Endless Space 2

81%
Game Brain Score Based on 8,636 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • story
Endless Space 2 Game Cover
Civilization in space with a touch of Game Of Thrones politicking.
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"ENDLESS™ Space 2 is a strategic space opera where you expand your empire, discover ancient artifacts, and engage in interstellar warfare. The Digital Deluxe Edition includes cosmetic bonuses, soundtrack, and access to the GAMES2GETHER community for contributing ideas and feedback. This game takes place in a galaxy originally colonized by the enrocked beings called the 'ENDLESS™'."

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Tablet
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

81%
Audience ScoreBased on 8,636 reviews
gameplay558 positive mentions
stability225 negative mentions
  • Beautiful graphics and art design that enhance the immersive experience.
  • Unique factions with distinct mechanics and lore, providing high replayability.
  • Engaging soundtrack that complements the gameplay and atmosphere.
  • Persistent bugs, including the 'pending turn' issue that can halt gameplay.
  • Combat is automated and lacks player control, which may disappoint some players.
  • The complexity of the tech tree and UI can be overwhelming for new players.
  • gameplay1,908 mentions

    The gameplay of "Endless Space 2" is characterized by its depth and complexity, offering a rich 4X experience with unique mechanics for each faction that significantly alter playstyles. Players appreciate the intricate systems, such as politics and resource management, though many find the learning curve steep and some mechanics poorly explained. While the game excels in visuals and storytelling, it faces criticism for certain mechanics that can feel cumbersome or unbalanced, particularly in late-game scenarios.

    • “As a veteran Stellaris player, I've been impressed by how much diverse gameplay this game packs in.”
    • “What sets Amplitude apart from your average 4X dev team is how they're able to convey stories through the mechanics of their management through things like quests, events, unique planets or areas, or even gimmicks unique to a faction.”
    • “The gameplay is actually really great, with a huge variety of game mechanics, and the AI is not bad.”
    • “Unique factions and quests do not make up for the rotten quality of mechanics introduced with DLC.”
    • “The gameplay itself is slow, even for a 4x.”
    • “The mechanics are varied from the race you pick - each is genuine.”
  • graphics1,057 mentions

    The graphics of "Endless Space 2" have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals, intricate artwork, and immersive design, which significantly enhance the overall gameplay experience. Players appreciate the game's cinematic quality, detailed space battles, and the unique aesthetic of each faction, making it one of the most visually appealing titles in the 4X genre. However, some critiques mention performance issues and a lack of depth in certain gameplay mechanics, suggesting that while the graphics are exceptional, they may overshadow other aspects of the game.

    • “The game is unmatched in the 4x genre with its presentation and almost cinematic graphics.”
    • “Endless Space 2 keeps with Amplitude Studio's tradition of gorgeous 2D and 3D artwork, rich lore, crisp UI, and overall five-star presentation.”
    • “The graphics are gorgeous and the soundtrack is awesome.”
    • “The first game has poor graphics (mostly due to a non-scaling UI on higher resolutions), confusing explanations, little impact from battle tactics, and is just generally a clunkier experience.”
    • “The game won't display any visuals on my monitor, but I can still interact with the menus blindly.”
    • “Graphics are mediocre at best and the battles, which should at least be pretty to watch, are fairly ugly affairs riddled with bad camera angles.”
  • story1,052 mentions

    The story in *Endless Space 2* is a significant aspect of the game, featuring unique narratives for each faction that enhance the gameplay experience. Players appreciate the depth of lore and the branching quest lines that provide meaningful choices, although some quests can feel repetitive or poorly balanced. While the game excels in storytelling and visuals, it also faces criticism for bugs and a sometimes overwhelming number of quests that can detract from the overall experience.

    • “The artwork, soundtrack, and beautiful details are awe-inspiring, emphasizing unique narratives of the selected species' origin story.”
    • “Each faction has a personal quest line with choices to make that can help specialize towards a certain goal, and the lore was enjoyable.”
    • “The quests add a very nice spice to the game as well as the individualized ones for the different races.”
    • “The quests do not make any sense and are annoying; it crashes all the time.”
    • “The roleplaying part of it has way too many choices, and many of them don't feel like they make a big difference... and the writing is really wordy and too much.”
    • “The story is... I don't even know.”
  • music906 mentions

    The music in "Endless Space 2" has received widespread acclaim for its stunning quality and atmospheric depth, with many players highlighting it as a standout feature of the game. Composed by Flybyno, the soundtrack enhances the immersive experience, with unique themes for each faction that contribute to the game's overall narrative and emotional impact. While some players noted that the music can become repetitive over long play sessions, the majority agree that it is one of the best soundtracks in the 4X genre, often recommending it for casual listening outside of gameplay.

