Shadow Empire Review
Back in the summer of 2020 whilst trawling Youtube, I came across a video of our friend DasTactic playing a strange-looking game that looked suspiciously like a Matrix-style military simulation. On closer inspection, it turned out to be a post-apocalyptic sci-fi 4X strategy title with some heavy wargaming aspects. I asked Rob if he’d heard […]
Warhammer: 40K – Gladius: Relics of War ReeXamination #1
2018 wasn’t the busiest year for strict 4X releases but it did throw the community a rather large and explosive curveball: the release of Warhammer 40k: Gladius – Relics of War (Gladius), developed by Proxy Studios and published by Slitherine Ltd. Gladius was noted for its tight, combat-focused gameplay, well-implemented asymmetry between the four playable […]
Iratus: Lord of the Dead eXcursion
If, like much of the world right now in these oddest of times, you’re beginning to grow weary of your own four walls and you quail at the thought of another miserable hour stuck indoors with two screaming kids, an increasingly distressed looking wife who might be standing just a bit too close to that […]
Warhammer 40K: Skulls for the Skull Throne Sale Event
Now and through the weekend, the Warhammer 4OK universe is seeing all of its games on a huge sale! Furthermore, hot on the trail of the recent Tau faction expansion for Warhammer 40K: Gladius – Relics of War (which we reviewed here), Proxy Studios (published by Slitherine) have followed up with another multi-faction unit DLC […]
What to eXpect: Shadow Empire’s Initial Review
The year is 8277AD. In a distant and lonely corner of the galaxy, a small jungle planet named Raronia Minor and known colloquially as “Xeen” slowly orbits a long forgotten Orange-Yellow G5 class star at around 1.5 Astronomical Units’ distance. After 3736 million years of cellular evolution and supported by an atmosphere comprised mostly of […]
Conquest of Elysium 5 Review
Conquest of Elysium 5 (CoE5) is the latest installment in a venerable series of adventure strategy games by Swedish developer Illwinter Game Design, a small team headed by Johan Karlsson (designer/programmer) and Kristoffer Osterman (designer/artist) with additional writing from Daniel Serra and music by Adrian von Zeigler. The first version was released way back in […]
An eXclusive: Research in Distant Worlds 2
Distant Worlds 2, by developer Code Force and published by Matrix Games/Slitherine is the well-anticipated sequel to a title the staff at eXplorminate recently voted “The Best 4X Game Ever Made”, or words to that effect. Distant Worlds: Universe was an incredibly ambitious real-time space 4X game with a huge scope and a solid execution: […]
Before You Buy Shadow Empire: Oceania
Shadow Empire’s first DLC Oceania (Steam Page), by VR Designs and published by Matrix Games, releases later today. I’ve had access since the beginning of March but unfortunately have not had much chance to fully play it through for a proper review yet. That said, I thought I’d share some thoughts on what I have […]
Remnants of the Precursors Review
Disclaimer: Since interviewing Ray Fowler for the eXplorminate podcast back in 2020, I’ve spent a long time playing the game to assist in its development in close communication with the developer. Ray has become a good friend of ours over the years and regularly contributes to our community, typically dispensing invaluable wisdom on why the […]
Ben’s Top Games of 2021 and 2022
Happy New Year! 2021 wasn’t the best year for big, exciting releases with so many titles being set back until 2022. I mostly played Shadow Empire and Dominions 5, if truth be told. That said, for weirdo grognard gamers like myself, there were obvious highlights. I won’t bore you with my usual over-lengthy rambling nonsense, […]
