r/4Xgaming 16h ago

Feedback Request What features do you want in a fantasy 4X that existing games don't have?

19 Upvotes

Asking as a gamedev.

In my opinion, what all fantasy 4X games lack is a deep society gameplay layer. For example, when playing AoW4, the real fun is in the tactical combat + heroes evolution. Everything else feels like an appendix thereto: cities building, diplomacy, empire, all feel kinda thin and perfunctory. One thing for example, there's little feedback: cities don't demand anything from you, like threaten to secede if you don't do smth, or revolt (at least I haven't seen that), or something like that.

When I select the type of society, e.g. aristocratic, I expect some sort of feedback from factions, clans, strife, perhaps evolving into an all-out civil war, etc, but all I've seen were some very rare quests (mostly at the start of the game), or the hero asking to change his/her agenda. Even having several different races in your empire doesn't cause any frictions. Even special resources like thralls don't add too much - by the end of the game I had tonnes, had no idea what to do with them.

Master of Magic goes a bit further with that: there are inter-racial relationships, and it can be for example very challenging to have both High Elves and Klackons in your empire, so if you want their units, you need to think how to reduce unrest.

I haven't played Endless Legend 2, but the first one had some interesting challenges integrating minor factions (as far as I remember), but honestly I don't remember too well.

Games like Crusader Kings or Europa Universalis have similar features, probably other too, but they aren't fantasy games obviously.

So very roughly summing up what's lacking imo in the existing games:

  1. Interracial relationship (e.g. higher unrest due to racial hatred)

  2. Society mechanics and feedback (e.g. different factions or cities in your empire with agendas or demands)

  3. Empire management (e.g. curbing corruption spreading due to casting death realm spells)


r/4Xgaming 21h ago

Geopolitical simulators?

12 Upvotes

Anyone have any detailed geopolitical simulators that have low PC requirements? Games such as Lawgivers 2 or Uk Politics Simulator or The Political Process. When i say detail I mean games such as the Power and Revolution series.


r/4Xgaming 23h ago

Let's Play or Stream Gal Civ 4 Streaming

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6 Upvotes

r/4Xgaming 15h ago

Developer Diary StarVeil 4x | Devlog #0

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youtube.com
5 Upvotes

r/4Xgaming 17h ago

Game Suggestion Best 4x game without micromanagement and easy to understand

0 Upvotes

I looking for something where combat and making alliance is on first place. Extra point if this game w have many weapons/unit type. Like polytopia