best turn based title?

badcompany · 27 Mar 2012 at 12:11

I have been looking at galactic civilizations 2 & alpha centuria to play on my laptop whilst away with work which is the better title and why or is there something better?

I have civilization 4 already and fancy a change-

Pestilence · 27 Mar 2012 at 12:26

GalCiv 2 is great, but can be fairly impenetrable early on. Is it specifically a 4x that you're after, or just turn-based strategy in general?

Kosmiche · 27 Mar 2012 at 12:26

Frozen Synapse is pretty interesting, its like a turnbased tactical shooter from a top down perspective.

Have a gameplay video

badcompany · 27 Mar 2012 at 12:34

turn based and sci-fi is what I'm after really, already own frozen synapse :-D

Pestilence · 27 Mar 2012 at 12:45

XCOM?

Kosmiche · 27 Mar 2012 at 12:46

Aah ok.

TBH I own gal civ 2 and if you're a Civ 4 diehard then you should find it very easy to get along with.

I do think gal civ 2 is your best option, however did you want multiplayer as gal civ 2 doesn't offer it.

Huw · 27 Mar 2012 at 12:46

Well, Alpha Centauri is closer to Civ than GalCiv is, so I would suggest GalCiv. However, Alpha Centauri is a really, really good game that drips with atmosphere. The old graphics may put you off if you're a graphics whore at all though.

GalCiv is also a brilliant game with really good AI. For a 4X it has particularly good diplomacy. You'd want to buy the expansions too because they really add to the game. I heartily recommend it and would probably rather play it than Alpha Centauri (just).

Other suggestions? Many people love Sword of the Stars+expansions; myself I couldn't get into it but lots and lots of people swear by it.

Space Empires 4 is probably the best turn-based sci-fi 4X I've ever played, although it is getting kind of dated now (not a problem for me). It's mind-bogglingly deep though, so it will take you a good while to learn.

Does it absolutely have to be turn-based? One of the best games I've played in the last few years is Sins of a Solar Empire, which is slow enough to almost be considered turn-based.

It's extremely polished, pretty, and incredibly fun. It never leaves my hard drive.

Star Ruler. Crazy game, this. Again it isn't turn-based but it is a 4X and the scale of the game is absolutely staggering. A nice feature is the built-in IRC client that connects to the game's channel so you can ask for help while playing.

Kosmiche · 27 Mar 2012 at 12:48

Even with all those great suggestions from Huw, I still think gal civ 2 is your best bet.

Huw · 27 Mar 2012 at 12:51

Eames said:
Even with all those great suggestions from Huw, I still think gal civ 2 is your best bet.

Yeah so do I actually, to be honest. GalCiv 2 is similar enough to Civ to be comfortable, but different enough to scratch a slightly different itch. It's a bloody amazing game and must be cheap as chips by now.

snowdog · 27 Mar 2012 at 16:51

Galciv2 for you probably.

I think Star trek: Birth of the Federtion and Space Empires 4 are better, but they are both very dated and not really polished games.

QlimaxUK · 27 Mar 2012 at 17:23

nothing beats good ol' XCOM - Apocalypse

Mat · 27 Mar 2012 at 20:19

Nothing except... "Robo Sport! Sponsored by... The Maxis Foundation" \o/

Actually, it did everything Frozen Synapse does but twenty years ago

Tibbz2 · 27 Mar 2012 at 20:40

Yeah GalCiv 2 for you I guess.

I couldn't get into it at all, but I don't like space/sci-fi games that much anyway :/

Jokester · 27 Mar 2012 at 20:43

Going to give GalCiv2: EU a go, heard a lot of good things about the complexity of the AI.

Bane · 28 Mar 2012 at 20:22

Not tried it but always wondered if any good. Call To Power 2 (Activision's Civilization clone) that is probably identical to the earlier Civilization games.

Top Cat · 28 Mar 2012 at 20:26

It's nothing like Civilization, but Jagged Alliance 2 is a good turn-based tactical strategy game.

Huw · 28 Mar 2012 at 20:35

OP what did you decide?

Hellsmk2 · 28 Mar 2012 at 20:42

Xcom or GalCiv2 as already said.

... Xcom is the better game though

(both are ridiculously high quality!)

badcompany · 28 Mar 2012 at 21:03

got alpha centuria for now as it was under a fiver will have a look at that but think I'll get galactic civ 2 as but will wait for steam easter sales ;-)

Huw · 28 Mar 2012 at 21:09

badcompany said:
got alpha centuria for now as it was under a fiver will have a look at that but think I'll get galactic civ 2 as but will wait for steam easter sales

Cool. Alpha Centauri is amazing, you'll love it! GalCiv 2 Ultimate Edition is currently £12.50 on Impulse or £12.99 on Steam, so yeah, wait for the sale and see who discounts it better.