I had a really good time last time I played it. I was having some problems but after asking for some help I was informed the problem was likely a mod, and it was: do not install George G. Resources Mod. Now, I really recommend the game with 5X and UCP (just forget about playing the combat, just let the game auto-resolve). I even had to ask GOG to remove my review (it could be so much simpler if there existed on the site a feature to change it) and the poor rating I had given the game. I am taking 1 star because the formation of the Council is too dumb. There is no way for you to introduce two alien species and if they never get to explore each other the council will simply never form. I didn't know that so imagine my surprise when I figured this out looking for answer in the internet to "why does the Council never formed? I so late in the game, I have already eliminated a faction and the Council will not form so I can't win through Diplomacy". Then I realized my great plan to cut the Galaxy in half, grabbing the center and Orion in the process actually would force me to win everyone through military conquest (I had set the game to be won through military or diplomacy only). I could take 1 star because the ending doesn't feel like an ending. I conquered every single Planet in the galaxy and the ending told me that almost every threat to my civilization had been dealt with. Almost? What's left? I'm not going to though because most 4X suffer from this kind of stuff. I could also take another 1 star because the late techs have some pretty pretentious names, like Omniscience and what else. I'm a Catholic Christian so this makes me feel a bit uncomfortable, but good chances you won't ever get there anyway unless choose a real fast tech gain during setup (I played on a big galaxy, conquered everyone and wasn't close to get there). So I am NOT taking another 1 star. Oh, lastly, make sure your PC can handle the late game if you want to play on a "too big map".
Not as grandiose as Stellaris (so if you are looking for a lot of micromanaging, you better stay with that), but a worthy spiritual successor to Master of Orion. I have space for both on my library. There are some things that still need to be improved (read Master BLB one star review for a harsh criticism), like a few reviews have pointed out. In the forum you'll find some more, like better "alien mixing". I'll add that I'd like to see even more roleplaying options, although I admire the relaxed pacing of the game in comparison to Stellaris or even GC3. So, if I agree with some criticism, why am I giving it 5 stars? First, the game is good (as already mentioned on several reviews, so I'm not going to bother with another one telling you the same things. I'll tell you to check KharnDeBuilde one, we're pretty much on the same page - 4 stars), I'd say it is 4 stars right now. Then I'm adding another one because I trust the devs, I just listened to Explorminate podcast and I'm confident that if you are reading this in a year or two, most things being criticized in the reviews will have been addressed. Lastly, right now you are not seeing a "Verified Owner" because I bought the game on Steam last sale there (yeah, how I wish GOG would inform us in advance which games it intends to add to its catalogue...) but I do intend to buy it here as well when either the base game is at an even higher discount than it is right now (it's 50% now but no discount on the expansion or the soundtrack - meaning I'd have to keep playing the Steam version) or if everything has the same discount (say, everything is 50% or more discounted). It highly probable that, if you are seen this two years from now, I'm already a "Verified Owner". P.S.: By the way, why am I not allowed to buy the Soundtrack without buying the base game first? It would be the cheapest way for people that already own the game elsewhere - like myself - to show some support. Come on, GOG, allow us to. Do it!
...first, add flac. High quality mp3 is not high quality enough. That being said, the soundtrack is really good and I it comes with the DLC soundtrack as well, which is great (I hope they keep adding tracks for future DLCs). Now... this one is on GOG probably, but... why do you have to buy the game to buy the Soundtrack? I already own the game on Steam and I never buy Soundtracks there, so I figured I would help the devs and the composers a bit by buying the Soundtrack here - but no no no, you have to buy the game first - which I will eventually when everything is at a greater discount (or maybe I'll buy the DLCs if the base game is added through GOG Connect - because remember, I already own the game on Steam from last sale, mostly because I didn't knew it was coming to GOG), so I'm not buying anything to help anyone right now, yeah, that's probably better than just a few bucks from me. Win big or don't win at all, right?
I really admire the work that has been done here already. Gameplay is solid and races play really different. Also, the indie devs are still working on new content and they plan future DLCs so it is worth to support them (it is a rare case in which I considered also buying the game on Steam just to help the devs). I rate this game 4.5 stars. Once the devs add race customization it will be a solid 5 for me (and, as GOG doesn't allow one to change ratings, I'm already giving it 5 stars because I really trust the devs won't disappoint).
Dumb story, characters acting dumb and for dumb reasons all around, and it gets dumber and dumber the more you progress through the game. I wasn't expecting much, and still I was hugely disappointed. If you just loved the first Rebel Galaxy and wanted to experience something like that, be that gameplay or story, look elsewhere. Good thing it's on GOG so at least you may experience all this dumbness DRM free.
This game is something. There I was, trying to make sense of all the different screens and what's going on in the colonies, then suddenly a race decides to declare war on me. Ok, then a few turns later I'm allied to just about everyone except the crazy race, then suddenly there is a revolt in one of my colonies (mind you, I never even build a ship to the war I was supposedly in), then another colony is revolting, then game over. What a mess! I'm sure there is a game deep inside it somewhere, but then again, with so many good games out there... why bother?
