[Makinus]

While the game is completelyu different from SEIV like 4x, it´s a very addictive strategy game...

Its RTS, but if you set the game speed to slow, and the research time to high it nearly became a TBS game... (i only play in these settings)

And you must get some of the mods already out there, the SINS Enhanced is the best one in my opinion, as it make the Capital Ships really powerfull (among other things, like better diplomacy), as the Capital ships are a little weak in the stock game...

Make sure to update the game to the latest patch, as the mods only work right after version 1.02...

My only gripe with the game is the low number of AI in single player, as you can have, at most, 10 players in a Huge galaxy...

In my most advanced game in a huge galaxy with 5 stars and 10 players i only meet 3 other empires and conquered about a quarter of a solar system (there is around 50 planets/asteroids/etc. in each system), and i´m having fun using only capital ships and defense structures (no frigates or cruisers), and already there are some epic battles with nearly a hundred ships, sometimes even with 3 sides fighting each other in the same system...

The game will never be as good as SEIV, but it´s really addictive, and some battle visuals are stunning... several times i just keep watching the battles, as the individual ships AI in the mod i´m using are very competent and rarely need direct orders to fight efficiently...