Skip to main content

Space Empires V

Space Empires V Game Cover
70%Game Brain Score
graphics, gameplay
stability, optimization
71% User Score Based on 361 reviews
Critic Score 68%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

PCWindows
Buy Nowfrom $2.12
Buy NowGet on Steam €14.79
Space Empires V Game Cover

About

Space Empires V is a single player and multiplayer turn-based strategy game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Malfador Machinations and was released on October 16, 2006. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

Space Empires V is the latest edition in the Space Empires series. This new chapter completely updates the UI and takes the player into a real-time rendered 3D universe. Watch space battles played out in glorious detail and realistic effects. Expand, Explore, Exploit, and Exterminate in a huge living breathing galaxy. New features abound with political alliances between multiple empires, a top-dow…

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Space Empires V screenshot
Space Empires V screenshot
Space Empires V screenshot
Space Empires V screenshot
Space Empires V screenshot
Space Empires V screenshot
Space Empires V screenshot
Skip User Reviews

71%
Audience ScoreBased on 361 reviews
graphics10 positive mentions
stability20 negative mentions
  • Extensive customization options including ship design, race creation, and empire management allow for deep strategic control.
  • Massive tech tree and research system offering a wide variety of viable strategies and the ability to manipulate star systems and planets.
  • Real-time tactical space combat with pausable battles and detailed fleet management adds significant engagement to gameplay.
  • The game suffers from numerous bugs, crashes, and stability issues, especially on modern operating systems like Windows 10 and above.
  • Outdated and clunky user interface with a steep learning curve and poor accessibility that may overwhelm new players.
  • AI has limited intelligence and poor balance without third-party mods, reducing challenge in single-player mode.
  • graphics
    47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's graphics are generally regarded as dated and basic, reflecting its nearly 20-year-old origins, with some improvements over earlier versions but still falling short by modern standards. While visuals and UI can be clunky, obscure, or even cause performance issues on newer systems, the graphics do not significantly detract from the core gameplay and remain acceptable for fans of the genre. Several reviewers express a wish for a modern update to enhance visuals without compromising the game's depth and mechanics.

    • “Considering the game is nearly 20 years old, the visuals aren't too bad.”
    • “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.”
    • “Starfury is a third-person space simulator, with themes borrowed from SE4 but with fully 3D graphics and excellent combat.”
    • “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 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.”
    • “On a non-XP OS it is plagued with so many crash bugs, graphics glitches and screen freezes that you will not be able to progress very far.”
  • gameplay
    24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay offers deep, classic 4X strategy with extensive empire-building, ship customization, and tactical combat, enhanced by user mods that improve AI and balance. While some mechanics feel dated and graphics/UI are less polished by modern standards, the game’s complexity and unique features still provide a satisfying experience for genre fans. However, minor issues like turn lag, repetitive music, and occasional FPS problems on newer systems slightly impact the overall experience.

    • “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.”
    • “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 simulator really does add a new level of gameplay that puts emphasis on tactics and good designs to prepare against threats.”
    • “Python scripting allowed for non-core game mechanics to be added, though significant, lengthy changes could produce end-turn lag as they are processed after the core code.”
    • “Combat mechanics are somewhat primitive but given its age numerous user mods were created that made the AI better.”
    • “The gameplay is essentially like any of the Galactic Civilizations games but with worse graphics; it also has some FPS issues with Windows 10, so be aware of that.”
  • stability
    21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is widely regarded as unstable and highly buggy, especially on modern operating systems, often requiring extensive mods and technical workarounds to run smoothly. While it has loyal fans who praise its core gameplay despite crashes and freezes, overall stability issues significantly hinder the experience for most players.

    • “The real-time space combat should not be overlooked - it's actually not buggy at all and very enjoyable.”
    • “It is ancient, buggy, unstable and requires mods to make it remotely playable.”
    • “On a non-xp OS it is plagued with so many crash bugs, graphics glitches and screen freezes that you will not be able to progress very far.”
    • “Buggy as hell - if I hit 'resume game' it crashes, every time.”
  • optimization
    20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game suffers from very poor optimization, resulting in sluggish, unstable, and often crashing performance on modern systems, which requires extensive manual tweaking to run smoothly. Despite its potential and depth, these performance issues significantly hamper the experience, especially in fullscreen mode or on newer operating systems.

