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Endless Space 2

Civilization in space with a touch of Game Of Thrones politicking.
81%Game Brain Score
gameplay, graphics
stability, optimization
82% User Score Based on 23,744 reviews
Critic Score 80%Based on 18 reviews

Platforms

PCTabletMac OSWindows
Buy Nowfrom $7.80
Buy NowGet on Steam $39.99

About

"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™'."

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Endless Space 2 screenshot
Endless Space 2 screenshot
Endless Space 2 screenshot
Endless Space 2 screenshot
Endless Space 2 screenshot
Endless Space 2 screenshot
Endless Space 2 screenshot
Endless Space 2 screenshot
Endless Space 2 screenshot
Endless Space 2 screenshot
Endless Space 2 screenshot
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82%
Audience ScoreBased on 23,744 reviews
gameplay1.5k positive mentions
stability566 negative mentions
  • The humor in 'Endless Space 2' is widely praised for its quirky characters, witty dialogue, and entertaining events, particularly through factions like the Horatio and Sophons.
  • The game features a rich narrative with unique faction-specific storylines and immersive quests, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
  • The visuals and atmosphere are stunning, with beautifully crafted ship designs and an exceptional soundtrack that contributes to an immersive space opera feel.
  • The gameplay can feel repetitive and tedious, especially in the late game, with many players expressing frustration over micromanagement and lack of meaningful engagement.
  • The game suffers from significant performance issues, particularly in late-game scenarios, leading to freezing and lag even on high-end systems.
  • The monetization model has been criticized as exploitative, with overpriced DLCs that seem to be content cut from the base game, leading to a negative impression among players.
  • gameplay
    5,026 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of *Endless Space 2* is characterized by its deep strategic mechanics and diverse factions, each offering unique playstyles and abilities that significantly alter the gameplay experience. While many players appreciate the intricate systems and the engaging "just one more turn" loop, some criticize the complexity and lack of clarity in explaining mechanics, which can lead to confusion and frustration, especially for newcomers. Overall, the game is praised for its stunning visuals and immersive storytelling, but it faces criticism for certain mechanics that feel unbalanced or poorly integrated, particularly in the context of its expansions.

    • “Endless Space 2 is a masterful 4X strategy game that combines deep, rewarding gameplay with stunning visuals and a richly immersive universe.”
    • “The engaging mechanics and endless strategic possibilities earn gameplay a strong 9/10.”
    • “Replayability is unmatched, with diverse factions, customizable gameplay settings, and countless ways to approach each game.”
    • “I would've recommended this game, but there is just one mechanic that kills the experience completely.”
    • “The game's main crime is how fast it gets repetitive: once you learn the mechanics of the game, almost every race feels the same, even when you should be pushed into different playstyles and different game winning conditions, you learn that cheesing and wiping out the ai / other players is the fastest and easiest way to win.”
    • “The gameplay itself is slow, even for a 4x.”
  • graphics
    2,927 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of *Endless Space 2* have received widespread acclaim for their stunning visuals and artistic design, with many reviewers praising the game's elegant, handcrafted aesthetic that immerses players in a believable universe. The ship designs, star systems, and user interface are noted for their beauty and polish, contributing to an overall captivating experience. While some players have pointed out minor issues with performance and certain graphical elements, the consensus is that the game excels in its visual presentation, making it one of the best-looking titles in the 4X genre.

    • “Endless Space 2 is a masterful 4X strategy game that combines deep, rewarding gameplay with stunning visuals and a richly immersive universe.”
    • “The ship designs, star systems, and user interface are beautifully crafted, with a clean, futuristic aesthetic that immerses players in its universe.”
    • “The visuals are among the best in the genre, earning a 9/10.”
    • “The 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.”
    • “The game won't display any visuals on my monitor, but I can still interact with the menus blindly.”
    • “Ground battle graphics are terrible.”
  • story
    2,831 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in "Endless Space 2" is a significant highlight, featuring unique narratives for each faction that enhance gameplay through immersive quests and dynamic events. Players appreciate the depth of lore and the engaging storytelling, although some quests can feel repetitive or poorly balanced, leading to frustration. Overall, the game successfully weaves a rich narrative into its 4X mechanics, making each playthrough feel distinct and purposeful, despite some criticisms regarding quest execution and AI behavior.

