The game map

Endless space is a turn based strategy game set in a sci-fi space setting. Created by Amplitude Studios Endless Space is a game of great depth and exploration, a conquest to control the galaxies far and wide. But is this the next generation or simply just aiming for the stars?

The game has no real campaign mode as such but Endless Space does have a story. You can choose from any of eight factions and each has their own history and reasoning for wanting to control the galaxy. If you are however looking for am in depth campaign sprawling across the galaxy it is important to know that this is no Mass Effect.

Endless Space is a game of incredible depth and complexity. There is so much to consider. Building armadas, trading with other races, exploring and colonizing planets, harvesting recourses, researching upgrades and that is just some of what you can do. In each of these there are then more options for you to delve into. Endless Space has an incredible amount of options and that is only scratching the surface.

But these options aren’t always explained well. The tutorials can seem all very close together and although the tutorial screens do go into some detail it doesn’t ever feel like it is being explained fully. This isn’t always a huge problem, but in a game with as much depth as Endless Space a little more explanation would never go a miss.

Now the depth of Endless Space isn’t just in upgrade trees but also in tactics. In any strategy game there needs to be a good sense of balance and power and Endless Space provides this. Starting out as just one ship with a colonized planet and growing to an intergalactic empire takes diplomacy, strength and plenty of strategy. Being clever enough to build alliances with the other races on the map can at times mean the difference between the succeeding, and an early defeat. Skilled players may be able to take on everybody at once, but in Endless Space there is so much more to gain from not just being the bad guy.

That’s not to say that when the going gets tough the game can’t handle itself. Battles in Endless Space are nothing short of amazing, the first moment you get through the loading screen to actually watch the battle happen in an incredible close up environment is like watching something from your favourite Sci-fi show. The battles generally happen in 3 stages, a long range, medium range and short range encounter. You pick your tactics at the start and watch the action play out. For those moments where you are certain victory is yours there is the option to simply auto play the battle through the menu.

Visually the game is striking offering a not only the close up battle scenes mentioned above but also beautiful galaxies, amazing detail in the planet menus and overall a high quality feel to the game. The art in the game keeps true to a Sci-fi setting and the menus you experience during gameplay do not break the immersion as you are playing.

The sound in the game is another amazing success with the soundtrack of synths and strings lending themselves brilliantly to the games atmosphere. I have mentioned before how much a fan of Sci-fi I am and to see a game like Endless space keep a high standard throughout is a brilliant achievement.

Endless space offers a truly infinite amount of gameplay. You can choose to have an immediate game with quick match-ups, but for those who want to put the time and effort and truly see what this game has to offer there is an amazing selection of variables to make each match different. From Choose galaxy size, shape and much more means an infinite amount of random galaxies can be created at will.

Overall Endless Space is a deep involving strategy game consisting of many great qualities that make the game the complete package it is. Coming from an indie developer Endless Space is a game that at first would seem more synonymous with the larger publishing houses and development teams. Strategic gameplay set across an infinite amount of scenarios will leave you with plenty of action and when in the matches themselves there is also something to be doing.

I would recommend checking this game out if you are a fan of strategy games as well as newcomers. Although the tutorials come thick and fast and this may leave new players overwhelmed the game doesn’t punish you for being too new. Even if you are a veteran of turn based strategy I believe at higher levels there is also enough challenge and creativity to keep the game fresh and challenging.

I would like to add the caveat that unfortunately during my time with the game I was unable to try multiplayer. However after experiencing what Endless Space has to offer in the offline field I believe if the game plays anything like the offline skirmishes then you and your friends are in for a treat.

Space battles become intense