Endless Legend 2

After splitting from Sega and releasing Humankind, their challenger to the Civilization franchise, Amplitude Studios has joined forces with publisher Hooded Horse to shake up the 4X strategy genre with fresh ideas, asymmetrical factions and bold fantasy elements.

Endless Legend 2 is the sequel to Endless Legend, which was released on 18 September 2014. It is a turn-based 4X strategy game in which players build an empire in the fantasy world of Saiadha, which is undergoing cataclysmic change. Players explore the world, found cities, lead armies, recruit heroes, embark on quests, and form alliances or declare war on other empires to survive. The game also incorporates some mechanics from role-playing games: heroes level up and gaining new skills, abilities and equipment. They interact with others too. The world generally reacts dynamically to the player's actions, such as quests or decisions, although most of the text is not currently voiced.

The game is a prime example of a global strategy game, also known as a '4X' game (an abbreviation of 'Explore, Expand, Exploit, Exterminate'), similar to other titles in the Endless series (except for Endless Dungeon), Humankind, and the Sid Meier's Civilization franchise. However, exploration is often one of the aspects that quickly becomes irrelevant in such titles, as it is usually completed quite quickly - unless there are oceans or other borders to cross, for example. Endless Legend 2 does something particularly clever here with the Tidefall mechanic. Players start on an island or small continent, and over time the Tidefall reveals new land that everyone can access, prompting a rush to claim it. This breaks up the gameplay and creates a sense of urgency. By the way: In turn-based mode, opponents can move simultaneously. There is no multiplayer mode in the current Early Access version.

The empire expands by establishing new cities, which traditionally produce food, industrial production, science, influence and money ('Dust') depending on their surrounding tiles, specialised inhabitants and placed buildings/districts. Only one city can be built per territory and the map is divided accordingly. The settlement system also offers greater flexibility, as settlements can expand through camps, which provide access to resources. These camps can then be developed into cities or connected to existing ones. Empire Management plays a vital role in Endless Legend 2.

In Endless Legend, battles took place in real time, which did not appeal to most players and made tactical manoeuvres more challenging due to the time pressure. For the sequel, Amplitude Studios has once again focused on turn-based tactics - Humankind was their first step in this direction. These tactical battles are designed to be resolved in a few minutes, as in other 4X strategy games. Players can either auto-resolve combat or take direct control of individual units, making use of the surrounding terrain and seeking out chokepoints, cover and high ground. Naval units are not included in the game because the oceans disappear as it progresses.

What sets Endless Legend 2 apart from many other games in the genre is its playable factions. Each of the five factions available in the Early Access version offers unique lore, gameplay mechanics and visual design. The Kin of Sheredyn are a solid choice for beginners. They are a defensive military order that excels at building fortified cities and military structures. They are like a turtle faction. Those seeking a more peaceful approach should consider the Aspects. This symbiotic faction seeks harmony and balance. They are skilled at diplomacy and relationship-building, and they sign treaties and deals that benefit both sides. They transform the world with their coral, which connects and heals Aspect units while increasing movement speed and economic bonuses.

The Last Lords are the economic powerhouse: a noble caste of reborn knights. Unlike other factions, they cannot grow food, so they feed on others to survive. They also use Dust to create new populations and heal their armies. The Tahuks are the right ones for technological supremacy. Driven by a thirst for research, they construct unique buildings to generate more science, which can evolve into libraries to sell technologies or sacred flame towers to incinerate rivals. The Tahuks are a powerful scientific empire, but they are also religious zealots. Players who want to fight choose the terrifying Necrophage: a hive of semi-insectoid creatures whose only goal is to exterminate their neighbours. They only have one city: the nest of their queen. Consequently, diplomacy and city options are limited. But they excel in combat, overwhelming enemies with their sheer numbers. They can quickly reach distant regions and harass other factions with their burrows and nests.

The Early Access version includes five playable factions and nine different ways to win, such as defeating all enemies in war, winning by score, or achieving one of seven narrative victories. There are also hundreds of quests to complete and items to discover in a randomly generated world that changes as the oceans of Tidefall recede during the game. While the experience is stable, not all content is final. "Some visual assets, voiceovers, and balance elements are still in development, and players may encounter bugs, localization issues or placeholder elements as we continue to iterate. The UI will also continue to be updated based on player feedback," the developers said. This is a good thing, as even though there is a lot of information, as well as context-based help texts, it could be easier to read in some places. Anyway: It is estimated that Early Access will last at least six months. One of the first things players will see during Early Access is the addition of multiplayer, albeit without hotseat support. Amplitude Studios will also add the ability to create custom factions and a sixth playable faction, as well as support for the Steam Deck.

Endless Legend 2 is available in early access for PC via Steam, and the Microsoft Store for $49.99 / €49.99 / £44.99 / ¥5,980, with a 20% launch discount running from now until October 5. It is also available on PC Game Pass via Game Preview. Although console versions have not yet been officially confirmed, it is not unlikely given that approximately one-third of Humankind players are also on consoles. Btw. we spoke to CEO and co-founder Romain de Waubert de Genlis about the split of Amplitude Studios and Sega, future plans, their partnership with Hooded Horse, community initiatives, and their current games (interview).