The Best 4X Games to Play on PC

Best 4X games at a glance

How these 4X games were selected

A strong 4X game needs more than a large map and a technology tree. Every choice should affect the wider empire, and the campaign should support several viable paths rather than forcing one solution.

This list prioritizes:

• Meaningful exploration and expansion
• Distinct factions or empire-building options
• Diplomacy, economy and warfare that influence one another
• Strong replay value
• Useful single-player support
• Multiplayer where it adds value
• A clear reason to choose each game over the others

The list stays at seven games because all seven have a distinct role; adding unrelated grand-strategy titles would weaken the 4X focus.

1. Sid Meier’s Civilization VI

Best overall 4X game

Sid Meier’s Civilization VI remains the easiest 4X game to recommend. A campaign begins with one settler and develops across historical eras as cities expand, technologies unlock and rival civilizations compete through science, culture, religion, diplomacy or military power.

Its district system is the most important difference from earlier Civilization games. Scientific, commercial, cultural and military districts occupy map tiles, so city planning depends on terrain and adjacency rather than a simple building queue. A mountain range may support a strong Campus, while rivers and resources shape commercial development.

Multiple victory conditions allow different strategies. A military civilization can pursue conquest, but a peaceful empire can win through scientific progress, tourism, religion or diplomacy. Unique leaders and civilizations encourage different openings without changing the basic rules completely.

Expansions add governors, loyalty, climate systems and the World Congress, but the base game already contains the complete explore-expand-development loop.

Choose Civilization VI if you are new to 4X games or want a historical strategy game with clear turns and several victory routes. It supports solo and multiplayer campaigns, although long online matches require a group willing to return across several sessions.

2. Stellaris

Best for custom space empires and emergent stories

Stellaris combines 4X expansion with grand-strategy simulation. Players define a species, ethics, civics, government and origin before entering a procedurally generated galaxy filled with rival empires, anomalies, ancient threats and political opportunities.

The empire creator supports radically different campaigns. A diplomatic federation, machine intelligence, hive mind, commercial power or aggressive conqueror can follow different economic and political priorities. The galaxy then produces situations that turn those initial choices into a longer story.

Unlike turn-based games, Stellaris runs in real time with pause and adjustable speed. Exploration, research, diplomacy and warfare continue together, so managing attention becomes part of the challenge.

The game has received years of major updates and expansions. Recent changes introduced nomadic empires using Arkships, contracts and trade routes, while free updates continued revising jobs, performance, warfare and interface systems. The scale makes Stellaris highly replayable, but it also gives new players more systems to learn.

Choose Stellaris when empire identity, politics and unexpected galactic events matter more than tactical control over individual battles. For a broader look at the developer’s strategy catalogue, see our best Paradox games guide.

3. Age of Wonders 4

Best fantasy 4X game

Age of Wonders 4 combines empire management with turn-based tactical battles. Its biggest strength is faction creation: players choose a physical form, culture, society traits and magical tomes, then continue transforming that society as the campaign develops.

The system separates appearance from identity. A familiar fantasy form can become an industrial, mystical or aggressive society depending on the chosen traits and magic. Tomes unlock units, spells and transformations, allowing the faction to change visibly as its strategy evolves.

When armies meet, combat moves to a tactical battlefield. Unit placement, terrain, spells and status effects matter, giving players more direct control over military outcomes than in Civilization or Stellaris. Battles can be resolved automatically when direct control is unnecessary.

The realm system provides campaign variety through map traits, rulers and special conditions. Multiplayer supports both competitive and cooperative play, while single-player campaigns work well for experimenting with unusual faction combinations.

Age of Wonders 4 continues to receive additional content. Expansion Pass 4 began with Singer of Storms in October 2026, while later additions move into maritime, fey and dwarven themes. The core game remains the right starting point.

Choose Age of Wonders 4 if you want to design a fantasy civilization and command its armies directly. Players more interested in faction stories and asymmetric rules should consider ENDLESS Legend 2.

4. ENDLESS Legend 2

Best for asymmetric fantasy factions

ENDLESS Legend 2 takes place on Saiadha, an ocean world reshaped by recurring Tidefalls. Receding water can expose land, resources and new routes, so the strategic map changes during the campaign rather than remaining static.

Its factions are designed around different rules and narratives. A faction may approach settlement growth, warfare, economy or diplomacy in a way that cannot be reproduced by selecting a small bonus on a shared template. Heroes and faction quests connect strategic decisions to the setting.

Cities expand across regions, while armies enter turn-based tactical battles where terrain, reinforcements and unit abilities influence the outcome. Political influence and diplomacy provide alternatives to straightforward conquest.

ENDLESS Legend 2 reached version 1.0 on September 17, 2026. The launch added the Sandshapers as a sixth major faction, two Rogue Factions and the Mangrove of Harmony minor faction. It is therefore no longer accurate to describe the game as being in Early Access.

Choose ENDLESS Legend 2 if the idea of mastering several deliberately unequal factions is more appealing than creating one from modular traits. Age of Wonders 4 offers greater custom construction, while ENDLESS Legend 2 provides stronger predefined identities.

5. Sins of a Solar Empire II

Best real-time 4X game

Sins of a Solar Empire II blends empire management with real-time fleet warfare. Players colonize planets, develop an economy, research technologies and negotiate with rivals while military movement and battles continue without turns.

Orbiting planets and changing celestial relationships make geography dynamic. A route that is safe early in a match may become exposed as the system changes, requiring defenses and fleet positioning to adapt.

The game allows close control over capital ships, strike craft and large fleets, but the economy cannot be ignored while battles take place. This creates pressure that turn-based 4X games avoid: spending too much attention on one engagement can leave another border or production chain neglected.

