I’m conflicted on whatever I should recommend this game or not. Price is bit steep for what you get, but then again, you often can pick this game on deep sale. Graphics are laughable, but interface is well done with plenty of tooltips and explanations. Game is interesting and it functions at base level, but then again, base gameplay loop is not very entertaining.
The major issue with this game is lack of interaction with problems what Emperor would have to face. Such game should be part text adventure which gives your Empire certain bonuses like negotiating trade deals, acquiring support of various branches and governors, etc. Your job as the Emperor should be all about consolidating power and making sure that each branch works well while occasionally throwing general orders like calling for offence on star system. This part is barely worked out as your gameplay as an Emperor has no depth, you will be clicking same few meaningless even pop ups. Quests in game also are meaningless. It should be focus from grounds up for next iteration. You are here to make big decisions, not to micromanage Empire.
Second issue are fleets. They have an issue of over-inflating sectors with fleets and drain upkeep and minerals of your Empire. Game does not acknowledge that there are multiple fleets present and there are no settings at how well you expect AI to defend border worlds. “Patrol and offensive patrols” option does not work. AI will never send reinforcements to a world over which enemy fleet orbits. Neither fiddling with offensive fleets does anything. AI just will attack with a single blob of units one planet at the time. There is also no way of highlighting planets which should be considered as a priority for your fleets. You can’t ask a fleet which is usually held in reserve to reinforce specific planets over what is normal. Gameplay quickly devolves on pressing conquer orders on every enemy planet nearby.
Game is also poorly balanced. Outside of early game when you have resources shortage, attacking primitives means something when you can’t bring up your doom fleets to bear. However, this quickly changes and AI is broken. Some primitives will attack you hard early only to become utterly passive later on. In fact, AI in general can’t do anything in this game outside of sending pitiful fleets to die against your orbital lasers. Static defence is also too cheap and effective. Economy is only growing upwards, there are no considerations which would make management of Empire more important of base statistics which generates near infinite resources. For example, introducing more meaningful distance bonus which would make any worlds outside core worlds to be increasingly impossible to control in any meaningful way with flat negative modifiers. There should be options to rule your empire as feudal empire like in Crusaders Kings 2 and game should be more about you controlling an empire, but AI does all the job. You merely give it priorities and orders. This way system prosperity would matter as armies, navies and industries would be separate and any support the further it is, should be less and less effective making you to rely on AI to handle with its own distant star systems.
Research is also meaningless in this game. Just research X for Y gains. Primitive system which does not befit such game. I recommend using randomised tech tree with priorities given by the Emperor. Furthermore, developer should adopt Crusader Kings 2 model with tech level varying between various geographical levels. This game also should make technology levels vary significantly between your Empire and what units each region uses. It should be made as one of gameplay focuses if a player wants technologically advanced Empire.
Court and edicts system is interesting, but it is paper thin and there is no room to see how useful they are. They should become deeper, more worked out.
Rebels are pointless. They are just given and they appear for no reason other than to appear. Entire system should be remade in order them to be manifestation of deeper problems. For example, you had conquered star system far away from Terra. It is backwards world ravaged by war. Then planet should get unrest bonus which could be alleviated and negated by how much you invest into sector in helping it to prosper. This should be expensive and meaningful decision preventing players from just face rolling through map without all of its conquered worlds revolting due to crush of taxation and oppression of new regime.
Pirates are also meaningless. They attack randomly like all primitive races for whom AI does not function well. All minor and major races are the same. All computer players and races feel extremely similar and they do not do anything in this game.
I will recommend this game, because it gives you what it promises and does not oversells itself as so many games on the market. However, this game is missing a lot and I have high expectations for the sequel.
The major issue with this game is lack of interaction with problems what Emperor would have to face. Such game should be part text adventure which gives your Empire certain bonuses like negotiating trade deals, acquiring support of various branches and governors, etc. Your job as the Emperor should be all about consolidating power and making sure that each branch works well while occasionally throwing general orders like calling for offence on star system. This part is barely worked out as your gameplay as an Emperor has no depth, you will be clicking same few meaningless even pop ups. Quests in game also are meaningless. It should be focus from grounds up for next iteration. You are here to make big decisions, not to micromanage Empire.
Second issue are fleets. They have an issue of over-inflating sectors with fleets and drain upkeep and minerals of your Empire. Game does not acknowledge that there are multiple fleets present and there are no settings at how well you expect AI to defend border worlds. “Patrol and offensive patrols” option does not work. AI will never send reinforcements to a world over which enemy fleet orbits. Neither fiddling with offensive fleets does anything. AI just will attack with a single blob of units one planet at the time. There is also no way of highlighting planets which should be considered as a priority for your fleets. You can’t ask a fleet which is usually held in reserve to reinforce specific planets over what is normal. Gameplay quickly devolves on pressing conquer orders on every enemy planet nearby.
Game is also poorly balanced. Outside of early game when you have resources shortage, attacking primitives means something when you can’t bring up your doom fleets to bear. However, this quickly changes and AI is broken. Some primitives will attack you hard early only to become utterly passive later on. In fact, AI in general can’t do anything in this game outside of sending pitiful fleets to die against your orbital lasers. Static defence is also too cheap and effective. Economy is only growing upwards, there are no considerations which would make management of Empire more important of base statistics which generates near infinite resources. For example, introducing more meaningful distance bonus which would make any worlds outside core worlds to be increasingly impossible to control in any meaningful way with flat negative modifiers. There should be options to rule your empire as feudal empire like in Crusaders Kings 2 and game should be more about you controlling an empire, but AI does all the job. You merely give it priorities and orders. This way system prosperity would matter as armies, navies and industries would be separate and any support the further it is, should be less and less effective making you to rely on AI to handle with its own distant star systems.
Research is also meaningless in this game. Just research X for Y gains. Primitive system which does not befit such game. I recommend using randomised tech tree with priorities given by the Emperor. Furthermore, developer should adopt Crusader Kings 2 model with tech level varying between various geographical levels. This game also should make technology levels vary significantly between your Empire and what units each region uses. It should be made as one of gameplay focuses if a player wants technologically advanced Empire.
Court and edicts system is interesting, but it is paper thin and there is no room to see how useful they are. They should become deeper, more worked out.
Rebels are pointless. They are just given and they appear for no reason other than to appear. Entire system should be remade in order them to be manifestation of deeper problems. For example, you had conquered star system far away from Terra. It is backwards world ravaged by war. Then planet should get unrest bonus which could be alleviated and negated by how much you invest into sector in helping it to prosper. This should be expensive and meaningful decision preventing players from just face rolling through map without all of its conquered worlds revolting due to crush of taxation and oppression of new regime.
Pirates are also meaningless. They attack randomly like all primitive races for whom AI does not function well. All minor and major races are the same. All computer players and races feel extremely similar and they do not do anything in this game.
I will recommend this game, because it gives you what it promises and does not oversells itself as so many games on the market. However, this game is missing a lot and I have high expectations for the sequel.