Galactic Civilizations III reminds 4X strategy fans what it truly means to go beyond Earth

Galactic Civilizations III is a standout example of a strategy game that casual 4X players like myself could easily miss.

Developer and publisher Stardock Entertainment does not have the marketing prowess to plaster ads with logos and branding to gain public awareness at the level 2K achieved with Civilization: Beyond Earth, which is unfortunate. While I did thoroughly enjoy the warfare and diplomacy on new planets in Beyond Earth, it was, in many ways, a Civilization V reskin. My idea of going truly “beyond Earth” would involve traveling among the stars and colonizing several planets rather than one planet per play session. The 30 minutes I had with Galactic Civilizations III left me with enough optimism that Stardock’s next 4X strategy game would satisfy that space-faring itch.