The 4X genre isn't by any means mainstream. Though there are a few definitions on what exactly constitutes a 4X game, a majority of gamers will agree that the ones that encapsulate this genre are the ones that take place in the vast openness of Space.
Enter Legends of Pegasus, a 4X game that will blend both real time and turn based gameplay into one seamless experience, as well as offer an extensive single player campaign that should last over 40 hours, something that's usually not present in other 4X games. Not to mention that including a campaign should give new players to the genre a way to explore the ins and outs of it, especially considering the difficulty.
The premise is pure Sci-Fi goodness. In the year of 2231, humanity discovers a way to explore space beyond our solar system, and expands throughout the universe onto many planets. While there was peace initially, the human tendency for war eventually got the best of them and erupted into a Civil War. A new alien species intervenes and brings peace back to humanity and offers them their wisdom and technological prowess. The humans being a trustrworthy bunch accept these aliens as allies. As luck would have it, they end up turning on the humans, forcing them to regroup around Earth. While all of this is happening, a worm hole opens up and swallows up a fleet of Human starships. This fleet then becomes the center focal point around the single player campaign.
We're promised a huge game here, with a living universe that's filled with diverse civilizations. For a game where a major part is exploring and expanding, it looks like players won't be disappointed with the scope and size of the vast universe.
Of course a space 4X game couldn't do without some fleet customization, and Legends of Pegasus promises to offer a ton. There will also be quite an extensive tech-tree with hundreds of technologies to research, giving you the option to truly play how you want. You will also be able to conquer the stars online with extensive multiplayer features.
What I always found so off putting about 4X games is the barrier of entry. I'm so used to standard RTS games such as Command and Conquer and Warcraft, that I always find myself looking at these types of games totally puzzled. Legends of Pegasus does however promise to be "Easy to use, but difficult to master" which gives me hope that even when I jump into the game completely clueless, I'll be able to gradually get a hang of mechanics in a more organic way, rather than relying on reading pages upon pages of tutorial text.
You can look forward to eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, and eXterminate come August 10th when the game officially releases on the PC. Make sure to check back on GameZone for our official verdict on what's looking to be the most fully featured 4X game to date!
