These can either be fired off into space to find other nodes, opening up greater travel or investigate anomalies on planets within the various space systems. However, the exploratory crafts can launch probes. Just as an example, exploration happens within clusters of planetary systems with starting spacecraft moving along set travel lines. Each of the hundreds of buttons has an attached tutorial, and if you don’t read the info (or assume you’ll understand it because you’ve played so many 4X games before), you will probably miss out on half of the strategy and gameplay available in Endless Space 2. There is simply so much going on, so much to figure out. This goes to the heart of what makes Endless Space 2 both intriguing and horribly daunting. Normally, I would go into the various mechanics in the game at this point, but that would turn this review into a Wiki instead. The same could be said of Endless Space 2 – you probably won’t get bored, but you might also be totally clueless for more of the experience than you’d like. These games are usually so massive, though, that even with my pacifist tendencies I can get through a game without getting bored or running out of things to do. To be fair, though, I only really enjoy three of the four Xs: eXplore, eXpand and eXploit, preferring to avoid the eXterminate aspects. The 4X genre isn’t for everyone, but it’s one of my favourites.
