# What's your favourite 4X game?



## ChrisC (Jan 22, 2020)

As the title suggests. I'm looking for one to get into.


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## yield (Jan 22, 2020)

Dominions 5. The depth is quite staggering. Fun in single player but multiplayer is vastly better


www.illwinter.com/dom5/


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## ChrisC (Jan 22, 2020)

Currently play Galactic Civilisations 2 on my PC.









						Galactic Civilizations II
					

In the 23rd century the known galaxy is at war.  The Terran Alliance and their coalition are fighting a desperate interstellar war with the evil Drengin Empire and their ruthless allie.



					www.galciv2.com
				




And Uciana on my Android devices.









						Uciana – Apps on Google Play
					

Explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate in this 4X turn based strategy game




					play.google.com


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## BigTom (Jan 23, 2020)

Civilization series by play time easily.


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## ChrisC (Jan 23, 2020)

I used to play Civilization 2 back in the day. I was just wondering what new stuff is out there. Particularly similar to Master of Orion 2. The 2 I mentioned above are good, but Master of Orion 2 set the standard. That or I'm being nostalgic.


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## BigTom (Jan 23, 2020)

Well, there's civilization 6.... 

Tbh I'm not sure what others I've played recently. Sins of a solar empire is kind of 4X i think but may just be a space RTS game, it's been a few years.

Clearly nothing stands out in my memory but then again I'm likely to just play another game of civ rather than buy and learn a new game...


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## emanymton (Jan 23, 2020)

ChrisC said:


> I used to play Civilization 2 back in the day. I was just wondering what new stuff is out there. Particularly similar to Master of Orion 2. The 2 I mentioned above are good, but Master of Orion 2 set the standard. That or I'm being nostalgic.


I don't think you can beat Master of Orion 2.


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## BigTom (Jan 23, 2020)

Just seen these three recommended on a reddit thread about games doing something different in their genre:
Amplitude
Endless Legend
Humankind

Not played any of them but thought I'd post them up so i can remember to have a look at them later

edit: Amplitude are the studio who made Endless Legend and are making Humankind. I'm sure I played Endless Space from the same people which predates Endless Legend but I cannot remember it at all, wonder if it's in my steam library from years ago...


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## tommers (Jan 27, 2020)

Endless legend is good. There might be a sequel out now too, not sure.


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## Shechemite (Jan 27, 2020)

Civ revolution on Xbox 360. Nice and simple


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## ChrisC (Jan 28, 2020)

Does anyone remember Ascendancy? That was a quite little gem.


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## ChrisC (Jun 2, 2020)

Currently playing the modern Master of Orion. It's not Master of Orion 2, but not bad in it's own way. 

Good voice acting.







__





						Home | Master of Orion
					

Master of Orion -astonishing space game, challenging sci-fi strategy game. Choose a race and conquer the galaxy.




					masteroforion.eu


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## Chz (Jun 2, 2020)

emanymton said:


> I don't think you can beat Master of Orion 2.


Master of Magic > MOO2. Flying invisible warships FTW.

I actually kind of preferred MOO1 to 2. MOO1 had the thing where no-one could ever get the full tech tree - there were always random techs that you couldn't get. In MOO2, it gets stale because you're always sniffing at the same techs, every game. It gets *interesting* when only one civilisation has mastered high-end Planetary Shields. Or you're the only one with Neutronium Bombs.


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## emanymton (Jun 2, 2020)

Chz said:


> Master of Magic > MOO2. Flying invisible warships FTW.
> 
> I actually kind of preferred MOO1 to 2. MOO1 had the thing where no-one could ever get the full tech tree - there were always random techs that you couldn't get. In MOO2, it gets stale because you're always sniffing at the same techs, every game. It gets *interesting* when only one civilisation has mastered high-end Planetary Shields. Or you're the only one with Neutronium Bombs.


I haven't played 1, but from memory 2 was similar. For most tech you only got one of the possible advances unless you had the race advantage that gave you all of them.


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## Chz (Jun 2, 2020)

Yes, but you could always choose from the same 2 or 3. And you'd usually choose the same thing every time. In 1, random techs just wouldn't appear for you *at all.*
You could take the trait where you only got one predetermined one, but unlike in MOO1 where all the races have it, in MOO2 it's an extreme disadvantage and pretty much forces you to go heavy on the spying - which again makes for same-y play. To me, the tech tree was the worst thing in MOO2.


