Endless Space is a computer game in the turn-based strategy genre, set in a particular galaxy. There is no storyline in Endless Space, and honestly, it doesn’t need one. Endless Space is a vast "sandbox" where players must colonize planets, build ships, wage wars against foes, and form alliances with neutral races. The game is quite unforgiving to newcomers, but if you master all the basics of control and familiarize yourself with all the available features, you can experience an extraterrestrial, almost cosmic pleasure.
As previously mentioned, there is no storyline in Endless Space, nor is there any kind of campaign. Players choose the galaxy, its type, and size—for instance, similar to Civilization, but instead of Earth’s surface, it’s the cosmic space that gets adjusted. Once you’ve created a playground for space conquest and chosen one of the races available in Endless Space, you can embark on an exciting interstellar journey.
Initially, the player is given just one solar system with several planets under their control (the system can be renamed at will), a fleet of combat ships, and colony-type spaceships. To populate new planets, colonial ships must be sent to them to land. The military fleet, accordingly, is meant to protect the unwieldy transports from pirate attacks or hostile members of the cosmic family. Additionally, combat ships can explore the surrounding space, as they move much faster than the mother ships. Essentially, this forms the entire gameplay—capturing systems, exploring new territories, developing already colonized planets, and building a more powerful fleet.
However, Endless Space doesn’t stop there—within the game, you can find dozens, if not hundreds of various research opportunities, developed diplomacy, and very interesting battles with a specific approach. Battles take place not only on the strategic map but also in tactical mode—just like in the Total War series. If you don’t want to waste time, you can use the auto-battle function; if you wish, the system will redirect players to vacuum "fields" of battles. Although you cannot control the fleet or choose the flight trajectory, you cannot completely detach from the ongoing action on the screen. Several times during a battle, the player can select a specific tactic for their fleet, and each decision can influence the overall outcome of the battle.