The system, like many others in the game, is cribbed directly from Master of Orion, but it remains rousing and balanced. StarDrive 2 offers the selection of a space-faring race-always a good time, unless you pick Human-and, if you want, a complete overhauling of its prepackaged traits. Planets are key to out-producing the enemy, but they can be arduous to develop and defend.īut 4X games always begin full of promise, at least. And yet, when it's time to take stock, StarDrive 2 finds itself firmly in the middle. And if the same goes for the crowded, largely homogenous genre they belong to, where does that leave an entry like StarDrive 2? For the most part, the game seems to be a proper execution of its developer's vision it's worked its way up its chosen tech trees, so to speak, arriving as a sci-fi empire builder in the grand tradition. They're "games" in the same way that the game of thrones is a game: you win or you die, and the middle ground is really just another burial tract. The thing is, 4X games don't have much patience for an also-ran. It's only when I come out of my daze a few scaled eras later that I often find myself long surpassed by opposing empires, the graphs telling a story of steady mediocrity since, oh, sometime in the Middle Ages when production took a brief turn towards the slightly sub-optimal. Mistakes amount to small hang-ups in the otherwise effortless forward momentum of upgrades and technological developments, lost in the spaces between ascending data points on one of the genre's ubiquitous end-of-game line graphs. When that contented sort of complacency sets in, I'm more easily coaxed into "just one more turn." These empire-building games make it easier still because they tend to defer the consequences of poor moves. The Kalatk are peaceful mantis-like insectoids from Kalatk.A good 4X strategy game is a bit like a slow-burning fire-something to be stoked every now and again with a click of the mouse and watched through half-lidded eyes into the late hours. They will cause the Racial Conflict approval penalty, however. For racial traits, Elephants have Agricentric, Inspired Workers, and Thirst for Knowledge, making them valuable citizens in any empire. Successfully completing Suji's special research project adds three Elephant citizens to the galaxy, preferentially to your empire but they will go elsewhere if you don't have room for them. The Dhornish are a dragon-like reptilian race from Dhorne. The Prrsians are a race of blue felines from arid Prrsia. The Hurmglubs are peaceful fishers famous for their seafood delicacies. The Avnar are an avian race from a small forest moon. These races don't expand into large space empires, but encountering them can lead to missions, unique bonuses, new citizens, troops or other important decisions.Īndroids are are part machine, part organic beings who are efficient workers. The Vulfar are a dull-witted race of vicious, militaristic canines with a fierce pack loyalty. The Ralyeh are highly religious cephalopods, bent on conquering the galaxy for the Elder God. The Pollops are a large pacifistic plant race who are able to rapidly reproduce and expand. The Opteris are a robotic race of emotionless insect-shaped AIs who operate in a hive mind. The Kulrathi are a huge bear-like race of honourable warriors, with a strong military tradition. The Humans are clever, industrious primates with a yearning to explore, though corruption hinders their economy. The Drayloks are an intelligent reptilian race, who are masters of deception and espionage. As the first race enslaved by the Cordrazine, they form the workforce on Cordrazine planets. The Owlwoks are an avian race native to Cordon Ot. They are native to Cordon Ot in the Cordon system. The Cordrazine are immobile, vain molluscs who use mind-control pheremones to enslave other species. The Chukk are a ruthless and mercantile insectoid race, fond of haggling over slaves. These races are trying to forge mighty empires amongst the stars, and win the game. There is nine major factions in the game, representing ten races.
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