Summary
Ever sinceSpacewar!, one of the first-ever video games, was developed in 1962, space has been a rich source of inspiration for game developers. There arerail shooterspace games that play very much like old arcade cabinets, accurate space simulation games that aim to be realistic, and a whole host of other genres in between.
Manyspace gamessimply follow the adventures of the player, with them being limited to a single ship or a small group of ships. Others arestrategy games, with the player controlling whole fleets of ships. Then there arespace games that follow one of these two directions, but also allow the player to control or own regions of space, and begin building an empire.
8Star Ruler 2
Build Massive Interstellar Civilizations
Star Ruler 2is something of an underappreciated gem when it comes to4X strategy gamesset in space, which is a shame, as it has some of the deepest and most complex empire-building mechanics of any game. Furthermore, the sheer scale of the empire that the player can build and control has seldom been equaled in more modern games.
The player has to micromanage every aspect of their empire, including diplomacy, trade, resource collection, and logistics. Many of these features are quite advanced. For example, trade networks need to be established and maintained before the player can begin trading. Overall,Star Ruler 2is a great first entry on this list, and well worth playing today.
Stellaris, on launch, set the standard for real-time grand strategy games, showing how a complex game can be managed using a simple, easy-to-understand interface. With its many DLCs,Stellarisstill has a huge following at the time of writing.
When starting a new game, the player has to choose a race and the traits that race will begin with. The game then starts, and the player is tasked with not only dominating the entire map but also surviving theend-game challenge. They are free to expand their empire through military might, or by convincing other empires to become vassal states. Eventually, the player can end up controlling the entire game map.
Building on the gameplay fromSins Of A Solar Empire: Rebellion, this latest offering in theSins Of A Solar Empirefranchise is the most refined yet. The player must compete for control of star systems against AI-operated empires, and aim to control the map. This sounds simple, but is made challenging by the sheer aggression that some AI factions exhibit.
The game focuses mostly on space combat, and the real-time space battles and fleet engagements are exciting to watch. Fleet and planetary development are crucial inSins Of A Solar Empire 2, as is unlocking the right technology at the right time so that the player maintains technological parity or superiority over neighboring factions.
Few games have a heritage as impactful asElite Dangerous. Harking back to the originalElitegame that was released for the BBC Micro in 1984, which set in stone many of the common features of space sims we still see today,Elite Dangerousadded ground-based content in theOdysseyDLC, but it is theTrailblazersupdate that has earned it a place on this list.
SinceTrailblazerswent live, players have been able tocolonize entire star systems. Once a star system has been claimed, players can build stations, outposts, and ground-based colonies. Further systems can be colonized by the player to build an empire of interconnected systems.
WhenMaster of Orionwas first released, it did a lot to revitalize the 4X space strategy genre. It included many common gameplay features, but with a level of polish that was above average at the time. The addition of great voice acting from icons such as Mark Hamill was a nice touch, too.
Building a huge empire inMaster of Orionis something every player will need to do, but not always through military might. Other options exist, such as diplomacy, which is key, with AI factions responding to the player’s political stance. The turn-based combat is slick and easy to control, and overall, this was a definitive 4X game.
Endless Space 2is a visually pleasing game. Some real effort has been put into standardizing the aesthetics across all parts of the game, from the UI to the space battle scenes. This attention to detail is evident throughout the game, including in the compelling narrative that helps the player logically progress through the game, building their empire as they go.
The 4X aspects ofEndless Space 2are deep, bordering on micromanagement overload at times. Diplomacy, trade, and empire politics are hugely important for managing and growing an intergalactic empire. The fleet engagements are partly automated, with the player makingtactical choicesat appropriate times. Overall, as empire-building games go,Endless Space 2is immersive, but will take time to master.
Civilization: Beyond Earthpays tribute to the classic strategy game,Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri, which took the classicCivilizationstyle of gameplay and shifted it into a sci-fi setting. InBeyond Earth, players have to colonize an alien world and build their empire into a successful civilization.
The player is free to shape their empire how they see fit, with the ingenious way that technology unlocks are handled doing much to provide this freedom. The player will need to resolve political problems, explore and expand their territory, and strive to survive and adapt to their alien environment. Overall,Civilization: Beyond Earthdoes a great job of being a sci-fi-basedCivgame.
X4: Foundationsis the latest game in theXfranchise, and, at the time of writing, has added another six DLCs' worth of content, each of which expands the gameplay and the galaxy map. No other game allows the player to set up such a comprehensive empire infrastructure asX4.
Every ship can be controlled by the player or automated using an AI pilot to perform actions such as auto-trading, auto-mining, stocking production facilities, selling manufactured wares,and exploring and protecting areas of space.The player can build massive integrated production chains by constructing stations, including whole shipyards. There are two alien threats, the Xenon and the Khaak, as well as 22 major and minor factions to interact with. Overall,X4fully deserves the top spot on this list due to the sheer scope of the empire automation that is possible.
