Stardock’s turn-based space opera is getting a massive new patch today, with the 2.5 update offering improvements to AI, game balance, and performance for both base Galactic Civilizations III and the Crusade expansion.
For even more spacefaring adventure, take a look at the best space games on PC.
The update is largely focused on improvements to the overall game experience, and efforts were made to ensure most of those quality-of-life improvements were also made available for the base game. “We really don’t want to get into the business of charging money for AI and engine upgrades,” Stardock CEO Brad Wardell says, “so we’ll continue to improve both games in order to achieve the best possible results.”
Here are some of the highlights of what to expect, per Stardock:
- Major Engine Update (Base Game + Crusade):
- Improved AI
- Better game balance
- Faster turn times
- Increased performance
- Base Game Enhancements:
- UI: The cleaner and more functional UI from Crusade is added.
- Economics: Galactic resources now accumulate, like in Crusade.
- Diplomacy: More informed trade offers, better resource trading, and the “trade bar” from Crusade are added.
- AI: Substantial improvements to the AI system from Crusade have been added.
- Performance: The AI system has been moved to a core-neutral engine.
For a full list of improvements, head to Stardock’s forums for the official patch notes.
The Crusade expansion for Galactic Civilizations III released earlier this year, and we reckon it’s an essential update to an already excellent game.