultaneous turn-based" gameplay makes absolutely no sense. I cannot imagine the clusterF*** that is in multiplayer. Pick one or the other, please. The interface is clean and good-looking, but cumbersome to use for repetitive tasks. Also some very weird design choices, like severely penalizing expansion... Isn't expansion the POINT of these games? 0.o

    No campaign to speak of (yet?). Complete fail for me personally. I'm sure a lot of bored 4X addicts will be interested for two hours before some flaw pisses them off.    … Expand
  15. Shadowbane
    Dec 3, 2012
    5
    This review is only of Single Player.

    I am going to start this review off by simply going through a match adding in the ups and downs. You begin by going through and either picking a race to play or creating your own. I found the premade races to be a bit generic, with only a few fresh races. Upon creating m own race I ran into m first few disappointments. 1st: Your race will have the    This review is only of Single Player.

    I am going to start this review off by simply going through a match adding in the ups and downs. You begin by going through and either picking a race to play or creating your own. I found the premade races to be a bit generic, with only a few fresh races. Upon creating m own race I ran into m first few disappointments. 1st: Your race will have the generic ship look of one of the premade races of your choice. You will not get to customize your races ships past conforming to a premade race style. Also your picture/portrait will also have to be a premade races portrait. Both of these things slightly irritated me from the start as my United Federation of Planets had no style of it's own. Moving on during race creation there is a ton of traits/skills/cultural things you can add to your race or take away. You can also use this system to give advantages or disadvantages to your home planet. I found this system to be very creative and well though up. You can even going into the negative in some aspects to get a higher bonus in others. Getting into the game I noticed the GFX were ok, the menu system and interface was easy enough to use as well. The tutorial while somewhat bland did indeed show me the basic ins and outs of the game systems. I will also add that the story line was non-existent. You just in a galaxy with a whole bunch of races who apparently just want to beat the other race or something. You then start playing with a couple ships to colonize and scout other systems out. One of the first positive things I found was that if you had a colony in a system you could use that planet to colonize other planets in the same system this is a boon as I would not have to build a ship for each planet. Early phase of the game is basically a scramble to colonize as many systems as you can, and to explore as much of the galaxy as possible. Each solar system that has not been explored by any factions has some sort of exploration event. These events tended to bore me as I seemed to always get the same one aka finding another scout ship out of magic land. Also it is worth noting when you meet another race early on you start as cold war status. This basically means they kill every ship of yours they see until you or them research peace through the research trees. Some reason every1 is just out to kill each other in this galaxy for no reason. During the mid game you will be focusing on upgrading solar systems and planets. Every planet can be exploited in one way be it for food (farms) labor (factory) money (called dust, and you never get a good explanation of exactly what it is) or science. Solar systems get a large amount of upgrades that require money, and labor. You can unlock better planet exploits and better solar system upgrades through the research trees. During mid game you are bound to get into combat. There is always one race that hates you no matter what, and you will be forced to smash their face or give them something for peace (even if your stronger) First off let me tell you there are only 6 ship visual designs per race. There is absolutely no ship visual custom designs. So no matter what you watch the same 6 ships no matter what weapons or armor you put on them. During combat you can see the different weapons in action, but this only amounts to a different color missile or a blue laser instead of a green. The combat is visually appealing, but slow and tedious. When you go to war and you have 4+ battles each turn you will quickly learn to hit the auto button (Might I add the auto fight still takes about 45 seconds of watching a blue bar fill). The combat system used cards to attacks/def bonuses. You opponent can counter your cards with their own. You start with about 6 cards and more can be researched through the tech tree. This system while original is utter horse **** So many times I went into a fight with a superior force only to be countered every time by the computers cards and loose my fleets. Also you only have 30-45 seconds to pick your first card, you don't have enough time to make a correct choice before the battle begins and you miss out. It boils down to pick as fast as you can and prey. The research trees are my next topic. To be frank it blows. Research is all over the map. If you want better weapons do down the combat tree, if you want bigger ships you gotta go down the exploration tree. If you want more ships in a fleet to kill your enemy with number you gotta go down the diplomacy tree..... What this amounts 2 is you either balance you tech out and play the same way every game of you get stomped. If you focus your combat weapons and def you will get destroyed by bigger ships in larger fleets. If you focus on big ships, you will be destroyed by larger fleets of ships with better weapons. If you just want large fleets then you will die to bigger ships with better guns.    … Expand
  16. 7_12
    Jul 8, 2012
    8
    This game has a great interface which makes it very accessible, clear-looking and easy to play. Good graphics and design choices also add to it's charm. There's plenty of room for strategic and tactical thinking in this game. On the downside, I would mention the lack of personality in terms of in-game lore and flavour stuff like videos or even text. This doesn't help one get attached toThis game has a great interface which makes it very accessible, clear-looking and easy to play. Good graphics and design choices also add to it's charm. There's plenty of room for strategic and tactical thinking in this game. On the downside, I would mention the lack of personality in terms of in-game lore and flavour stuff like videos or even text. This doesn't help one get attached to the game universe. Minus for this and minus for rock-paper-scissors too fast-paced combat. Still, one has to remember Amplitude Studios is not a major developer and this is their first project. Considering this, and their approach to the game's development and interaction with fans and feedback, I can only applaud and praise them.… Expand
  17. AngleWyrm
    Jul 30, 2012
    6
    A goat in a pretty dress. GUI: In the trade screen items are listed for trade. But clicking on them often brings up an error message "trade refused. Reason is it contains an item you clicked". AI: The computer player frequently loses without any assistance, suffocating under the financial burden of many planetary upgrades that have no value or relevance to the planets they were put on.A goat in a pretty dress. GUI: In the trade screen items are listed for trade. But clicking on them often brings up an error message "trade refused. Reason is it contains an item you clicked". AI: The computer player frequently loses without any assistance, suffocating under the financial burden of many planetary upgrades that have no value or relevance to the planets they were put on. There is also no visible reaction or interaction with the player, it simply goes about it's private business of expanding and conquering worlds. So designing a rock-paper-scissors ship to defeat an opponent is a one-shot affair, with no counters forthcoming. Ships can be revamped at any colony shipyard; there's some needless restrictions on the number and naming of ship classes, which doesn't change the game play at all. The game is over after 20-30 turns, when it has become clear that you have completely outclassed all enemies. Then the rest of the time is spent on a long and dreary mop-up. Some bizarre penalty structure is applied to the player for early expansion because it is the winning strategy, which fails to alter the winning strategy. Overall, it can be enjoyed as a learning experience, an exploration of a new game for 10-20 hours. But I don't see any reason to play it again.… Expand
  18. Darvon
    Jul 11, 2012
    6
    It's fun for a while, but has very little staying power compared to other 4x games. Feels like playing a beta test with a untenably unworkable AI. The hardest difficulty in the game can be thoroughly beaten after only a few games due to poor AI choices, and multilayer synchronous turns and lack of cheat protection mean that it is a poor substitute for single player.

    Worth picking up    It's fun for a while, but has very little staying power compared to other 4x games. Feels like playing a beta test with a untenably unworkable AI. The hardest difficulty in the game can be thoroughly beaten after only a few games due to poor AI choices, and multilayer synchronous turns and lack of cheat protection mean that it is a poor substitute for single player.

    Worth picking up if you like Space 4x games, but don't expect more than 30 hours game play out of it.    … Expand
  19. anagain
    Jul 14, 2012
    5
    Endless Space is fun for a time but it lacks that final punch and most of this is down to depth. There's really not enough of it. The galaxy is small, even on the huge setting, and the tech tree, whilst looking large, is more often filled up with technical babble. You can fill the whole tree without a lot of effort. Just to emphasise my point about the galaxy size, I was quite surprised toEndless Space is fun for a time but it lacks that final punch and most of this is down to depth. There's really not enough of it. The galaxy is small, even on the huge setting, and the tech tree, whilst looking large, is more often filled up with technical babble. You can fill the whole tree without a lot of effort. Just to emphasise my point about the galaxy size, I was quite surprised to find, in my latest game, that I had explored almost the entire galaxy and found little more, if indeed, than 24 planets. I'd recommend Endless Space to those fans of 4X that like their games quick; those games where you don't have to trundle through turn after turn before you get to the middle game meat. There's a lot of promise here but it's just not deep enough. I'd actually lump this game in as a crossover between turn based 4X and a puzzler. You have to pick your expoansion path carefully and can block other empires if you get it right.… Expand
  20. xian
    Jul 17, 2012
    5
    Ascendancy - I was looking for a 4X game like that classic from 1995 when I bought Endless Space. Now I'm somewhat dissappointed.
    The interface is crisp in Endless Space. Clear cut information, good tool-tips, self-explaining symbols and most of the time a good layout. Feels like a fresh, well though out game that is easy to get into and not easy to get out of because like in every    Ascendancy - I was looking for a 4X game like that classic from 1995 when I bought Endless Space. Now I'm somewhat dissappointed.
    The interface is crisp in Endless Space. Clear cut information, good tool-tips, self-explaining symbols and most of the time a good layout. Feels like a fresh, well though out game that is easy to get into and not easy to get out of because like in every turn-based 4X you can settle just one more system and research just one more tech. But after a while you notice this smell and you start the wonder why you are playing this. The rotten parts of the game come to your attention: Huge tech-tree? Missle1, Missle2...Shield1, Shield2... The numbers go up, the gameplay and even the graphics stay the same. There is no satisfaction in building your new ship with fancy weapons when it looks and fights just as the old one. Are the fights nail-biting and challenging? I set them to auto-resolve 15min into the game - boring card drawing system that takes forever. The boring fighting system is a huge turn-down because in SP you will have to grind through endless amounts of ai fleets that like to suicide into your fleets. That turns out to be a problem because there's only enough space for one fleet at a time to attack in "Endless Space". The highest ai difficulty is called "Endless". That probably stands for 'endless' amounts of metal they can send into your meat grinder and still not win because you can still outexpand, outtech and outsmart them. You spent 5min clicking on auto-resolve when playing against the ai at higher levels. Multiplayer is a little better but still not good. Don't attack the host. When he leaves the others have to remake the game. I didn't encounter crashes or major bugs in my game. That's what pulls up the rating for me a little. You can't expect that anymore at release nowadays.
    Endless Space is not a bad game but there is no way this is a 10 like many people here rate it. Only buy it if you're desperate for a 4X game and don't expect too much complexity.    … Expand
  21. Calico01
    Jul 6, 2012
    6
    Although ES has some promising features, it also lacks a lot in several departments. Balancing, AI, some Bugs and Ingame-Help haven't been finished until release, which makes this a rushed release. The general "feel" is that has a clean look, graphics are good and the game is fun to play.... for some time. Don't expect to much of it, it's ok for it's price. But it's no AAA title and likelyAlthough ES has some promising features, it also lacks a lot in several departments. Balancing, AI, some Bugs and Ingame-Help haven't been finished until release, which makes this a rushed release. The general "feel" is that has a clean look, graphics are good and the game is fun to play.... for some time. Don't expect to much of it, it's ok for it's price. But it's no AAA title and likely will never be one, even when Amplitude continues the development for some months.

