I started playing Epic Tavern. It's early access but already pretty playable for hours. Really fascinating simulation game. I was looking for a game in which one just runs a restaurant or tavern, this takes it to another level.
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4X Strategy |OT| eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, eXterminate
- Thread starter Hella
- Start date
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Right now all I can think of is Age of Wonders: Planetfall. It hit me recently that it's actually really close to release.
And speaking of AoW... Age of Wonders 3 is free via Steam! Claim it & save 10% on a Planetfall preorder. Kinda an interesting promotion.
store.steampowered.com
And speaking of AoW... Age of Wonders 3 is free via Steam! Claim it & save 10% on a Planetfall preorder. Kinda an interesting promotion.
Age of Wonders III on Steam
Age of Wonders III is the long anticipated sequel to the award-winning strategy series. Delivering a unique mix of Empire Building, Role Playing and Warfare, Age of Wonders III offers the ultimate in turn-based fantasy strategy for veterans of the series and new players alike!
Age of Wonders 3 is hands down my favourite fantasy 4X. The mix of 4X, RPG, with tactical combat, is a fantastic match. If you like 4Xes at all, AoW3 is for you.
Oh, yeah, I should get back to that. It's a fun little title.
Found another good one, Chef: A Restaurant Tycoon Game. You basically run a restaurant. Level up staff, improve the menu, advertise, etc. Charming little early access sim. It still has some way to go in the UI department but it's a fully fledged game thus far. Really tough, kind of like running an actual restaurant, but fun.
I keep staring at this one on my wishlist but haven't pulled the trigger. Is there a decent variety of missions to do?
I only played three-ish hours. It seems like there's a decent variety, but it's all text based. Don't expect lots of animations or any voice acting. If you want I can see about firing up a session so you can watch on Steam later.
It's all good. I will keep the thing on the wishlist. Already added enough to the backlog on the latest Steam sale.
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Rock, Paper, Shotgun's article made me do a double-take. It sounds really good... sort of Imperator: Rome x Total War
I'm kinda shocked I've never heard of the series before, lol. It's sooo up my alley.
I got Field of Glory 2 during last year's Steam sale, but haven't played it yet. Empire's optional battle system sounds interesting in how it boots up FoG2, though it's a bit clunky from what I've seen in Let's Plays what with the loading times. I think when I get round to playing Empires I'll just autoresolve them.
I got Endless Space 2. Liked the first one and I'm liking this one as well.
I love the world building in this game. Makes me wish it was more than just a 4X game.
I love the world building in this game. Makes me wish it was more than just a 4X game.
Tangentially relevant here. I was listening to some quality music as I do and ran across this comment. How badass are you that you can just casually drop this into YouTube comments?
All CK2 expansions for 15$ in HB:
I repeat, ALL CK2 EXPANSIONS FOR 15$ IN HB!!!!
I repeat, ALL CK2 EXPANSIONS FOR 15$ IN HB!!!!
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it gud
I've only been dabbling in the tutorial and commander creator so far, though.
For some reason I doubted it would be like a "AoW4" but that's exactly what it is--the systems are deeper, the game is bigger, and it just feels like a better product overall. (Of course, I'm veeeery early in, but the familiarity is strong.)
Cool cool. I'm glad they worked on making the strategic side a little deeper, even if it's ultimately still a war game. If the game gets as much support as AoW3 it should be really special by the end. Hopefully it gets a workshop soon, too.
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One big thing you notice even in the tutorial is how much more active combat is. Many units have active abilities and unique tactics vs. it being largely a game of positioning as in AoW3. It really does feel more like XCOM, as some reviews have noted (and not just because of overwatch/cover).
I never thought to check the Workshop, but the launcher mentions mods and (IIRC) Steam so it has to be coming.
I was thinking of not buying yet it becauseit gud
I've only been dabbling in the tutorial and commander creator so far, though.
For some reason I doubted it would be like a "AoW4" but that's exactly what it is--the systems are deeper, the game is bigger, and it just feels like a better product overall. (Of course, I'm veeeery early in, but the familiarity is strong.)
- I haven't played age of wonders 3 despite having it for a while
- 3k DLC is releasing this week
- I'm really enjoying valkirie chronicle 4
It's up now. Maybe I was blind earlier but I'm pretty sure it wasn't right at launch.
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I've spent a few hours with it now and I feel comfortable recommending Planetfall; as a 4X it seems magnifique. (Obviously that can change late-game, but it certainly feels like it can follow through rn.) It's got some rough edges and takes a while to grasp, due to the sheer number of systems in it... but honestly that's my favourite part of a 4X. It feels very well realised overall, the sort of game that gives you an ocean of depth and invites you to dive as deep as you can.
