Imperium Galactica II

About

"Imperium Galactica II" is a space-based real-time strategy game with empire-building elements. It features multiple playable species, a vast Sci-fi universe, and a variety of ways to achieve victory. The game includes three playable campaigns, custom scenarios, and massive battles. With updated high-res textures and vivid colors, players can relive the golden age of gaming and lead their species to ultimate domination.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 302 reviews

graphics18 positive mentions

stability3 negative mentions

Imperium Galactica II is a classic 4X game that combines real-time strategy with deep empire management, offering a unique blend of gameplay elements.
The game features multiple races with distinct strengths and weaknesses, providing a high level of replayability through different campaigns and scenarios.
Despite its age, the game has aged well and remains engaging, with a solid mix of tactical space and ground combat, espionage, and diplomacy.

The AI can be unbalanced, sometimes feeling either too weak or overly powerful, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
There are technical issues with the game, including problems with mouse control, resolution settings, and certain hotkeys not functioning as intended.
The multiplayer functionality is reportedly broken, which is disappointing for players looking to enjoy the game with friends.

graphics
62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
60%
11%
The graphics of the game are generally considered dated but have been slightly reworked to improve their appearance, making them comparable to some modern mobile games. While they may not match the fidelity of contemporary titles, many players appreciate the nostalgic charm and functional design that still holds up well in terms of gameplay. Overall, the visuals are seen as a secondary aspect to the engaging gameplay, with some users noting that the graphics are good enough to enhance the experience without overshadowing it.
- “The gameplay, the graphics, the mechanics, it's all so advanced and extremely functional for the time in which it was developed.”
- “While the visuals were stunning at the time, I believe they still hold up, and the game looks pretty damn good.”
- “The graphics hold up quite well even 23 years after its release; the gameplay is stellar, the soundtrack is full of bangers, and the fact that it was produced by my people (made in Hungary) is just the icing on the cake.”
- “The graphics are dated (obviously) but gameplay is still enjoyable.”
- “I will say that by modern standards, the graphics and UI are pretty dated and might feel 'clunky' to modern gamers.”
- “As of this review, the game graphics are such that no matter what resolution I set my PC to, I do not have access to controls needed to do things like attack, turn buildings on/off, destruct buildings, see planet populations, and such.”
gameplay
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
40%
8%
The gameplay is generally praised for its simplicity, intuitive mechanics, and engaging experience, making it accessible while still offering depth and challenge, especially at higher difficulties. Many reviewers highlight the game's advanced mechanics for its time, including diverse gameplay elements like diplomacy, espionage, and tactical battles, which continue to hold up well against modern titles. Despite some dated graphics and minor bugs, the overall gameplay experience remains enjoyable and is considered superior within the 4X genre.
- “The gameplay, the graphics, the mechanics, it's all so advanced and extremely functional for the time in which it was developed.”
- “Brilliant game, excellent gameplay mechanics!”
- “The gameplay is so good which makes the outdated graphics irrelevant.”
- “The gameplay is simple.”
- “As for the actual gameplay, while the various races are diverse and fun to play, diplomacy can be underwhelming.”
- “Be aware that there are a few kinks to iron out though: graphics settings can be edited in a text file instead of an in-game menu, some gameplay settings seem to be ineffective, keyboard shortcuts aren't all working (time speed change (except pause), zoom).”
story
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
77%
10%
The game's story features three distinct campaigns, each tied to different races with their own backstories and missions, complemented by a random events generator that adds variety and depth to the narrative. While some players find the overall storyline to be less compelling and somewhat shallow compared to modern titles, the inclusion of cinematic cutscenes and engaging mission systems helps maintain player interest. However, critiques mention that the story could benefit from further development and integration of additional missions to enhance the overall experience.
- “A classic space strategy game which combines good storylines for each faction, city builder tycoon elements, and spaceships with separately upgradable modules, spying, trading, etc. What else could you wish for?”
- “You can play as three different races across three epic campaigns with literally hours of cinematic videos spread across each story.”
- “There are three races, and three separate campaigns - each one with its own backstory missions and events.”
- “Too many ridiculous scenario storylines that ruined my experience with the game.”
- “The storyline in the campaign mode is not super compelling or original, but no problem to ignore.”
- “Back in the day, the original Imperium Galactica was the best 4X game (obviously my opinion), then when Imperium Galactica 2 came out it kind of missed its mark with less storytelling and less immersion with the removal of the bridge interface.”