    It lacks the one distinctive feature that can make a Indie Game a huge hit: serious Innovation.    … Expand
  22. TotalBiscuitXXX
    Jul 7, 2012
    8
    Surprising refreshment of the genre in what was a slow previous year for 4x games. Pros
    * A smart game. Non-cumbersome user interface. * Visually attractive solar system & seemless graphics. * Fairly unique to the genre battle system. * Wide range of game options. Disadvantages * Diplomacy is a slight pushover (i need to look this up as its likely my perception or difficulty settings or    Surprising refreshment of the genre in what was a slow previous year for 4x games. Pros
    * A smart game. Non-cumbersome user interface. * Visually attractive solar system & seemless graphics. * Fairly unique to the genre battle system. * Wide range of game options. Disadvantages * Diplomacy is a slight pushover (i need to look this up as its likely my perception or difficulty settings or settings in general) * Spammy fleets (i think i'll get used to its style) >>>>>>> *!* When I say disadvantages its just something that springs to mind, as I know amplitude will change, as they are puring 1000x of themselves into this game. *!*    … Expand
  23. Sigmar2408
    Jul 6, 2012
    9
    There has been a lot talked about the disappearance of the 4X-genre especially in round based space games. The genre-kings on which most people would agree were Ascendancy and Master of Orion 2 back in 1995 and '96 and a lot of "heirs to the throne" showed up afterwards. But as most of these follow-ups like the Galactic Civilization Series, Imperium Galactica or Sins of a Solar Empire wereThere has been a lot talked about the disappearance of the 4X-genre especially in round based space games. The genre-kings on which most people would agree were Ascendancy and Master of Orion 2 back in 1995 and '96 and a lot of "heirs to the throne" showed up afterwards. But as most of these follow-ups like the Galactic Civilization Series, Imperium Galactica or Sins of a Solar Empire were great games of their own, nothing feels more like a "true" descendant to especially Master of Orion 2 as Endless Space. Of course, different aspects as the interface or the space battles added with action cards can't be count towards the classic points that made the genre so addictive, but they are both great new introductions to a new game feeling in the genre. Endless Space has a lot of things it does quite good and some things that could be made slightly better as well. Starting with the negative points, the AI has its flaws every now and then (although just according to some weird tactics, to that the player sometimes just has to adapt to), the micro-managing in fleet structure could be optimized and some translation fixes are still to be done.
    After all, the game as it was still in alpha and beta status looked polished and more finished even before release than some games don't do after months. When you watch the forum, you see a lot of ideas developer's take from the community, you have votes about new game features and permanent communication about problems or things that could be added into the game.
    The strength of the game is its motivational curve (with that well-known "just one more round"-feeling), the replayability with 8 races and the option for development of your own race as well, the perfect systems- and colony management, a great UI with its possibilitiy to have a complete overview of what's going on just one mouse-click away, a tech-tree with lots of different ways to play the race the way you want (through warfare, technological superiority, extremely fast expansion or just economical dominance) and so on...
    So after all Endless Space is just a classic (nonetheless modern), fun and deep game for all you 4x-nerds out there...and all others who just enjoy well designed games!    … Expand
  24. yourwhitenoise
    Jul 6, 2012
    9
    Endless Space harkens back to classic 4x strategy games such as Master of Orion and the Civ series. In many ways, it is a love letter to 4x fans--its development was directly influenced by them! From start to finish, it is obvious the game was crafted with a lot of love both by the devs and the community. Is it the greatest 4x game ever made? Not yet. If its initial development was anyEndless Space harkens back to classic 4x strategy games such as Master of Orion and the Civ series. In many ways, it is a love letter to 4x fans--its development was directly influenced by them! From start to finish, it is obvious the game was crafted with a lot of love both by the devs and the community. Is it the greatest 4x game ever made? Not yet. If its initial development was any indication, however, it has a bright future of content additions ahead of it.… Expand
  25. Kanazawa
    Jan 27, 2013
    5
    It's okay. Really there's just not anything special about this 4X game. I wanted to enjoy it, but it ended up being really repetitive once I got the hang of the game. The same strategies are usually used to win every game, and there's not much difference. The maps are too small even at the largest size. I wish it were more entertaining, but it feels like it's missing too much.
  26. kgsodie
    Jul 10, 2012
    9
    This is a great game, make no mistake. It is not perfect, as very few games are, but it gets many, many things right. First, the bad: I've been a strategy board gamer since the Avalon Hill days and the combat system in Endless Space just isn't quite Gold Standard. In a complex game, the combat needs to be lively. It doesn't need to be complex, but there should be a greater degree ofThis is a great game, make no mistake. It is not perfect, as very few games are, but it gets many, many things right. First, the bad: I've been a strategy board gamer since the Avalon Hill days and the combat system in Endless Space just isn't quite Gold Standard. In a complex game, the combat needs to be lively. It doesn't need to be complex, but there should be a greater degree of strategy and tactics than long/medium/short range battle selections between 2 individual fleets. I understand the desire to simplify, but this goes too far. It's not as horrible as other reviews state, it's simply, well, too simple. To be fair, this isn't a straight war-game, it's much more an empire building game for which the designers elected to go with simplified combat. Fair enough, doesn't break the game by any stretch. I do wish you could speed up the combat results, once the cards are selected. A choice between the provided full-auto and full-manual selections. As good as the intuitive interface is (more on that later) some things are missing. Browsing through the wiki clears most questions up, and I hope elements so of the wiki make it into the game. It's nice to peruse the tech tree and see a tech that opens up a class of ship, but it would be even nicer to know what the class of ship is before you research the tech. And now the good: Addicting gameplay. Intuitive interface that is just the right way to do it. Pop-up help everywhere, links to what is going on in the game pop-up as event happen, etc. Replayability is excellent - try the different races, experiment with different victory conditions, try different galaxy sizes and civ mixes. It just goes on and on. Knowing what to research and in what order, how to improve a star system, which ships to build and how to outfit them - these are all decisions you can tailor to your specific play style. Lots of different builds work, and very few decisions you make are game-enders. Some players may not like this, as they may prefer a 'perfect' order for things, but I think it is a strength. The 'perfect' order is for you to decide, out in the endless space.… Expand
  27. Tridus
    Aug 15, 2012
    8
    I wouldn't give this game a 10, but I understand why some people are. The 4X genre is starved for good games, and most recent entrants have been half-baked buggy disasters. Endless Space is polished and plays well. Gameplay wise, Endless Space is really a game about two phases of play. The early game is great. Exploration is tricky. Some planets are hard to colonize. Keeping people happyI wouldn't give this game a 10, but I understand why some people are. The 4X genre is starved for good games, and most recent entrants have been half-baked buggy disasters. Endless Space is polished and plays well. Gameplay wise, Endless Space is really a game about two phases of play. The early game is great. Exploration is tricky. Some planets are hard to colonize. Keeping people happy on a budget matters. You don't want to lose ships. Leaders are highly valuable. In the late game a lot of that changes, however. Colonization is cheap. It's dirt easy to keep everyone happy. Resources flow freely, even at low tax rates. Production rates get so high on good systems that fleet spam becomes a huge problem. Ship design at that point also becomes about glass cannons or guessing games between which weapon he's using right now, and picking the right defense for it.

    That said, those are balance issues and the core game here is fun. It needs some tweaks to become "great", but is already "good" today.    … Expand
  28. Quellor
    Mar 18, 2013
    5
    I've purchased the game, based on some user reviews and the video content of game play. From what I see, it's a turn based game similar to Civilization 3. No graphic display of combat. I'm a bit disappointed and I feel a bit mislead by the video with regards to fleet combat. Combat is a bit like some card based game, use hero cards mixed with action cards and boom, win or lose after aI've purchased the game, based on some user reviews and the video content of game play. From what I see, it's a turn based game similar to Civilization 3. No graphic display of combat. I'm a bit disappointed and I feel a bit mislead by the video with regards to fleet combat. Combat is a bit like some card based game, use hero cards mixed with action cards and boom, win or lose after a click. Some of the game shows polish with art and concept, but there is no game beyond micro managing star systems and Pokimon style combat. I choose you Defence Frigate, use tactic 1 for +10% combat strength and use Captain card for a +15% bonus. Lets see, looks good, click and lose... Just glad it was on sale.… Expand
  29. karmasleeper
    Aug 14, 2012
    7
    As a gamer fairly new to the 4x genre, I found Endless Space a great introduction. The mechanics are easy to grasp and the game becomes less intimidating the more you play. Unfortunately, a couple annoying flaws prevent it from standing out. The developer has admitted the game is not a finished product and I can only hope they dedicate themselves to continued improvement of a promisingAs a gamer fairly new to the 4x genre, I found Endless Space a great introduction. The mechanics are easy to grasp and the game becomes less intimidating the more you play. Unfortunately, a couple annoying flaws prevent it from standing out. The developer has admitted the game is not a finished product and I can only hope they dedicate themselves to continued improvement of a promising title. One flaw is the enemy AI. It will frequently amass huge fleets in one or two systems and do nothing with them. The AI does not actively challenge the player as he or she grows an empire across the galaxy map. The more your empire expands, the more your populace becomes unhappy. Even if you are playing an expansionist or militarist faction, you suffer an enormous approval penalty for growing your empire too quickly. Many people have complained about fleet combat because players have very limited control over it. Once you engage an enemy fleet with one of your own, your fleet attacks on its own. You have three rounds of combat to play a tactics card that gives you bonuses and rock paper scissors counters to other cards. You have no direct control over fleet movement or attack during combat. Personally, I don't mind this as it simulates managing an empire from afar and leaving the dirty work to the admirals. You can customize ships with technology that forms another rock paper scissors mechanic. Admittedly, I have not played multiplayer, but I am thinking it is probably a lot more rewarding than playing against the AI. If you're new to 4x games, I would recommend Endless Space. If you're a veteran looking for a new, engrossing experience, you might not find what you're looking for. The game is a good amount of fun, rewarding (if only for a while), and a nice segway into games like EU3, GalCiv2, and Victoria.… Expand
  30. jmc8888
    Aug 5, 2012
    10
    There are different types of 4x games. Some are turn based. Many where you control the ships in combat. All of this is great. But haven't you ever wanted to build your empire and ships, and watch the battles instead of feverishly clicking around with your mouse? There has to be a game that eventually comes out like that right?

    Well now there has. Endless Space is a cinematic 4x    There are different types of 4x games. Some are turn based. Many where you control the ships in combat. All of this is great. But haven't you ever wanted to build your empire and ships, and watch the battles instead of feverishly clicking around with your mouse? There has to be a game that eventually comes out like that right?

    Well now there has. Endless Space is a cinematic 4x empire builder. The ship customization is pretty good as you get to choose what type of weapons, defenses, etc that you earlier researched to put on your ship (classes also researched). Also fleet size can be upgraded. So you start off with small ships with a few weapons, and can end up with lots of ships and more weapons (or a ton of crappy weapons if you want to see a venerable light show). The angles of the cinematic battles is pretty good. They could of botched this badly, but they did it quite well. Could be a little better, but still does well. They could patch in more cinematic screens or make it better for a sequel. But for now, it is quite fun to watch. Needs a little more variety, but they can add on to this later.

    This is a new type of 4x, and the point is, as it's patched and/or the series progresses, this new sub-genre will get better. I like variety in my 4x games. I don't want them all being clones of each other. This accomplishes that, and lays the ground work for a branch of the 4x genre.

