Interstellar Space: Genesis
- July 25, 2019
- Praxis Games
- 15h median play time
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Get on itch.io Store"Interstellar Space: Genesis" is a 4X strategy game that offers turn-based combat and diplomacy, remote and physical exploration of star systems, and colonization of new worlds. Players must build and advance their galactic empire through technological and cultural development, with unique gameplay features making it a solid choice for fans of the genre. Testimonials praise the game's solid gameplay and design, as well as the quality of information presented.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Faithful homage to Master of Orion 2 with many refinements and improvements.
- Engaging exploration mechanics that keep the game interesting throughout.
- Solid turn-based combat system that allows for tactical decision-making.
- UI can be clunky and unintuitive, making navigation and management cumbersome.
- Limited number of races and building options, leading to a lack of variety.
- Pacing can be slow, especially in the early game, resulting in many turns of waiting.
- gameplay123 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Interstellar Space: Genesis" is characterized by a blend of familiar 4X mechanics and innovative features that enhance strategic depth, such as exploration and resource management. While players appreciate the engaging core loop of exploration, expansion, exploitation, and extermination, some mechanics can be unintuitive and require a learning curve. Overall, the game successfully combines nostalgia with new elements, though it may not fully satisfy those seeking groundbreaking gameplay or immersive combat experiences.
“The core gameplay loop - explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate (or cooperate!) - is well-executed, with satisfying depth in each area.”
“The exploration mechanic is very well done, as is the research tree.”
“Interstellar Space: Genesis unveils more depth each playthrough as you start to understand and use all of its mechanics.”
“Game mechanics to memorize and optimize a large number of arbitrary, hard to remember, complex bonuses make the gameplay experience boring.”
“But there are so many mechanics, and they happen so frequently - over and over throughout the gameplay, that it makes the game feel slow and clumsy.”
“The diplomacy, espionage, and culture mechanics are dated and currently don't benefit the game much.”
- graphics111 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 66 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players noting that while they are not cutting-edge, they are serviceable and evoke a nostalgic feel reminiscent of older titles like Master of Orion 2. Some appreciate the updated visuals and ongoing improvements from the developers, while others criticize the dated appearance and lack of polish, particularly in planetary graphics and animations. Overall, the consensus is that while the graphics may not be a strong selling point, they do not detract significantly from the gameplay experience.
“The graphics have been much improved and whilst initial production is a bit slow, you can get 3 planets going pretty quick.”
“The graphics are pretty good for the genre, with partially animated portraits. The gameplay is fun, and building up planets via the three ecology, infrastructure, and production axes makes each planet feel different.”
“The graphics and interface are modern, but the gameplay is true to the best old school 4X game ever.”
“The graphics are a bit dated and the UI is confusing and clunky.”
“A collection of ideas taken from other space 4X games and assembled with graphics from 2 decades ago.”
“The graphics and user interface are surprisingly amateurish.”
- music19 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 26 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many praising its atmospheric quality and sublime soundtrack, while others find it inconsistent and not always to their liking. Some players appreciate the option to use external music players, indicating a desire for more control over their audio experience. Overall, while the music enhances the game's ambiance, it may not appeal to everyone.
“The graphics are beautiful, the soundtrack sublime.”
“One worthy mention is the surprisingly excellent background music.”
“The music is very atmospheric.”
“I find that such a minor point, especially when reviewing grand strategy/4x games since I rarely listen to the in-game music/audio while playing.”
“The weakest part of the game is probably the music.”
“The production values for music and graphics are all over the place.”
- story19 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 74 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is described as lacking depth and intrigue, with players expressing a desire for more overarching narratives and quest-based missions. While the mechanics of leader management and espionage add some strategic elements, the overall experience feels underdeveloped, leaving players wanting more exploration and storytelling opportunities. Despite these shortcomings, the encounters and exploration missions are appreciated, indicating potential for a richer narrative experience.
“I love the encounters, the exploration missions, and the events.”
“I also really like how they did leaders (your 'heroes') and how they level up and have desires (basically quests for them that so far make sense to me based on where my empire was in terms of tech, production capacity, and exploration, etc.) which when fulfilled makes those leaders better.”
“But for me, it just doesn't have enough - enough mechanics, enough exploration, enough intrigue, enough story, enough specialization - to warrant playing it much more.”
“The exploration is good, and remains a factor into the mid-game, but I'd like to see more of an overarching story developed.”
“Instead of training actual spies, you must rely on your leaders gaining access to various 'spy' skills (espionage, sabotage, surveillance, etc.) and dispatch them on missions (thus taking them away from their other important duties managing colonies or commanding ships; a third dedicated category of 'spy' leaders should've probably been introduced to avoid this).”
