One of the problems I can see is that once the game really gets going, it can be hard to manage in the long run. Things can get out of hand. This is due primarily to the clunky interface, which can be hard to sort through and the way you select your ships on the 2D map. When things are close together, it can be hard to select them.

Two fleets hovering over a planet for example. You’ll run your cursor over them hoping you’ll get lucky. The first time you have to sort through planets and fleets, you’ll understand what I’m talking about. Game AI can be unusually quirky. They don’t seem to have any predictable pattern. One minute they’re your friends, and the next minute they’re demanding reparations for something you didn’t do.

My experience with other races comes from the tutorial (which are very minimal), since I haven’t met any in my current game. The game has diplomacy, and it seems like a good system with spies and diplomats. You get the standard options of asking for alliances and treaties, as well as trade and declaring war. Unfortunately, you’ll soon tire of the limited responses that you can use when talking to other races.

You can also appoint leaders to help in increasing production. Think of them as your council of ministers. Once a leader is “born”, you can assign him to a particular class, such as diplomat, engineer, farmer, etc. you get bonuses in whatever discipline you assign them to.