music
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
13%
20%
The music in the game is widely praised, with many reviewers highlighting the soundtrack as exceptional and memorable, featuring a mix of engaging tracks that enhance the gameplay experience. While some users experienced technical issues, such as a black screen during startup, the overall consensus is that the music is a standout element, contributing significantly to the game's atmosphere and enjoyment.
- “The soundtrack is full of bangers, and the fact that it was produced by my people (made in Hungary) is just the icing on the cake.”
- “The music is excellent too, with the Solarian and Human tracks being among my favorite game music tracks ever.”
- “It's some of the coolest and most relaxing space game music I've ever heard.”
- “Works for the first play, then each time I start the game I just get music and a black screen.”
- “The presentation, mechanics, soundtrack, battles, etc., set a bar that hasn't really ever been beaten.”
- “Music and graphics were ahead of their time, and the approach to ground combat is still the most fun of any 4X space game I have ever played.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by quirky language issues in the Steam version, amusing interactions when playing as alien races, and the comical speed of 3D models and animations on modern hardware. Players find the absurdity of the situations, such as the advisor's blunt commentary on revolting citizens, particularly entertaining.
- “It's dead funny if you play as one of the alien races and the advisor voice tells you the citizens on one of your planets are revolting... like damn, you're telling me, they all look disgusting!”
- “One funny thing is that with modern hardware, the 3D models and animations spin seriously fast on the start screen and certain displays in-game.”
replayability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game offers significant replayability through its three sandbox campaigns, a fully functioning skirmish mode, and the choice of three distinct races, each with unique campaigns and random elements that encourage varied gameplay. With a blend of tactical combat, espionage, diplomacy, and empire management, players can expect a unique experience in every playthrough, ensuring no two games are alike.
- “There are 3 sandbox campaigns and a fully functioning skirmish mode, providing lots of replayability.”
- “You are given a choice of 3 races, each with a different emphasis and their own campaign, featuring random elements that require a different style of play each time, offering great replayability.”
- “The game had a lot to offer back in 1999, including tactical space and ground combat, espionage, diplomacy, empire management, multiplayer, and different races, ensuring huge replayability with no two games ever being the same.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, users report that the game runs more stably on the current version compared to the older CD version, with no significant issues like crashes or lag during battles. However, some players still experience occasional crashes and minor glitches, particularly during specific scenarios like ground combat and rainy conditions on the colony screen.
- “I have played the original game (I still have the 1.0 English CDs, and still sometimes play it on my Win10 system patched for XP and running in XP SP3 compatibility settings). Aside from some random crashes during ground combat and a few other minor glitches, it still runs better than the Steam version right now.”
- “I don't remember it being this buggy back in the day... it crashed a few times and I get a FPS hit on the colony screen when it's raining.”
- “No issues with the mouse working or crashes (unlike my CD version which is buggy on Win10 even after all the adjustments to get it to run). This runs perfectly, and unlike the CD version, there is no lag during battles anymore!”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the availability of keyboard shortcuts that help alleviate the tedium associated with grinding, making the experience more manageable. However, some still find the overall grinding process to be somewhat tedious despite these options.
- “There are fortunately shortcuts on the keyboard that will definitely help in cutting the tediousness of it all.”
- “There are more choices like that, but it'd be a bit tedious to list them all.”
optimization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
Users recommend selecting the "use high performance" option for optimization instead of allowing Windows to make the decision, suggesting that this setting enhances the game's performance.
- “Once you have added it to the list, select it and choose the option 'Use High Performance' instead of 'Let Windows Decide'.”
- “Once you have added it to the list, select it and choose the option 'Use high performance' instead of 'Let Windows decide.'”
monetization
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The monetization strategy has been criticized for promoting a feature that is no longer available in the game, leading to user dissatisfaction and a sense of misleading advertising.
- “They are advertising a feature the game no longer supports.”
- “The in-game purchases feel exploitative and ruin the overall experience.”
- “It's frustrating to see essential content locked behind a paywall.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game is praised for its unique atmosphere, providing an enjoyable experience of interacting with aliens in a space setting.
- “It has such a unique atmosphere, and messing about with aliens in space is still great fun.”