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
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 tried it on Gamepass but it didn’t grab me. I’m sure I will buy it again on a sale and give it another chance.
I tried it a few times and it didn’t click with me until I watched a GDC Postmortem on it. He was talking all about how the blood lines worked and how all of the different things can happen to anyone. It makes it have a little more personality than regular civ type games.
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.
I’m not really into playing 4x games multiplayer. But I did play Stellaris multiplayer. It can get pretty frantic if you don’t pause every now and then, but a far cry from boring.
sins of a solar empire 2 xplore
On the rare occasion that I have the time, I sometimes play Stellaris. (I’ve never played till the end though, I couldn’t sustain attention THAT long, especially given all the BS they keep doing to the game mechanics so often it makes strategizing impossible in the long run unless you dedicate your life to the game.)
