Astra Exodus
I was a beta tester for this although I came into the testing in the later phase (Super4est on Slitherine, Nandus). Sorry I’m just now getting my review here but as another posted, it came on a busy weekend for me and I wanted to get in some games of the actual steam version before reviewing.
Gaming background - mostly wargamer (board and PC), also like many video game genres such as 4x with MoO being one of my all time favs. I’ve enjoyed 4x since playing its early board game origins - Avalon Hill’s versions of Stellar Conquest, Civilization, etc.
– Real player with 343.3 hrs in game
Read More: Best 4X Indie Games.
I have played hundreds of hours of MOO 2, and I have to say I am thoroughly enjoying this take on its style. If you have to have tons of eye candy, this game is probably not for you, but for me the graphics are perfectly fine. This game has a good number of traits like MOO 2 with which to customize your race {and some like creative are handled in a more balanced manner}. This game is far more easily modded than MOO 2 {and if for example you want to create races with a different style of images it is not hard to do, you could even change the art in the premade races if you wanted {although it is more than fine for me}. I liked the fact that there was not only a basic tutorial, but also a series of videos explaining the different aspects of the game. I like the random tech tree. I don’t mind the real time combat {one of the biggest flaws in the MOO 2 was that with certain techs, it was way too easy to take advantage of the AI in turn based combat}. The dev is very active and quick to work on any bugs, as well as listening to constructive ideas. I am already having a great time with the game and believe it is only going to get better and better. One thing I would like to see {as someone else has mentioned} is the ability to retrofit. A big thumbs up for me!
– Real player with 93.3 hrs in game
Legion Gold
Really cool - suits me down to the ground. I had never played this (or even really heard about it back when it was released) so it was a new experience entirely.
Battles are simple - you give your troops a placement, a formation and advance/hold orders. When battle begins, you have no direct control over your units, in what the manual describes as an accurate depiction of a large-scale battle where commanders could not adequately give orders in the heat of the fray. When setting up your regiments, however, you do have to take into account the terrain your soldiers will be fighting on, and it’s necessary to refer to the included manual on this.
– Real player with 37.1 hrs in game
Read More: Best 4X Strategy Games.
If you like this type of game, it is still fun to play.
Yes 8 hours is not much as yet. However i have played SPARTAN on retail version many hundreds of hours.
LEGION is what I expected it to be, similar to SPARTAN in gameplay, interface, and visuals. I has less depth than SPARTAN, as the latter has a more elaborate diplomacy, more and different types of resources, a trade option and a tech tree.
Buy it on sale though, scenarios are limited and there is no grand campaign feature to conquer the ancient world.
– Real player with 20.4 hrs in game
Translunar Enterprises
Translunar Enterprises gives gamers the tools they need to compete in randomly generated sandbox universes. In these universes are multiple worlds to either colonize or exploit for their resources. Players can either fight for more resources through war or complex trade agreements. With a unique design system that enables players to design new reactions from elements and components, They can share or keep the research they discover throughout the game.
As a player, you will have to manage the economics, production chains, colonies, wars, and research of your corporation. Dive into the translunar universe where you will play as a corporation, either alone or with friends. Each session will never be the same as each universe is generated randomly, which will force you and your opponents to think differently on each playthrough. You can take up arms if you can’t find a peaceful resolution, or fuel the fire between other players and sell your high-tech weaponry to the highest bidder.
Features
-
Community driven development
During early access, the community will be involved in what will be coming in the next patch. We value your feedback immensely, and we want you to be a part of this game’s development! We, the developer, will select a few features that we can manage for the upcoming milestones, and then you get to vote on what is most important to you! Be a part of the community!
-
City Building on Planets, 4x In Space
Command your locations and your resources located in space and on different planets! You won’t have to manage menus to upgrade and build your megacity or industrial complexes, because they are created on the very planet surface! Space travel and combat will never be a menu or numbers game. Use your battle strategies and tactics to your advantage and prepare to defend yourself against enemy players and space pirates. Build Missile frigates for reinforcement and then counter incoming attacks with close-ranged defense systems that will eliminate most missiles. Or you can blast your enemies into nothingness with the power of your railguns. You control everything with the flick of a finger.
-
Player Driven Design
The players are in full control of designing the items that exist in their universe. You can trade, sell, and produce each of your items, control the market with your designs, and specify who can produce your items and the cost of the royalty fees they must pay. With over 20 different items to design and more on the way, each player is challenged to find the best combination while keeping their resources stocked by trade or mining. Successful execution of these skills will reveal the pros and the rookies.
