Recent reviews by Roede Chris

One of the best sci-fi 4x games out there in my opinion. The level of replayability is large, due to a lack of hard-coded AI empires and different empire customization options, and a level of diplomatic options and gameplay options in general that exceeds most of its competitors, especially once the mid-late game hits and the game turns into more of a grand strategy. The game itself is regularly updated and new features are added in DLCs, but many of the improvements and changes are provided for free, like with other Paradox titles, with a huge level of community interaction from the developers.

In terms of negatives, the early-game and late-game are definitely the game's strengths, with the mid-game feeling more slow paced, and some of the game's features intended to give a feeling of exploration and mystery, like scientific anomalies, become routine after playing the game for longer than is strictly responsible, but could still use more diversity and a larger pool to take from.

Overall, I'd recommend this game for anyone who enjoys 4x or strategy games, as they'll find a deep and engaging experience. Unlike other Paradox titles, this game also allows for competetive multiplayer due to the mostly equal starting conditions, while still giving the deep level of grand strategy as firm borders get established.