Galactic Civilizations IV
Take command of a civilization that has just achieved faster-than-light travel in Galactic Civilizations IV, the newest entry in the award-winning space 4X strategy game series. Explore the galaxy, colonize worlds, shape cultures, make alliances, fight wars and pioneer new technologies.
Galactic Civilizations IV is a space, grand strategy and simulation game
developed and published by Stardock Entertainment.
Released on October 19th 2023 is available only on Windows
in 12 languages: English, German, French, Russian, Spanish - Spain, Polish, Spanish - Latin America, Portuguese - Brazil, Portuguese - Portugal, Italian, Simplified Chinese and Korean.
It has received 1,663 reviews of which 1,217 were positive and 446 were negative resulting in a rating of 7.1 out of 10. 😊
The game is currently priced at 48.99€ on Steam.
The Steam community has classified Galactic Civilizations IV into these genres:
Media & Screenshots
Get an in-depth look at Galactic Civilizations IV through various videos and screenshots.
Requirements
These are the minimum specifications needed to play the game. For the best experience, we recommend that you verify them.
Windows
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows 10 64-bit
- Processor: Quad-Core Processor (Intel Core i5 / AMD Ryzen 2x00)
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: 1GB VRAM Video Card
- DirectX: Version 11
- Network: Broadband Internet connection
- Storage: 22 GB available space
- Sound Card: Any
- Additional Notes: 720p Minimum Screen Resolution Required
Reviews
Explore reviews from Steam users sharing their experiences and what they love about the game.
While interesting, the galaxy being split into multiple sectors separated by a single paths doesn't enhance the game play that much. It seems to slow things down. The most annoying thing about the game is the bright galaxy background, it sometimes makes it hard to see objects in the foreground. It would be nice to be able to build a generic starbase like in galactic civ 3 and then choose what type afterwards. Requiring a mineable object to be in the initial starbase area of effect to create a mining base limits placement. It's unrealistic. Why can't I create a starbase, expand its area of effect through components and then choose the type of base. Finally, I've always been a strong proponent of allowing a starbase to be moved, albeit slowly, possibly with the effect of not giving it's effects that turn. Overall, the game is pretty good.
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Pros: - most of the good things about Galactic Civ 3 in this game - not a lot of bugs - multiple subspace within galaxy makes the maps feel much bigger and better choke points. Cons: - VERY little new innovation over Galactic Civ 3 - did any creative design happen or just update graphics? - tool tips and feedback is noticeably lacking. Unless you look things up online or know from Gal Civ 3, many things are not obvious. - a few annoying bugs - cant launch troop ships without deploying a citizen. - some buildings seem to have not benefit - either excessive pollution or fighting non-existent crime.
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For now, I conditionally recommend Galactic Civilizations IV. I enjoy it on a personal note. I've got 70 hours in the game, and it's dead certain I'll have a LOT more to come. IF, you have played previous GC series games and you've reached that point where you wanna move on to the next, then I fully recommend giving GCIV a whirl. It's rapidly becoming a pretty solid game. We're still at the stage where we're finding the odd new bug but honestly nothing game breaking so far. Updates are well organized and the Devs have a solid reputation for producing and supporting their games until the end. So it is absolutely a good investment and I fully expect a cracker of a game by the time it's complete and GCV is on the horizon. IF you haven't played those games though (or if you reallllly love the ship builder from GCIII), then I'd actually recommend starting with any of the previous games in the series (or just sticking with GCIII, GCIV's ship building is more frustrating than anything else right now). For anyone that is new to the series, starting with one of those will give you a better user experience, in my most humble opinion. As a sort of rough guide, if GCIII is a solid 9/10 then GCIV is a 5.5/10, by comparison. There's a whole league of development between them so GCIV does still have a bit of catching up to do in order to surpass GCIII, as far as I am concerned. I will re-review this at around this time in 2025. Edit: While all of the above still holds true to me, I feel that a quiet word of warning to prospective buyers is necessary here: You have been banned from Galactic Civilizations IV Community Hub You have been banned from Galactic Civilizations IV Community Hub by a forum moderator for your post in "Ships missing from shipyards": It kinda sounds like a cloud issue. If you lost internet connection or you've been tinkering with those files then that may explain why designs might be missing in game. The above three lines of text is the message that Galactic Civilizations IV Moderators quoted as ban worthy. Ban Reason: Due to consistent missbehaviour, you are banned for 1 month. Should there be even a tiny misstep, once you are allowed to return, it will end up in a permanent ban. While this ban is active, you will not be able to post or comment in the Galactic Civilizations IV Community Hub or upload new content to this community hub. If you believe this ban was issued by mistake, please contact Steam Support. This ban will expire on 27 Mar @ 2:40pm. Until then, you will not be able to post in Galactic Civilizations IV Community Hub Just wanted to put this here as a warning. This is what micro-censoring looks like. GCIV mods are very egotistical and are more than happy to abuse their power in the forum when they feel like it. Extremely toxic behaviour. Often the first sign of a declining community. Such a shame, since I was so looking forward to it at first.
