Galactic Civilizations II: Endless Universe

About

"Galactic Civilizations II: Endless Universe" is a turn-based strategy game that allows players to build and lead their own space empire. Explore and colonize new planets, research technologies, and engage in interstellar warfare or diplomacy with other civilizations. This edition includes the expansions "Dark Avatar" and "Twilight of the Arnor," adding new races, abilities, and storyline.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Galactic Civilizations II: Endless Universe screenshot

+11

78%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,226 reviews

gameplay28 positive mentions

grinding16 negative mentions

Deep and engaging gameplay with a vast tech tree and unique races.
Highly customizable ship design and race creation options.
Challenging AI that provides a satisfying strategic experience.

Dated graphics and user interface that may feel clunky.
Requires a Stardock account for activation, which can be cumbersome.
Lack of tactical combat and reliance on automated battles can be disappointing.

gameplay
116 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
71%
5%
The gameplay of Galactic Civilizations II is characterized by its depth and complexity, offering a mix of turn-based strategy and real-time combat that can be both engaging and challenging. While many players appreciate the extensive customization options and strategic mechanics, some criticize the slow progression, lack of balance, and outdated graphics. Overall, the game provides a rewarding experience for dedicated strategy fans, though newcomers may find the learning curve steep and the mechanics occasionally cumbersome.
- “The gameplay is deep and really drags you in so you never want to stop playing.”
- “From being able to completely customize every aspect of the experience to the incredible variety and depth of the gameplay, this game is an amazing experience.”
- “Excellent turn-based sci-fi strategy with tons of replayability and open-ended gameplay.”
- “Would be fun if it wasn't for the dread lords going around with their overpowered ships destroying everything before your planets have a decent population, forcing every faction into prolonged defensive gameplay until they have researched enough tech to actually be able to do something about it.”
- “Too slow progression, no power balancing or explanations of logic, not military capabilities for the first hours of gameplay.”
- “The production mechanics are irritatingly complicated, with somehow the AI getting 3-4 times more output than me with half the buildings involved.”
graphics
89 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
58%
16%
The graphics of the game are widely regarded as dated, with many reviewers noting that they do not meet modern standards, yet they are often described as serviceable and not overly distracting from the gameplay. While some players appreciate the nostalgic charm of the visuals, others find them lacking in polish and detail, particularly in combat sequences. Overall, the consensus is that while the graphics may not impress, the depth and enjoyment of the gameplay more than compensate for their shortcomings.
- “The graphics are good, even by today's standards.”
- “I do appreciate that Stardock has updated the game to support newer monitor resolutions and some other graphic settings.”
- “The graphics are fine for a 4X even today and scale well to modern resolutions.”
- “The graphics are obviously dated, but the strategy is still fun and interesting.”
- “Unfortunately, all these innovations combined with poor visuals and some bugs did not impress those who just wanted to see MOO 2 with better visuals.”
- “The graphics are not only dated, but that's to be expected; I can look past that, I mean I still play a lot of older games.”
story
39 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
54%
8%
The game's story aspect receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the interesting twists and long campaigns, while others find the narrative dull and uninspiring. Many enjoy the non-linear, story-driven campaigns and the ability to customize ships, but some criticize the reliance on military strategy and the lack of engaging plot. Overall, while there are enjoyable elements to the story, it may not be the main draw for all players.
- “Interesting story - long campaign.”
- “The long story is that this game is pretty nice if you're into 4X turn-based games. I love the story of each expansion pack's campaigns, the way you can customize your own ships in the game, and all in all, this game is a 'must-have' for Stardock and Strategy First fans out there.”
- “It has an in-game ship editor, the ability to watch battles in 'movie style' real time, a skirmish mode, and an interesting story-driven campaign.”
- “This game has no story.”
- “The devs did put some effort into putting a story behind all the crazy things that happen in these games, but… jesus, is it boring.”
- “Unless you really like a game without a plot or point, avoid this one.”
replayability
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
35%
12%
The game is praised for its exceptional replayability, with users highlighting the extensive customization options, diverse alien races, and varied gameplay strategies that keep each playthrough fresh and engaging. Many reviewers note that despite dated graphics, the depth and complexity of the game provide a nearly limitless experience, making it a must-play for fans of the genre. Overall, it is frequently rated 10/10 for replayability, emphasizing its enduring appeal.
- “While the third game is a good 8/10, this one is a 10/10 for the sheer content and replayability alone.”
- “You can make your own races and customize the playfield, so each game can be different, so there's lots of replay value here.”
- “I'm always finding something I could do better or another strategy that could be more fun to play around with; the replayability of this game just feels endless.”
- “Although the graphics are very dated, this game is one of the few that has a genuinely strong replayability scale for me.”
- “You choose your race from 10 preset ones or create your own custom race, pick your political party with various bonuses and aim for victory on a randomly generated galaxy through negotiations or wars with other races; you can also choose which victory condition, so its replayability is quite high!”
