Galactic Civilizations II: Dark Avatar Gold Edition Demo

The 4X genre is immensely popular and it comes with some pretty deep roots as well, given the fact that the first games came out two decades ago. Hence, franchises like Masters of Orion or Civilization managed to captivate millions of fans around the world, especially since the latter is still being developed today.

Galactic Civilizations II: Dark Avatar Gold Edition is one of the most successful space-themed 4X games ever released, given the fact that it managed to blend the perfect mix of gameplay mechanics. Hence, although the core concept is the same as it is in most other games in the genre, the designers managed to make it much more fun and intriguing, by adding a variety of new gimmicks to keep you entertained.

As such, you start off by creating a galaxy map, which is entirely up to you. Not only can you choose the size of the galaxy, but you are also allowed to set up the technology rate for all races, the number of stars and planets, how many asteroids are usually floating around, or even how common should habitable planets be. It is also possible to choose specific victory conditions, as well as integrate random mega events and super abilities.

Since the action takes place in space, the factions you can play with are alien and they differ a lot from each other. The humans are present as well, but so are a dozen other races, all of which come with specific strengths and weaknesses. However, you can use diplomacy to live peacefully and prosper, as well as create alliances with the other factions in order to trade commodities and technology.

Visually, the game is in 3D, but that doesn’t mean it looks amazing either. It is obvious that some work went into modeling the variety of planets and stars you can marvel at throughout the game, but the engine is still pretty weak. On the other hand, you’ll barely have time to pay attention to any kind of graphics, since every second is loaded with decisions and commitments you have to make.

Galactic Civilizations II: Dark Avatar Gold Edition may not be as good-looking as the Civilization series, but it is just as complex and entertaining. The multitude of alien races and technologies available should keep you occupied for many hours, especially since no two playthrough can be the same.