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Having played over 102 hours in 3 games (including the tutorial), and I still have plenty left to learn (have a spreadsheet with over 40 notes about the game play, and expect to double after a couple more games). First post tutorial game was 35 hours, playing in small galaxy. Took 44 hours to play a game in a medium size galaxy, but the pace was faster because of a better outstanding (6.5 turns per hour vs. 7.9 turns per hour). Pros [*]Extremely addicting. Can put up a lot of resistance to starting or resuming a game, but once I'm playing, cannot stop. (Just one more turn.) Haven't gotten this sucked in since Stars! & Empire Deluxe . [*]Stellar graphics. Have the settings max'ed out, and it's probably the best-looking game on my computer. [*] DW2 killer. After playing GalCiv4 , I've totally lost interest, and won't even consider playing Distant Worlds 2 ; the game play in the later is nowhere near as much fun. [*]Research tree, is very deep. Even after playing over 200 turns in one game, never even saw battle cruisers. The 50% is a good idea, because it presents with more interesting choices. Frequently, the player is presented with multiple options of what to research next. (You mean I cannot research them all, now? Can only pick one?) [*]So many included races to play (23 predefined), all with different attributes. Only played the 2 human civilizations & a moth civilization, and had to adjust my play style between them. Then add what can be done with custom races. [*]Complex game play, but approachable. Read a comment back in September 2023 about it requiring a long-term commitment to wrap your head around it; scarred me away from purchasing it for 4 months. IT'S NOT THAT BAD. Tutorial helps, but expect lots of trial-and-error, as well as having to post questions to this forum. (After playing 2 games, I didn't understand trade routes or tourism.) [*]Both the developers & existing player base are extremely helpful. Having difficulty with some game play concept? Post your question. [*]Breaking the map up into sectors. Having one big blob of a galactic map is realistic, but daunting. [*]Automation of planet management is an option, but haven't used it yet. Cons [*]One tax rate for the entire empire, not a planet-by-planet basis, like DW2. My #1 gripe in the game play. Have a core world with only 47% approval rating? Would love to lower their tax rate only, leave everyone else's where it is. [*]Research Tree: Good, but could be better. Game has only 4 major branches, and the display of the tree doesn't show any cross linking. (Descriptions in DW2 are lacking, but it got this part right.) Summarizing, more branches & add cross dependencies. [*]Allow ship yards to be idle. Sometimes, you would rather save resources. (On the bright side, you tell a shipyard to keep being a particular ship model, until you tell it otherwise.) [*]Some areas where the player is given choices, more info should be provided to help the player make a decision. (Sorry devs, don't have examples.) There are areas when the player is provided the positive & negative consequences of each choice ... but it's not a universal feature. [*]Mangled text in a few locations. Only reported one instance that I saw. (My bad.) But the good news is that the development team is cleaning those up. [*]Tutorial: Missing planet hex types (e.g. Financial, Manufacturing, Housing, etc., etc.), planet hex type leveling up, and Trade Routes. Tutorial shouldn't overwhelm the new player, but at the same time, it should provide the basics to play the game; first 2 are very important mechanics, and I didn't learn about the 2nd one until late in the second game. Who this is NOT for : [*]RTS fanatics. This is turn-based, and demands that all production queues have something in them. Cannot just the game run, and wait for something to happen, as with DW2 . [*]No micro management of fleet battles. Move a fleet (or ship) into an enemy's hex, and watch the battle play out, or skip right to the summary. [*]Complete a game in one evening? Not the game for you. I make it a point to take my sweet little old time on these sorts of game, so the hours played per game at the top of this review are on the high side, but I also kept the # of opponents below what is suggested. [*]Indecisive personality? Besides the management of your empire, you are bombarded with questions that require an executive decision; typically when a survey ship completes its analysis of anomaly. [*]Expecting to learn all of the game play mechanics after playing the tutorial? Forget it! Too much depth, and I expect to be learning new aspects of the game play, even after 250 hours. [*]Are you a pacifist, and disdain conflict? Not for you, though there might be a way. Tried being peaceful in my 2 full games, and even they were dragging on for an eternity, found that I have no choice but purge my neighbors from the galaxy. War: Embrace it, or buy a puzzle instead. This review didn't do the game justice, and the videos, while helpful, don't either. And you DEFINITELY will not get through enough of the tutorial in the 2-hour Steam return window. Still have questions? Post them in the Steam forum, Stardock's GalCiv4 forum, or Discord.
