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Endless Space

Endless Space Game Cover
77%Game Brain Score
gameplay, graphics
stability, grinding
79% User Score Based on 5,703 reviews
Critic Score 70%Based on 2 reviews

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PCMac OSWindows
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Endless Space Game Cover

About

Endless Space is a single player and multiplayer turn-based strategy game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by AMPLITUDE Studios and was released on July 3, 2012. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

Endless Space is a turn-based 4X strategy game set in space. Players choose one of several unique civilizations, each with their own strengths, weaknesses, and victory conditions. Explore the galaxy, build and upgrade your empire, research new technologies, and engage in tactical space combat in this expansive and engaging game. With deep customization options and a variety of ways to win, Endless Space offers nearly limitless replayability.

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Endless Space screenshot
Endless Space screenshot
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79%
Audience ScoreBased on 5,703 reviews
gameplay243 positive mentions
stability74 negative mentions
  • Endless Space offers a deep and engaging 4X strategy experience with a variety of factions, each with unique traits and playstyles.
  • The game features a visually stunning galaxy and impressive ship designs, along with a captivating soundtrack that enhances the overall atmosphere.
  • The customizable tech tree and ship design mechanics allow for diverse strategies and replayability, making each playthrough feel unique.
  • The user interface is clunky and not well-optimized for modern resolutions, making it difficult to read and navigate, especially on higher resolution displays.
  • Combat mechanics are overly simplistic, relying on a card system that can feel random and lacks meaningful tactical depth, leading to a less engaging experience.
  • The AI often feels unbalanced, with higher difficulties providing significant advantages that can lead to frustrating gameplay, especially for new players.
  • gameplay
    862 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Endless Space" is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its strategic depth and unique mechanics, such as customizable factions and a complex tech tree. However, criticisms often focus on the AI's poor performance, overly simplistic combat mechanics, and a lack of clear tutorials, which can make the game feel tedious and unbalanced. While the visuals and atmosphere are praised, the overall execution of gameplay leaves some players feeling that it falls short compared to other titles in the genre, leading to a repetitive experience.

    • “The strategic depth and complexity of managing an entire spacefaring civilization provide countless hours of engaging gameplay.”
    • “Its streamlined interface and intelligent gameplay make it well worth trying for both hardcore and casual strategy gamers.”
    • “The gameplay is fantastic and solid.”
    • “There is no real gameplay apart from clicking buttons so certain numbers go up slightly faster.”
    • “Overly complicated, but ultimately shallow space 4x with confusing combat mechanics.”
    • “The artificial limitations, bland random events and slow gameplay make for a subpar experience.”
  • graphics
    539 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of "Endless Space" are generally praised for their beauty and detail, especially considering the game's age, with many reviewers noting the stunning visuals during space battles and the overall aesthetic appeal. While some players find the graphics to be somewhat dated or simplistic, the game's art style and user interface are often described as polished and immersive, contributing to a captivating atmosphere. However, there are criticisms regarding inconsistencies and occasional graphical glitches, which detract from the overall experience.

    • “The game's graphics are top-notch, with a sleek interface that makes navigating the galaxy a breeze.”
    • “With its stunning visuals, immersive soundtrack, and deep lore, the game creates a sense of wonder and exploration.”
    • “The graphics are beautiful, even on my potato of a computer.”
    • “The graphics are outdated, the gameplay is hard to comprehend, and is counterintuitive, and the tutorial is seriously lacking.”
    • “The graphics are rubbish and unimaginative; the icons are oversimplified color blobs that mean nothing, and the research is gibberish that makes no logical sense.”
    • “The graphics were boring; just looking at those planets and ships flying around wasn't interesting; there was nothing beautiful or surprising, it was just... boring.”
  • music
    344 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its immersive and atmospheric qualities, often described as beautiful, relaxing, and perfectly suited to the sci-fi theme. Many players appreciate the soundtrack's ability to enhance the gameplay experience, with some even recommending it for listening outside of the game. However, a few reviews note that the music can become repetitive over long play sessions, suggesting a desire for more variety. Overall, the soundtrack is considered one of the game's standout features, contributing significantly to its appeal.