    • “The narrative is a standout feature, woven into the fabric of the game through faction-specific storylines, immersive quests, and dynamic events.”
    • “Each faction has a unique backstory and motivations, providing a sense of purpose and personality that sets the game apart.”
    • “Each playthrough feels like a unique, epic, and grand story set in a rich science fiction universe.”
    • “The quests do not make any sense and are annoying, it crashes all the time.”
    • “The quest system is intended to add focus, but the rate at which the game springs these quests on you makes it feel like a mad dash to complete tasks that are, once again, pointless under most circumstances.”
    • “The story is... I don't even know.”
  • music
    2,499 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in "Endless Space 2" has received widespread acclaim for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, with many players praising the soundtrack as one of the best in gaming. Composed by Flybyno, the music enhances the game's space opera feel, with each faction featuring unique themes that contribute to the overall experience. While some players noted that the music can become repetitive over time, the majority found it to be a standout element that significantly enriches the gameplay.

    • “Plus, the game boasts the best soundtrack collection I've ever heard, seamlessly setting inspiring tones for a space-empire building adventure.”
    • “The soundtrack is a banger—epic and sweeping when you’re planning interstellar conquests, chill and hypnotic while exploring uncharted systems.”
    • “The sound and music are exceptional, with an atmospheric soundtrack that perfectly captures the grandeur of space exploration.”
    • “The music sounds like muzak - not inspiring at all.”
    • “Music is a bit of disappointment though which is a huge let down considering how awesome 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 music score is bland and repetitive.”
  • stability
    606 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The stability of the game has been a significant concern among players, with many reporting persistent bugs, crashes, and freezes that hinder gameplay. Despite some patches aimed at improving stability, issues such as the infamous "end turn" freeze and various game-breaking glitches remain prevalent, making the game frustratingly unplayable for many. Overall, while there are moments of enjoyment, the game's ongoing instability and the need for extensive troubleshooting detract from the overall experience.

    • “I haven't encountered any defects whatsoever, not a single typo, no glitches, no crashes.”
    • “On the plus side, it's beautiful, bug free (that I've found) and made me laugh a few times.”
    • “60+ hours in, it still feels really compelling, complete and, for the most part, bug free.”
    • “However, this thing is still very buggy years after release.”
    • “The game is very buggy.”
    • “There is no excuse for a game that has been out this long to be this buggy and unstable.”
  • replayability
    517 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game boasts high replayability, with diverse factions, unique mechanics, and customizable gameplay that encourage varied strategies and approaches. Many players appreciate the distinct playstyles of each faction, which significantly enhance the replay value, while some express concerns about potential repetitiveness after multiple playthroughs. Overall, it is frequently described as a highly engaging and enjoyable experience that invites players to return for more.

    • “Replayability is unmatched, with diverse factions, customizable gameplay settings, and countless ways to approach each game.”
    • “The variety ensures no two playthroughs feel the same, earning replayability a perfect 10/10.”
    • “With dynamic gameplay, a variety of factions, and procedurally generated galaxies, Endless Space 2 offers nearly infinite replay value.”
    • “Still, the replay value is rather low, so don't bother buying it if it's not on sale.”
    • “However, the replayability possibilities are very low, and the AI is pretty weak, so you might get bored after a while since there aren't many factions in the game.”
    • “I really feel like once you've won the game with each race there's not much replay value.”
  • optimization
    390 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues, particularly in late-game scenarios where turn times can extend excessively. While some users experience smooth gameplay on average PCs, others with high-end systems encounter freezing and lag, especially with larger galaxies and numerous players. Overall, the game is seen as needing substantial optimization improvements to enhance stability and performance, particularly for longer play sessions.

    • “The game runs smoothly and stably on an average PC.”
    • “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.”
    • “Really optimized, runs smoothly, is completely gorgeous, the lore and mechanics are original and Flybyno has to be the best video game soundtrack composer to this day.”
    • “I enjoy it a lot, but it is poorly optimized: with large galaxies, with many players and at a high number of turns, it tends to freeze and slow down, even on high-end PCs.”
    • “My biggest issue with the game is the performance.”
    • “I put a few hours into the game, and I have to say that this game is so poorly optimized, that it's almost unplayable when you hit round 200.”
  • atmosphere
    354 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunning visuals, immersive sound design, and evocative music, creating a rich and engaging experience that enhances gameplay. Players appreciate the unique lore and character of each faction, which contributes to a relaxing and atmospheric environment, making it easy to lose track of time while playing. Overall, the combination of art, music, and storytelling is noted as a standout feature, elevating the game within the 4X strategy genre.