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Solid Yes ! This is remembrance of the pioneer 4x games before we called them 4x. This is not a grand strategy game in my opinion. I cut my teeth on MOO2, Ascendancy, GC 1, GC2, Diablo 1 & 2. I was beginning to wonder if anyone would expand on the classics that awoke my computer journey. GC 4 has renewed my hopes that not all is lost. I was running on Battletch for a while but things have been dry for a while. Stellaris and Endless Space are more of something different than this at some level. GC 4 has lots of depth that keeps unraveling as you play. The bones are solid, I have read that in so many reviews. Well the race/faction variety and play is picking up where the founders left off. I have nothing but praise for what has been accomplished here. I actually bought this game out of spite. Out of frustration because everyone making this genera today seems to have abandon the interface and shear silk of the game play. Yes there are a few thing that need love but nothing game breaking. So much drama ! that is the new age of the consumer and has done great harm to this title. I am not sure the deves have handled the situation perfectly but I understand the frustration. The launch to EPIC was a shame. The EPIC community is toxic from my experience and avoid it. Ok so ; - There are some bugs in this game - It does crash (4 times in 30 hours and nothing that a restart does not fix) - The tutorial is lacking, but it is sufficient to get you into space. Honestly if the tutorial covered all the depth of this game it would overwhelm you much like other titles. So I play learn, redo, learn, replay and learn. I have watched all of 3 min of video only to learn the videos don't even cover it. But by playing the game ! I figured it out. No I am not making that video, go play the game! - The DLC thing, well that is the new age. - Early access is the new age - The drama is the price of the new age, and how it is managed can make or break a game. Current state of the game is buy it ! If you are into the space 4x genera. I don't know about multiplayer nor do I look for it. I am of the age that we muti-played by looking over the shoulder and rotating out to eat and provide commentary. The citizens not aligning perfectly with the race can be seen as a miss or you can see it as an extension of the faction. The faction is about stacking ability's and the synergy or quirkiness that is desired. The reason I play these games is to learn the game environment/rules and try to enjoy it. I don't do this to rehash an extension of "reality". I look forward to more of this game. I have not beaten any thing yet. I am learning more and more how the game flows and different strategies. My few asks, 1. I want to right click an uninhabited planet and select colonize! Send the closest available colony ship. 2. Ship design - list of current ships, select update load out. Right now it is ambiguous. I am not talking about ship structure and modeling. I just wanting ship load out and give it a name. The current system of drag and drop is good, just getting there is frustrating. 3. The solution for deleting custom factions has been discovered and I posted it to the forms. Not that we should have a work around. 4. This item is more of a wish - replace the round wafer sector systems with diminished random edge if that makes sense. Give the illusion of a separate system without the walls. Regards, To the people that have created this rendition of the game. Live long the old gamer !
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Last Updates
| Steam data | 20 December 2024 00:44 |
|---|---|
| SteamSpy data | 22 January 2025 03:41 |
| Steam price | 23 January 2025 04:50 |
| Steam reviews | 21 January 2025 10:00 |
Online players
316
Developer
Stardock Entertainment
Publisher
Stardock Entertainment
Release
19 Oct 2023
Platforms