    • “The music is absolutely perfect.”
    • “The soundtrack is beautifully sublime as well, consisting of slow-paced electronic music with middle-eastern instruments mixed in, all composed by Flybyno.”
    • “The music wonderfully fits the sci-fi theme.”
    • “The music in this game is nothing to write home about; it's very spacey.”
    • “The combat camera might be tricky at some points, and the soundtrack might seem to loop the same three songs all over, which might get on your nerves at some point in the game.”
    • “The soundtrack can be lacking at times, but the graphics are amazing.”
  • story
    195 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its lack of depth and engagement, with many players noting the absence of a traditional campaign or meaningful narrative. While there are elements of lore and emergent storytelling through random events, the overall experience feels vague and repetitive, leaving players wanting more substantial character development and plotlines. Despite this, some appreciate the unique backstories of the various factions, which add a layer of atmosphere to the gameplay, though many agree that the game would benefit from a more pronounced story mode.

    • “While there is no real story mode in the game, each campaign somehow tells its own story thanks to a series of random events that happen as the game progresses.”
    • “The background story of the Endless Space universe is fantastic.”
    • “The lore is pretty awesome with the story and how 'dust' is used.”
    • “The game's story mode is a bit lacking, however, with little in the way of character development or engaging plotlines.”
    • “The complete lack of a campaign, the lack of a meaningful story, the fact you have no reason to get into the game just killed it for me.”
    • “While there isn't a whole lot of story on its own, which may disappoint some, it makes a great template of a game if you enjoy creating your own story about your empire.”
  • replayability
    119 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The reviews for "Endless Space" highlight a mixed perception of its replayability. While many players appreciate the game's customizable factions, diverse strategies, and randomized maps that contribute to a high replay value, others feel that the overall experience can become repetitive after a few playthroughs due to limited differences between factions and gameplay mechanics. Ultimately, the game offers significant replayability for those who enjoy exploring its depth and variety, but it may not satisfy players seeking endless novelty.

    • “The customizable factions and varied gameplay mechanics offer diverse strategies and replayability.”
    • “The game's replayability is a plus, with randomized maps and a variety of playable factions to choose from.”
    • “Add all of this to a wealth of options when setting up a new game, and Endless Space allows for literally 'endless' replayability for hundreds (if not thousands) of hours of deep strategic gameplay.”
    • “At the end of the day, you always research everything, and it takes away from replayability.”
    • “Strictly speaking, this doesn't qualify for thumbs up or thumbs down, but as it's a 4X game that completely lacks in replay value and mechanics, I'm going to go with the thumbs down.”
    • “Sadly, the biggest drawback is the replay value; there really isn't much of a replay value as compared to other strategy 4X games.”
  • stability
    83 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is a significant concern among users, with many reporting frequent bugs, crashes, and freezes that severely impact gameplay. Despite some players finding enjoyment in the game, the overwhelming consensus is that it remains unpolished and prone to glitches, making it difficult to recommend for those seeking a stable experience. While a few users noted improvements over time, the persistent issues suggest that the game is still far from being reliably playable.

    • “It runs great on lower-end computers, so if Stellaris scares you off because of the system specs and MOO is still too expensive, get this game.”
    • “The game, as far as I can tell, is mostly bug-free.”
    • “It's stable and not buggy.”
    • “I couldn't get it to run even with six hours of troubleshooting.”
    • “But what truly made this game unbearable was its endless stream of bugs and glitches.”
    • “The game glitches and has to be restarted every couple of hours.”
  • grinding
    78 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, reviews indicate that grinding in this game is a significant issue, particularly in the late game where tasks become tedious and repetitive. Players often find themselves overwhelmed by micromanagement and busywork, leading to a lack of enjoyment as they navigate through combat and empire management. While some appreciate the depth and complexity, many agree that the game can feel excessively grindy, especially for those not accustomed to the typical challenges of 4X titles.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The game is full of tedious tasks and busywork, and dealing with a UI that could have been more ergonomic.”
    • “The basic complaint that I have is that Endless Space gets tedious late in the game.”
    • “Unfortunately, it's also rather tedious.”
  • atmosphere
    56 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive qualities, featuring a well-crafted blend of stunning graphics, a captivating soundtrack, and thoughtful design elements that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the relaxing and atmospheric tone, which complements the strategic gameplay, making it a pleasant and engaging environment for exploration and conquest. However, some users noted that bugs can detract from the otherwise enchanting atmosphere, highlighting the importance of polish in maintaining the game's immersive qualities.

