The 10 Best 4X Games, According To Metacritic

The 4X subgenre of strategy video games has produced some of the best PC games in history and has even made the jump to consoles as well. With multiple options for conquest, the games offer an unlimited replay value as players challenge themselves in different ways.

From established hits like Sid Meier’s Civilization, to space conquest classics like Master of Orion, 4X games can fit within the fantasy, science fiction, or even historical genres. Despite having many classics to choose from, some games received higher scores on Metacritic.

10 Distant Worlds: Universe (2010) – 81

Continuing the grand tradition of space conquest in 4X games, Distant Worlds went above and beyond the usual presentation. Though most games in the genre are known for their complexity, Distant Worlds added on top of that and took things a step further.

With a much larger scale, including over one thousand potential star systems, the game had nearly infinite replay value. Also, the addition of an automated task management system kept the gameplay flowing and didn’t get bogged down in as much minutia. Despite this eye towards user friendliness, the game still suffers from its intricate complexity that could turn some players off from the genre as a whole.

9 Endless Legend (2014) – 82

Though 4X games have been a strong sub-genre for three decades, they still continue to grow with expanding gaming technology. Endless Legend features many familiar elements of the genre while also adding to its depth with a plethora of options to choose from.

The purpose is to conquer the land of Auriga using one of many factions/races that are available to choose from. Each faction has their own benefits and weaknesses, and the player can exploit their strengths to win the game. With boards randomized each time the game is played, the player is never want for new things to do, and the region system adds another layer of difficulty.

8 Sins Of A Solar Empire: Rebellion (2011) – 82

While many of the best strategy games are turn-based, some have also experimented with real-time gameplay as well. Sins of a Solar Empire took the space exploration aspects of other games and fleshed them out to a much large scale than ever before.

The player chooses one of three races with the goal of conquering the galaxy which is represented in a 3d web. Expansions to the original game, such as Rebellion, added a new allegiance option in which the player can either be loyal to their faction or act as a rebel. With its sandbox mode, the player isn’t required to battle online, and can instead explore the game offline at their own pace.

7 Galactic Civilizations 3 (2015) – 83

What sets the Galactic Civilizations series apart from its 4X counterparts is the addition of a complex storyline that keeps the player engaged. The third installment of the series continues the story and adds a few new elements to the franchise that hadn’t been seen before.

Taking place a decade after the second game, the third installment sends the player on a mission to liberate Earth and allow its fleet to reconquer the solar system. The first two games in the series were single player only and Galactic Civilizations 3 finally added a multiplayer gameplay option. Also, the hexagon gameplay structure made the game look more other great turn-based tactic games.

6 Master Of Orion 2 (1996) – 84

Though modern 4X games continue to push the genre in new directions with the addition of new technology, many of the best 4X games came out in the 1990s. Masters of Orion 2 perfected the gameplay from the first and is still a popular online game a quarter century later.

The player controls one of thirteen races, or a custom made race, and it greatly expanded the options that were present in the first game. On top of new customization choices, the game also expanded its universe by featuring more than one planet per star-system. Though it was made in the ’90s, the game introduced many elements which have become mainstays of the genre.

5 Europa Universalis IV (2013) – 87

Shedding the fantastical realms of other games, Europa Universalis IV grounds its gameplay in a moment in world history. The many complicated political and social issues to the time period are present in the game and the player is challenged to conquer the globe with one of over five hundred countries.

The game is played like a sandbox that doesn’t necessarily present the player with a clear goal of victory. Instead, the game is played as long as the player’s country still exists and theoretically the game could go on forever. Because of this relative aimlessness, Europa Universalis IV is a game with one of the highest replay values in the 4X genre.

4 Civilization VI (2016) – 88

Acting essentially as the template of the 4X genre, the Civilization series is perhaps the most well known of all. Civilization VI continued to build upon what had been established in the previous games, with new additions, as well as tweaks to the familiar gameplay formula.

Players must build a civilization from the ground up, over millennia, with the purpose of conquering the world through one of the preset victory conditions. Along with the addition of new civilizations, the newest version of the game also tweaked the path in which the players take, in hopes of changing its predictability.

3 Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri (1999) – 92

After the success of Sid Meier’s Civilization series, the same premise was launched into space, and Alpha Centauri was born. Utilizing similar gameplay elements as the Civ games, Alpha Centauri also cleverly used its Sci-Fi setting to add new wrinkles to the gameplay.

Though conquest is still the ultimate goal of the game, the player now has expanded ways to do so. In addition to grappling with the alien planet’s strange flora and fauna, the familiar hurdles are still present. Alpha Centauri‘s diplomatic victory would also be brought into the Civilization games going forward.

2 Galactic Civilizations II (2006) – 92

With its complicated story as a backdrop, Galactic Civilizations II featured two distinct game modes for users to enjoy. Though aspects of the game would be improved upon in the sequel, the gameplay of the second entry still remains a favorite with fans of the series.

The player is tasked with protecting humanity as they squabble amongst themselves, as well as attempt to survive the evil Dread Lords. The main mode of the game is played offline, and allows the player to navigate the storyline. The other game mode is a sandbox that allows players to manufacture their own playing scenarios that more closely resemble traditional 4X gameplay.

1 Civilization IV (2005) – 94

Not only is Civilization IV considered one of the best games in the Civilization series, it is also generally recognized as one of the best strategy games of all time. Though there have been sequels since its release, many fans feel as if the pinnacle of the series came with the fourth installment.

Building on top of aspects of the first three games, as well as Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri, the gameplay is familiar to fans of strategy games. The player is tasked with conquering the globe using a nation that they build from scratch, and they have several ways to do so. The addition of Alpha Centauri‘s diplomatic victory option helped to add to the game’s already extremely high replay value.

About The Author