Star Traders: 4X Empires (2014)

Developer: Trese Brothers
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Genres: Indie, Simulation, Strategy
Rating: 3.2 of 5, 82 player ratings
Typical playtime: about 4.3 hours
Where to get it: Steam

The 3D catalog: game boxes on wooden shelves, with the cat sitting at the counter next to its greeting.

The catalog in 3D

The same catalog has a room you can walk around in. The cat behind the counter is the AI Catbot, and they pick real games from it when you tell them what you feel like playing. Nothing is for sale, here or in there. Go in from here and this game is already out on the counter, with more like it waiting on the shelf next to it.

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How it feels

A deliberate, turn-based empire builder where you carefully manage resources, navigate diplomacy, and command fleets in a hostile space.

turn-based strategyresource managementspace explorationdiplomatictactical combatgrand scalechallengingatmospheric

What players say

Players are split on this mobile port. Many praise the unique three-faction internal politics and huge tech tree, but others are frustrated by a clunky interface, missing tooltips, and a poor tutorial. The developers are noted for being responsive and actively updating the game through 2017.

Screenshots

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More by Trese Brothers

This page is from Underplayed Gems, a catalog of older and overlooked games. Not quite it? You can browse by platform and genre, or take this one into the 3D catalog and ask the Catbot for something closer.