Three major factions support different approaches, with additional subfactions expanding strategic identity. Solo, online multiplayer, online co-op and LAN co-op are available.

Choose Sins of a Solar Empire II if you want the four 4X pillars without waiting for the next turn. It is especially strong for players who enjoy large fleet engagements and rapid strategic decisions. Stellaris is the better alternative when politics, events and simulation are more important than tactical space warfare.

6. ENDLESS Space 2

Best narrative-focused space 4X game

ENDLESS Space 2 is a turn-based galactic strategy game built around distinct factions, political systems and story-driven quests. Each civilization has a strong identity that affects how it colonizes, grows and interacts with the galaxy.

The Riftborn manipulate time and prefer sterile worlds, while the Unfallen expand through connected vines. Other factions build around trade, population control, military pressure or unusual resource systems. Learning a new faction can feel like learning a new game plan rather than changing one passive bonus.

Internal politics add another layer. Population ideology influences elections, laws and the direction of the empire, which means rapid expansion can alter government behavior as new populations are absorbed.

Fleet battles are resolved through plans and ship design rather than direct tactical control. Players choose roles, modules and engagement strategies, then watch the battle unfold. This keeps the focus on empire planning, though it may disappoint players who want to issue orders during combat.

Choose ENDLESS Space 2 for polished turn-based space expansion with strong faction lore. Stellaris offers a broader sandbox, while Sins of a Solar Empire II provides more active fleet control.

7. HUMANKIND

Best for building a civilization from multiple cultures

HUMANKIND changes the standard historical 4X formula by allowing the player’s civilization to adopt a new culture in each era. An empire can begin with one ancient culture and combine later identities to create a different set of bonuses and abilities every campaign.

Victory is determined through Fame gathered across the entire game. Expansion, science, culture, military achievements and other accomplishments contribute to the final result, so a player can fall behind in one era and recover through a different strength later.

Cities spread across regions and can combine territories into larger administrative centers. Terrain elevation matters in tactical battles, where armies move across a dedicated combat area rather than resolving an engagement instantly.

The culture-switching system creates flexibility but also makes long-term identity less fixed than in Civilization VI or ENDLESS Legend 2. That is either its main appeal or its biggest limitation, depending on whether you prefer adapting each era or maintaining one civilization throughout history.

Choose HUMANKIND if experimenting with historical combinations sounds more interesting than playing a canonical civilization from beginning to end. Civilization VI is the clearer starting point for traditional victory conditions.

Which 4X game should you play first?

Match the game to the type of empire you want to build:

• Historical civilization: Sid Meier’s Civilization VI
• Custom space empire: Stellaris
• Custom fantasy faction: Age of Wonders 4
• Asymmetric fantasy factions: ENDLESS Legend 2
• Real-time galactic conquest: Sins of a Solar Empire II
• Turn-based space opera: ENDLESS Space 2
• Mixing cultures across eras: HUMANKIND

Civilization VI is the safest first choice because its rules are easy to read and its turn structure gives time to consider each decision. After learning the genre, choose a more specialized game based on whether you prefer space, fantasy, tactical battles or real-time pressure.

Turn-based or real-time 4X?

Turn-based games let every empire complete its decisions in a defined sequence. They are easier to pause, resume and analyze, making Civilization VI, Age of Wonders 4, ENDLESS Legend 2, ENDLESS Space 2 and HUMANKIND suitable for methodical play.

Real-time games create simultaneous pressure. Stellaris allows pausing and speed control, while Sins of a Solar Empire II places more emphasis on continuous movement and fleet response.

Choose turn-based play if you enjoy evaluating every city and unit before committing. Choose real time if reacting to several developing situations is part of the appeal.

4X versus grand strategy

The categories overlap, but their emphasis differs. A traditional 4X campaign usually begins with limited territory, asks the player to explore an unknown map and builds toward expansion and victory. Grand strategy often starts with established nations, borders and historical relationships.

Stellaris sits between the two because it begins with exploration and expansion but develops into a political and military simulation. Civilization VI remains closer to the classic 4X structure.

For games that place greater emphasis on established nations, diplomacy and long historical timelines, continue with our best grand strategy games guide. Players interested in smaller tactical decisions can use our games like XCOM list.

Best 4X game for multiplayer

The right multiplayer game depends on the group’s tolerance for long campaigns.

Civilization VI and HUMANKIND support recognizable historical competition, but full matches can require several sessions. Age of Wonders 4 works well when the group wants tactical fantasy battles. Stellaris produces memorable alliances and betrayals but demands a larger time commitment.

Sins of a Solar Empire II is the strongest choice for players who want matches to remain active and continuous. ENDLESS Space 2 suits groups that want turn-based galactic planning without Stellaris’s real-time management.

Before starting, agree on:

• Match speed
• Turn timers where available
• Whether human alliances are allowed
• How disconnected players are handled
• Which expansions everyone owns
• Whether the campaign will continue across several sessions

The best multiplayer 4X game is often the one the group can realistically finish.

Final 4X recommendations

Sid Meier’s Civilization VI is the best all-round PC 4X game and the clearest entry point. Stellaris provides the deepest space-empire sandbox, while Age of Wonders 4 offers the strongest fantasy customization and tactical combat.

Choose ENDLESS Legend 2 for asymmetric factions on a changing world, Sins of a Solar Empire II for real-time fleet warfare, ENDLESS Space 2 for turn-based space opera, or HUMANKIND for a historical campaign built by combining cultures.

The genre works best when the setting and pace match the player. A perfect fantasy 4X will not satisfy someone looking for real-time starship battles, and the deepest galactic simulation may be a poor first step for someone who wants clear turns and familiar history.