Playing a turn-based 4X (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit and eXterminate) strategy game like Galactic Civilization II takes loads of time and patience, with turn after turn of empire management. Ironclad, the developers of Sins of a Solar Empire say to heck with that! Sins represents the first attempt at a full RT4X -- a game that plays completely in real-time but includes all the best aspects of turn-based gaming, like technology research and empire management. Unlike games such as Medieval II: Total War, which incorporates both types of game play separately, Sins gets rid of the "End Turn" button altogether to create a seamless blend of tactical combat and large-scale space strategy.

Set in the far future, three factions struggle for control of the galaxy. The Trader Emergency Coalition (TEC) seeks to advance its antiquated technology in order to become a superpower and defend its worlds. After being exiled by the TEC, the psychic Advent wants resources and retribution. Meanwhile, the technologically sophisticated Vasari seek new worlds to populate, after a cataclysmic event brought them to the brink of extinction and forced them into a mass exodus. The low-tech TEC worlds look ripe for the picking.

Using the new Iron Engine, players explore solar systems in full 3-D. Planets move in orbits, asteroids cluster together and comets race by. Players explore and colonize, seeking out worlds that provide resources or strategic advantages. The planet's environment (and the player's technology level) dictates what buildings may be constructed on its surface and the races that may colonize it.

Resources come from planets, but all combat takes place in outer space. While building a powerful fleet to crush the enemy remains a priority, diplomatic relations, economic trade and social issues play huge roles in success. The Vasari, for example, may be technologically superior, but they lack numbers and have expensive ships.

Streamlining empire management comes in the form of an Empire Tree, which allows players to get a quick overview of the entire empire and tend to it directly. This function also lets gamers oversee multiple battles, check technology, build queues and see how a colony develops without losing time during a critical battle. The artificial intelligence will make it possible to run an empire in real-time without managing every single detail. Ships automatically engage targets that they will be the most effective against given their current situation, providing the player with enough time to finish other tasks before direct intervention becomes necessary.

To reduce confusion, Sins includes three different camera modes, including the familiar real-time strategy angle that can be switched on the fly. However, the game's main innovation comes from its zooming ability, which can focus in on an individual dogfight or give a god's-eye-view of the entire galaxy. Scheduled to release in August 2007, Sins of a Solar Empire ambitiously tries to take two incredible strategy types and fuse them into one.

Related Links

Sins of a Solar Empire Game Guide

Official Website

Stardock