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In the genre of 4X strategy games (Explore, Expand, Exploit, Exterminate) the Galactic Civilization series is almost as well known as any other. However, within this already small genre is an important division between two types of 4X strategy games. To adequately assess the quality of Galactic Civilization II: Dark Avatar you must first understand what this rift in 4X design is. There are two types of 4X games, land based and space based.

At first thought this is a minor difference, after all, the game goals themselves or the way you reach those goals is largely unchanged. However, this is the defining feature of why space based 4X games never seem quite as good as their land based counterparts. The reason is all about strategic map play. It works like this: Space is empty. So no matter what you do, the map layout doesn’t have a hugely strategic layer. There are two terrain types in space, passable and impassable; and impassable is few and far between. On land there are passable, impassable, and ‘special’ (usually water). This creates a series of barriers, which provides strategic positioning for military units.

The second defining feature is that technology for space travel hasn’t been invented. While it seems minor, this creates a disconnect between fun sci-fi theory and reality. When I invent a pike to stop cavalry I don’t have to think about the potential rammifcations OR what comes next in line for technological improvement. When I create Point Defense Lasers to stop Stinger Missiles I don’t get the same feeling of connectivity.

These two reasons alone has relegated space based 4X games, where the entire genre began, to second fiddle. It is a testament to the quality of Galactic Civilization II that it has come so far with all the odds stacked against it. It has done so through understanding the limitations of a space based game and playing to the strengths while attempting to fix some of the weaknesses.

One of those fixes comes in the Dark Avatar expansion. The inclusion of mineable asteroids, who are easily swayed by influence, gives the terrain some character in the otherwise empty space. Also they seem to have increased the number of anomalies to explore… but that could be my imagination.

Another important play to the strength of this genre is taking the fact they are not stuck with reality and adding in large numbers of well laid out variables to influence combat, economy, and growth. This adds a lot to the game’s replay.

Galactic Civilization 2 takes a lot of heat for having no multiplayer. It is an interesting decision, but one I can understand. The reason for it is the game is designed around an intentionally flawed AI. Many races have big advantages in fields that are completely worthless in multiplayer. Diplomacy, for instance, allows you an easier time in manipulating players into going to war against eachother or trading technology. In a multiplayer game this entire stat, which the entirety of some racial advantages are based, becomes meaningless. An influential or alliance based victory becomes nearly impossible with human players, who wouldn’t just sit idly by while your culture creeps across the map like a plague. Nor would they sit and wait for your alliance to grow to the level of unstoppable. No, in a multiplayer game Gal Civ would become nothing more than a galactic war without the benefit of terrain. War is the weak part of space based 4X games, and the Gal Civ crew knew it. That is why there is no multiplayer, and I feel it was a smart decision.

Instead the Dark Avatar expansion increases the number of variables, adds distinct racial advantages, attempts to add some character to maps, and advances the single player story line (something many 4X games miss entirely). Overall, Galactic Civilization 2: Dark Avatar is a huge leap forward in the quality of this genre as a whole.