    • “The soundtrack is magnificent, and I highly, highly, highly recommend grabbing the $3 soundtrack DLCs.”
    • “The music is phenomenal and I can't stress that enough.”
    • “The soundtrack is one of the most relaxing and mood-setting soundtracks for playing a 4x I've ever listened to.”
    • “The music is a bit of a disappointment though, which is a huge letdown considering how awesome the music in Endless Space 1 was and considering the fact they released music DLC for Endless Space 2 which really should have been free due to the drop in music quality and variety in the sequel.”
    • “The soundtrack is bland and repetitive.”
    • “The music is cheesy and generic.”
  • stability243 mentions

    The stability of the game is a significant concern among users, with many reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and various game-breaking bugs, particularly during late-game scenarios. Despite some players finding it playable after extensive troubleshooting, the overall consensus is that the game remains overly buggy and unpolished, detracting from the enjoyment and immersion. While there are indications of ongoing improvements, many reviewers advise potential players to wait for further updates before purchasing.

    • “Works again, and not buggy anymore; it's fun and better than Humankind by miles.”
    • “I haven't encountered any defects whatsoever, not a single typo, no glitches, no crashes.”
    • “No technical issues; the game looks and runs great.”
    • “The game is very buggy.”
    • “This is the biggest con of the entire game - this game glitches, locks, and crashes a lot.”
    • “The game doesn't work well; it constantly crashes and freezes.”
  • replayability210 mentions

    Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, largely due to the distinct mechanics and strategies associated with each faction, as well as the variety of galaxy configurations and victory conditions. Many players appreciate the depth and customization options that enhance replay value, although some express concerns about potential repetitiveness after multiple playthroughs. While the game offers significant replayability, opinions vary on its longevity compared to other titles in the genre, such as Stellaris and Civilization.

    • “A very enjoyable and replayable game; I wish that I had discovered it years earlier.”
    • “Great depth and replayability with custom factions and randomly generated maps.”
    • “The different playable races each have a fun flavor that gives the game a lot of replayability.”
    • “Game play is too long and does not offer much replayability.”
    • “Unfortunately, even with DLCs, the content and replayability is limited.”
    • “I really feel like once you've won the game with each race there's not much replay value.”
  • optimization167 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant performance issues, particularly in the late game where lag and crashes become prevalent after numerous turns. While a subset of users report smooth gameplay and minimal issues, many others highlight the need for extensive optimization and bug fixes, especially for larger maps and longer play sessions. Overall, the game's performance appears to improve with patches, but persistent problems remain a concern for many players.

    • “In terms of size and performance, very little issues with how the game runs; it's as smooth as butter from what I've experienced so far, and I've been running only the largest galaxies in my games.”
    • “Fantastic 4X space strategy game with great visuals and solid performance.”
    • “Having a true turn-based gameplay surely puts this game at an advantage, but it's clearly much better optimized overall.”
    • “You have to rely on mods to balance the game and make it enjoyable, and no matter what you do, you will always get poor performance and overheating problems.”
    • “My biggest issue with the game is the performance.”
    • “The most major game-breaking issue that currently exists doesn't seem to have any real fix in sight from what I could tell on the discussion forum; once you reach 100+ turns, the game performance tanks and gets worse the higher your turn count grows.”
  • atmosphere126 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its rich, immersive experience, characterized by stunning visuals, a captivating soundtrack, and unique faction designs that enhance the overall feel of the game. Players appreciate the attention to detail in the art and music, which together create a relaxing and engaging environment that encourages exploration and strategic gameplay. Overall, the game's atmosphere stands out as a significant strength, making it a memorable entry in the 4X genre.

    • “Offers a rich and atmospheric experience in a lovingly crafted universe.”
    • “The atmosphere, stunning score by Flybyno, and absolutely gorgeous visuals have made the Endless Space universe a vibrant, gorgeous, and immersive place to be.”
    • “The music, art style, overall atmosphere... it's even inspiring.”
    • “Compared to Stellaris, Endless Space 2 is dead boring and has not half the atmosphere.”
    • “While the space battles in this game might be a bit simple, the atmosphere, music, and overall feel of the whole game really immerses you.”
    • “The level of detail, and the atmosphere of the game is well above any 4x games I've played before.”
  • grinding99 mentions

    Reviews on the aspect of "grinding" highlight a mixed experience, with many players finding the gameplay to be tedious and repetitive, particularly in the late game where micromanagement becomes overwhelming. While some appreciate the balance between complexity and engagement compared to other titles like Stellaris, others criticize the slow pacing and excessive resource management as detracting from overall enjoyment. Overall, the game offers a blend of enjoyable strategy elements but can often feel like a grind, especially during prolonged sessions.

