Back again! We are going to shuffle around the days we do these discussion posts, if you’re paying attention.
This week’s topic is 4X games. 4X is a subgenre of strategy game that is defined by the “four Xs” that make up the genre name: EXplore, EXpand, EXploit and EXterminate. In these games you must explore surrounding territory, expand your empire or faction to claim it, exploit the resources found there, and exterminate other empires or factions. These games also sometimes feature auxiliary concepts like robust economy management, technology trees, and inter-faction diplomacy. Grand Strategy games are a subsubgenre (heh) under 4X that specifically involve an even larger and more detailed scope and often pit the player’s faction against dozens of others, often times with an asymmetrical playing field.
Here are some questions and subtopics that I encourage people to discuss:
- What are your favorite 4X games?
- Which “X” of the 4X genre is your favorite?
- What setting/background do you prefer for 4X games?
- Do you enjoy Grand Strategy games, as a subgenre of 4X?
Also feel free to bring up anything you like related to the topic! If you have suggestions for future discussion topics, leave them in the suggestion thread.
Additional Resources
- List of 4X games from Wikipedia
- Grand Strategy & 4X tag on Steam
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I prefer the first 3 x-es. I find most of the combat to be more tedious than fun, but I haven’t played much new stuff since Civ VI came out, so I may be OOTL a bit.
Oh I have played so many Stellaris games where I quit because of boredom after neutral space runs out and midgame borders are formed. I just don’t have tolerance for the slow political shenanigans.
I really liked to play 4x games like master of orion 2, Heroes of might and magic and especially age of wonders 1 and two in hotseat mode when I was younger.
Now they seem to take ages in turns when playing multiplayer. Are there any 4x games that retain some complexity while keeping the turns fast and engaging for multiple players? Online and hotseat are both welcome.
My favorite 4X games are:
-Civilization 4/5
-Distant Worlds 2
-Warlock Master of the Arcane
There are other games that would be my favorites but they just aren’t polished or rich enough, like Galactic Ruler and Pax Nova.
I like space 4x games, but exact setting isn’t as important as gameplay. I like unit/tech variety and logistics. Distant Worlds 2 has the appearance of my favorite game, but I wish many things were more fleshed out like building on planets.
Have you played Old World? It’s by one of the Civ 4 devs.
I believe the only 4x games I have played have been the Sid Meier’s games. They weren’t really my usual type of game but I did appreciate the complexity they created with balancing tactics and diplomacy.
Same, played a few CIV games over the years but never really got into it… Nothing sticked. I would play it for a few days and then go back to playing fps games :)
sins of a solar empire 2 xplore
