Sins of a Solar Empire

Released in February 2008, "Sins of a Solar Empire" is a PC strategy game that takes place in space.

You are an aspiring emperor and your goal, of course, is total domination of the galaxy. To achieve this goal you must acquire resources, build ships and space stations and, of course, destroy your opponents. Unlike other games in the space genre, “Sins of a Solar Empire” runs at a relaxed, kind of laid back pace. The game places you as one of three groups: Human, off shoots or alien. The game provides you with a vast assortment of toys, Phase Gates, worm holes, planetary shields and capital ships to rule the Universe. Strategy, diplomacy and economic control are your strongest tools. Although you have such things as the planet killing Novalith Cannon, you want to think before you wage war. A dead planet is of no use to a growing empire and the loss of a civilization reduces your work force. The worlds you discover will be as diverse as deserts and ice covered lands. It is your job to determine which ones best suit your needs. Empire building is a tough job and there are all kinds of things to keep track of. The game comes with a lot of tools to assist you in this area, including the Tech Tracker. You will be working on such things as mining, distribution, construction and planet taming. You also have to use your resources wisely since you can’t take out a loan if you run short of money.

Should you focus on offense or defense? Build fleets or planetary defenses? Start small and take your time; the game lets you do this and more.