    • “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 finetuning by the player to get it to run smoothly on any system with a modern OS.”
    • “It's got no optimization at all, and quickly grinds to the point of needing to wait 20 seconds for each window to open.”
    • “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.”
    • “The performance of the game is abysmal with lots of lag if you manage to put it in fullscreen.”
  • replayability
    16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers exceptional replayability, praised for its deep tech trees, customizable races and ships, and strategic depth that keeps players engaged over time. While some note the interface could be improved, the expansive options and mod support enhance long-term interest, especially for fans of the 4X genre. Multiplayer and varied playstyles further boost replay value, making it a highly recommended choice for those seeking lasting gameplay.

    • “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.”
    • “Underneath the underwhelming and clumsy and confusing interface is a very intelligent 4x game with more choices and replayability than its more glamorous competition. It must be modded to show its full potential (capt kwok's balance mod).”
    • “Like all the space empire games, the deep research trees, customizable ships, production and fleet management, and easy to load custom ship models, make the game endlessly replayable.”
    • “The design team should steal UI ideas from other, better games -- the original Masters of Orion is ancient, but more playable.”
    • “Underneath the underwhelming, 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 (Captain Kwok's balance mod).”
    • “Replay value depends on your mood: should I spend hours tailoring a civilization around a specific goal or just mess with the AI and build like crazy?”
  • music
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's music is generally appreciated for being complex and fitting, with many users finding it better than comparable titles and not overly repetitive. However, some criticize the sound quality in-game as muffled or phone-like despite good original track quality, and a few find the music bland or repetitive due to limited selection and looping. Overall, the soundtrack enhances the experience but could benefit from improved mixing and more variety.

    • “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, 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. Gameplay is boring too. 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.”
    • “The music in the game tends to be on a massive loop and the music selection is a little limited, so you can hear the same song being played over and over again before it changes track, just to do it again.”
  • atmosphere
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere system plays a key role in colonization, determining whether species can live openly or must rely on domed habitats based on atmospheric compatibility. Atmospheres vary (e.g., hydrogen, methane, oxygen, CO2, none), adding strategic depth to species customization and settlement planning.

    • “Planets and races have both an atmosphere and planet type, adding depth to the gameplay.”
    • “The atmospheres of planets determine how well your species settles, either having to live under atmospheric domes or under an open sky.”
    • “Fully customizable species, down to atmosphere and planet type, enhance the immersive experience.”
  • grinding
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Grinding in the game is detailed and in-depth, offering some engaging micromanagement elements, but it often becomes tedious and repetitive, especially when managing large empires without helpful automation or command queues.

    • “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 managing a certain amount of planets, because appropriate mass commands and the like are just missing.”
  • story
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story focuses on a true narrative where small decisions cumulatively create tactical advantages in the player's quest to dominate the galaxy. It emphasizes strategic choices shaping the overall experience.

    • “True story.”
    • “Game story.”
    • “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

    The humor is dark and aggressive, often making players feel overwhelmed rather than gently guided, with a tone that mocks their struggles rather than supporting them.

Skip Critic Reviews

68%Critics’ scoreBased on 2 critic reviews
Skip Game Offers

Buy Space Empires V

32h Median play time
32h Average play time
32-32h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs
Skip Videos

Videos

Skip Games Like Space Empires V

Games Like Space Empires V

Space Empires IV Deluxe ImageSpace Empires IV Deluxe ImageSpace Empires IV Deluxe Image
87%232reviews

Space Empires IV Deluxe

2006Turn-based Strategy
PCWindows
Games like Space Empires IV Deluxe
Master of Orion Image
72%5.1kreviews

Master of Orion

2016Casual Turn-based Strategy
LinuxPCMac OS+1
Games like Master of Orion
Galactic Civilizations III Image
80%13kreviews

Galactic Civilizations III

2015Role Playing
PCWindows
Games like Galactic Civilizations III
Master of Orion 2 Image
96%2.1kreviews

Master of Orion 2

2016Turn-based Strategy
LinuxPCCloud+4
Games like Master of Orion 2
StarDrive Image
47%1.2kreviews

StarDrive

2013Real-time Strategy
PCWindows
Games like StarDrive
More games like Space Empires V
Skip FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Space Empires V is a turn-based strategy game with science fiction theme.

Space Empires V is available on PC and Windows.

On average players spend around 32 hours playing Space Empires V.

Space Empires V was released on October 16, 2006.

Space Empires V was developed by Malfador Machinations.

Space Empires V has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked Space Empires V for its graphics but disliked it for its stability.

Space Empires V is a single player game with multiplayer support.

Similar games include Space Empires IV Deluxe, Master of Orion, Galactic Civilizations III, Master of Orion 2, StarDrive and others.