I'm obviously part of the intended target - I'm a physicist and IR geek. So take my enthusiasm with a pinch of salt. That said, this game is amazing. It's two games: One is a geopolitics simulater where you fight other shadowy factions, competing for control of countries. The second is an insanely detailed simulation of industrialization and war in the solar system. It's basically Kerbal Space Program, but as a wargame. Both games would be some of the best of their genre. The politics simulator is insanely ambitious, modelling macroeconomy in detail, and you have so many options - you can take control of countries with politicking, you can hunt and kill (or turn to your side!) enemy agents, you can build up strong countries and use them to invade enemies, or you can squeeze a country to ruin for money. It's a very intelligent simulation of the contemporary world: regional integration projects (like the EU) are very important, and countries start in realistic situation. For example, the Russian economy is so bad the country is useless except for the initial space capability, and the US start in a strong position but lack the growth potential of China or India. The space game beats anything in the genre. It accurately models hundred of solar system bodies, and a lot of research went into the ship components - designing your ships is a challenge and a delight if you're into physics. If you aren't, the auto-designer does a decent job! Colonizing and industrializing the solar system is the key effort of the space game, and I love it. (combat needs some SERIOUS interface and balance work). Cons: UI is raw, bordering on terrible, but the game is in EA after all. Some mechanics are micro-intensive, but that could easily be improved with patches. This game is already incredible, if you love the idea grab it this instant. If you're on the fence, or you hate micromanaging and poor UI, wait for full release, I'm sure it will be much more accessible!