    The upgrade tree is vast. Don't grow too fast in the game empire wise. There are techs to upgrade to mitigate the 'empire expansion' disapproval factor. You don't need to colonize everything first. Get the bigger solar systems with five planets, and/or the ones with extreme resources. I think this is a great game. A fresh and needed look at the 4x genre. Seriously I've been waiting for a cinematic space battler for a looooooonnnnnggg time. Finally one is out there. Buy it and enjoy a new sub-genre. You'll have your Sins. You'll have your Galactic Civ. You'll have your other. Now you'll also have your cinematic 4x in Endless Space.    … Expand
  31. Exclave
    Jul 26, 2012
    8
    This is a pretty good 4X game. I can't wait for the mods to come alive with custom races and technologies. There are certainly areas that could use a bit of polishing, but compared to many other, this is a diamond in space... A slightly discolored diamond, but a diamond non-the-less.
  32. Fritzworth
    Aug 14, 2012
    8
    As a long-time (decades) 4x game player, I was very impressed with the quality of ES when it was still in its alpha version. Its main flaw (common in 4x games) is lack of a compelling narrative to carry you through to the endgame. Still, I've put in over 200 hours on this game (thank you, Steam, for reminding me) since first downloading the alpha version, I am particularly impressed byAs a long-time (decades) 4x game player, I was very impressed with the quality of ES when it was still in its alpha version. Its main flaw (common in 4x games) is lack of a compelling narrative to carry you through to the endgame. Still, I've put in over 200 hours on this game (thank you, Steam, for reminding me) since first downloading the alpha version, I am particularly impressed by the clean, smooth, consistent user interface. And while some have criticized the combat system, I rather enjoy it, and I find it has subtleties and balancing aspects that casual reviewers overlook. A fun game -- and that's what games are all about, isn't it? ..fritz..… Expand
  33. danbolivar
    Aug 15, 2012
    9
    Honestly the people whom are complaining about this game, simply haven't grasped it's intricacy.
    This is what MOO should have always been.
    There's one reviewer who said battles are «pot luck» yeah sure, if you don't do them manually! With the right number of properly armed ships, a well trained Hero and well selected card tactics one can take out far greater fleets 10    Honestly the people whom are complaining about this game, simply haven't grasped it's intricacy.
    This is what MOO should have always been.

    There's one reviewer who said battles are «pot luck» yeah sure, if you don't do them manually!
    With the right number of properly armed ships, a well trained Hero and well selected card tactics one can take out far greater fleets 10 times as powerful as the one you take up against them___this isn't a pot luck formula, it takes wit and strategy. This game has the incorporated mechanics to grant you the right tools to use strategy.

    I LOVE IT!    … Expand
  34. greywolf00
    Jul 28, 2013
    8
    Best space 4X game I've played since GalCiv 2. My only major complaint is the AI, it's terrible. Even on normal difficulty the AI gets artificial boosts to make them "competitive" with the player. The combat system is different, basically rock paper scissors. Everything counters 1 other card (resulting in a boost), and is countered by one. I was pleasantly surprised to see the AI seems toBest space 4X game I've played since GalCiv 2. My only major complaint is the AI, it's terrible. Even on normal difficulty the AI gets artificial boosts to make them "competitive" with the player. The combat system is different, basically rock paper scissors. Everything counters 1 other card (resulting in a boost), and is countered by one. I was pleasantly surprised to see the AI seems to learn from the system and adapts its strat around your habits.… Expand
  35. KongMinZi
    Mar 6, 2013
    9
    I think this game is perfect choice who want to pursue realistic SF. For example, 'Sin Of Solar Empire' and 'Galactic Civilizations' are not realitstic SF 4X games but RTS that mix some 4X. This game is not warfare game. This is real 4X game and you need some skills of diplomacy and management. I hope that 'Sins Of Solar Empire' learn this game and next one maintain balance.
  36. iThirst
    Dec 13, 2013
    10
    Do you like composing your own unique race, building vast empires, playing the complex game of politics, and waging war with obscenely customizable fleets of ships? I know I do, and Endless Space pushes all those buttons just right.

    There are so many options that the game can seem intimidating at first, but the UI is incredibly user-friendly and easy to navigate while the game comes in    Do you like composing your own unique race, building vast empires, playing the complex game of politics, and waging war with obscenely customizable fleets of ships? I know I do, and Endless Space pushes all those buttons just right.

    There are so many options that the game can seem intimidating at first, but the UI is incredibly user-friendly and easy to navigate while the game comes in varied difficulty from granny mode to juggernaut levels of play. You're not going to understand the whole game at a glance, so if you're looking for something no more mentally challenging than an FPS, this is not the game for you. However, once you do grasp it, it provides you with the tools to play the game in new and creative ways every single time.

    Since its original creation this game has been updated and expanded(mostly free of charge) into something far superior to the original product. Critics rightly pointed out the flawed combat, semi-bland universe, and wildly unbalanced starting situations in multiplayer. However, every single one of these problems has been thoroughly handled by the devs at Amplitude. The universe is still not top of the line in terms of interesting story-telling, but the combat has been fleshed out to an absurd level and the unfair luck of the early game has been almost entirely eliminated.

    In short, if you like 4X strategy games, get this one. It's currently the most solid one on the market due to the horribly botched coding of Civ 5. If you don't like them, don't bother, this game is 4X to the core with nothing particularly unusual to offer a player who doesn't care for the genre.    … Expand
  37. dam1730
    Jun 5, 2013
    3
    Endless Space is one of those games that I think where you are going to love it or hate it. There are a lot of problems that I have with this game. First of all, the attempt to mix real time strategy with turn based strategy was a failure with having all players take their turns at the same time. This mechanic makes pursuing enemies extremely frustrating as you will attempt to move toEndless Space is one of those games that I think where you are going to love it or hate it. There are a lot of problems that I have with this game. First of all, the attempt to mix real time strategy with turn based strategy was a failure with having all players take their turns at the same time. This mechanic makes pursuing enemies extremely frustrating as you will attempt to move to there position and they will simply move toward you somehow going through your fleet. Secondly, there is an amazing lack of depth to this game. The different races really lack personality. The whole game really lacks personality. The launch price for this game was $30, however I believe this game looks like a $5 to $10 game based on the graphics quality and the attention to detail. The combat mechanic on this game really seals the deal for this being a below average game. The settlement elements, technology research, empire management, and and fleet construction are all poor, but that could have been made up for if the combat mechanics were interesting, challenging, and exciting, unfortunately this isn't the case. The whole system is basically a luck of the draw system. You pick a card and if it matches up well against the card the AI chose, your fleet will do well in battle, if it doesn't match up well, then you don't do well. There really isn't any strategy of any kind to the combat.… Expand
  38. capitalship
    Jul 6, 2012
    10
    Start by saying i've been playing these 4x games for a very long time. I have to give this game what it deserves, a solid hard earned 10. This is certainly one of the better ones to come around in a long while. Super smooth interface, very nice graphics, the planets and ship models are just gorgeous. One of a kind cinematic combat that let's you select tactical cards to really impact theStart by saying i've been playing these 4x games for a very long time. I have to give this game what it deserves, a solid hard earned 10. This is certainly one of the better ones to come around in a long while. Super smooth interface, very nice graphics, the planets and ship models are just gorgeous. One of a kind cinematic combat that let's you select tactical cards to really impact the battle. The most bug free game released in a don't even know how long, they even beat Blizzard on this. Depth and more depth, tech tree is amazing so many techs. Each start is so very different and random thanks to the large amount of options and fully random galaxies. You never know what you will find in the systems, some worlds have artifacts, luxuries, ruins, asteroid belts. Systems can have 1 or up to 6 planets. Straight forward ship design makes it easy to get in and create a ship. The AI has been a strong and worth opponent. Multiplayer is really well done, the best 4x turn based strategy space game with multiplayer. Hey one can actually finish a game pretty fast and no long waiting for others to finish turn. Easy to learn and hard to master. Could be a good contender for game of the year. Best advice... BUY IT!… Expand
  39. ABNMP
    Jul 14, 2012
    7
    If you liked Civilization 5 then this might be up your alley. Be warned though, while Civ 5 is nice to look at while you are waiting for your turn, Endless Space seems bland by comparison. Both titles have about the same depth, but Civ 5 wins out for me. If you like a simple space based version of Civ 5 then pick this up. Wouldn't pay more than $10 for it though.
  40. Planetar
    Sep 5, 2012
    7
    Refreshing game in this genre, have lot of upgrades, lot of improves, lot of everything but don't have more important thing...story which would make you to sit and read, watch, interact in the same story of being ultimate best strategist of universe! also its much more addicted when its battle time because game itself is a bit of boring when u wait for research, turns, but when shipRefreshing game in this genre, have lot of upgrades, lot of improves, lot of everything but don't have more important thing...story which would make you to sit and read, watch, interact in the same story of being ultimate best strategist of universe! also its much more addicted when its battle time because game itself is a bit of boring when u wait for research, turns, but when ship creation start then begins fun and build of same! tons of ships, tons of dps, tons of everything! 7/10 just because lack of deeper reason for playing. .… Expand
  41. vomov
    Aug 27, 2012
    3
    Initially, it seems like loads of fun, and it does do some things pretty good. The different types of planet and their pros and cons are pretty fun, the heroes can give specific systems a pretty hefty bonus, and the graphics quality is also quite nice.

    However; the amount of stuff you can actually do boils down to setting governors, select cards (yes, cards) for combat, and maybe build    Initially, it seems like loads of fun, and it does do some things pretty good. The different types of planet and their pros and cons are pretty fun, the heroes can give specific systems a pretty hefty bonus, and the graphics quality is also quite nice.

    However; the amount of stuff you can actually do boils down to setting governors, select cards (yes, cards) for combat, and maybe build some ships.

    The tech tree is somewhat arbitrary, but especially the military end of the tech tree is a simple upgrade system with pretty names. In the end, I couldn't finish a single game, and went back to other, more fun 4X games, which don't need heroes to give the player some level of control over an otherwise bland and boring game.    … Expand
  42. IriathZhul
    Jul 8, 2012
    6
    I wanted to like this game--indeed, I bought because of the user praise and was hoping for a nice GalCiv2 successor. Sadly, while the game is clearly polished, it desperately lacks some form of visual feedback for the player. Since planets are virtually never visible, battles are terse and lifeless, and improvements and technologies never manifest as anything other than one more pastelI wanted to like this game--indeed, I bought because of the user praise and was hoping for a nice GalCiv2 successor. Sadly, while the game is clearly polished, it desperately lacks some form of visual feedback for the player. Since planets are virtually never visible, battles are terse and lifeless, and improvements and technologies never manifest as anything other than one more pastel icon that disappears from the completely unorganized list. Compare to Civilization 5: that game is simpler than Endless Space in many ways, but is more rewarding to play. Every improvement, unit, and many technologies has an immediate, obvious, and visual impact on the gameplay, giving the player a sense of progress. Endless Space has none of that, and thus feels more like playing a spreadsheet.… Expand
  43. SemperFidelis9a
    Jul 22, 2012
    8
    Generally speaking the game is very soundly constructed. The space battles are beautiful to watch, and there is enough strategy there for some meaty games. It contains the elements of system control and choke points that I loved about Sins of a Solar Empire without the simplistic "Build a carrier fleet and gg" mechanic. Furthermore, the ability to design your own ships and the strategyGenerally speaking the game is very soundly constructed. The space battles are beautiful to watch, and there is enough strategy there for some meaty games. It contains the elements of system control and choke points that I loved about Sins of a Solar Empire without the simplistic "Build a carrier fleet and gg" mechanic. Furthermore, the ability to design your own ships and the strategy of picking which tech to research and when is pretty engaging. Additionally, the various races that you can play as, not counting the ones you can design yourself, all yield additional replay value as they all have their own unique quirks and strategies that you have to deal with. Overall, there is a lot of good stuff there for several playthroughs, plus after that you can take it online to match yourself up against other players or people that you know.

