Endless Legend
Create your own Legend Another sunrise, another day of toil. Food must be grown, industries built, science and magic advanced, and wealth collected. Urgency drives these simple efforts, however, for your planet holds a history of unexplained apocalypse, and the winter you just survived was the worst on record. A fact that has also been true for the previous five. As you discover the lost secrets of your world and the mysteries of the legends and ruins that exist as much in reality as in rumor, you will come to see that you are not alone. Other peoples also struggle to survive, to grow, and perhaps even to conquer. You have a city, a loyal populace, and a few troops; your power and magic should be sufficient to keep them alive. But beyond that, nothing is certain… Where will you go, what will you find, and how will you react? Will your trail be one of roses, or of blood?
Game Discussion
Steam User 20
Endless Legend (EL) has become the hallmark which I judge all other 4X games against. It combines in-depth gameplay mechanics allowing the player to legitimately pursue alternative win scenarios other than the "murder-death-kill everything on the map" that many other 4X strategy games fall into towards the end of a campaign. Supremacy, Elimination, Diplomacy, Economic, Wonder, and other win scenarios can give a player or faction a myriad of options to win the game. Someone stomping across the map? Push for an economic victory. Vaulters held up in their cities racing for a science victory? Employ spies and diplomacy to win a diplomatic victory before they finish.
And this goes to the main thing that to me, makes EL stand out. The memorable and unique factions that have unique traits and drawbacks ensuring that each one gives a unique experience in playing the game. They are well balanced overall and the expansion factions tend to use a new play mechanic with that expansion as their main theme. Unforgotten and spying, Allayi and pearls, etc. Also the mixture of fantasy and sci-fi in one setting makes for a unique world and story within the larger Endless Universe. And this game ties into both Endless Space 2 and the new sequel, Endless Legend 2 that's just been announced.
The graphics are good and colorful with a nice aesthetic. It won't cause your graphics card to start smoking and are decent for the game but not it's strong point, particularity with the menus. The music is very memorable and beautifully done with a full orchestra in some pieces and unique instruments in others, tying in majestically with the factions they represent or the world at large. The combat system is also more interactive than what you'll see in Endless Space 2 or Humankind for that matter and I prefer it in many ways to those newer games.
I've definitely gotten my bang for my buck with the game and I still find myself coming back every so often to the world of Auriga, only to find myself clicking that turn icon one more time well into the night. Even with Endless Legend 2 on the horizon, I recommend picking up EL especially if it's on sale. If you're a fan of 4X strategy games that's looking for more depth and flavor than Civilization, then give EL a try. You won't be disappointed.
Steam User 21
This remains the best 4X game in existence, not topped by its own spiritual successor Endless Space 2, or Civ 6.
So many elements work so well together: the city districts that sprawl across the map (a feature later borrowed by Civ 6), heroes with equippable inventory items, and the RPG-style quests that take you out across the map. But the thing that makes this game special is the unmatched faction diversity. Every faction has a unique mechanic: the ones that can move their cities, the ones that can eat money, the ones that are automatically at war with everyone, the ones that can force peace deals, the list goes on. It makes you want to play a full game as each one just to experience them all.
Really looking forward to seeing what they do with the sequel.
Steam User 13
Pretty good and original 4X, peak Amplitude #1.
The DLCs are hit and miss, I'd recommend only getting Shadows and Tempest. The others are either straight up bad or otherwise add content that mostly makes the game more tedious.
Don't forget to grab the community patch.
Steam User 12
i dont remember getting it
i dont remember starting it
i cant see an end to this
if you have addiction problems PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DO NOT START
fo everybody else - highly recomend
tho not as many "races"/"classes" as other x4 games, eac and every one of these (base game) feel unique
Steam User 12
Endless Legend is a game that is near and dear to me for too many reasons to list. That said, I will try my best to go over a small fraction of what makes this a wonderful game and why you might want to join incredible community attached to it.
Firstly, what makes it stand out from other 4x titles.
-Custom Factions: You can use one faction as a template, and use them to create a custom faction that plays completely different compared to the original. This has lead to a thriving optimization community for both single, and multiplayer (provided custom factions are on)
-The World Dynamics: The game uses a "quest" system wherein you can discover or be given quests that let you win the loyalty of other "minor" factions, give you distinct weapons and armor, unique technologies, and much more. I've not seen this done in exhaustive detail elsewhere outside Amplitude games.
Community support: The devs have their own discord where players can discuss things with one another and organize multiplayer games (which only require the host to have the DLC in order for all players to be able to use it). While the community is small, they are accepting and encouraging of new players.
I have more I could say, but this is a recommendation, not a dissertation. If you enjoy 4x games, looking to get into the genre, or just want a game to sink your teeth into I highly reccommend giving Endless Legend a try.
TLDR: EL's customization, dynamic game elements, and community make this a good game for 4x fans new and old to check out.
Steam User 10
At first I regretted buying this game, but once you start to learn the systems it's so freaking addicting!! My advice for new player: Play tutorial (obviously) but then play a FAST game on EASY mode. Pick MEZARI (the science race). More food = More workers, which is essential for everything. More science = faster tech tree, which is necessary to acquire new structures that you can then build. More Industry = FASTER building of structures.
That's the gist. Try not to piss off your neighbors!
Steam User 12
This is the Big One. The best, most imaginative, and fun strategy game of its kind.
A psychedelic diamond.