Like most games of this genre, in EE you need to develop, increase the population, build buildings, and destroy hostile empires. The unique feature of this game is that you are given 500,000 years for all of this. The game includes 14 epochs, starting from prehistoric times and ending in the nano age.
There is an option to create your own civilization with unique initial bonuses, thereby distinguishing it from all others. To develop, you need to produce workers who will gather wood, food, gold, stone, and iron ore. Development can be hindered by hostile empires; to defend against them, you need to build units. The game has a multitude of different units and technologies and two types of "hero": the Strateg (heals units and demoralizes enemy troops) and the Warrior (boosts morale, improves strength). At the initial stage, warriors will be savages with clubs and stones, but as epochs and technologies advance, trained soldiers, tanks, fighters, nuclear-armed bombers, robots, and others will gradually appear. Initially, the fleet will consist of frigates, and over time submarines, aircraft carriers, and others will emerge.
EE features 19 civilizations, one of which can be chosen after the game starts, or you can create your own.