Chess is also simple, yet the thrill of outmaneuvering an opponent can be just as palpable on the checkered board as it might be in a pre-scripted set-piece in an adventure game. Simple doesn't have to mean boring, however. Sometimes cliches are a good thing, and in the case of this game, they make for a highly accessible and intuitive experience. Once you understand the five core resources in Starships and the ways to obtain and spend them, you're in entirely familiar sci-fi waters. They're as fragile as they are agile, and you could guess that just by their appearance.

You get a fleet of ships, you can destroy and protect things with them, and that's pretty much it.Ī good example of the overriding simplicity of Starships is provided by the fighter units that can be deployed in the course of a battle. Whereas Pirates! builds up a narrative arc for the player, offers trade arbitrage opportunities between ports, and even simulates the effects of natural water currents in the Caribbean, Starships opts for a resoundingly simplified interface and experience. When I first heard of this game, my immediate reaction was, 'Yes! It's Pirates! in space!' All the exclamation marks will tell you that it was an exciting prospect - Pirates! had the ability to make 10-hour gaming sessions feel like mere seconds - but Starships is an altogether different creation.

Mixes elements of other classic Firaxis games, but feels fresh and new in its own right

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