Quick Look: Sins of a Solar Empire Rebellion

Coming back to Sins of a Solar Empire to try out the new Rebellion version of the game, which offers a new standalone package with a lot of an improvements that should appeal both to long-term strategy fans and to newcomers to the medium, is like putting on a pair of long-lost gloves that always fitted you well only to discover that they now have more grip and deliver more warmth during winter.

SoaSE – Rebellion is a game that takes the 4X template, adds a dash of tactical puzzle and some very well designed new factions and then gives players full freedom when it comes to creating their game, with control over everything from conditions for victory to AI behavior.

The big addition of Rebellion, as the name implies, are the new races, with the three factions of the original split into Loyalists and Rebels, with very different play styles and units that are suited to their strategic philosophies.

The core structure of the game is the base, with 4X mechanics and a focus on proper use of weapons systems, and it feels as fresh in 2012 as it did back in early 2008.

The graphics have also received a boost for Rebellion and, although I tend to spend most matches zoomed out to take care of my growing federation, I am richly rewarded when I zoom in to watch the more important battles.

The Rebellion release still offers no actual single-player campaign, something that some fans actively campaigned about, but this is a strength for the game and not a problem.

Getting all the tools that Ironclad Games has created means that players have choices about the experience they want to explore and the stories they want to tell and a limited single-player storyline would only feel claustrophobic.

Worth a full Softpedia review? Yes.

Via: Quick Look: Sins of a Solar Empire Rebellion