- replayability15 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
Overall, the game exhibits strong replayability due to its random tech trees and diverse playstyles, encouraging players to adapt their strategies in each playthrough. While some users noted potential limitations in choice granularity and micromanagement, many praised the depth of gameplay and the potential for expansions to enhance replay value further. The combination of strategic decision-making and exploration contributes to a satisfying experience that invites multiple returns.
“Lots of replayability - you can make tech trees random to force you to think on your feet.”
“And with the potential for expansions and new content, this game has definite replayability.”
“I think that those choices are not granular enough to maximize replayability and feeling of ownership. Even with custom races and in more compact crowded games, it could just be a series of 'rush choices' for the free outposts and colony ship.”
“Doesn't have much replayability; a bit too much micromanagement. The UI could use some improvements (I had to keep what I planned for planets in my head and execute it on a per-planet basis over a long period of time). Balance needs work, etc.”
“Let me state just how fantastic these evolutions are for gameplay and replay value (and yes, you can randomize these trees at game setup).”
- grinding14 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be largely tedious, particularly in terms of empire and planet management, which can lead to long stretches of repetitive gameplay. While some appreciate the efficiency of quick turns, many express frustration with the drawn-out nature of battles and the endgame, where progress can feel painfully slow. However, a few users note improvements in reducing tedium compared to previous titles, suggesting a mixed reception regarding the grinding experience.
“I just found it to be tedious.”
“The process to improve a planet is tedious.”
“However, I see this game as having many of the same flaws as its predecessors: too much time to get to those epic space battles, only a small window when those are balanced, and then a tedious endgame that lasts 50-100 turns after the game should have ended.”
- optimization8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it features fast loading times and quick turns, users report significant performance issues such as memory leaks, UI lag, and slow production times, particularly on larger maps. Despite some interface improvements, the game still struggles with optimization, leading to the need for periodic restarts and a larger-than-expected storage requirement. Developers are reportedly addressing these optimization concerns.
“It loads fast, turns are fast, seems very well optimized.”
“Large maps get a little bogged down, but optimization is something they're working on.”
“A few interface optimizations, for example, something like a tiny mod from Stellaris, when you have lots of planets there is lots of scrolling involved.”
“The production numbers are so bad that it can take scores of turns just to produce simple ships, even on a home world with optimized buildings and asteroid fields attached.”
“It also inexplicably requires 8GB of space and has performance issues -- hitches and stalls -- on my system, which should be absolute overkill for this (i9900k, game installed on an NVMe M.2 drive, etc.).”
“Memory leaks and poor optimization mean increased UI lag over time, so it requires periodic restarting.”
- stability6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is rated positively, with users noting it runs well on the Steam Deck and is largely bug-free at version 1.1.2. While there are minor glitches introduced in a recent update, they are not significant enough to detract from the overall experience. The user interface is functional, though still undergoing improvements.
“At version 1.1.2, the game is very stable and almost completely bug-free.”
“Runs great on Steam Deck in desktop mode.”
“Even if the game needs more polish for the story/gameplay, it is not buggy.”
“It just freezes.”
“The update last weekend introduced a couple of minor glitches to the colorization of planet gravity in the overview that might confuse new players, such as the gravity level showing yellow (tolerable) when it is actually ideal for the race on the planet.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised, with users highlighting its fresh and engaging environment complemented by a nice and atmospheric soundtrack. The music plays a significant role in enhancing the overall experience, contributing to the immersive quality of the game.
“This game, fortunately, brings something new (new mechanics, new atmosphere, etc.).”
“The music is very atmospheric.”
“The soundtrack is nice and atmospheric.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is appreciated for its clever handling of diplomacy and entertaining strategic elements, with players finding it amusing when AI characters react unexpectedly, such as leaving due to their ineffectiveness. While some felt the humor started off shallow, it ultimately delivers enjoyable moments without needing excessive complexity.
“The way it handles its humor and approach to diplomacy is quite funny to me.”
“It doesn't need to be overly complex to be funny; it still has some cool tricks.”
“It was funny seeing the AI just up and leave because they couldn't do any damage.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Players feel that the monetization strategy detracts from the overall game experience, as excessive ads and prompts for purchasing expansions are pervasive. This approach risks overshadowing the game's quality and enjoyment.
“The game experience is spoiled by ads flooding all over, constantly pushing for additional purchases of their expansion versions.”
“Don't let good quality slip through your fingers just because they don't spend half their budget on advertising.”
“The monetization strategy feels overly aggressive, making it hard to enjoy the game without being bombarded by prompts to spend more money.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express that the emotional impact of the game is so profound that it leaves them deeply engaged, making them reluctant to interrupt the experience by pausing or stopping.