    All that said, I knocked two points because the game can get stale after awhile, but I think not anymore so than a regular strategy game. At the end of the day, we all know that we develop our own "pattern" of how to play strategy games. It happens with Civ, Sins, etc. Once you reach that point and figure out what works best for you on each race, you'll pretty much be on auto-pilot for the rest of the game. This is especially true in games against the AI where you can pretty much predict how each one will react on a general strategic level. This concern is somewhat eliminated by playing against real people simply because they can be unpredictable, but that doesn't really mean that your particular playstyle will need to be altered all that significantly.

    So, in the end, it's a well-made, fun game that has a moderate replay value, but after you find your groove its easy to get bored, especially against the computer. I'd recommend finding a playstyle by doing games against the AI, then going online and playing matches against people to help keep things livened up.    … Expand
  44. jjhalberd
    Oct 31, 2012
    4
    It is only after buying this game that I found out that it's card-game wearing a 4X's skin. The lack of tactical combat is txtremely dissappointing to say the least. The technology also seems kind of bland.
  45. Nats
    Jul 5, 2012
    9
    I have played loads of 4X space games and I have to say that I love Endless Space. recently this genre has been decaying much like every other niche genre of computer gaming. This game is therefore refreshing to play. The game includes all of the expected 4X features - exploration, combat, diplomacy, trading, finance, research, building and empire, keeping it happy. But it also includesI have played loads of 4X space games and I have to say that I love Endless Space. recently this genre has been decaying much like every other niche genre of computer gaming. This game is therefore refreshing to play. The game includes all of the expected 4X features - exploration, combat, diplomacy, trading, finance, research, building and empire, keeping it happy. But it also includes other things such as locating artifacts, surveying moons, obtaining luxury resources etc. Espionage in the only thing missing and that has been promised for the future. The difference between this game and most others of its type, is its simplistic on the surface which makes it very easy to get into but its got loads of depth. You can control colonies with a couple of clicks, you play turns in seconds, and you take an overview of your growing empire.

    You control battles by playing tactics cards which represent orders from the fleet admiral. The combat is therefore mainly observed and got out of the way quickly so you can continue playing the strategy part of the game. At the moment the combat is nice to watch but it could perhaps do with some more control being made available. Also Enemies are known to spam fleets later in the game and there is a limit to the size of fleets so you get a lot of fleets with few ships thrown at you later. This could do with changing. It isn't very bad but it could do with looking at.

    Another thing that sets this game out from its competition is it is beautiful to play. Graphics are really crisp and colourful. It looks like its been made by a large developer not a small Indie one.

    Having played many games like this I have to say this is one of the best and only going to get better. The game is mostly a cross between Masters of Orion 2 and Civilization. It is highly recommended for being very accessible, easy to pick up and difficult to put down, it has hidden strategic depth, and it has beautiful graphics.    … Expand
  46. Pipewrench
    Jul 28, 2012
    1
    This game need's a lot of work. Where to start.
    1. This research tree will force you to follow the same steps over and over to maximize expansion. Everything is shown so you have nothing to discover and nothing changes.
    2. The Galaxy map: i: 2-d connect-the-dot with no hidden surprises. ii: Generated at random so as to decide multi-player games at the start. iii: Has    This game need's a lot of work. Where to start.
    1. This research tree will force you to follow the same steps over and over to maximize expansion. Everything is shown so you have nothing to discover and nothing changes.

    2. The Galaxy map: i: 2-d connect-the-dot with no hidden surprises. ii: Generated at random so as to decide multi-player games at the start. iii: Has only systems, pirates who block choke points ,and fleets in a 2-d display with little animation.

    3. Random events that pop-up due to a scripted timeline that either help you or hurt you depending on your
    current growth. Same events over and over.

    3. Solar System maps have no real motion except in selecting a planet. Planets are not in orbit but put side by side with no rotation. Planets are displayed with no mysteries and only require certain technologies to unlock modifiers.

    4. Space combat at first will be fantastic 3d until you realize its a card system with no other control. Rock, paper, scissors with admirals who add unbelievable attributes if in the fleet. Ships follow the same path every time with just the background changing to match the system your in. This after a time will lead you to automate battles to save time.

    5. AI will spam fleets with no clear objective and can be simply defeated with a good Admiral as in point 4.

    6. Due to random maps experienced players will know if the other player has a good starting position due to not resigning. If you do not have a good starting location you are wasting your time, but you will be a good sport in loosing. The UI is very smooth and the graphics are clean but this game will get boring very fast. If your expecting a good head to head match with a human I wish you the best. I can just see the walkaways from poor starting locations because that in a nutshell is the game. Obviously most reviewer's seem to be Civ fans who like repetition and memorization....

    A boring 1 after 20 hours of play.
    Wait 6 month's until the updates.    … Expand
  47. Thoto79
    Sep 6, 2012
    9
    A great 4x game that just keeps on getting better! The game is allready polished but it is still constantly tweeked and patched by Amplitude Studios. They will also release 3 free add ons witch you can read more about at the Amplitude Studios home pages before Christmas.
    This is the typically "just one more click" game that will keep you up all night. Deep and streamlined at the same time    A great 4x game that just keeps on getting better! The game is allready polished but it is still constantly tweeked and patched by Amplitude Studios. They will also release 3 free add ons witch you can read more about at the Amplitude Studios home pages before Christmas.
    This is the typically "just one more click" game that will keep you up all night. Deep and streamlined at the same time with an exceptional UI, a must buy for turn based strategy games fans!    … Expand
  48. Eviscerador
    Aug 26, 2012
    9
    This is a great game, a blow of fresh air to the decaying turn based strategy game genre.

    I have played most of the old games, MoO, Alpha centauri, Galactic civs, and the first two civs (the historic strategy just don't fit me, i'm more a pew pew lazor guy) and I won't say, this is the heir of MoO, or the heir of SotS, or the heir of GalCiv 2. This is Endless space, a game which will    This is a great game, a blow of fresh air to the decaying turn based strategy game genre.

    I have played most of the old games, MoO, Alpha centauri, Galactic civs, and the first two civs (the historic strategy just don't fit me, i'm more a pew pew lazor guy) and I won't say, this is the heir of MoO, or the heir of SotS, or the heir of GalCiv 2.

    This is Endless space, a game which will surely become a classic in its own, thanks to a polished UI, neat graphics, simple balance and complex strategy, and most of all, thanks to a developer who is willing to improve the game and listen to the players. On this weekend, they released a patch to improve the planetary population growth, so it will growth first the best planet, so you can colonize worse ones for the resources and still growing the big one.

    I'm pretty much happy with this game, I bought it in steam for mere 20    … Expand
  49. Orctownorc
    Dec 29, 2012
    6
    This game has elegant design and a nice progress system for developing colonies and terraforming planets. Good luck trying to actually win a game though if you want to be peaceful. There are numerous victory conditions and NONE of them are EXPLAINED. It's a game based on building the biggest space empire possible yet if you expand you are BRUTALLY PUNISHED with DISAPPROVAL. Why? Um,This game has elegant design and a nice progress system for developing colonies and terraforming planets. Good luck trying to actually win a game though if you want to be peaceful. There are numerous victory conditions and NONE of them are EXPLAINED. It's a game based on building the biggest space empire possible yet if you expand you are BRUTALLY PUNISHED with DISAPPROVAL. Why? Um, because people don't want to be part of a large successful empire?????? You can "Choose" eight factions, only there are no choices beyond the selection. You are stuck with a horrible generic race portrait, and cannot choose any variants skill sets from the set-piece. All the science choices in the game unlock a vast number of system enhancements yet only a few of these, such as the one that allows travel through wormholes, are actually worth getting. And while there are dozens of "possible" play styles and victory conditions offered. All of them are a waste ot time, as the AI cheats and will beat you on even the easiest difficulty setting, and by huge margins if you waste your time hunting for an 'economic' science' or 'wonder' victory. The best and only way to come out on top in this game is find an ally and go to war. attack the other factions as soon as you can, develop as many war-techs and build as many ships as you can afford and destroy everyone else. When your enemies are dead betray and attack your ally. Diplomacy and trade in this game and undeveloped and joyless. The tech tree is a vast forest of useless distractions giving you literally hundreds of ways to improve your planetary systems which will be lost if you can't fight to hold them. Endless Space seems to have the makings of a good game. And it may get there with more patching and playtesting. For now you can summarize how much fun this is to play by the facts visible in the steam achievment screen: Less than 12% of gamers who bought this game have played more than 10 turns of it. They were the wise ones who quit while they were ahead. After 300 turns in 4 lost games I still can't figure out how it is the AI be trading tech or whatver it is they are doing behind the scenes that gives them such massive score boosts, such superiority in all development areas and such massive fleets. Something is wrong with this game. At present it is more frustrating than enjoyable, and it needs, if nothing else some kind of INSTRUCTIVE tutorial that actually illustrates the principles of winning. As a side note, I actually love the combat card system. The game gets many things right and could be sublime if the developers either explain how to play better, or re-code it to support the less aggressive victory types… Expand
  50. Allions
    Jul 7, 2012
    9
    Awesome game. Nice graphics and nice gameplay. 1-2 hours are needed to learn well the game mchanics but there is a good tutorial that helps. The game is deep and balanced, works fine and it's very fast. Only a few bugs in this first version but they are not so bad.
  51. chevmech
    Jul 22, 2012
    9
    A beautiful creation. A must have for any 4X fan- ES is a labor of love from 4X FANS at Amp. You can tell that G2G works by this shining end result - more companies should adopt this policy. I am missing only one element in this game- a map editor. Lack of full customization of the galaxy cost you a point; other than that- Bravo, Amp!
  52. shai182
    Jul 16, 2012
    9
    for me it's a good Turn Base game that waste time with excitement and let's me relax while my empire grows, the game has it a few flaws that are barely noticeable and the tech tree is incredible. this is the game for people who love to think and plan ahead!
  53. cheat2win
    Jul 14, 2012
    4
    I was super hyped for this game, but ended being a super disappointment. Yes, the UI is great and polished, even more for a indie game. It has various races and planets. But it lacks short, plus it has a cheating AI. There's no real differentiation from race to race, and the tech trees are similar, except of a few techs... Overall, good tech demo, and not a bad effort for a indie game. ButI was super hyped for this game, but ended being a super disappointment. Yes, the UI is great and polished, even more for a indie game. It has various races and planets. But it lacks short, plus it has a cheating AI. There's no real differentiation from race to race, and the tech trees are similar, except of a few techs... Overall, good tech demo, and not a bad effort for a indie game. But as a game, it is severely lacking. I was hoping to play it for a few weeks at least, but ended up not wasting two days. Even the soundtrack sucks. In fact, the more I write, the worse it gets.… Expand
  54. PadyEos
    Jul 8, 2012
    9
    I came to Endless Space with the feeling this is going to be another GalCiv or Sword of the Stars clone. After actually playing it I can say it's neither. It's less of a x4 than GalCiv, comparing the 2 is quite unfair on both of them, but the best comparison is with Sword of the Stars. Comparing the two the entire Endless Space experience feels more polished and better streamlined. TheI came to Endless Space with the feeling this is going to be another GalCiv or Sword of the Stars clone. After actually playing it I can say it's neither. It's less of a x4 than GalCiv, comparing the 2 is quite unfair on both of them, but the best comparison is with Sword of the Stars. Comparing the two the entire Endless Space experience feels more polished and better streamlined. The tech tree will get some time to get used to and could stand some more streamlining but after a couple hundred turns when you figure out where the stuff you currently need is you will get completely used to it. The variety is somewhat less and the combat is streamlined, for better or for worse, but overall it's the better game, a lot of fun and completely worth the time you put in it.… Expand
  55. Jirekianu
    Jul 6, 2012
    5
    The game is alright. It has a few flaws that are pretty glaring. One is the combat mechanic. It's a rock/paper/scissors guessing game. Even vast gaps in strength between your fleet and the enemies don't matter if you pick poorly even once. Another flaw seems to be the AI for planets. At least half a dozen times I'll select an AI for upgrading a certain facet of a system's planets. NotThe game is alright. It has a few flaws that are pretty glaring. One is the combat mechanic. It's a rock/paper/scissors guessing game. Even vast gaps in strength between your fleet and the enemies don't matter if you pick poorly even once. Another flaw seems to be the AI for planets. At least half a dozen times I'll select an AI for upgrading a certain facet of a system's planets. Not only are there colonized planets/locations with no exploitations (one of the most basic construction items) but some have irritating problems. I had an AI on a system set for approval increase. I had three different approval increasing improvements available thanks to research and for what turned out to be 12 turns it did literally nothing. There are a few others, but suffice to say the game has a combination of buggy AI and poorly tested combat.