    • “The atmosphere is incredibly immersive, with each faction's musical score being brilliantly composed.”
    • “The soundtrack is epic and atmospheric, so you'll feel like you're soaring through space while you play.”
    • “The atmosphere, stunning score by Flybyno, and absolutely gorgeous visuals have made the Endless Space universe a vibrant, gorgeous and immersive place to be.”
    • “However, actual gameplay feels dull, generic and extremely repetitive with none of the character or atmosphere from the race videos.”
    • “The sound design of the game is straight up damaging to my ears, with what sounds the menu and system hovers make, and the music somehow manages to miss the exact and only spot it should have been aiming for, which is to create an atmosphere for the game.”
    • “Compared to Stellaris, Endless Space 2 is dead boring and has not half the atmosphere.”
  • grinding
    286 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Reviews indicate that the grinding aspect of the game is a significant point of contention, particularly in the late game where players find the experience becomes tedious and repetitive. Many users express frustration with the extensive micromanagement required, which can lead to a sense of boredom and a lack of meaningful engagement as the game progresses. While some appreciate the depth and complexity, the consensus is that the game can feel overly grindy, especially during prolonged sessions, detracting from overall enjoyment.

    • “It is not tedious and difficult, except if you want to expert on some of the factions, which hold unusual traits.”
    • “There is a lot to manage with buildings, terraforming, and specialization but this is not tedious because the colony interface is very good.”
    • “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 game will be fun from start to mid-game but will be extremely dry past that, very tedious.”
    • “It just gets tedious and feels like a waste of time towards the end game with so many small decisions to be made that have no overall impact on your gameplay, making it take hours to get through 20 turns in the late game.”
    • “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.”
  • humor
    174 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in "Endless Space 2" is widely praised for its quirky characters, witty dialogue, and entertaining events, particularly through factions like the Horatio and Sophons, which add a comedic touch to the game's galactic politics. Players appreciate the blend of satire and absurdity, with many finding the writing and flavor text to be both clever and amusing. However, some critiques mention that while the humor is a highlight, it doesn't always compensate for gameplay issues or the seriousness of certain game elements.

    • “Endless Space 2 is here to whisk you away on an interstellar joyride packed with quirky characters, mind-bending science fiction, and enough galactic politics to make even the most stoic space emperor burst out laughing.”
    • “The game has a great sense of humor, with silly and entertaining events that can happen during gameplay.”
    • “The always loved Horatio is a knife-edge balancing act between satirically offensive and straight-out ridiculously hilarious with their eugenics and 'make Horatio great again' (one of my favorites, as concepts go).”
    • “This game is plain not funny.”
  • monetization
    36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization model of the game has been widely criticized as a cash grab, with many reviewers pointing to overpriced DLCs that seem to be content cut from the base game. While some players appreciate the absence of loot boxes and microtransactions, the in-game advertisements for DLCs and the overall pricing strategy have left a negative impression, leading to calls for the game to be flagged as incomplete. Overall, the monetization practices are seen as exploitative and detrimental to the gaming experience.

    • “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.”
    • “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.”
    • “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, I have to turn the DLC off to actually play the game.”
  • emotional
    30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players experience a wide range of emotions while engaging with the game, from excitement and glee to frustration and boredom, indicating a complex emotional landscape. While some appreciate the game's strategic elements and immersive universe, others find it emotionally draining and lacking in meaningful engagement, often feeling more like a logistics manager than a commanding leader. Overall, the emotional responses are mixed, with many players drawn back despite their criticisms.

    • “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.”
    • “This game made me feel like I was playing a space opera.”
    • “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 development
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is highly praised for its depth and uniqueness, with each faction showcasing distinct traits that enhance the overall experience. The art style and character designs are described as top-notch, contributing to a beautifully crafted atmosphere that complements the game's lore and world-building. Amplitude Studio's strengths in character design and aesthetic appeal are consistently highlighted, making it a standout feature of the game.

    • “It's a beautifully designed game with character development and depth.”
    • “Amplitude Studio's strengths lie in their character design, their 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.”
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80%Critics’ scoreBased on 18 critic reviews
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30h Median play time
81h Average play time
9-100h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 226 analyzed playthroughs
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