Space Empires V

About

Space Empires V is a turn-based strategy game that offers a rich galaxy exploration and empire building experience. Players can design their own ships, conduct research, and engage in tactical combat in a procedurally generated universe. The game also includes diplomacy and espionage elements, providing a variety of ways to interact with AI-controlled factions and expand your interstellar empire.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

70%

Audience ScoreBased on 349 reviews

graphics8 positive mentions

stability21 negative mentions

Incredible complexity and depth in governing an empire and fleet, offering extensive customization options for ship design.
Rich tech tree with a variety of research paths, allowing for unique strategies and gameplay experiences.
Strong modding community with mods like Captain Kwok's Balance Mod that enhance gameplay and improve AI.

The game suffers from numerous technical issues, including crashes, low FPS, and compatibility problems with modern systems.
The AI is often considered weak and predictable, making single-player experiences less challenging without mods.
The user interface is clunky and not intuitive, leading to a steep learning curve for new players.

graphics
43 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
67%
14%
The graphics of the game are generally considered dated and clunky, with many users noting that they do not hold up well by modern standards. While some appreciate the nostalgic value and the improvements over previous iterations, others find the user interface confusing and the overall visual experience lacking. Performance issues, particularly on newer operating systems, further detract from the graphical experience, making it a challenge for players who prioritize visual quality.
- “The graphics are slightly dated but hold up well compared to most conventional standards.”
- “Great graphics for its time.”
- “This game pairs the solid empire-building gameplay from se4 with the 3D graphics and high-octane combat of Starfury to make for an epic experience.”
- “Old and clunky ancient UI and graphics.”
- “The new design makes the game harder to play; desired information harder to find, necessary actions more inefficient in their execution, while the graphic revision somehow appears uglier and more dated than previous editions.”
- “The graphics are pretty bad (considering today's standards), but who plays turn-based strategy games for their looks?”
stability
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
95%
The game's stability is widely criticized, with users reporting frequent crashes, bugs, and performance issues, particularly on modern operating systems. Many players suggest that extensive troubleshooting and the use of mods are necessary to make the game playable, though some acknowledge that certain aspects, like real-time space combat, function well. Overall, the game is described as a "buggy mess" that requires significant effort to enjoy.
- “The real-time space combat should not be overlooked - it's actually not buggy at all and very enjoyable.”
- “The game runs smoothly without any crashes, making for a seamless experience.”
- “I appreciate how stable the online multiplayer is; I rarely encounter lag or disconnections.”
- “It is ancient, buggy, unstable and requires mods to make it remotely playable.”
- “Game has great potential but is buggy and impossible to finish because of crashes.”
- “Unplayable on modern systems - a buggy piece of crap - Valve, sort it out, get this crap off the store.”
gameplay
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
52%
33%
14%
The gameplay of the game is a mix of classic 4X mechanics with some modern enhancements, offering solid empire-building and ship customization, though it suffers from outdated graphics and occasional performance issues on newer systems. While some players appreciate the depth and tactical elements, others find the gameplay repetitive and lacking in quality-of-life improvements. Overall, it remains a well-regarded title in the genre, especially with the support of mods, but opinions vary widely on its execution and enjoyment.
- “As someone who has loved space 4X games since their origins, I would say that, by both its design and its actual gameplay, this is hands-down the best space 4X game ever made.”
- “This game pairs the solid empire-building gameplay from SE4 with the 3D graphics and high-octane combat of Starfury to make for an epic experience.”
- “With extremely detailed game mechanics (up to and including planetary invasion, orbital bombardment, infrastructure development, ship customization, etc.), this game is still an industry standard even while maintaining a vintage feel.”
- “The gameplay is essentially like any of the Gal Civ games with worse graphics... does have some FPS issues with Windows 10, so be aware of that.”
- “The game itself isn't that complicated, but as I said before, the gameplay is really bad.”
- “Boring, boring, and bland. The music is terrible, and the gameplay is boring. If you want a real game, buy Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion. That game is worth every penny; this game has bland written all over it. I mean, yeah, it's a classic, but it sucks.”
optimization
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
55%
25%
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with many users reporting significant performance issues on modern systems, including crashes, lag, and instability. While some players find ways to improve performance through manual adjustments, the overall experience remains frustrating and unpolished, detracting from the game's potential enjoyment. Despite its engaging gameplay, the lack of proper optimization makes it difficult for many to recommend.
- “I used to love this game as a kid, and Captain Kwok's balance mod makes it great fun even these days, although you do have to do some finagling to get it to run smoothly on modern systems.”