    An example of one of the worst battles I'd been in. Each engagement is a preliminary phase where you pick abilities, then you have long, medium, and melee range phases of the fight and then an epilogue thing and it's over. All automated. I picked -one- bad choice where the enemy had countered me. My fleet was an effective military score of about... 9200 or so. The enemy? 2100. If not a little less. Not only did I lose, I didn't even make it into the second phase of combat. All of my ships destroyed. Barely one of theirs dinged up. I would put this to a horrible RNG fluke. But similar (though not quite as bad) defeats have happened at least a half dozen more times in only the first 4 or 5 hours of me playing this game.

    I'd advise on waiting for a steam sale or a major patch to purchase this. I feel a bit cheated now and that I should have waited.    … Expand
  56. NGResonanceFan
    Nov 28, 2012
    2
    I really wanted to like this game, but after playing it feel that I was a victim of the pre-release hype machine. As a long-time strategy gamer, I'm mystified by all the high scores people have given it on Metacritic. Fanboys I guess. Anyway, there is a lot wrong with this game: 1) An AI that cheats and spams. 2) The research tree is a total mess. For example, you will find criticalI really wanted to like this game, but after playing it feel that I was a victim of the pre-release hype machine. As a long-time strategy gamer, I'm mystified by all the high scores people have given it on Metacritic. Fanboys I guess. Anyway, there is a lot wrong with this game: 1) An AI that cheats and spams. 2) The research tree is a total mess. For example, you will find critical military technologies buried half-way up non-military tech trees. 3) A terrible rock/paper/scissors combat system. 4) A totally dull and lifeless galaxy void of any real surprises. 5) Diplomacy feels useless. 6) Generic races that lack an serious differentiation other than the physical. 7) Dull 'advance turn, advance turn' gameplay. 8) Heroes are overpowered. 9) Soundtrack is uninspired and amateurish. In short, this game is devoid of any soul is the worst case of the Emperor's New Clothes I've ever seen in a game. If you like 4X space strategy games, try the infinitely better grand strategy RTS Distant Worlds.… Expand
  57. plasmoo
    Jul 15, 2012
    3
    It's an ok game. However the game completely lacks keyboard controls. While the interface is well designed, keyboard controls would have really benefited this game.
    Also the manual is very short and high-level, that's bad because there is no tutorial level. Just a few screens, which are basically the same as in the manual.
    The game play seems unpolished and unbalanced, a lot of    It's an ok game. However the game completely lacks keyboard controls. While the interface is well designed, keyboard controls would have really benefited this game.
    Also the manual is very short and high-level, that's bad because there is no tutorial level. Just a few screens, which are basically the same as in the manual.
    The game play seems unpolished and unbalanced, a lot of important mechanics don't get explained. For example ship upgrades are handled very poorly by the AI. By reading the forums you can quickly gather that missiles are worthless, as they only hit one enemy and laser beams are overpowered...    … Expand
  58. Admiral_Awesome
    Jul 11, 2012
    6
    The first couple of hours playing this were great, but it gets kind of stale after a while. The technology tree is only maximising existing stats even further (no new Weapons to be unlocked. no new building options besides building more and better stuff of the same type you already got) and the pretty nice graphics are hiding the missing depht of this game.
  59. Rygar
    Jul 7, 2012
    8
    4x turn based strategy game, very well polished and tested. I haven't seen a single bug yet. It has taken lessons from the legendary games of old (Masters of Orion, Galactic Civs), and incorporated them into it's own style. Highly addictive, and very fun to play. That said, the game does have two minor weaknesses. The game doesn't really have any animations for events, such as4x turn based strategy game, very well polished and tested. I haven't seen a single bug yet. It has taken lessons from the legendary games of old (Masters of Orion, Galactic Civs), and incorporated them into it's own style. Highly addictive, and very fun to play. That said, the game does have two minor weaknesses. The game doesn't really have any animations for events, such as Master's of Orions "Tech researched/stolen", which IMO reduces the excitement. The combat system, while quite innovative, isn't really a good replacement for player controlled combat.

    Still, if you like 4x strategy, this game will be worth your money!    … Expand
  60. NewHorizon
    Jul 5, 2012
    9
    A damn fine 4x space game, in the style of MOO and other greats. Crisp interface and Smooth graphics, inventive if simple combat system. Excellent Exploration, Development, and Tech Trees. The Developers are 100% supportive to the community and are as you read this inventing some user input based new feature.
  61. Bear101
    Jul 6, 2012
    10
    If you enjoy turn based 4x strategy games like Civ and Master of Orion 2, this game will appeal to you. It's the best take on this genre in several years. I am not counting Sins of a Solar Empire as that is RTS based and this is turn based. The game is very well done and is a nice first effort by Indie developer Amplitude Studios. The user community is strong and the devs are active inIf you enjoy turn based 4x strategy games like Civ and Master of Orion 2, this game will appeal to you. It's the best take on this genre in several years. I am not counting Sins of a Solar Empire as that is RTS based and this is turn based. The game is very well done and is a nice first effort by Indie developer Amplitude Studios. The user community is strong and the devs are active in soliciting player opinions and incorporating suggestions into the game. System management is strategic and similar to cities in Civilization. However, unlike Civ, systems are made up of several individual planets of different types, each with unique buffs, debuffs, and resources. This makes every system unique and sort of like solving a puzzle to get the best performance out of each system. Combat is fleet level only-you design and build ships, organize into fleets and send into battle. Weapons and defenses are rock, paper, scissors type (missiles, beams, and kinetic). Combat has 3 phases and you pick a strategy card for each phase, which has advantages and disadvantages. Good strategy can allow an inferior force to defeat a superior one. Battles are high level and take only about a minute each to resolve so you will not be making real-time tactical adjustments. If played out manually, battles are displayed cinematically even though the decisions are turn based. It's pretty cool to watch the ships and weapons going at it. There are also heroes who can improve systems (governors) or fleets (admirals). I can't say the game will appeal to everyone because many people are not into this type of game but for those that are, this is one of the best releases in many years.… Expand
  62. Theodotus
    Jul 5, 2012
    10
    For me, this game is something I've waited a long time for.

    Space 4x games are my favorite genre, and I've played a lot of them. Endless Space is the first game since MOO2 that gives me the space 4x experience I've kept searching for. In brief, it makes me feel like I'm actually participating in the development of a spacefaring civilization which is expanding out among the stars.    For me, this game is something I've waited a long time for.

    Space 4x games are my favorite genre, and I've played a lot of them. Endless Space is the first game since MOO2 that gives me the space 4x experience I've kept searching for. In brief, it makes me feel like I'm actually participating in the development of a spacefaring civilization which is expanding out among the stars.

    The first thing that contributes to this is the graphics, which are not only beautiful but which also somehow make me feel like I'm actually present in some galactic map room examining the lay of the land. Connected to that is the design of the star systems -- having multiple planets gives a feeling of realism and enhances suspension of disbelief, and the various planetary anomalies make each system seem sufficiently different and unique that suspension of disbelief is enhanced. Then there is the tech tree, which is not only relatively extensive but which most importantly also provides me with a feeling of "being there," in that the things in the tech tree strike me as areas of research which would actually be pursued by a starfaring civilization. And the descriptions of the various techs and unlocks are well-enough written that they also make me feel like I'm actually involved in a story of future history. Added to that is the backstory, which to me is excellent -- the first I've encountered in a long time that strikes me as something more than a rehash of tired, old sci-fi cliches. As for the race design, it seems to me that there is enough distinction to make them feel different when played. The combat, for me, is good enough. I like the visuals, and the card mechanic allows me to feel like I have some input. Personally, I'm glad it's not more involved than it is -- I don't play these games to feel like a space admiral, I play them to feel like a space emperor. Which means civilization development, not space battles, is my prime focus.

    All in all, I think I'll be playing ES for a long time to come. And I can't put into words how glad that makes me.    … Expand
  63. HerrJoebob
    Aug 3, 2012
    1
    An OK game if you're really itching for an updated Civilization 2, in the sense of "it's 2am and the bar's about to close so grab anything". Matches are determined by the random number generator when you start the game. For instance, pirates might curbstomp you with fleets that are literally unbeatable while you're starting out, but you have to invest a ton of time to find out whetherAn OK game if you're really itching for an updated Civilization 2, in the sense of "it's 2am and the bar's about to close so grab anything". Matches are determined by the random number generator when you start the game. For instance, pirates might curbstomp you with fleets that are literally unbeatable while you're starting out, but you have to invest a ton of time to find out whether they'll show up or not - it has nothing to do with what you've done. Another problem is the resources. Unlike Civ 2 which made the resources 'nice to have', in this game they're a requirement to win. If the RNG doesn't spawn them in your home systems you're really just done and have no chance of success.

    Rolling back to being a beginner, the tutorial deserves special mention for being aggressively useless. When you go into a new screen it brings a pretend version of that screen up and then kind of points at what it wants you to look at, blocking you from interaction while it _sloooowly_ metes out information about what the screen is about. I defy anyone to keep it turned on for more than 2 or 3 screens. In addition the research tree is completely opaque unless you're willing to use wikis and the forums to research how to actually _play_ this game.

