Grand Strategy

Okay, I'm looking for a 4x/Grand strategy fix. I tried SotS and EU:Rome, but neither of them held my interest beyond a few hours. SotS had some neat ideas, but I felt that it was all too streamlined and didn't really like the combat, while EU:Rome I dug a lot of the management options but the lack of tactical combat probably limited my enjoyment. I wouldn't mind another Paradox game, but ultimately I think I'm looking in a different direction.

Edit: Also, I'd prefer something either space themed or historical (Pre-WW2).

So other than the obvious recommendations (SMAC, MoO, MoM), what do you have for me, Codexia?

 

Maybe try Space Empires? The learning curve is horrendous though. There's GalCiv 2 also, but that's a pretty 'streamlined' game.

I'd suggest Victoria if you want to try another Paradox game.



But most 4x and grand strategy games do not have 'tactical' combat if that's what you are looking for.

 

Yes, it is one of the better Paradox games, though the interface is horrendous.

 

Isn't Victoria 2 out? Or is coming out soon? Or am I making it all up.

I played the hell out of Space Empires IV a few years ago. I know SEV is out but I don't think it was well received. It was loads of fun building Dyson Spheres and Ring Worlds.

 

You've tried EU:Rome (I haven't) but have you tried EU:3? I love the EU:3. It doesn't have tactical combat but I've heard Rome wasn't a very good entry into the EU series.

 

I found Sins of a solar empire decently entertaining. Same with Galactic Civilizations 2. Both are 4x games

 

GalCiv 2 was good, but I've played it to death and it doesn't have much soul. I picked up Rome forever ago at a Gamestop for 5 bucks, and I'm a bit of a Romanophile, but ultimately I find it somewhat disappointing. I might give Victoria a try, although that period in history isn't very interesting to me.

 

Ascendancy was great fun. But that was 15 years ago. I'm guessing by todays standards, I'd find it facerollingly easy. Still, the game had a nice atmosphere to it.

 

EU: Rome is...not one of Paradox's best entries.

I'd go with recommending Hearts of Iron 2 from Paradox if you ever felt like giving them another try.

 

Comes out on the 13th.

 

Anyway you should try Distant Worlds if you want space themed 4x

 

Arsenal of Democracy its newer and better version of HoI2.

I will recommend Birthright its a fantasy game with mix of rts and rpg, and is one of my favorite games.

Also try Imperium Galactica and Cavewars which is not really a grand strategy game but its fucking awsome.

 

which direction?

http://www.a-acw.com/english/main.html

http://www.tacticularcancer.com/content.php?id=60

 

AGEOD has a game based on the Napoleonic Wars, right? How is that?

 

NCP is totally uninteresting if you ask me, and it should really not be your first Ageod title.

I could also never stand the graphics they produced in that period, shortly after Sandra Duval left.

If you want my recommendation for grand strategy I say go for AACW. It doesn't get any more grand strategy than that, and I liked the other AGEOD titles much less for some reason or another. WiA might also be a good choice if you want to start with a less complex game, but ultimately AACW is more interesting in almost every respect.

 

Thanks, I'll give it a shot.

 

Great, but don't give up after the first day. Personally I almost threw in the towel at that point but came back to it two or three times and suddenly I was right in the middle of the Civil War. After that I spent two weeks or so glued to the screen and doing nothing else but play, eat and sleep.

 

The World War 1 game (the new release, don't play the original!) is very good too.

Have you tried EU3 complete with the Heir to the Throne expansion on top?

 

AoW series (namely AoW1 and AoWSM). It's closer to MoM but of course still pretty different, if you liked that you'll like these.

Try Emperor of Fading Suns. If you'll be able to handle the unfortunate bugs that brake some important stuff it's a pretty complex game with lots of depth. It's a rough gem - I just wish it had its own Drog. Also it's the closest to WH40K 4X you'll ever get.

 

EU3 with all the add-ons/patches is probably a good bet for being the most interesting and fun grand strategy game. HOI3 with Semper Fi and the I.C.E. mod is good WW2 fun. Read the CK LP on this site to see if you'll like it. If you do enjoy the setting and bloodline management notion you'll love it. Oh, and good old Civ is neat as ever but you'll probably have played that one. All the Age of Wonder games are different to each other and good fun MoM clones.

Am playing a review copy of Victoria II at the moment and for some reason it just doesn't grab me. It's beautifull looking, has a rather good musical score, the best tutorial ever seen in a Paradox game, has relatively few bugs for a paradox initial release and plays in a very interesting time frame. Perhaps the entire population management just doesn't grab me that much or something. Still, those that liked Victoria I should love this.

 

In addition, did have you look at Forge of Freedom and Crown of Glory EE, or War in the Pacific ?

I haven't played these, but they got me interested during development, and perhaps they are for you.

I recently downloaded it, and I really would like to play it. But is it normal that the game has no sound? There was really nice music in mp3 format, but I never got it to play either.

 

The game has the music - it's CD Audio (you can also select tracks from within the game). Make sure you have the full CD version, not a rip. When I played the game I had no problems with music or sound.

 

Yes, but what I did not understand, is there sound except the CD audio?

 

Yes of course (or so I think)

 

most of the time I can remember if a game had sound or not