Giddy. That’s the word I’d use to describe my mood when I booted up Galactic Civilizations III for the first time. It’s immediately familiar, with the same art style, ship designs and a plethora of other little details that evoke memories of hundreds of hours of galactic conquest in its predecessors. But that just makes the differences stand out more. The ideology perk tree, the new tech menu, the UI improvements – it’s GalCiv, but with that new car smell.
But enough of me droning on, as you’ll be able to see it for yourself when it launches on Steam Early Access later today. There’s a lot missing, but if you just want to dive in and conquer the galaxy as one of the three current races, then you’ll have all you need.
Things to check out: the new economic system, because it’s one giant sexy circular slider and infinitely easier to use than the plethora of systems used in GalCiv II; the ideology system, where you get unlock perks based on your moral choices; and the multiplayer.
I’m especially surprised that the latter made it into the first phase of Early Access, but there it is. Conquer the galaxy before your chums – it’s the dream.