    That said, it's pretty and it's fun to play in the same way that it's fun to optimize a spreadsheet to make the numbers really high. Ultimately there are too many frustrations to bother with and it's a waste of money.    … Expand
  64. kaldric30
    Jul 6, 2012
    9
    A great turn based galactic strategy game from an indie company. It combines a lot of great parts from strat games we already love, like Alpha Centauri, Civilization, and Sins of a Solar Empire. The UI is clean and simple, the research trees are in depth, combat is unique with single ships or fleets which use unique tactic "cards" to help determine battle. The planet types are vast,A great turn based galactic strategy game from an indie company. It combines a lot of great parts from strat games we already love, like Alpha Centauri, Civilization, and Sins of a Solar Empire. The UI is clean and simple, the research trees are in depth, combat is unique with single ships or fleets which use unique tactic "cards" to help determine battle. The planet types are vast, each with individual size and anomalies, which affect all resource types, population, and appeal of each planet. Premium resources and luxuries abound in space and are used to produce powerful armor/shielding/weapons or augment your planets production. Planetary improvements allow solar customization allowing you to empower a Science heavy planet or to reduce the penalty a planet suffers due to anomalies. Heroes are hired by the empire to run your fleets, espionage, or your systems to boost combat, diplomacy, and economy. Each one has certain class types that suit them in specific roles, and they gain experience over time which allows you to customize them as you see fit for even more precise roles throughout your empire. There are six types of species you can select as your empire, each one with a general type of game play, however if none of those suit your fancy you can simply create your own race of space fairing people with their own unique bonuses. Overall this is a great strategy game that combines a lot of great Turn Based aspects that are tried and true, and at only 25 dollars there are many many hours of great empire building/conquering to be had. I strongly recommend this to anyone who enjoys turn based empire builders, especially if you have a few friends to play with.… Expand
  65. TheBank
    Jul 9, 2012
    7
    This is a rating for how the game is now, and not how I hope it will be. Endless Space is a great game if you have time, patience and a love for strategy. There are a few things I don't like about it, such as the combat system (the fact that a space battle would always have both sides follow the battleplan of getting closer to each other is absurd), but if you're a fan of paper scissorsThis is a rating for how the game is now, and not how I hope it will be. Endless Space is a great game if you have time, patience and a love for strategy. There are a few things I don't like about it, such as the combat system (the fact that a space battle would always have both sides follow the battleplan of getting closer to each other is absurd), but if you're a fan of paper scissors rock, you might like the battle system. A lot of people will praise the UI of this game, I would say its good, but some more information could be displayed without having to change tabs. One thing I absolutely would love is if the game would tell you if an exploitation of a planet was cued up rather than saying "no exploitation" on the planet, then you check to see if you have an exploitation for the planet cued and go "oh yes, I do" this process requires too many steps and slows down the game for everyone. The games interface almost tries to make you have to select every single information tab during a turn, but really some more information could be displayed on the main galaxy view, just to save some players time. All in all this game is good, solid, and I'm glad I bought it.… Expand
  66. Ixam
    Jul 12, 2012
    8
    Overall a solid 4x space opera game. It contributes some minor improvements to the genre, like resources and such, which make for some interesting game play. However, overall it does not bring much innovation to the genre. I will say that in my opinion it is the best space opera game on steam.

    For rating a game, I rate it based on hours of enjoyment per dollar. $1/hour = ok game, rating    Overall a solid 4x space opera game. It contributes some minor improvements to the genre, like resources and such, which make for some interesting game play. However, overall it does not bring much innovation to the genre. I will say that in my opinion it is the best space opera game on steam.

    For rating a game, I rate it based on hours of enjoyment per dollar. $1/hour = ok game, rating 6, $0.50/hour = good game, rating 8 or 9 depending on exactly how much I enjoyed it. Right now I am close to $0.50 per hour, but I enjoyed those hours immensely, so I rate it a 8.5 (rounding down). It will probably give you about 30-40 hours of fun game play if you are a 4x or space opera fan, so that makes it worth about $20 by my standards (wait for the steam sale :-) ).

    Rating the Xs
    Explore: 7.5/10 - typical, with a little twist
    Pretty standard in this sense. Scout ships explore and so on. What makes this interesting is the new resource addition, you are really in a mad rush for certain resources early game and are totally screwed if you don't get the right resources. But mostly this is nothing new.

    Expand: 7.5/10: typical, but a little better than past installments
    Pretty standard, except need to get the new resources like with exploration. Some features in game like the ability to settle within a system without building ships are convenient. A bit better than other 4x games I've played.

    Exploit: 7/10: Weak diplomacy system, balanced by interesting civilizations
    The diplomacy in the game is kind of weak, like civ 3 weak. Just pay enough money or something and you can get whatever you want, way to easy to exploit in this manner. This could be fixed with a couple of patches.

    I found some of the civilizations to be really fun in this phase, particularly the Sowers. Most of the races are nothing new, but the flavors make them interesting, like the Horatio, a race of clones of a single man. Each one plays differently enough that I played through a game with each, and enjoyed them on different levels. There still needs to be some balancing between races though.
    Overall, the exploit phase is typical, enjoyable but nothing new.

    Exterminate: 8/10: What it lacks in complexity, it makes up for in difficulty
    Its been a long time since I was this challenged in combat by a game. The micromanagement in this game is almost non-existent, but in my experience the micro in space opera games is pretty pathetic anyways. The ones that have "RTS" combat seem to always end with your ships just sitting there and firing endlessly, with no real benefit to moving them, or a lack of finesse with the controls that makes moving them strategically nigh impossible.

    I like the whole admiral feel to combat. It makes little sense for you to be able to control each individual ship in a fleet (unless you are a robot race), so this is a bit more realistic, even if it is kind of shallow.

    The part of this game where I felt challenged was the macro-management of fleets. It is just a game of rock-paper-scissors, but so was galactic civilizations II, (three weapons tracks, chose one or all of them...), but being able to alter the make-up of your fleets requires a lot of fine tuning of industry and scouting of enemy fleets. Having the right fleet in the right place at the right time can make all the difference, especially if you are playing a non-military race.

    Style/Interface 9/10: Really easy to use, good flavor and back story
    The game interface was very simple. No scrolling through tables and stuff, which was very convenient. Honestly the interface is probably the most innovative part of the game. This alone makes it more enjoyable than many other 4x games, since you spend less time in menus and more time in more fun elements of the game.

    I really liked the style of the game, the flavor of some of the races were very amusing (Horatio, Pilgrims, Sowers), and the others were just ordinary (Cravers, UAE, Sohpons etc). The story itself is typical, but there aren't many excellent stories in 4x games (Alpha Centauri excluded). Overall: 8/10 A solid game.    … Expand
  67. Awesomedude2142
    Jul 23, 2012
    8
    Personally, I found the game to be very addicting and interesting. It had an amazing level of depth, and a very good replay ability value. The fact that you can create your own empire specific to what you want is cool, and the graphics are pretty good. Feels almost exactly like Civ 5, but space themed. However, there are some bugs that make the game suffer. One bug is that the MultiplayerPersonally, I found the game to be very addicting and interesting. It had an amazing level of depth, and a very good replay ability value. The fact that you can create your own empire specific to what you want is cool, and the graphics are pretty good. Feels almost exactly like Civ 5, but space themed. However, there are some bugs that make the game suffer. One bug is that the Multiplayer often crashes after about 100 turns (had this happen all 5 times I've played MP so far). Overall, this game is great, and I'd recommend to anyone who likes Civ 5 type games or Strategy games. 8/10… Expand
  68. Triplescrew
    Jul 17, 2012
    8
    All my thoughts are summed up by this critic's review:

    www.gainsense.com/2012/07/endless-space-review.html

    Essentially though, ES has the basics done right but is lacking in complexity.
  69. TheDerpening
    Jul 30, 2012
    10
    To start off, this game is challenging and has a steep learning curve if you don't take time to read the tutorial boxes. In the beginning you start off in a tiny world, possibly very advantageous or possibly the most unforgiving of all environments.Regardless you are pushed into a thrilling experience of trial and error. It may possibly take many games to even understand what most of theTo start off, this game is challenging and has a steep learning curve if you don't take time to read the tutorial boxes. In the beginning you start off in a tiny world, possibly very advantageous or possibly the most unforgiving of all environments.Regardless you are pushed into a thrilling experience of trial and error. It may possibly take many games to even understand what most of the values and attributes even mean. This game is all about making mistakes and learning from them. I highly recommend this game to anyone who likes strategies.… Expand
  70. sarahcohen
    Nov 23, 2012
    1
    Extremely deceptive game. It's not really a 4x space strategy game with spaceships battling in space but its actually a card game disguised as a 4x game! If they had mentioned this in the advertisement, I never would have bought it!
  71. Swarning
    Dec 1, 2012
    0
    I do not accept the argument "Your playing wrong, don't just have fun exploring and colonizing planets while defending yourself. That isn't how Endless Space is meant to be played, and we won't LET YOU play it that way"!

    There is a concept in most of these games of "corruption". As your empire grows bigger, you need to spend more to maintain it. I made it 1/2 way through one game before    I do not accept the argument "Your playing wrong, don't just have fun exploring and colonizing planets while defending yourself. That isn't how Endless Space is meant to be played, and we won't LET YOU play it that way"!

    There is a concept in most of these games of "corruption". As your empire grows bigger, you need to spend more to maintain it. I made it 1/2 way through one game before my economy went from 1 or 2 planets out of 25(ish) having problems with major problems with corruption to my entire empire crashing... in ONE turn (and the game was then unplayable).

    I was researching (and building) people-placating technology at about a 4-1 ratio compared to everything else.

    If I can't expand my empire and enjoy myself without the game breaking, it isn't worth playing. I wish I could get a refund from Steam for this turd.    … Expand
  72. MayhemMike83
    May 7, 2013
    9
    It is a good game to get into the 4x genre. It has nice artwork, streamlined gui and got lots of free dlcs.
    It isn't as complex as SOTS2 or similar games but that's not always a bad thing isn't it ^^
  73. Gingerjobs
    Dec 2, 2012
    2
    Now this game has a very acute taste. For those who wan't to buy this game and have seen the steam trailer I say to you "It's not really like that". Part of the trailer is accurate, but it forgets to show the painstakingly long period of time where it's basically you clicking next turn and research this. Plus the actual gameplay fighting scene/battle... WHICH, I would have never called itNow this game has a very acute taste. For those who wan't to buy this game and have seen the steam trailer I say to you "It's not really like that". Part of the trailer is accurate, but it forgets to show the painstakingly long period of time where it's basically you clicking next turn and research this. Plus the actual gameplay fighting scene/battle... WHICH, I would have never called it that. It is a strategy game and multiplayer but it is a pointless game. Which is anything but addictive. I played it on the normal setting's it provides as default and to but it nicely, "IT WAS CRAP". I played it for over 4000 turns to see if it was any good and i unlocked everything off the tech-tree and it was useless. The game requires multiplayer to make it the slights entertaining, but that was only because i was chatting to them on Skype. The only thing you can do on this whole cheap, crapy knock-off of "Civ" is, inhabit planets, choose what you would like to do on the planet, explore the universe which after 150 or so goes is done. Then there is the battle stage which you still only get to click buttons!!!!!!!!. To summarise this game I would say buy Civ 5 or any other strategy game that isn't this S**t piece of a game. It makes me so mad that i fell for that stupid cinematic trailer. What a waste of £27 or £23 for those who buy the normal edition. DON'T BUY THIS GAME. unless you like crapy repetitive stuff.… Expand
  74. SadSatyr
    Jan 3, 2013
    8
    This review is accurate as of January 2013 and includes only single player. To give a background the only space 4x games i've really enjoyed were alpha centauri and the galactic civilization series. I've tried others and have never found them to be very engaging. I have enjoyed every civilization game since the beginning although V held my interest the least. I have enjoyed other similarThis review is accurate as of January 2013 and includes only single player. To give a background the only space 4x games i've really enjoyed were alpha centauri and the galactic civilization series. I've tried others and have never found them to be very engaging. I have enjoyed every civilization game since the beginning although V held my interest the least. I have enjoyed other similar 4x titles, but games like europa universalis tend to be to complex for my liking.