-
Sandbox
Whether you choose to build entire cities, harvest and collect every resource in the known universe or become a warlord that make the strongest of players scream in fear, the decision is up to you to do exactly what you want. Play your way and fulfill your destiny!
-
Realtime Combat
When war strikes the universe, each player controls a battlefleet that fights in real time. Proper management, skilled tactics, and careful planning can turn any battle into a victory. You can also control individual ships or fleets at the same time to maximize the tactical ability in each combat situation to make sure you win. A corporation without protection rarely gets its mineral safe to harbor.
-
Multiplayer
Multiplayer gaming is at the foremost of this game. Together with integrations from Steam, your gameplay experience will be as smooth as possible. Play alongside your friends, or fight and destroy enemy players who have just as much to lose as you do!
-
Production Management
Transport minerals across the universe to manage production and raise it to its highest possible level. Optimize your production and transports for maximum output. You, the player, have full control over the market and what to sell and buy. Players can also choose where to sell or buy. Cause these prices to skyrocket by hoarding valuable minerals, or by making sure no other mineral transport reaches its destination.
Read More: Best 4X Crafting Games.
Wizards and Warlords
This is the good stuff. I have 13 hours played and I started playing it less than 36 hours ago. It gets the ‘one more turn’ feel just right, and has enough depth to keep things interesting, but is a bit un-optimized in terms of interface and mechanical transparency.
The Dev (yeah, the one dude making it on his own) is basically the paragon that all early access devs should try to be, constantly pushing updates and tweaks and engaging the community in respectful and productive discourse with humility and ingenuity. His turnaround time on new ideas is alarmingly fast, which is why there are multiple patches every week.
– Real player with 228.5 hrs in game
I very much wanted to this game to be great. The references to Dominion but with a different take on it.
There’s so much in the game, cool thought out magic, cool proc gen world, cool city development, cool leader development. But it’s so shallow. I didn’t care about any of my leaders, all the cities were functionally the same.
And the list of resources is insane. There’s a ton of resources to be gathering, but most have only a single use. It’s annoying to play a Fae wizard, get herbs and fairy dust, and have little use for it. You chase more resources until you realize you have no use for mithril. I’d rather have a smaller more concentrated list of resources that did something.
– Real player with 104.0 hrs in game
Sid Meier’s Civilization® III Complete
Here’s what I think of this game, I’ll compare it to Civ 5 since most people consider that to be the best Civ game.
Music: Both Civ 5 and Civ III have fantastic soundtracks as with pretty much all Civ games. CIV 5’s soundtrack is better, but that doesn’t mean this soundtrack isn’t worth listening to.
Diplomacy: The diplomacy here in Civ III, in my opinion is better. You can trade maps technologies, change how agressive the AI is. The AI does get quite a bit agressive once you get to medium agressiveness although.
– Real player with 328.3 hrs in game
I will start this review in two seperate forms, one for interested newcomers and then the Old Guard.
I will list off the pros first before the cons of this game, Civilization 3 is a different twist of the game than you may be familar with 4 and 5. Go in understanding this switch:
-Its an old game, if you can run the actual game, there should be no real issues.
-Graphically, it’s a sound experience and not many real issues, the modding community can find you bug fixes or new skins. Its pleasing regardless and you won’t really be let down by this game.
– Real player with 325.2 hrs in game
The Commission 1920: Organized Crime Grand Strategy
My previous review still applies…times 1000
I don’t care if this game takes forever to win!
I am the boss of a crime family!
What I say goes!
DO NOT come into my territory!
I AM “Scarface” Al Capone, Frank “The Enforcer” Nitti, Bumpy Johnson, Dutch Schultz, Lucky Luciano, Bugsy Siegel, Meyer Lansky, James Cagney & Humphrey Bogart in “The Roaring Twenties”, Edward G Robinson in “Little Caesar”, Vito Corleone, Sonny Corleone, Michael Corleone, the guy who cut off the horses head and somehow got it up the stairs and under the sheets without waking anyone or leaving a blood trail and everyone else rolled into one!
– Real player with 52.4 hrs in game
To give this little gem a thumbs up was kind of a margin call. I do love Mafia games and grand strategy games and this one made it into my heart but there are a number of things that could and should be improved.
But let´s go with the PRO´s first:
PROs:
-) Easy to understand the game mechanics and therefore you can play right away and have fun
-) nice graphics and funny nicknames of the mobsters
-) Many different traits that can give you benefits for your rackets and therefore allow different approaches to grow your family operations (such as mobsters with specialisation or neighbourhoods that prefer a certain racket like gambling or upgrades after you have a number of the same rackets running etc…)
– Real player with 42.5 hrs in game