Now, although Planetfall has a lot of great ideas packed in, I'd call it evolutionary rather than revolutionary. I don't want to just say Planetfall is "for fans of the genre" but that really fits.
If you haven't played AoW3, jumping into that would be a good way to prime yourself for Planetfall while also getting an idea if it's something you'd like. So ultimately, unless you want to be part of the zeitgeist, you would be fine waiting a bit.
4X games are among my favorites, but after spending an ungodly amount of hours on Stellaris, I have somewhat lost my motivation to try others. I loved endless Space 1, but the sequel bore me after 15 minutes. Loved Sword Of The Stars, but the second was an outrageous mass of glitches. Same for the Master of Orion series.
I may try Planetfall, since you guys are praising it.
I may try Planetfall, since you guys are praising it.
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I made the Age of Wonders: Planetfall OT!
I'm having a blast with it, but it's pretty different from any of the space 4Xes. It's closer to Endless Legend, or maybe Civilization: Beyond Earth. (Or, y'know, Age of Wonders 3.)
Just note that it's not actually set in space. I think everything in Planetfall is done in-atmosphere, unless I've missed some wild biomes. The different 'planets' are just new maps, with the campaign tying them into a coherent narrative.
I'm having a blast with it, but it's pretty different from any of the space 4Xes. It's closer to Endless Legend, or maybe Civilization: Beyond Earth. (Or, y'know, Age of Wonders 3.)
Me: "I miss HoMM, there's no game like that and 6 and 7 were trash"
My friends: "Have you tried Age of Wonders? It's quite similar and very good"
Me: "Nah, I don't think I'd like it"
---a few years later, after getting AoW3 for free and finally installing it because everyone is hyped about Planetfall--
Me: "Holy shit AoW3 is so great! It's like a natural evolution of HoMM! I can't believe I didn't know about it!"
My friends: "..................."
My friends: "Have you tried Age of Wonders? It's quite similar and very good"
Me: "Nah, I don't think I'd like it"
---a few years later, after getting AoW3 for free and finally installing it because everyone is hyped about Planetfall--
Me: "Holy shit AoW3 is so great! It's like a natural evolution of HoMM! I can't believe I didn't know about it!"
My friends: "..................."
I really like that this looks like a very different take on the concept, and not "Endless Legends but the Broken Lords are now called Rome". Their problem was always that their design concept only allows for a limited amount of factions, and a Civ-like needs dozens upon dozens of similar factions. Instead of devolving into Civ1-2 where the only difference between civs was the name, they seem to be trying something really different with the whole "faction" concept:
Also, they're abandonning the traditional victory conditions (supremacy/diplomatic/economic/Science victory) to have only one victory condition, "Fame". What does it all mean? I'm super intrigued.
I hope it's good, 60 cultures is appetizing!
Also, they're abandonning the traditional victory conditions (supremacy/diplomatic/economic/Science victory) to have only one victory condition, "Fame". What does it all mean? I'm super intrigued.
I'd like it if all games like this start moving away from having victory conditions at all, tbh.
Political/cultural fluidity seems like a natural focus for a game that's meant to cover the history of civilisation. It wasn't an informative trailer so I'm keen to hear more about other unique features that Amplitude plan to implement. I'm hoping it's less "game-y" than Civilization, as much as I enjoy those games.
Quite intrigued by Humankind. I could use another take on Civ, and I feel like Amplitude certainly have the ability to deliver a good one.
I have always wanted someone to take on the idea of CIV and give it a change of pace. I'm really glad it is amplitude because they have the ability to really push the boundaries of the genre. IMO both endless legend and endless space are really good 4x games.
Me too. I find it really restrictive and it kidna forces to "min-max" instead of playing sub-optimal for roleplaying.
IMO victory conditions should only exist in games with storyline/levels where reaching a defined target is important to advance something. In open ended games like 4xs and grand strategy games it seems a bit short-sighted to have these objectives.
I'm not opposed to the idea of victory conditions, but I think they can be restrictive because they're often completely static. I've thought for the past couple of years that I'd like to see Civ give each Civ their own unique victory condition, for example (based around that Civ's unique qualities and how they were acting in the world at their historical peak). Different conditions for different types of maps could also be an idea worth exploring, as well as just having victory conditions that evolve over the course of the game depending on how the different factions are playing. I think 4x games definitely need to rethink victory conditions, but I don't think they need to throw them out entirely.
I'm on board. Civ scratches an itch unlike any other 4X, and Amplitude has shown they've got the chops.
Edit: man, they're really leaning into the expanded cities thing, huh? Curious how they'll handle the possibility to totally shift cultures from an aesthetic standpoint.
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An interesting take. I think it would be easier to not have those victory conditions and instead have an end game screen that summarizes your campaign.
If a dev manages what you say I think it would transform 4x games as we know it.