    Pros:
    9 pre-made factions plus 1 reskin. I've seen complaints about the factions being bland, but I feel each faction has a very distinct playstyle that it encourages
    the ability to make a custom faction
    complete control over the galaxy you play in. Choose the shape, size, density level of systems, abundance of resources, pirate strength (or existence) etc.
    the tech tree is very interesting in the way it is laid out. 4 trapezoids with the small ends all around a central point with the tree growing wider the further away it is.
    Decent graphics with low requirements. I play on a laptop from mid 2010
    Once understood the combat system actually does a good job of building tension.
    The game has free addons that the studio continues to develop (The game shipped with only 8 races) There is a special xmas event that has been added (you can disable it if you like) and the community actually votes on what features will be included in upcoming releases. This level of developer support is amazing I would say the game is worth getting based on this alone to help make a statement to the industry.

    Cons:
    No Demo!
    The tutorial is better than when it was released, but still leaves something to be desired. As you'll only use it once it isn't a big deal.
    The graphics aren't the same quality as a AAA title, but they are adequate. There are no cut scenes which some people may find as a turn off, but that isn't why I play 4x so it doesn't bother me.
    The combat is card based, and at first seams very luck based, but i'll go into combat more at the end.
    Custom factions use a base race as a template. This includes racial bonus, ship design, and portrait.
    The ship visuals do not change based on their weapon and armor load outs. During the combat animations weapons actually just fire from the side of the ship, it looks a little silly.
    The game tends to end abruptly. I'm often surprised by the game ending and have to take a minute to figure out what victory condition was achieved.

    Combat:
    I've seen numerous complaints about combat not being tactical enough, or the entire game being card based. Both of these are false. The combat is handled by choosing a tactic (based on cards) that you have researched. your ships then carry out those orders. You can select your cards before battle if the battles happen to quick for you, or you can select them as the battle plays out so you can react to how the battle is going. It is only not tactical in the sense that you can't control each ship individually, but you do decide the tactics your army will use for each phase of combat (long, medium, and short). Also, each weapon type performs in a unique fashion compared to the others, and the armors behave differently as well. You can learn what ship types your opponent has, or what tactics they typically employ and modify your fleets and/or tactics to counter them. It is only in situations where you are way ahead or behind in tech that the outcome is a given. Lastly if you are finding the battles tedious to watch you can select all your cards, then auto battle. The battle will play out in about 10-15 seconds showing you which cards where played by you and the opponent and the outcome.

    If people are claiming that this is just a card game with a 4x skin then they are only interested in combat. If you enjoy other aspects of 4x then rest assured this is far more then "just a card game"

    The last thing I want to mention is about the story. It is true that there is no inherent story, but stories in 4x games are often odd creatures requiring your "persistent" civilization to restart the tech tree, lose your entire military, and rebuild your economy from the ground up for every mission. I tend to look at each play through as its own story. If you require something to motivate you there are achievements, some of which can be very difficult to accomplish.

    TLDR: This is a good space 4x game. It is not perfect, but in my opinion it is a contender for best space 4x game on the market right now. If you are still on the fence go try the demo for star ruler. http://starruler.blind-mind.com/ If you like it get that, if not, get this.    … Expand
  75. VoidWarrior
    Aug 23, 2012
    8
    A lot of 4x games have been coming out these days, but unfortunately most of them are not very good. Endless Space stands out - it's one of the best i've played for a long time.
  76. ianx50
    Dec 21, 2012
    6
    I felt this game could have used more micromanagement. Most similar to Master of Orion III. I played both Master of Orion two and three, and while MoO II was an excellent game, 10/10 would play for the rest of eternity, MoO III fell short. Why? No micromanagement. Same thing goes for Endless Space.
  77. Minowara
    Dec 2, 2012
    7
    A good 4x game for long winter nights, but with a disappointing card-based combat game play unfortunately. Perfect technology tree, nice graphics and good planetary management system.
  78. Ian277
    Jul 23, 2013
    8
    The diplomacy is probably the most well refined in a Turn based strategy game i have played, surpassing civ V. there are really only a few things i want improved, and none of them are in gameplay. They need to add different art to planets (there is little to no variation). and to be honest the biggest reason i love the game is being amazed by the beautiful planets. the fact that there isThe diplomacy is probably the most well refined in a Turn based strategy game i have played, surpassing civ V. there are really only a few things i want improved, and none of them are in gameplay. They need to add different art to planets (there is little to no variation). and to be honest the biggest reason i love the game is being amazed by the beautiful planets. the fact that there is so little variation sucks. also the map art when you zoom out for a specific map type is the same every time, they need to add variation to that too. i really like the soundtrack (it makes me space out and fall into a gaming coma). really all i want is more aesthetics and art variation. I'm not sure if they are going to patch it. but there being so little planet variety is actually sort of a big issue. other than that, it is good. it isn't worth 30$ in my opinion get it when it is on sale. I think it is a game you could get a good 50 to 100 hours in before it gets redundant.… Expand
  79. pyradius
    Dec 24, 2012
    8
    Just would like to point out that the developer has continued to make not just bug fixes but enhancements to the core game and seems to be doing a pretty solid job in this regard. Even if this game gets a 7ish score initially, I think this dedication to their game should bump its value to an 8.
  80. keefbaker
    Nov 4, 2013
    8
    Very good 4x space game with pleasing visuals and a really crazily wide technology tree. It plays somewhat like a cross between master of orion 2, fragile allegiance and galactic civilizations 2.
  81. Alphad115
    Mar 30, 2013
    9
    Extremely good looking game and very customisable and overall enjoyable, few minor grudges with the game like it's extremely slow passed as it is a turn-based game but I personally can live with that, Amazing game, graphics and thanks steam for letting me buy it for 12e. All the people who enjoy strategy and space I recommend it to you!
  82. Smolson
    Sep 25, 2012
    10
    Love the climate and music of this game. For a long time I haven't played such an awesome turn bassed strategy game that attracted me for long hours of gaming, making me to come back to it over and over again. If you like old school turn based strategies, Endless Space is a good pick
  83. dajarvi
    Oct 17, 2013
    10
    Simply put, Endless Space is the most recent turn-based 4x space strategy game available on the market that is worth a 10 score. Not as much as a "Total War" kind of game, as the battles are less focused on, Endless Space requires attention to empire management and cultural development, as well as beefing up your battleships for war.

    I was surprised to see a Metacritic score of 7.3,    Simply put, Endless Space is the most recent turn-based 4x space strategy game available on the market that is worth a 10 score. Not as much as a "Total War" kind of game, as the battles are less focused on, Endless Space requires attention to empire management and cultural development, as well as beefing up your battleships for war.

    I was surprised to see a Metacritic score of 7.3, and was compelled to bolster its points. The game is great. Anyone who enjoys turn-based strategy will find enjoyment in this game. My only major criticism is the lack of "movie-like" detail in the battle sequences. I hope the develops make a sequel that truly reels in the feel of outer-space in battle and Empire building through visuals.    … Expand
  84. Arcon
    Jan 3, 2013
    8
    A good strategy game with some interesting concepts implemented to make it an enjoyable experience. I did find that poor tutorial a sticking point for me at first, but once you get the hang of things its a good game. Watch a youtube tutorial or play your first game on easiest mode just to figure stuff out while you do not care about victory. The card game which is part of the space combatA good strategy game with some interesting concepts implemented to make it an enjoyable experience. I did find that poor tutorial a sticking point for me at first, but once you get the hang of things its a good game. Watch a youtube tutorial or play your first game on easiest mode just to figure stuff out while you do not care about victory. The card game which is part of the space combat is an interesting twist which can either give you an advantage or disadvantage depending on what you and your enemy plays. If you catch this game for $10 or under it is well worth it providing you like turn-based strategy games.… Expand
  85. CainGaming
    Sep 25, 2012
    9
    Really loved the game. I recently took a liking to 4X games, especially space-themed ones, and this is what I really loved. If you're new to the 4X genre, or even a hardened veteran, you /should/ like this game. The graphics and general look of it is fantastic. The interface isn't cluttered, and relatively easy to grasp after the tutorial. The tech trees are quite interesting, but itReally loved the game. I recently took a liking to 4X games, especially space-themed ones, and this is what I really loved. If you're new to the 4X genre, or even a hardened veteran, you /should/ like this game. The graphics and general look of it is fantastic. The interface isn't cluttered, and relatively easy to grasp after the tutorial. The tech trees are quite interesting, but it seemed to me with enough science production, the colonization tree was the easiest to gain a 'technology' win, after building the wonders that are unlocked via the last technology. Maybe that was just me, being Sophons (I think.).
    But it seems a lot of emphasis is placed on three things. One, your dust production, two, your 'building'/production production, and three, your ships. I don't know if I was a bad ship designer or what, but it seemed the enemy /always/ had better combat strength than me, and I had to build an armada of ships every time I went to war. Dust production plagued me throughout games, even when I put all emphasis on dust production and improvements, I still was struggling on the net gain of dust. Building/production was rather easy to obtain being the Sophons, and really it's the basis for everything in the game. Slightly OP, if you have a high building rate. You can build everything faster, improvements and ships, so you have a bigger edge. Then again, that might have been me. The game itself is really good in terms of mechanics, it's really smooth until you start exploring a large galaxy and end up waiting for a bit for other players'/AIs ships to move, but that's to be expected. The ship building was pretty interesting too. The only thing I rate this down from a 10 is the combat. Although the card-based combat is okay, I'd really prefer a RTS combat-style, so I can really see how useful those things I put on my ships are. It's not gamebreaking, unless you are the kind of person who just attacks everyone and wants to exterminate the universe. Although that is one of the 4 Xs, I tend to stick to more technology/diplomatic victories. Although having an armada of dreadnoughts helps too! Brilliant game, I love it.    … Expand
  86. Zazen
    Oct 28, 2012
    8
    Endless Space is very well done. However, right up front I will tell you about it's fundamental flaws. I had to play a lot before the flaws really became an issue. We must divide the game into single player and multiplayer modes, because they play differently. In single player mode the AI has to cheat ALOT to compete. Yet, has no clue how to manage systems and heroes effectively. Since theEndless Space is very well done. However, right up front I will tell you about it's fundamental flaws. I had to play a lot before the flaws really became an issue. We must divide the game into single player and multiplayer modes, because they play differently. In single player mode the AI has to cheat ALOT to compete. Yet, has no clue how to manage systems and heroes effectively. Since the latest patch, except on the very highest difficulty levels, which just make it cheat more, it spams sips until it eventually goes bankrupt. Now in multiplayer mode, it's a lot better as you have hyper-efficient human opponents that don't make the AI's blunders. But, there are two glaring problems there too. Namely, the combat that favors "glass cannon missile boats" and the fact that the combat is simultaneous with the strategy map. This means that if you have 3 fleets that could potentially face combat ina turn , you can only actually play out the fight in one of them, the other two will be auto-resolved. The auto-resolve is terrible, so you will lose a lot of fleets you otherwise would not in this way. So, what ends up happening is you end up having to customize your ships and character traits based on knowing yo will have no participation in 95% of the battles. All that being said it is a great game and is a lot of fun, the small studio that made it s 100% committed to fixing the aformentioned shortcomings in the future, so it should only get better from here.… Expand
  87. Zekraviax
    Aug 24, 2013
    8
    Such a huge game. There is a lot to take in when you play, and it can be a little off-putting if you are new. But if you persevere, you'll discover a simply amazing game. Each game is not entirely the same, but not entirely different. There is a lot of patience needed to play this game, clicking "End Turn" repeatedly while waiting for something to be finished isn't most people's idea of aSuch a huge game. There is a lot to take in when you play, and it can be a little off-putting if you are new. But if you persevere, you'll discover a simply amazing game. Each game is not entirely the same, but not entirely different. There is a lot of patience needed to play this game, clicking "End Turn" repeatedly while waiting for something to be finished isn't most people's idea of a good time. And space combat is fairly limited. You pick three tactics for the three phases of the battle. But the battles themselves look simply amazing; no tiny little units stabbing each other here. Full on cinematic battles are just the icing on this sci-fi cake. There's a large amount of strategy behind the beautiful grahpics, and I would heartily recommend it to any turn-based strategy fan.… Expand
  88. deadlockedworld
    Jan 25, 2013
    9
    I thought I wouldn't ever really return to the joy of turn based strategy from the 90s. Games had moved on. However Amplitude makes one of the best attempts I have ever seen at modernizing the glory. Its not quite Civilization, but for an small developer's first try? It's awesome. I'm being honest with myself and rating this a nine. I'm tempted to give it a 10 like others just because II thought I wouldn't ever really return to the joy of turn based strategy from the 90s. Games had moved on. However Amplitude makes one of the best attempts I have ever seen at modernizing the glory. Its not quite Civilization, but for an small developer's first try? It's awesome. I'm being honest with myself and rating this a nine. I'm tempted to give it a 10 like others just because I want to see endless space 2 so bad. This is a GREAT start to what could be an epic series. I got it cheap on Steam promo, now I want them to release something else so I can give them the full price they deserve.… Expand
  89. nitehawk
    May 2, 2013
    8
    While Endless Space is a very very good game, the only flaws I see are the lackluster borderline-dull card based space combat; and the micromanagement level of large empires. In my opinion most 4x and turn based stragety games become tedious at endgame, this game falls into the same pit with limited automation abilities.

