The Pegasus Expedition, as a game, is a incredibly promising and very fun in-depth 4x strategy and colonization game with a fairly fleshed out world and interesting characters. The game itself features a wide variety of both alien, and human factions with their own motivations aside from the bigger picture that their overall factions may be associated with. The gameplay is fun and engaging, however it is not without its issues. The galaxy is a wide and fleshed out expanse of territory to explore, conquer, colonize, and exploit. As well, the games campaign is well written and explores topics that are morally challenging and interesting.

However it'd not be a honest review if I did not lay out my issues with the game, and so I will.

My current issues with the game as of the last time that I have played it, 2/4/2024, are thus:
The system of morality is not a particularly well optimized one, in my opinion, especially in regards to how it treats certain factions. My prime target with this is the Biomass - starting often with 1.5k fleet power combined in their emergence systems, the usage of All Means Allowed generates often morality/diplomatic standing obliterating changes in the wake of any major engagement against what is in effect, a galaxy-exterminating menace that even the race that created it could not effectively counter and defeat. An enemy of such nature - threat to all, friend to none, should not generate a substantial penalty to Galactic Reputation - and in fact, the system working the opposite way could perhaps be a better way to go through it.

Allowing Biomass to escape with a Minimal Casualties standing reduces galactic reputation, while the total obliteration of biomass in space, and on the surface of worlds (For the insane resource expenditure that it costs to do so) should be a massive boost to galactic reputation.

Diplomacy is not a particularly fleshed out aspect of the game itself, and I do not believe that the store-front page should reflect a belief of such nature. Rather, diplomacy feels a bit half-baked, and without much overall importance on the game itself. There is no dialogue of a sort with other empires beyond scripted events, there is no sort of deep diplomacy, and the protectorate/vassal system is underdeveloped. Vassals/Protectorates should not be frankly able to wage war independently as though they're a free state, as this can often disrupt the flow of the game to begin with anyway and hinder the ability of a player to perform tasks - especially in relations to groups like the Kharak Clan and other Mael factions taking planets like Hur. Sure, you can buy them back, but that's often prohibitively expensive, and war becomes a preferable option, often railroading a player towards violence needlessly rather than entirely with purpose.

With the way the game handles the emergence of factions such as the Pegasus Republic in comparison to the Sonora Clique or others being allowed to take the throne on Hur - Hur could be near immediately occupied by a Maelstrykh faction in the wake of such an event, and it tends to make the entire endeavor to take Hur, and the space around it, and the journey to it - feel often rather Moot and like a waste of time, and with how much time late-game turns can take, such can be a somewhat immersion breaking experience.

If the Sonora Clique gains dominion over the Empire, it should cause a second schism, allowing for the Tamanin Empire to reform from what territory remains with a Tamanin Population, and then to allow for Splinter States to form at a reduced state, as well as granting that Sonora-Tamanin a large force. Same with the other outcome. This would make it feel as though it were better fleshed out, and as well, like the entire effort was actually worth the undertaking. It is often impractical to wage a war to conquer all of Tamanin Space to then just give it to the Sonora clique and have to then defend them until they build themselves up.

The Ankhorum as well feel somewhat under-developed and utilized for their actual role in the grand narrative of the game, and that is somewhat disappointing, because they're perhaps one of the most interested factions in the game by terms of lore. They need to be fleshed out, and I believe that the tools are already there, they are just not being utilized appropriately.

The APPG is a provisional government established by the leadership of a military flotilla with civilian elements collected during the collapse of their civilization in their native galaxy. This creates the question of why the other two factions are not apart of this greater whole, as they would be more directly benefited by joining the APPG than by being left out of it, or so we can figure. The rift between these three groups should be explored in more detail, and we should be able to interact with the Ekhoa Colony and the other splinter in more meaningful manners than merely pressing buttons. There's a story here that could be told.

Perhaps this is explained in the purge campaign, but I have not myself been able to play it yet, as I have still been neck deep in my first campaign, and I believe I've only recently reached the end game.

Moving on to my final thing,
The construction system is a little difficult to use at times. Trying to pop between planets using the side-bar menu tends not to switch the view until you click on a planet or button in general. As well, the ability to construct things on a world with a native governor should not be removed, as this removes any value or real want for players to hire native governors, even for the relations penalty. The ability to use infrastructure on a planet, or to replace it, is what gives a planet its value alongside the traits a world has. This could be balanced out in some way with the introduction of protests and morally charged decisions on worlds where you opt not to elect a native governor and tear down their infrastructure - it can even have a building penalty. As well, it's weighed down from a substantial amount of tedium.

There is some misspelling, but I do not quite recall where, but I believe it is passed turn 40. I don't really remember the exact messages however, and it'd take me quite a long while to find them.

All of that said, I do love the game. It's plenty fun, even if it can be a bit heavy on tedium. It's got a wonderful story to it and a lot of potential in terms of worldbuilding, and mechanics - it just needs to have more attention put onto them both. As well, perhaps some more outward marketing may help to spread awareness of the game, such as the establishment of a Fandom wikipedia page, more advertising on X/Twitter, and so on. I'd love to see this game get more attention, as it deserves it, and perhaps this will aid it in becoming better optimized and fleshed out.

