General What’s the Best 4X Game Ever Made?

4X games have defined deep strategy for decades, giving players massive worlds (or galaxies) to explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate. Some lean into grand storytelling, others focus on pure mechanics - but which one stands above the rest?

• Master of Orion II – The foundation of space 4X, with deep customization, classic turn-based combat, and a legacy that still influences the genre.
• Stellaris – The ultimate sandbox for emergent storytelling, where no two campaigns feel the same, thanks to its endless modding potential and mid-game surprises.
• Sid Meier’s Alpha Centauri – Civilization, but in space, with a hauntingly good narrative, deep philosophy, and mechanics that still hold up decades later.
• Endless Legend – Unique factions that actually play differently, deep lore, and a fantasy 4X setting that stands out from the usual sci-fi and historical themes.
• Old World – A fresh take on historical 4X with dynasty mechanics, making leadership and succession as important as empire-building.

So what’s your top pick? Is it the mechanics, the world-building, the replayability, or just that one campaign you’ll never forget?

I would say that Stellaris stands out for me. The realism of the campaigns makes it one of the best 4x games that you can play since there is no sure bet that two or more different campaigns would give you the result that you desire. You will have to put in the work.

I would have picked Civilization IV as the best 4X game ever made because it's that good but since I'm someone who's more interested in sci-fi based games, Master of Orion 2 will take that spot for me because of its tight focus and sci-fi make up.