A long time ago, I played a game called Space Empires 2. The only other 4X style game I'd played was Civilizations, but being a science fiction buff, I was enthusiastic about sending fleets of starcruisers across the galaxy.

When I stumbled upon a review for Galactic Civilizations II in PC Gamer, I was pleasantly surprised to read the glowing praise lavished on the game that sounded hauntingly familiar. It seemed like this would be very close to the empire-building game I had enjoyed long ago, except with even more customization of starships. Excited, I purchased the game outright and went home to install it.

I loaded up the game, skipped the tutorial, started a skirmish game, and got hopelessly stuck trying to find a space battle.

Since I'm an impatient sort at times, I shelved the game for a while. Every so often I would glance over at the box and wonder that I'd spent forty bucks for a game I would never play. Finally, on one rainy afternoon, I decided I would give it another go. Wisely, I noticed that there were a couple of tutorials available to watch, and watch them I did.

Suddenly, I had newfound understanding for how to play the game. It was as if a blindfold had been removed, and I could see. I dove right in with an appreciation for the depth the game could offer, and about two hundred turns into the game as my fleet of starcruisers bore down on an alien world, I realized I was truly enjoying this, even more so than Space Empires 2.

So now as Dark Avatar downloads, I have to say thanks. Thank to you folks at Stardock for making such an amazingly entertaining game, at which I have spent hours upon hours. The ship editor is fantastic, and really adds a depth of personalization I've rarely seen in a strategy game.