Top 4X Games to Experience on PC and Consoles in 2025
In the realm of strategy games, the 4X genre (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, and eXterminate) offers a unique blend of exploration, conquest, and nation-building. Here, we delve into some of the top 4X games that provide an engaging experience for players beyond the Civilization series.
PC Gems
Distant Worlds: Universe, developed by Code Force, offers a vast, living universe of up to 250 star systems, with deep simulation of galactic politics, economics, and warfare.
Master of Orion (2016), a remastering of the original Masters of Orion 1 and 2, developed by Simtex and Take-Two, offers modern visuals and a boatload of celebrity voice actors.
Galactic Civilizations 3, developed by Stardock, allows players to build their own alien race and fleet of ships, with distinctive factions and well-thought-out ideological traits.
Endless Legend, developed by Amplitude Studios, offers a fantasy take on the 4X genre, with unique advantages and drawbacks for each faction, and a level of role-playing reminiscent of Crusader Kings.
Thea 2: The Shattering, a hybrid of 4X, RPG, and card game, developed by MuHa Games and Eerie Forest Studio, resolves combat with cards.
Endless Space 2, developed by Amplitude Studios, is known for its stunning visuals and sound, with RPG quests and events to keep players on their toes, and a clear tutorial and good UI for beginners.
Oriental Empires, developed by Shining Pixel Studios, R.T. Smith, and John Carline, focuses on Chinese history and uses the WEGO system, where all players resolve their turns simultaneously.
Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri, developed by Firaxis Games and Westlake Interactive, offers a dark vision of humanity's future in space, with a compelling story and a focus on the consequences of player actions.
Dominions 5, developed by Illwinter Game Design, is set in a unique, imaginative fantasy world, with a focus on magic and a research system that allows for the creation of powerful units.
Stellaris, developed by Paradox Interactive, offers a combination of the breadth and depth of a close simulation of real-world nation leadership with stunning space battles, and a focus on player-driven events and a dynamic universe.
Songs of Conquest, developed by Lavapotion, channels a retro feel through its pixel graphics and '90s inspirations, set in the world of Aerbor.
Thea 2: The Shattering, developed by MuHa Games and Eerie Forest Studio, is a hybrid of 4X, RPG, and card game, where combat is resolved with cards.
Console-Friendly Options
For console players seeking deep 4X strategy games, Age of Empires IV (especially on Xbox consoles) and Gladius - Relics of War stand out as top recommendations due to their accessible yet complex gameplay suited for controllers and console platforms.
Age of Empires IV offers strategic expansion, culture building, and historical figures, making it accessible and engaging on consoles.
Gladius - Relics of War, a Warhammer 40k 4X game, puts players in command of a military-industrial empire with city-building, unit training, and tactical combat. It uniquely blends the 4X formula within the Warhammer 40k universe, providing a sci-fi alternative to Civilization.
While games like Endless Legend and Endless Space 2 are highly praised 4X titles, they are primarily PC-only currently and may not be console-friendly.
Other Notable Mentions
Scythe: Digital Edition, the PC version of the popular board game Scythe, set in an alternate WWI-era Eastern Europe with mechs.
Aggressors - Ancient Rome, developed by Kubat Software, is a deep simulation of leading an empire during Ancient Rome times.
Fallen Enchantress: Legendary Heroes, developed by Stardock, focuses on warfare and RP elements, with a hero leading the charge and needing to keep them happy.
Star Wars Rebellion/Star Wars Supremacy, developed by Coolhand Interactive, is a PC game set after the destruction of the Death Star and allows players to help raise either the rebels or the Empire to former glory.
Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion, developed by Stardock and Ironclad Games, balances combat and empire-building, offering a manageable pace and a focus on both warfare and diplomacy.
Total War: Three Kingdoms, while primarily released on PC, offers rich diplomacy, battlefield strategy, and historical/fantasy blend, focusing on the Chinese Civil War era, if available on consoles.
In conclusion, the 4X genre offers a wealth of options for strategy game enthusiasts, with a variety of games available on both PC and console platforms. Whether you're a fan of science fiction, fantasy, historical settings, or unique gameplay mechanics, there's a 4X game out there that's sure to captivate your imagination and challenge your strategic prowess.
- The Xbox Series X offers a platform for engaging with strategy games, such as Distant Worlds: Universe, Master of Orion (2016), and Galactic Civilizations 3.
- Entertainment beyond the Civilization series can be found in games like Endless Legend, Endless Space 2, Oriental Empires, and Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri.
- For console players, Age of Empires IV and Gladius - Relics of War offer deep 4X strategy games, designed to cater to controller and console platforms.
- Scythe: Digital Edition, set in an alternate WWI-era Eastern Europe, is a console-unfriendly PC game featuring mechs.
- Aggressors - Ancient Rome, a game focused on leading an empire during the times of Ancient Rome, is a PC-exclusive deep simulation.
- Fallen Enchantress: Legendary Heroes, with a focus on warfare and role-playing elements, is another PC-only game requiring a console alternatives.
- Star Wars Rebellion/Star Wars Supremacy, a game set after the destruction of the Death Star, is primarily a PC game, allowing players to help raise either the rebels or the Empire to former glory.
- Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion offers a manageable pace, balancing combat and empire-building, with a focus on both warfare and diplomacy, but is only available on the PC.
- The PC version of Total War: Three Kingdoms offers rich diplomacy, battlefield strategy, and a historical/fantasy blend, focusing on the Chinese Civil War era, if available on consoles.
- Technology and innovation in the realm of gaming continue to create new opportunities for strategy game enthusiasts, with exciting 4X releases such as the PS4 (PlayStation 4), PS5 (PlayStation 5), Switch, and upcoming console and gadget titles.
