I’ll cut to the chase: I don’t think the voters got it entirely right.

Here are my Top FOUR 4X games of the past decade, and why:

Number 4: Distant Worlds: Universe

For all the reasons I’ve already mentioned in the Community Vote article, Distant Worlds is a special game with an abysmal presentation and user interface. If Distant Worlds 2 can improve both, it’ll be on my list in 2030, without a doubt.

Number 3: Fallen Enchantress: Legendary Heroes

It’s flawed as hell, sure. I don’t care. It’s some of the most fun I’ve ever had with a 4X game. The tactical battles are fast and furious and are an excellent showcase of the units you customize and make uniquely your own. It’s a bloody great battle system.

The sovereign and champion leveling system makes each play through different and unique. Sometimes I created a badass tank, other times I’d create a one-hitter assassin with shit for armor. Other times I’d make a mage capable of conjuring the fiery hells themselves. It made for a great deal of replayability.

City building was enjoyable in that it allowed me to place buildings where I wanted them to be and it was also pretty immersive to see little citizens going about their business when you zoomed in.

The spell system was fun, the maps were interesting, the monsters terrifying, and the quests were engaging. This game is underrated as hell.

Also, a little shout-out to Sorcerer King. I really enjoyed that game, too. It dared to be different and its tactical battles are easily my favorite of the past decade: short, hectic, tactical, and fun.

Number 2: Civilization V

I’ve tried – and I mean really tried – to enjoy Civilization 6 like I enjoyed the fifth iteration, but it’s still not the great game that Civilization V is. I don’t like the one-unit-per-tile change, though it’s probably better than the “stacks of doom” from the previous entries, but everything else about Civilization 5 is what I enjoy about 4X games.

The Gods and Kings expansion and even more so, Brave New World, brought the base game from great to utterly brilliant.

Here’s hoping that the next Civilization 6 expansion can be god-tier like Brave New World was.

Number 1: Endless Legend

Endless Legend is why I started eXplorminate. That’s not hyperbole, nor an exaggeration. Hell, just look at the timing of its release and the founding of this site.

Never before had I been so engrossed in a 4X game’s lore and its factions. That’s saying something, too, as I believe Ascendancy was the previous title holder and is still a strong contender.

As I mentioned in the Community Vote post, Endless Legend’s impact is already being felt in very recent games like Age of Wonders: Planetfall and, unsurprisingly, the upcoming Humankind, but it’s not just about the impact it’s had on the genre that brings Endless Legend to my number one spot.

It’s one of the most immersive strategy game experiences I’ve ever had. From the varied and asymmetric races, to the alien and gorgeous landscapes, to the various ways it explored its lore depth through its faction and side quests, Endless Legend had me from the very beginning (despite its laughable AI) and it only got better with every expansion pack.

It’s not just the game I enjoyed the most this past decade, but it’s the game I played the most, too. There’s something very comforting and soothing about firing up a new game of Legend and I am certain that it will have a lasting impact on my taste in 4X games.

Honorable Mentions

• Stars in Shadow: It’s surprisingly deep and very fun to play in short spurts. More people should be playing it.
• Endless Space 2: It’s a bit broken right now and I hate that Amplitude opted against tactical combat, but I helped create the Unfallen and that’s probably leaves me a bit biased. So, of course, I’ll remember this game. Probably forever.
• Galactic Civilizations 3 Complete: It may not be as good as the games mentioned above (though it’s still pretty damn good) but it’s comfort food for my 4X hunger. I’ve played it almost as many hours as I played Endless Legend for just that reason.
• Star Ruler 2: Probably the most innovative and underrated 4X game of all time. It’s a damn shame that it didn’t sell better and that hardly anyone played it. I’m hoping that since the source code is out in the wild now that we might see it perfected one day. A damn fine game.
• Age of Wonders: Planetfall: It’s early yet, but Planetfall is something special for me and I’m enjoying it immensely. I kinda wish it’d come out a year earlier or later, so I could have more time with it to determine if it belonged here or if it belongs in the next GotD discussion. It’s a damn good game, nonetheless.

You’re free to disagree with my choices. Hell, I’m genuinely interested in hearing yours! So let me know below!