    • “It is not tedious and difficult, except if you want to become an expert on some of the factions, which hold unusual traits.”
    • “Even with all the moving parts, there is no tedious micromanagement.”
    • “Amazing 4X game, the gameplay is involving, the empire management is enjoyable and not tedious in any way, and it very much is a game where you can find yourself going 'just one more turn.' I would highly recommend this game to anyone looking for a new 4X space game.”
    • “The fact that you can only have one quest up at a time and you don't get notified for most of them at all means checking progress is tedious.”
    • “The pacing of the game is agonizingly slow, filled to the brim with tedious micromanagement.”
    • “This leads to a very long and tedious slog, and your opponent will also try to force a peace upon you every five turns or so, and since declining this offer costs you major influence, unless you generate a lot of influence your conquest will be unceremoniously brought to a halt.”
  • humor60 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating its tongue-in-cheek style, witty alien interactions, and entertaining storylines, particularly praising the Horatio faction for its comedic elements. However, some users feel that the humor can be overshadowed by frustrating gameplay mechanics and AI issues, leading to a sense of farce rather than genuine amusement. Overall, while the game has moments of hilarity and charm, opinions vary on its effectiveness and consistency in delivering humor.

    • “The game has a great sense of humor, with silly and entertaining events that can happen during gameplay.”
    • “Tongue-in-cheek humor, space politics, battles, and space exploration keep me coming back for more.”
    • “The game is beautiful, sometimes surprisingly deep, and sometimes hysterically funny (I am Horatio).”
  • monetization12 mentions

    The monetization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players criticizing it as a "shameless cash grab" due to overpriced DLCs that seem like cut content, while others appreciate the absence of microtransactions and loot boxes. Despite the beautiful visuals and unique gameplay mechanics, many feel that the monetization practices detract from the overall experience, leading to frustration with the quality of the additional content. Overall, the game's monetization model is seen as problematic, with calls for it to be flagged as incomplete.

    • “They are not greedy; there's no BS loot crates, microtransactions, or problematic DLC policy.”
    • “No loot boxes or microtransactions in this game.”
    • “But gameplay is not good enough; those interesting mechanics are not realized to the point where they become enjoyable, and the monetization model is not a good one.”
    • “Tells you everything you need to know about this shameless cash grab.”
    • “Following the Penumbra DLC was a low-quality cash grab, and the latest Awakening DLC is just a piece of hot garbage, which broke the game so hard that I have to turn the DLC off to actually play the game.”
    • “This has resulted in Sony-style DLC practices and monetization - tons of minuscule, very overpriced DLCs and a handful of even more overpriced regular DLCs, all of which look like content that was cut from the base game in order to sell as DLC.”
  • emotional12 mentions

    Players express a wide range of emotions while engaging with the game, from excitement and glee to frustration and boredom. While some appreciate the emotional highs and the immersive experience akin to a space opera, others find the gameplay emotionally draining and lacking depth, leading to disappointment and a desire to uninstall. Overall, the emotional responses vary significantly, highlighting both the game's potential for engagement and its shortcomings.

    • “This game has made me feel the full range of emotions: excited, smug, angry, bored, frustrated, gleeful... and although it sounds like there are more negative emotions in there than positive ones, I keep coming back to it.”
    • “The music made me feel relaxed.”
    • “I really want to like it, but it is emotionally draining to play.”
    • “Nice at first glance, however, it turns out to be a waste of 25 hours: boring storyline, pointless quests and decisions, passive AI, empire-building and planet management do not deliver a feeling of creation, and there is no sense of a real economy and society.”
  • character development4 mentions

    The game excels in character development, featuring beautifully designed characters and rich lore that enhance the overall atmosphere. Amplitude Studio's strengths in world-building and art contribute to a deep and engaging gameplay experience, making it a standout in the 4X genre.

    • “It's a beautifully designed game with character development and depth.”
    • “Amplitude Studio's strengths lie in their character design, lore, and world-building, and by tuning the traditional 4X formula to add more depth of play style.”
    • “Amplitude is well known for their aesthetically pleasing games, and ES2 is no exception, with gorgeous art, sound, and character design.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

80% average critic score

Buy Endless Space 2

Play time

31hMedian play time
70hAverage play time
8-100hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 80 analyzed playthroughs

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