User:PlotinusRedux/sandbox

Interstellar Space: Genesis is a turn-based strategy, science fiction 4X game developed by Praxis Games and inspired by Master of Orion 2.

Gameplay
Basic mechanics will generally be familiar to veterans of 4X space games. After selecting from the pre-existing races or customizing a new one, the player begins the game with a single colony, a colony ship to found one additional colony, and 2 starter military frigates with which to start their empire.

Ship movement is limited by the mechanic of supply range, confining them to a radius around existing colonies and outposts. This makes founding such bases a strategic necessity for expansion and exploration, sometimes requiring settlement of less than ideal planets simply to extend the reach of your fleets.

Exploration is enhanced by a remote exploration mechanic, where telescopes from an existing colony can review details of neighboring sectors including planet details and potentially review hidden systems that are the primary source of strategic resources. These resources open up new technologies to be researched that generally provide empire-wide benefits scaling with the amount of said resource controlled.

Colonization is initially limited to planet types with an ideal biome for your race. Additional technologies make other types available, though with significant maluses that can be overcome by terraforming and buildings.

Ship classes can be customized, with a variety of different weapons available for research falling into three main categories, each differing in range, accuracy, and method of delivery: beam, kinetic, and missile. A number of special systems can be researched providing bonuses or new abilities and combat options. Several hull sizes are available, and shields, armor, and drives are automatically set to the most advanced researched.

Tactical combat is turn based. Proper positioning of ships to make maximum use of the range of their weapons and any special abilities is important, as are the use of options such as overheating to gain temporary bonuses and tactics such as ship boarding.

Victory is achieved through the elimination of all rival empires, or by winning two thirds of the vote at a periodic meeting of the Galactic Council, with the number of votes available to each empire proportional to its population.

Reception
While initial reviews were limited, they were generally positive, with Strategy Gamer giving 4 of 5 stars and saying "For an Indie game, it successfully fills a niche that has a particular demand and does it with enough self-awareness to avoid being a stale experience or a cynical moneygrab." Explorminate gave it a "Recommended" rating saying "ISG shows tremendous sophistication and design aptitude, and we ended up with a solid, traditional 4X game that brings along a host of subtle, but impactful design innovations," though noting it is "not a game that will take the 4X genre in a bold new direction" As of this writing, it has a "Mostly Positive" review on Steam (78% of 114 users).