I’m a huge fan of 4X games. I’ve experimented with various strategy genres, but honestly, they don’t engage me like 4X games do—at their core, they must revolve around exploring, expanding, exploiting, and yes, exterminating.
I believe that for many, the first 4X game experience came from the Civilization series—though undoubtedly, a few individuals experienced earlier predecessors that trace back to text-based games from the 1970s.
However, the title that ignited my passion was Master of Orion II (MOO2)—a game where you cultivate and enhance planets across a straightforward galaxy map, investigating speculative future technologies, and ultimately conquering your adversaries to seize control of the known universe. (There are alternative victory conditions as well, but that one is the most thrilling.)
There is a unique pleasure in making thousands of minor decisions that culminate in the gradual transformation of the galaxy map shifting in your favor until the final cutscene unfolds, proclaiming you the true Master of Orion.
The games I cherish the most are those that involve decisions which accumulate over many, many hours leading to a significant payoff. I would prefer that over games with brief, contained challenges and short durations any day. The more in-depth and extended the experience, the greater the potential rewards. For me, that’s the essence of what makes 4X games exceptional. MOO2 is certainly no exception.
I required this affirmation.
Credit:
Samuel Axon
Nostalgic yet imperfect
That being said, it’s not a flawless game. It gained advantages from the insights acquired over more than a decade of prior 4X titles, and its creators clearly aimed to create a balanced and enjoyable experience.
They occasionally faltered. For instance, a significant aspect of the game involves selecting perks that personalize your empire before the first turn. One such perk is termed “Creative,” which enables you to acquire multiple technologies simultaneously rather than one at a time. It’s quite challenging to envision anyone deliberately opting out of that perk unless they wish to significantly challenge themselves.