    • “Chill, extremely atmospheric, solid design, fantastic presentation (art, UI, music, sound).”
    • “The game's soundtrack is also well-done, adding an immersive and atmospheric feel to the gameplay.”
    • “The atmosphere in Endless Space is one of its standout qualities.”
    • “They seem actually intrinsically incoherent and, at least for me, utterly ruin the atmosphere.”
    • “There is basically nothing besides the respective faction intro to evoke some atmosphere in the game.”
    • “The atmosphere of the game changes every time you play because you can customize your own faction and no two universes are ever the same, making for some intense fights for domination.”
  • humor
    36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is described as quirky and often hilarious, with players enjoying the comedic interactions with AI and the amusing scenarios that arise during gameplay. While some find the humor to be a charming aspect of its simplicity, others note that the battle mechanics can be frustratingly basic, detracting from the overall comedic experience. Overall, the game offers a mix of clever sci-fi humor and entertaining moments, making it enjoyable for those who appreciate a lighthearted approach to strategy gaming.

    • “The humor is quirky and funny, without trying too hard.”
    • “It is a beautiful, surprisingly humorous, addictive, and intense masterpiece.”
    • “With friends versus the AI, the pretentious lines the AI spit out as they are being creamed by your forces is all too funny.”
    • “You end up doing the same two things until the middle of the game - building and researching - but it's not funny at all.”
    • “The attempts at humor feel forced and often fall flat, making the experience more tedious than entertaining.”
    • “I expected some laughs, but the jokes are stale and the comedic timing is off, leaving me cringing instead of chuckling.”
  • optimization
    27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it generally runs smoothly even on older hardware and features a user-friendly interface, some players report significant performance issues, particularly in late-game scenarios and on updated systems. Despite its stable performance in many aspects, there are complaints about optimization problems, interface issues, and occasional visual stuttering that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game offers a solid performance for its age, but optimization challenges remain for certain users.

    • “Each weapon type on a ship can be optimized for a specific range.”
    • “The game itself is pretty stable and runs smoothly even on the largest scenarios, thanks to its minimalist graphics and the system of movement I described above.”
    • “Easy interface, intricate options to allow optimization in your strategies and a very lean resource-friendly engine.”
    • “Along with a slew of optimization problems and interface issues that make the simple act of playing it painful, I'd give this game 2/10 for at least appearing to be genuinely interesting.”
    • “Not optimized; won't run on updated Macs.”
    • “Performance is also an issue on the strategy screen in the late game, on a desktop i7 and a GTX 780.”
  • emotional
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, feeling a personal investment in their successes and failures due to the ability to customize their ships and systems. However, technical issues, particularly with the Disharmony DLC, lead to frustration and heartbreak when progress is lost, overshadowing the otherwise enjoyable experience. Overall, the game evokes a deep sense of nostalgia and engagement reminiscent of classic titles.

    • “The ability to personalize every part of your ship's systems and loadouts really adds a personal touch to your empire, and made me feel (rightly or wrongly) that any combat failures were my fault, that any overwhelming/surprising successes were my doing, and not some unfairness of the game.”
    • “Very fun to play... but the Disharmony DLC is so buggy you can rarely finish a game without the game crashing and your save being unloadable. It’s heartbreaking when you are about to own all of a huge galaxy and then you lose it all.”
    • “The first game since GalCiv 2 that really made me feel like I was playing a sequel to MOO.”
  • character development
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is generally viewed as weak, with reviewers noting a lack of engaging plotlines and depth in the story mode. While the visual design of characters and ships is praised, the focus seems to shift towards empire development rather than individual character growth.

    • “Overall this game is very visually appealing with interesting character designs and stunning ship designs.”
    • “An incredibly rewarding game, forget character development, empire development is where it's at.”
    • “Character development feels shallow and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to truly engage players.”
    • “The characters are one-dimensional and fail to evolve throughout the game, making it hard to care about their journeys.”
    • “There is little to no meaningful growth for the characters, which detracts from the overall experience.”
  • monetization
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game has received negative feedback, with users expressing regret over their purchase due to perceived cheapness from the company, including reliance on ad-funded external hosting for community resources. Despite its nostalgic value and atmospheric additions, the monetization strategy detracts from the overall experience.

    • “I hate it, and it still ranks as one of my biggest regrets in game purchases.”
    • “The company is so cheap that they don't even host this wiki themselves; it's hosted on Wikia and funded by ads.”
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70%Critics’ scoreBased on 2 critic reviews
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33h Median play time
92h Average play time
10-80h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 41 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Endless Space is a turn-based strategy game with science fiction theme.

Endless Space is available on PC, Mac OS and Windows.

On average players spend around 92 hours playing Endless Space.

Endless Space was released on July 3, 2012.

Endless Space was developed by AMPLITUDE Studios.

Endless Space has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its stability.

Endless Space is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Endless Space 2, Galactic Civilizations III, Galactic Civilizations II: Endless Universe, Stars in Shadow, Master of Orion and others.