- “This game allows more freedom and options than any game I have ever played, and it is for this reason that I tolerate its performance issues with modern hardware so that I may gleefully kill aliens with crewless kamikaze viral spore carrying frigates again.”
- “The game requires a lot of manual fine-tuning by the player to get it to run smoothly on any system with a modern OS.”
- “Do not bother buying it as it doesn't work on modern systems, is unoptimized, basically lost in space, waiting for a return which will probably never happen.”
- “Not compatible with modern operating systems, and it's horribly optimized.”
- “The performance of the game is abysmal with lots of lag if you manage to put it in fullscreen.”
music
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
36%
21%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising its complexity and variety, while others find it bland and repetitive. Although certain users appreciate the quality of the music files themselves, they note that in-game audio can sound muffled. Overall, while the music enhances the experience for some, others feel it detracts from gameplay due to its limited selection and looping nature.
- “Some of the improvements are welcome, the 3D models and real-time battles are great, the use of scanners to scan a system is a nice mechanic, and even the music is better.”
- “- It's a great complex game with great music, great diplomacy, and great variety.”
- “The music is great and doesn't get too repetitive or boring.”
- “The music is also quite horrible.”
- “Boring, boring, and bland; the music is terrible. The gameplay is boring. If you want a real game, buy Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion. That game is worth every penny. This game has 'bland' written all over it. I mean, yeah, it's a classic, but it sucks.”
- “Only a little criticism I have, and it's only minor, it doesn't ruin gameplay at all, is that the in-game music tends to be on a massive loop and the music selection is a little limited. You could hear the same song being played over and over again before it changes track, just to do it again.”
replayability
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
43%
21%
The game boasts exceptional replayability, driven by its expansive tech tree, customizable races, and diverse ship-building options, making it a standout in the 4X genre. Players appreciate the depth and variety of strategies available, although some note that the interface could be improved. Overall, it offers a wealth of content that keeps players engaged and returning for more.
- “If you want a game that will deliver endless replay value, this is the game for you.”
- “Like all the SE games, the deep research trees, customizable ships, production and fleet management, and easy-to-load custom ship models make the game endlessly replayable.”
- “Underneath the underwhelming and clumsy and confusing interface is a very intelligent 4X game with more choices and replayability than its more glamorous competition (looking at you, GalCiv 2). It must be modded to show its full potential (Capt Kwok's balance mod).”
- “Replay value: depending on your mood, as this game for me is mood dependent: should I spend hours tailoring a civilization around a specific goal or should I just mess with the AI and just build like crazy?”
- “Replayability is one of its better selling points, with the expansive tech tree, custom races, and insane ship builds and strategy; it is very difficult to lose interest.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The game's atmosphere is intricately tied to the planet types and races, influencing settlement conditions, such as the necessity for domed colonies in hostile environments. Players appreciate the strategic depth provided by the turn-based gameplay, which complements the atmospheric elements of the game. Overall, the atmosphere significantly impacts gameplay and player experience.
- “Planets (and races) have both an atmosphere and planet type.”
- “I highly recommend this game to anyone with a strategy-centric mindset, as long as you don't mind a turn-based atmosphere.”
- “The atmospheres of planets will determine how well your species settles, either having to live under atmospheric domes or under an open sky.”
- “Colonies of a different atmosphere are domed.”
- “What atmosphere do they breathe?”
grinding
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious yet oddly captivating, with a steep learning curve that requires extensive micromanagement. While the depth of the gameplay offers some interesting mechanics, the lack of streamlined commands can make managing multiple planets feel laborious over time.
- “The learning curve for this game is long and tedious.”
- “Enjoy giving orders tediously one at a time across your huge empire until you figure out queues, because the game isn't going to nudge you in that direction one bit.”
- “The micromanagement has some cool things going for it, but it gets really tedious after having a certain amount of planets, because appropriate mass commands and the like are just missing.”
story
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's story revolves around a true narrative where players make small decisions that cumulatively lead to tactical advantages in their quest for galactic domination. This emphasis on choice and consequence adds depth to the overall experience.
- “The game is about small decisions that add up over time into tactical advantages in the quest to dominate the galaxy.”
humor
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a playful yet relentless teasing, where players feel both challenged and amused as they navigate obstacles, akin to being playfully mocked while attempting to succeed.
- “Forget not holding your hand; SE5 is pushing you down in the street over and over and laughing at you while you try to cross.”