    Fantastic music, very clean and simple UI.
  90. Kruos_95
    Apr 26, 2013
    10
    A good and very promising game!

    Lots of new original concepts and game mechanics. Very refreshing. Moreover the support of the dev is constant, the patch are quite regular with lots of new and free contents (free DLC).

    Endless Space is a diamond with golden future.
  91. rtcreator
    Apr 27, 2013
    8
    This is a nice game, but the combat system is done via cards which are selected in which you choose the type of attack or defense you wish to use for that phase. This game is pretty easy to learn and the different levels of difficulty provided will ensure many hours of enjoyment whether playing against the AI or in the multiplayer mode against other human opponents. For myself, the gameThis is a nice game, but the combat system is done via cards which are selected in which you choose the type of attack or defense you wish to use for that phase. This game is pretty easy to learn and the different levels of difficulty provided will ensure many hours of enjoyment whether playing against the AI or in the multiplayer mode against other human opponents. For myself, the game has never crashed and I am glad to have bought this game as I consider it money well spent, but if you are more interested in having space battles with lone ships up to fleet size, then I suggest you try playing StarDrive. Both Endless Space and StarDrive are fantastic games and each offer a special type of space strategy gaming, which should be experienced.

    Enjoy    … Expand
  92. Wizzsama
    Jul 30, 2013
    8
    Endless space definetly is a good game. I like to spend some hours in it. But there is few things that I don't like. And all of them based around fighting.
    1. I don't even bother myself again with another 4x with "rocket/laser/cannon" cliche. Really, I don't find it fun to always rebuild my fleet to fighting with rebuilded enemies. And AI do this faster and better.
    2. I prefer MoO2 or    Endless space definetly is a good game. I like to spend some hours in it. But there is few things that I don't like. And all of them based around fighting.
    1. I don't even bother myself again with another 4x with "rocket/laser/cannon" cliche. Really, I don't find it fun to always rebuild my fleet to fighting with rebuilded enemies. And AI do this faster and better.
    2. I prefer MoO2 or even MoO3 combat. 3-turns collisions sometimes makes me feel slight frustration.
    3. Conquering systems just *censored*.

    But it still ggod game about building space empire with funny features.    … Expand
  93. Saw7473
    Dec 3, 2013
    8
    This game is fun but sadly i have no friends to play it with and that's a bit of game breaker for me. Once I had the slightest idea what to do it became very fun and i do like a lot of things about it, the only thing i cant stand and the only reason it didn't get 9 stars is the expansion penalty. Even if your playing as a class that is the most likely to win you get a penitently forThis game is fun but sadly i have no friends to play it with and that's a bit of game breaker for me. Once I had the slightest idea what to do it became very fun and i do like a lot of things about it, the only thing i cant stand and the only reason it didn't get 9 stars is the expansion penalty. Even if your playing as a class that is the most likely to win you get a penitently for expanding, even the mostly robotic faction with basically no emoticons (according to the description) or anyway of disapproving expansion still has this. Once i dealt with that there are only some minor things that bug me like when your planets go into rebellion but that's usually my fault :D Over all i would still recommend it because it is very fun.… Expand
  94. Warlord8
    Dec 23, 2013
    8
    This is a good strategy game. Difficult, that makes you think more on what to do and wait to wage war...if it's not needed. You can't focus on one single war tech, you have to adapt and develop. I like it
  95. Raybit
    Dec 4, 2013
    8
    The game begin with random and you may really need to reload to obtain a couple of lucky planets which can provide a decent resources since AI seems never lack of resource.

    The real strategy part begin in the mid game, well, the battle system is simplified by playing cards, but enemy AI is quite smart at the hardest level I mean it responded to player's ship weapon&armor very soon:    The game begin with random and you may really need to reload to obtain a couple of lucky planets which can provide a decent resources since AI seems never lack of resource.

    The real strategy part begin in the mid game, well, the battle system is simplified by playing cards, but enemy AI is quite smart at the hardest level I mean it responded to player's ship weapon&armor very soon: almost each time you beat them, they will convert their ship's weapon&armor into the kind can restrain yours in a few turns. So, the earlier fight is not gonna be easy since you won't have enough resource/tech to upgrade or convert your weapons. Thus you'd better try your best to defeat enemies with your new weapons at their planets before encountering them at your base, and by this means they won't have reacting time to adjust. And this situation will only get changed after you take down your first close opponent since after that you can grab more resource from new planets and your ships and heroes also become experienced a lot whereas enemy just rebuild ships and recruit new heroes.

    And then the late game become a bit boring because opponents may fight each other and not just against you, and their advanced ship and weapons are not lead by a high level hero, which cause them to lose bounus -like 50% atk/def power.

    -----
    I tried several times at the hell level of "-195" but all failed, since whatever how many times you use S/L and other bug or trick,this largely weakened ship or resource setting won't give you the chance to take your most close(or weakest) opponent down while other opponent will do that before you can, and then the whole game lose the balance. It seems someone succeed in that by using very specified race, map and other setting- but I don't think that method contains any of strategy.    … Expand
  96. bloodyshan
    Oct 17, 2014
    8
    A beautiful and well-designed 4x game with lots of narrating background, you got excited at the beginning with exploration in space and establishing of your early colonies, it's not difficult to learn yet it's deep enough for one to keep experimenting, with various type of victories you can try to manage your space kingdom with different strategies on different factions.
    The end game of    A beautiful and well-designed 4x game with lots of narrating background, you got excited at the beginning with exploration in space and establishing of your early colonies, it's not difficult to learn yet it's deep enough for one to keep experimenting, with various type of victories you can try to manage your space kingdom with different strategies on different factions.
    The end game of this game is a bit easy once you beat an AI or two, but it requires careful management to get yourself to that point, the combat system is over-simplified but the graphic still draws mine attention, recommend for every space theme lover and 4X game fan.    … Expand
  97. JoceDoIt
    Jan 29, 2014
    4
    Seems great first but after few games, realise that there is lack of making choices than building ships. Graphics and sounds poor. Need to follow straight lines between the stars that are connected together. Worst, the battles are controlled by the IA, you choose 1 special move by round (3 by attack) and you watch the battle without doing anything? So, you hope that your ships build isSeems great first but after few games, realise that there is lack of making choices than building ships. Graphics and sounds poor. Need to follow straight lines between the stars that are connected together. Worst, the battles are controlled by the IA, you choose 1 special move by round (3 by attack) and you watch the battle without doing anything? So, you hope that your ships build is better than the other and cross your finger.

    Go get "Star Lords" : In Alpha for now but really better than this game.

    JoceDoIt    … Expand
  98. skocan
    May 2, 2014
    10
    All whats wrong with Civilization is fixed here! You really have to think what to build next, some improvements can have even negative effects if you build them in poor star system. You create your own ships! Combat is better than in any civilization game, but there could be at least pause option. It has some of these frustrating things, but what doesnt. AI just so much better than lastAll whats wrong with Civilization is fixed here! You really have to think what to build next, some improvements can have even negative effects if you build them in poor star system. You create your own ships! Combat is better than in any civilization game, but there could be at least pause option. It has some of these frustrating things, but what doesnt. AI just so much better than last civilization. Overall no idea why this game is under 8 here.… Expand
  99. thehumangerm
    May 26, 2014
    8
    Pros: Newcomer friendly given it's simple controls. It is not a space sim but a pure strategy game with a space backdrop. The real challenge lies in multiplayer but prepare for a long... game. Expect 1-6 hours per match depending on settings and map size. Move timers are a must. You are going to want to create a custom faction to be successful out of single player.

    Cons: Due to the    Pros: Newcomer friendly given it's simple controls. It is not a space sim but a pure strategy game with a space backdrop. The real challenge lies in multiplayer but prepare for a long... game. Expect 1-6 hours per match depending on settings and map size. Move timers are a must. You are going to want to create a custom faction to be successful out of single player.

    Cons: Due to the match length many multi player matches sadly end in teammates abandoning the game but on an up note they can return and others can take their place.    … Expand
  100. Hexteque
    Jul 5, 2012
    10
    I am a very tough critic and rarely award 10 out of 10 to games. This game billed itself as a 4x space strategy and for the first time since Masters Of Orion II it really delivered a quality product in that genre. I played the Alpha and Beta and found myself routinely getting sucked into sessions where I had played for 7 hours straight. I enjoyed the entire game including combat. TheI am a very tough critic and rarely award 10 out of 10 to games. This game billed itself as a 4x space strategy and for the first time since Masters Of Orion II it really delivered a quality product in that genre. I played the Alpha and Beta and found myself routinely getting sucked into sessions where I had played for 7 hours straight. I enjoyed the entire game including combat. The reason I enjoy combat is because it keeps the game moving...and the game is about galactic warfare, not ship to ship combat. Your skill still determines the outcome of a ship battle but it takes 1/5th the time and energy. Great game, I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

74
#74 Best PC Game of 2012
36
#36 Most Discussed PC Game of 2012
60
#60 Most Shared PC Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 36 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 27 out of 36
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 36
  3. Negative: 1 out of 36
  1. GameOver.gr
    Feb 12, 2013
    70
    What it lacks in storytelling and script it gains in gameplay and in the way it can get awfully addictive.
    Read full review
  2. Gamer.no
    Oct 27, 2012
    80
    This is a fun and addictive space strategy game. It doesn't quite have the character of Master of Orion 2, but it offers intelligent gameplay, smart opponents and plenty of fun while you build your interplanetary empire. Well worth trying, for both hardcore and casual strategy gamers.
    Read full review
  3. Pelit (Finland)
    Oct 14, 2012
    83
    Master of Orion still retains its throne, but Endless Space with its enticing atmosphere and fluid gameplay is one of the best 4X games in recent years. [Sept 2012]
See all critic reviews »