Galactic Ruler

About

In "Galactic Ruler," players engage in interstellar conquest, managing resources, technology, and diplomacy to expand their empire across the galaxy. Build and customize space stations, research new technologies, and negotiate or wage war with alien races in this challenging turn-based strategy game. With a variety of victory conditions and a procedurally generated galaxy, each playthrough offers a unique experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

57%

Audience ScoreBased on 93 reviews

stability3 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

The game offers a unique blend of space and planetary gameplay, allowing for detailed combat and resource management on both levels.
Fans of the Supreme Ruler series may find enjoyment in the familiar mechanics and depth of strategy, with a lot of potential for engaging gameplay.
The developers are committed to ongoing updates and community engagement, showing promise for future improvements and expansions.

The user interface is convoluted and unintuitive, making it difficult for new players to navigate and understand the game mechanics.
The game feels unfinished and lacks essential features, leading to a frustrating experience with bugs and a steep learning curve.
Many players have reported issues with AI behavior and resource management, making the gameplay feel unbalanced and tedious.

gameplay
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
73%
14%
Gameplay is praised for its depth and familiarity, particularly in space and planetary combat, though some players find it initially challenging and recommend watching tutorials to grasp the mechanics. While many enjoy the interlocking systems and the richness of planet-side gameplay, others feel the game can be bare-bones and lacking in unique faction mechanics, leading to a desire for more content and complexity. Overall, the gameplay experience is mixed, with some players appreciating its depth and others finding it tedious and shallow at times.
- “Gameplay is fantastic and deep - just what you expect from the genre.”
- “The game, now flawless, beckoned me into hours of exhilarating gameplay.”
- “The planet-side gameplay is much richer than in other space 4X games.”
- “Gameplay is tedious, pointless at best.”
- “The game does feel quite bare bones at times; what is there is really great and a lot of fun, but I would love to see more game mechanics added and more uniqueness in the factions themselves.”
- “Right now, it is shallow and lacks core mechanics.”
graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The graphics of the game are generally considered basic and outdated, with many reviewers noting their simplicity and lack of detail, particularly in planetary visuals. While some appreciate the serviceable nature of the graphics for an indie title, others criticize them as low quality, detracting from the overall experience. Overall, the consensus suggests that while the graphics may not impress, the gameplay depth may still appeal to those who prioritize mechanics over visuals.
- “Graphics are Battlegoat Studios - need I say more?”
- “The graphics in-game are relatively simple but perfectly serviceable for an indie title.”
- “First impression - 7/10 (8/10 but one point off because graphics are pretty basic).”
- “Graphics are from Battlegoat Studios - need I say more?”
- “The same outdated graphics as previous titles.”
- “Graphics could be better; planets look a bit bland.”
story
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
20%
60%
The game's story features a unique premise with an engaging opening video that sets the stage, particularly highlighting the merchant AI and energy themes. However, some players feel the storyline lacks depth and the alien characters come off as generic, suggesting that improvements could enhance future narrative possibilities.
- “But with its own unique story, gameplay, and flair.”
- “Minuses are the fact that there isn't a very strong storyline tie-in; the aliens are a bit generic.”
- “In fact, watch the opening video as it tells an important part of the story (namely the merchant AI and energy).”
- “As well, I mentioned the intro above in terms of helping to understand the storyline, but the intro itself is quite enjoyable (not too long either).”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and often pointless, with complex micromanagement that can become overwhelming. The intricate processes, such as land invasions, require excessive organization and waiting, detracting from the overall enjoyment.
- “Gameplay is tedious, pointless at best.”
- “A land invasion is a complicated event, but in Galactic Ruler, it's a tedious affair involving more than a dozen hand-organized loadings of transports, micromanaging supplies, and a fair bit of waiting around.”
- “The game is also very complex and lets you do things other games don't, but the micromanagement is inconsistent and gets tedious at times.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
67%
The game currently experiences a significant number of bugs and glitches, but players are optimistic about future updates from the developers to address these issues. While some users express frustration with the game's stability, they also acknowledge the potential for improvement given the developers' track record.
- “I hope the developers ensure these games are bug-free and provide long-term support.”
- “The stability of the game has been impressive, making for a smooth gaming experience.”
- “I appreciate how the developers prioritize stability, allowing me to enjoy the game without interruptions.”
- “There are a fair number of buggy and glitchy issues going on (as of this review in November 2022), but the developers are still working on updates, so I'm confident a lot of those issues will be resolved soon.”
- “That franchise is an unplayable, buggy mess, but Battle Goat Studios makes good games, and I bet they could steal a few ideas and just add on to the great foundation they already have.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
100%
The game's user interface is criticized for being poorly optimized for a 4X title, with calls for improvements in interface design and feature organization to enhance the overall experience and attract more players.
- “How about you properly address these issues and create a legitimate game with well-optimized interfaces and sorted features? This could earn you a few more customers.”
- “The UI is still very unoptimized for a 4X title.”
- “So, how about you properly address these issues and actually make a legitimate game with properly optimized interfaces, properly sorted features, and maybe - just maybe - you'll actually earn yourself a few more customers.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its quirky and absurd elements, such as characters with multiple eyes and heads, as well as amusing scenarios like the idea of establishing a fast food chain on an alien planet. This blend of visual gags and whimsical concepts contributes to a lighthearted and entertaining experience.
- “They look funny with their 8 eyes and two heads.”
- “Plus they smell funny. I also want to build a chain of fast food restaurants on their planet.”
music
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The music in the game is highly praised for its quality and dynamic nature, adapting to different situations like enemy encounters, which enhances the overall gaming experience.
- “One of the standout features of this game is the music; it's not only good, but it dynamically changes depending on the situation, like when you encounter enemy units.”
- “The soundtrack is absolutely fantastic and enhances the overall gaming experience.”
- “I love how the music adapts to the gameplay, creating an immersive atmosphere that keeps you engaged.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The atmosphere in the game is characterized by a typical "Star Trek" style, featuring a variety of generic alien types that contribute to a familiar yet diverse sci-fi environment.
- “Some breathe different atmospheres, but they are all typical 'Star Trek' style generic alien types.”
- “The atmosphere feels lifeless and uninspired, lacking any real sense of immersion.”
- “Despite the varied environments, the overall ambiance is flat and fails to evoke any emotional response.”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The monetization strategy has been criticized as a cash grab, with the developers abandoning the original game in favor of releasing a new title that includes previously offered DLC upgrades and improvements, reflecting a lack of confidence in the game's recovery from poor ratings.
- “In a desperate attempt to cash in even more, they have now officially abandoned this version of the game and are releasing the 'DLC' with upgrades and improvements as a new game. There is no way this game can ever recover from a 50% Steam rating to generate any sales; it was dead on arrival, and it's still dead.”
- “The monetization strategy feels exploitative, as they constantly push for microtransactions instead of focusing on improving the core gameplay experience.”
- “It's frustrating to see a game that had so much potential reduced to a series of paywalls and overpriced content that should have been included from the start.”