The Pegasus Expedition, as a game, is a incredibly promising and very fun in-depth 4x strategy and colonization game with a fairly fleshed out world and interesting characters. The game itself features a wide variety of both alien, and human factions with their own motivations aside from the bigger picture that their overall factions may be associated with. The gameplay is fun and engaging, however it is not without its issues. The galaxy is a wide and fleshed out expanse of territory to explore, conquer, colonize, and exploit. As well, the games campaign is well written and explores topics that are morally challenging and interesting. However it'd not be a honest review if I did not lay out my issues with the game, and so I will. [h1]Spoilers Ahead.[/h1] [spoiler]My current issues with the game as of the last time that I have played it, 2/4/2024, are thus: The system of morality is not a particularly well optimized one, in my opinion, especially in regards to how it treats certain factions. My prime target with this is the Biomass - starting often with 1.5k fleet power combined in their emergence systems, the usage of All Means Allowed generates often morality/diplomatic standing obliterating changes in the wake of any major engagement against what is in effect, a galaxy-exterminating menace that even the race that created it could not effectively counter and defeat. An enemy of such nature - threat to all, friend to none, should not generate a substantial penalty to Galactic Reputation - and in fact, the system working the opposite way could perhaps be a better way to go through it. Allowing Biomass to escape with a Minimal Casualties standing reduces galactic reputation, while the total obliteration of biomass in space, and on the surface of worlds (For the insane resource expenditure that it costs to do so) should be a massive boost to galactic reputation. Diplomacy is not a particularly fleshed out aspect of the game itself, and I do not believe that the store-front page should reflect a belief of such nature. Rather, diplomacy feels a bit half-baked, and without much overall importance on the game itself. There is no dialogue of a sort with other empires beyond scripted events, there is no sort of deep diplomacy, and the protectorate/vassal system is underdeveloped. Vassals/Protectorates should not be frankly able to wage war independently as though they're a free state, as this can often disrupt the flow of the game to begin with anyway and hinder the ability of a player to perform tasks - especially in relations to groups like the Kharak Clan and other Mael factions taking planets like Hur. Sure, you can buy them back, but that's often prohibitively expensive, and war becomes a preferable option, often railroading a player towards violence needlessly rather than entirely with purpose. With the way the game handles the emergence of factions such as the Pegasus Republic in comparison to the Sonora Clique or others being allowed to take the throne on Hur - Hur could be near immediately occupied by a Maelstrykh faction in the wake of such an event, and it tends to make the entire endeavor to take Hur, and the space around it, and the journey to it - feel often rather Moot and like a waste of time, and with how much time late-game turns can take, such can be a somewhat immersion breaking experience. If the Sonora Clique gains dominion over the Empire, it should cause a second schism, allowing for the Tamanin Empire to reform from what territory remains with a Tamanin Population, and then to allow for Splinter States to form at a reduced state, as well as granting that Sonora-Tamanin a large force. Same with the other outcome. This would make it feel as though it were better fleshed out, and as well, like the entire effort was actually worth the undertaking. It is often impractical to wage a war to conquer all of Tamanin Space to then just give it to the Sonora clique and have to then defend them until they build themselves up. The Ankhorum as well feel somewhat under-developed and utilized for their actual role in the grand narrative of the game, and that is somewhat disappointing, because they're perhaps one of the most interested factions in the game by terms of lore. They need to be fleshed out, and I believe that the tools are already there, they are just not being utilized appropriately. The APPG is a provisional government established by the leadership of a military flotilla with civilian elements collected during the collapse of their civilization in their native galaxy. This creates the question of why the other two factions are not apart of this greater whole, as they would be more directly benefited by joining the APPG than by being left out of it, or so we can figure. The rift between these three groups should be explored in more detail, and we should be able to interact with the Ekhoa Colony and the other splinter in more meaningful manners than merely pressing buttons. There's a story here that could be told. Perhaps this is explained in the purge campaign, but I have not myself been able to play it yet, as I have still been neck deep in my first campaign, and I believe I've only recently reached the end game. Moving on to my final thing, The construction system is a little difficult to use at times. Trying to pop between planets using the side-bar menu tends not to switch the view until you click on a planet or button in general. As well, the ability to construct things on a world with a native governor should not be removed, as this removes any value or real want for players to hire native governors, even for the relations penalty. The ability to use infrastructure on a planet, or to replace it, is what gives a planet its value alongside the traits a world has. This could be balanced out in some way with the introduction of protests and morally charged decisions on worlds where you opt not to elect a native governor and tear down their infrastructure - it can even have a building penalty. As well, it's weighed down from a substantial amount of tedium. There is some misspelling, but I do not quite recall where, but I believe it is passed turn 40. I don't really remember the exact messages however, and it'd take me quite a long while to find them. [/spoiler] All of that said, I do love the game. It's plenty fun, even if it can be a bit heavy on tedium. It's got a wonderful story to it and a lot of potential in terms of worldbuilding, and mechanics - it just needs to have more attention put onto them both. As well, perhaps some more outward marketing may help to spread awareness of the game, such as the establishment of a Fandom wikipedia page, more advertising on X/Twitter, and so on. I'd love to see this game get more attention, as it deserves it, and perhaps this will aid it in becoming better optimized and fleshed out.