best 4x spacegame you can buy for money! to put it in the words of the reviewer from rock paper shotgun:

"Distant Worlds: Universe is my favourite space strategy game. Not my favourite space strategy game released this week and not my favourite space strategy game released this year. It’s the definitive version of the best space strategy game I’ve ever played..."

..now to the biggest selling points:

- the scope is gigantic....1.400 star systems and up to 50.000 planets make this galaxy feel like TRUE universe! not a small map with 12 star systems or even better just 12 planets in it...no no no no....this IS a galaxy!
- living galaxy: the galaxy is not just huge but it is alive....how many of you played games like galciv2, endless space, sins of a solar empire (technically no 4x spacegame though) and lets say star ruler? those are pretty good 4x space strategy games but besides some skirmish with some randomly spawned pirate ships and the much later battles with the enemy empires there isn't much stuff happening in the galaxy. in distant worlds universe (DW:U) you can witness life everywhere! from the many different space monsters around different planets or asteroid fields, to private sector ships like cargo ships, traders and tourism shuttles, to pirate FACTIONS and some hidden ancient thread...there is much to be seen and every corner of the galaxy has something happening....even without your intervention.
- pirate factions: now i mentioned this before briefly, but i can't say how glad i am that pirates aren't just some randomly spawned ships which are only there to give you some explosions to test out your new weapons and ships in general. don't get me wrong, you can and will see your new weapons & ships in action, but these pirate factions have their own bases, playstyles and their own agenda and goals to achieve....their have their own sub-faction AI which actually tries to win within their goals....AND you can also play as a pirate! the pirate roles differ from smuggler to raider over mercenary and over very distinct playstyles (both for human player and the AI as an opponent).
- huge tech tree & full ship design: the tech tree is huge with many different weapons, shields, engines, and other utility modules (like long range scanners or cloaking devices). there are many toys you can tinker with and you can design your ships in a freeform manner! ships actually have an energy consumption and mass, which affects their movement speed, acceleration and their thrusters (turning speed).
- indepth economy & resource system: now the economy isn't just a simple +1 gold / citizen....you have a private economy and a state economy...which is both fairly complex but on the other hand mostly automated. but because it is quite complex there are so many ways you can influence it if you want...the options are gigantic. ..now RESOURCES are finally both plentiful and meaningful in a 4x spacegame. there are around 40 resources in the game, 50% strategic and 50% luxury resources. now the ships & bases you build are made out of components which are constructed in your shipyards out of the various resources. this resources you have to mine before you can build stuff. so finally not ships coming magically out of thin air, constructed purely out of money / gold. there is much to do young space captain!

...now for all who think "this sounds too complex and if there isn't a huge tutorial and some handholding i will never understand all of these!".....well you don't have to understand all of these things! you can literally automate the whole game and just watch the AI play it for you (literally)! or you can chose the parts you want to control manually and create your own playstyle.

distant worlds is much more like europa universalis or crusader kings than it is a civilization 5. it is more of a dwarf fortress in space, it is a simulation / space opera game where you can create a huge living galaxy, where you can create YOUR story!

best 4x spacegame you can buy for money! to put it in the words of the reviewer from rock paper shotgun: "Distant Worlds: Universe is my favourite space strategy game. Not my favourite space strategy game released this week and not my favourite space strategy game released this year. It’s the definitive version of the best space strategy game I’ve ever played..." ..now to the biggest selling points: - the scope is gigantic....1.400 star systems and up to 50.000 planets make this galaxy feel like TRUE universe! not a small map with 12 star systems or even better just 12 planets in it...no no no no....this IS a galaxy! - living galaxy: the galaxy is not just huge but it is alive....how many of you played games like galciv2, endless space, sins of a solar empire (technically no 4x spacegame though) and lets say star ruler? those are pretty good 4x space strategy games but besides some skirmish with some randomly spawned pirate ships and the much later battles with the enemy empires there isn't much stuff happening in the galaxy. in distant worlds universe (DW:U) you can witness life everywhere! from the many different space monsters around different planets or asteroid fields, to private sector ships like cargo ships, traders and tourism shuttles, to pirate FACTIONS and some hidden ancient thread...there is much to be seen and every corner of the galaxy has something happening....even without your intervention. - pirate factions: now i mentioned this before briefly, but i can't say how glad i am that pirates aren't just some randomly spawned ships which are only there to give you some explosions to test out your new weapons and ships in general. don't get me wrong, you can and will see your new weapons & ships in action, but these pirate factions have their own bases, playstyles and their own agenda and goals to achieve....their have their own sub-faction AI which actually tries to win within their goals....AND you can also play as a pirate! the pirate roles differ from smuggler to raider over mercenary and over very distinct playstyles (both for human player and the AI as an opponent). - huge tech tree & full ship design: the tech tree is huge with many different weapons, shields, engines, and other utility modules (like long range scanners or cloaking devices). there are many toys you can tinker with and you can design your ships in a freeform manner! ships actually have an energy consumption and mass, which affects their movement speed, acceleration and their thrusters (turning speed). - indepth economy & resource system: now the economy isn't just a simple +1 gold / citizen....you have a private economy and a state economy...which is both fairly complex but on the other hand mostly automated. but because it is quite complex there are so many ways you can influence it if you want...the options are gigantic. ..now RESOURCES are finally both plentiful and meaningful in a 4x spacegame. there are around 40 resources in the game, 50% strategic and 50% luxury resources. now the ships & bases you build are made out of components which are constructed in your shipyards out of the various resources. this resources you have to mine before you can build stuff. so finally not ships coming magically out of thin air, constructed purely out of money / gold. there is much to do young space captain! ...now for all who think "this sounds too complex and if there isn't a huge tutorial and some handholding i will never understand all of these!".....well you don't have to understand all of these things! you can literally automate the whole game and just watch the AI play it for you (literally)! or you can chose the parts you want to control manually and create your own playstyle. distant worlds is much more like europa universalis or crusader kings than it is a civilization 5. it is more of a dwarf fortress in space, it is a simulation / space opera game where you can create a huge living galaxy, where you can create YOUR story!