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## emanymton (Jun 2, 2020)

Chz said:


> Yes, but you could always choose from the same 2 or 3. And you'd usually choose the same thing every time. In 1, random techs just wouldn't appear for you *at all.*
> You could take the trait where you only got one predetermined one, but unlike in MOO1 where all the races have it, in MOO2 it's an extreme disadvantage and pretty much forces you to go heavy on the spying - which again makes for same-y play. To me, the tech tree was the worst thing in MOO2.


Right ok. Think I would prefer the system in 2 myself. But like I said never played 1.


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## ChrisC (Jun 2, 2020)

Chz said:


> Yes, but you could always choose from the same 2 or 3. And you'd usually choose the same thing every time. In 1, random techs just wouldn't appear for you *at all.*
> You could take the trait where you only got one predetermined one, but unlike in MOO1 where all the races have it, in MOO2 it's an extreme disadvantage and pretty much forces you to go heavy on the spying - which again makes for same-y play. To me, the tech tree was the worst thing in MOO2.



I've never played moo1. However I might check it out, as it came with the modern Master of Orion. Actually it came with moo1, 2 and 3. Not sure what the hell moo3 was all about. But, moo2 is my favourite all time game that still plays well today. Don't get me wrong. The modern Master of Orion was a good effort at imitating moo2, but it's just missing that little something. Having said that still a good game though.


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## platinumsage (Jun 3, 2020)

MOO2 was fine until you got falsely accused of spying by your strongest ally, toppling your carefully built diplomatic house of cards into an endless war. Sometimes the spying accusation didn’t even feature - your ally would just unilaterally declare war for no reason, as if overcome by some kind of madness, even if they weren’t a warlike race.


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## platinumsage (Jun 3, 2020)

Nothing beats Alpha Centauri imo. The atmosphere with the music and the voice clips just made it something special, and playing different factions with their politics was great fun.


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## ChrisC (Jun 3, 2020)

platinumsage said:


> Nothing beats Alpha Centauri imo. The atmosphere with the music and the voice clips just made it something special, and playing different factions with their politics was great fun.



Just downloaded this from www.gog.com looking forward to giving it a whirl.


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## platinumsage (Jun 3, 2020)

ChrisC said:


> Just downloaded this from www.gog.com looking forward to giving it a whirl.



The capitalist faction has by far the best music btw


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## ChrisC (Jun 3, 2020)

platinumsage said:


> The capitalist faction has by far the best music btw



Well I'm gonna finish my Psilon campaign on Master of Orion. Then I'll give Alpha Centauri a go. Is it easy to learn? Or would you advise watching a YouTube tutorial?


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## Chz (Jun 3, 2020)

platinumsage said:


> Nothing beats Alpha Centauri imo. The atmosphere with the music and the voice clips just made it something special, and playing different factions with their politics was great fun.


Probably the best overall, but I've always felt that the unit design was an unnecessary overhead and klunky. It would have been just fine with a bunch of pre-designed ones and smoothed out the gameplay somewhat. But I also know the obsessives love it, so it's just a personal thing. 

AC is easy to learn, difficult to master. The ways you can tweak your society are _extremely_ powerful, but tricky to get your head around at times. I always go too far and end up nerve stapling everyone.


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## platinumsage (Jun 3, 2020)

ChrisC said:


> Well I'm gonna finish my Psilon campaign on Master of Orion. Then I'll give Alpha Centauri a go. Is it easy to learn? Or would you advise watching a YouTube tutorial?



It's basically like Civ II if you've ever played that. I can't remember learning it, it was so long ago. I think I just dived in. It has in-game help menus and probably a tutorial as well.


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## ChrisC (Jun 3, 2020)

platinumsage said:


> It's basically like Civ II if you've ever played that. I can't remember learning it, it was so long ago. I think I just dived in. It has in-game help menus and probably a tutorial as well.



Never played Civ 2. Played Civ 4 though.


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## Artaxerxes (Jun 8, 2020)

Alpha Centauri remains the pinnacle of 4X.


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## Mordi (Jun 14, 2020)

Artaxerxes said:


> Alpha Centauri remains the pinnacle of 4X.



Endless Legend is the only game I can think of that decided to develop the tech tree as explicit narrative device that for me made AC such a powerful experience. And even then it's tied up in a Choose Your Own style Quest system which is another layer between the story being told and the actions you take.


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## agricola (Jun 14, 2020)

Stellaris - its real-time rather than turn based, but you can eat people.


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## ChrisC (Dec 5, 2020)

Playing a game called Stars in Shadow. Very Master of Orion 2 ish. Quite a fun little indie game actually. 





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						Stars in Shadow
					

Stars in Shadow




					stars-in-shadow.com


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