Galactic Civilizations 4

Running an empire sure sounds like a tiring experience – when that civilisation begins to span galaxies, though, things become even more confusing. For those looking for a fun and exciting new experience within the sci-fi empire building world, then, 2021 release Galactic Civilizations IV might be worth your time. Developer Stardock has done a fine job of creating a series that provides users with an incredible amount of control over how they run their own little galactic empire.

How, though, does this release stack up when compared to other titles in the series? How does it compare to other games within this genre?

An empire builder that spans planets

The biggest part of Galactic Civilizations IV that makes it so interesting, and so like games such as Civilization, is meeting other species. As you build up your own spacefaring species, you will look to build upon new star worlds and expand into new regions. As you do so, though, you will run into various other foes who come along and make your life difficult. You will come across civilisations that you have come across before, especially if you played other Galactic Civilizations titles, but you will also find many new species to come across.

One thing to note is that Galactic Civilizations IV is still in Early Access, so it is not yet finished. This means that new features – including new species – are arriving all the time. Try to keep that in mind, as it means that some features will not yet be developed enough or will not be present at all. What is present at the moment, though, is still a deep and engaging management experience that should feel very fun indeed.

You already have a wide enough selection of species to choose from, enough to rival other popular titles such as Stellaris. There is much to love about Galactic Civilizations IV, and it looks to have great long-term potential if the present development cycle is anything to go by.

Highly exciting galactic development and diplomacy

What we have played so far of Galactic Civilizations IV is a game that provides a highly enjoyable experience. There is much to love and enjoy about its worldbuilding and its storytelling. The way that things unfold, especially your interactions with other species, feel about as fluid and as fun as one would expect. This is the fourth title in the series, and it is clear that the game has learned from the iterations that came before.

Pros

• Excellent array of species to choose from, allowing for excellent development potential.
• Great systems in place for building up your civilisation without feeling forced or false.
• Tremendous amount of detail for what is still an Early Access title.

Cons

• Needs to be finished to be able to realise its full potential and excitement.