Edit: (Crap I don't know why it Double Posted...)

Hey there Giant Bomb community. I need some help since none of my friends seem to play strategy games and wouldn't even know the difference between Starcraft and a Total War game.

Anyway, I've been thinking about buying Endless Space for a little while now. It looks like a very itnersting Sci-Fi Strategy game. But I've never played a 4X game before, Unless you count some of the Civilization games as 4X games. I saw on one of the reviews the critic compared it to Civ 5. How much is it like The Civilization series? If I've played a lot of strategy games in the past will this be something easy to get into?

Also on a side note, would anyone recommond buying Sins of a Solar Empire too? Or maybe Sins is better than this Endless Space all together. Anyway Thanks folks. :)

It's a lot like civ in many ways. Both games have multiple ways to win - that's what the 4x stands for - diplomacy, domination, research and culture in civ, etc. They play similiarly in the regard that you're managing economy, production, population growth, and research, as well as managing a military and upgrading it. So the core gameplay is fairly similiar, but it's different in a few ways as well. Instead of tiles, you have solar systems that you travel between. It all takes place in space instead. The combat is more interesting (although it gets really repetitive doing it manually - the ships move the exact same way every time which gets really old, unfortunately.). It's definitely a good game, if you like civ, you'll like it.

Sins of a Solar Empire is also similiar, but unlike civ and endless space, it's not turn based. So it's a bit more active, you don't have as much time to consider everything, but it's also not as "requiring". Thats not to say it's not demanding, but there's a bit less micromanaging of your systems. That said, it's not so fast that you really need to worry about micro.

Basically, Sins is a bit faster paced.

If I had to pick one.. I'd say I prefer sins so far. But Endless space is a good game too. You'll probably like either or.

@senorfuzzeh: The game is very much Civ 5 in space, even the UI is very similar. And I do consider Civ games to be 4x.

The game has a built in tutorial the first time you open a screen - check out some Lets Plays on Youtube to get a better sense of it. I found it easy to get into.

I had never played a 4x game (except Civ V) before I bought this a few days ago and I had no problem getting into it. Read the tutorial and begin with some smaller games you should be fine.

In a lot of ways, this game is like the Civ of space 4X games, or maybe even the Civ Rev of space 4X games. It's actually much simpler and easier to play than most of the genre, the game does a great job of explaining what everything does, and the flow of the turns is predictable and easy to manage.

Some of the more hardcore folks think the game is too shallow or simple, but I disagree. I think its a load of fun and a huge timesink.

@Pinworm45: Thanks man, I picked up the game about a week ago and been enjoying the game quite a bit. It pretty much is CIvs in space though. but I like it! Probably because I am a Sci-Fi Sucker, and plus the multiple alien species makes it very interesting. The only problem I seem to be having is my ships kind suck no matter what I do. Like I just can't do damage.

Oh well. probably something I am doing.

EDIT: Just figured out what I was doing wrong. I agree, the combat is kind of the weakest part about this game. its pretty much just Rock, Paper, Scissors. I created some really indepth ships, like shits that could withstand a lot of Kinect damage and designed them to be best a close rang, But I can't even have them like manuver to the back so other ships take the Missile damage, and then have them move in for the kill at close range, so in that sense I am disappointed. Maybe Sins of a Solar empire will be able to quench my thirst.

Still like the game. thanks guys :)