- “Details: this game feels pretty bottomless; it's very complex and that in itself is a huge bonus to replayability and also very rewarding.”
music
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
46%
42%
13%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its atmospheric quality and unique themes for different races, while others find it repetitive and lacking depth. Although the soundtrack enhances the overall experience, some users noted that it can become monotonous over time, leading to a desire for more variety. Overall, while the music contributes positively to the game's ambiance, it may not appeal to everyone.
- “The soundtrack sets an incredible and unique atmosphere.”
- “The music is good, gives it a nice atmosphere.”
- “The ability to watch fleet battles was a huge plus, and the game's soundtrack is exceptionally easy to modify if one wants to mix it up after hours of playing.”
- “While the music is repetitive.”
- “Music made me sleepy.”
- “The music and sound effects are actually really horrible, so bad that it actually stands out.”
grinding
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
5%
84%
The reviews highlight that the grinding aspect of the game is overwhelmingly tedious, with players feeling the need for excessive time investment to progress. Many find the economic and colony management systems basic and repetitive, leading to a lack of engagement, especially during significant expansion phases. While combat can initially be exciting, it quickly becomes monotonous, contributing to an overall sense of boredom and frustration.
- “A lot of grinding is required.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “To conquer the remaining galaxy is just a matter of mindless grinding where civilizations are unable to make a comeback other than teaming up with races to fight you.”
- “Until you go to war, it's a very tedious and repetitive task.”
- “The important point is that with the huge number of games available for cheap today, this one just isn't worth the extensive, tedious time to play.”
humor
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as quirky and often juvenile, with clever writing and amusing interactions with alien species that can lead to funny choices in various scenarios. While some players appreciate the comedic elements and find them engaging, others feel that certain aspects, like technology descriptions, fall flat or contain errors. Overall, the humor adds a lighthearted touch to the gameplay, enhancing the experience for many.
- “It's weird and funny like some wacky Star Control II: Ur-Quan Masters.”
- “The ship builder, humor, massive tech tree, and variety of well-balanced ways to win make this game amazing.”
- “Random events upon forming new colonies can have pretty funny choices in the vein of 'good', 'neutral' or 'evil' fixes to whatever situation comes up.”
stability
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
73%
The game's stability is frequently criticized, with users reporting random freezes, bugs, and issues with account sign-ins and Steam achievements. While some players find it enjoyable and playable on modern machines, the overall experience is marred by persistent stability problems that can worsen over time.
- “As a bonus, it is almost completely bug-free, by the way.”
- “Turns out it's a really enjoyable and addictive game that runs great on my non-gaming work laptop.”
- “It runs great on modern machines, except for a random, very annoying delay when you end a turn.”
- “It always randomly freezes.”
- “Doesn't seem stable on Windows; definitely freezes your computer if you try to minimize the game.”
- “I really like this game, but it has serious buggy issues that seem to get worse the more time you play.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
17%
33%
The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it features snappy loading times and runs well on various systems, it lacks support for modern gaming PC features and suffers from poor rendering performance. Players appreciate the depth and customization, but some find the ship movement time cumbersome, impacting overall performance. Overall, it caters well to those who prioritize micromanagement and optimization.
- “This game has great depth and customization. I have played games like SOASE, and this game is way better. If you enjoy micromanagement and optimization over fast unit spawning, this game is for you.”
- “(It's also very performance friendly!)”
- “Snappy loading times but poor rendering performance.”
- “Performance-wise, I have had no problems running the game, and between turns, it loads relatively quickly, so that's good.”
atmosphere
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
80%
20%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised, with users highlighting the impressive soundtrack and the immersive experience created by customizable spaceships and expansive maps. The combination of good music, a comfortable environment, and exceptional graphics contributes to a captivating overall ambiance, earning it an 8/10 rating for atmosphere.
- “The customization of my own spaceships, the quiet and comfortable atmosphere, and the extensive 'create your own civ' function won me over, along with the pleasingly large map and exceptional graphics for the time, at least in space combat.”
- “The soundtrack sets an incredible and unique atmosphere.”
- “The music is good, gives it a nice atmosphere.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players highlight the game's ability to evoke strong emotional responses, particularly through moments of connection and conflict resolution. However, some find the experience of pursuing diplomatic victories frustrating, as it can detract from the overall emotional engagement with the game's mechanics.
- “Constant emotional bursts - just amazing!”
- “Everybody's borders are touching with no conflict for some time, so trying a diplomatic victory in this game was atrociously awful for me.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy has been criticized as a blatant cash grab, with users expressing frustration over irrelevant ads that offer no real value to the experience.
- “This is a cash grab; there's no excuse for this kind of thing.”
- “They are absolutely useless and provide nothing but irrelevant ads.”