Exogate Initiative

I can't recommend the game. It will fill you with micro-frustration : A guy taking 3 days to eat is lunch when you need it for a mission, and ennemies that can remove sectors from you so fast your team to fight off the attempt doesn't get to the gate in time. The concept is great, but one game is enough, can't wait to finish it and park this game.

This is a game with great potential. Some good elements like the building and tech tree. However the medics are broken and so is the mental health mechanic. It ends up making whole teams unusable. Which in turn stops missions and the whole game.

[url=https://steamcommunity.com/id/proeskalampar/recommended/1681060/)]This well-formed review[/url] pretty much sums up how I'm feeling, though I haven't made it to the grind yet. I was pleasantly surprised that the game did turn out as I had hoped from [url=https://steamcommunity.com/app/1681060/reviews/?browsefilter=toprated&snr=1_5_100010_]this review[/url]. Xeno Bits is punching a bit above their weight here, as the evidenced by the shortcomings repeated in reviews. But they're doing something interesting with it. A "7/10 Evil Genius but Stargate" works really well and is worth the buy, in my opinion. I do wish it'd be better, and giving Xeno Bits some success helps us get there.

Great early game. ONce you meet the other factions, "influence points" become meaningless. You cannot generate enough points fast enough to claim a sector via liberation before the other faction claims it back. The entire "influce" system severly limits mid game playability. Its more frustrating than strategic as you have absolutly no way to increase the speed at which you gain influence points really.

Exogate Initiative, developed and published by Xeno Bits, presents an engaging blend of management simulation, strategy, and science-fiction exploration. The game places players in charge of an ambitious international organization dedicated to discovering distant worlds through advanced portal technology known as Exogates. Instead of focusing solely on building a thriving headquarters or sending expeditions into space, it successfully combines both ideas into a unified experience where every decision influences the future of humanity's expansion beyond Earth. The result is a management title that rewards patience, careful planning, and curiosity while maintaining a compelling sense of adventure. The foundation of the game revolves around constructing and expanding an underground headquarters capable of supporting increasingly demanding operations. Players excavate deep beneath the surface, creating specialized facilities that range from research laboratories and medical centers to power generators, workshops, housing, and recreational areas. Every room has a meaningful purpose, encouraging thoughtful layouts that maximize efficiency while meeting the growing needs of the organization. As operations expand, balancing energy production, workforce morale, scientific output, and available resources becomes increasingly complex, giving each stage of development a satisfying sense of progression. One of the game's strongest features is its approach to personnel management. Rather than treating staff as interchangeable workers, Exogate Initiative gives every recruit distinct characteristics, abilities, and personal traits that influence how they perform in the field and within the base. Explorers, scientists, soldiers, and other specialists each contribute unique skills that become vital during missions and daily operations. Beyond professional competence, employees also form relationships, react emotionally to dangerous situations, and require proper care to remain productive. This attention to individual personalities creates a workplace that feels alive and makes losses or difficult decisions carry genuine emotional impact. Exploration serves as the driving force behind the entire experience. Players assemble expedition teams and send them through Exogates to investigate procedurally generated alien planets filled with unfamiliar ecosystems, mysterious artifacts, valuable resources, and intelligent civilizations. Instead of directly controlling every movement, players oversee missions from headquarters while responding to reports and making important decisions whenever unexpected situations arise. These branching events keep expeditions engaging by allowing players to influence outcomes without interrupting the overall management flow. Every successful mission expands humanity's knowledge while introducing new opportunities and unforeseen challenges. Research and technological advancement are deeply connected to exploration. Samples and discoveries collected from alien worlds unlock new technologies, upgraded equipment, improved facilities, and additional options for expanding the headquarters. Scientific achievements also help secure financial support, allowing the initiative to continue growing into a larger and more capable organization. This interconnected progression system creates a satisfying gameplay loop where exploration fuels research, research improves infrastructure, and stronger infrastructure enables even more ambitious expeditions across the galaxy. The game also incorporates elements of diplomacy and conflict that add variety to its missions. Alien civilizations may welcome cooperation, remain cautious, or become openly hostile depending on player choices. Dangerous wildlife and aggressive factions introduce combat scenarios that require proper preparation before deployment. Threats are not limited to distant planets either, as the headquarters itself may face attacks that demand defensive planning and strategic resource allocation. These mechanics ensure that gameplay remains dynamic by constantly presenting new risks alongside scientific rewards. Visually, Exogate Initiative captures the atmosphere of futuristic scientific discovery with an appealing presentation that emphasizes functionality over excessive spectacle. The expanding underground complex becomes increasingly detailed as new facilities are constructed, while alien environments provide a strong sense of mystery and exploration. The interface successfully delivers the large amount of information required to manage such a complex organization, although the number of interconnected systems can initially feel intimidating for newcomers. Players willing to invest time into understanding its mechanics will eventually find a rewarding level of strategic depth. Although the learning curve is steeper than many management simulators, Exogate Initiative consistently rewards long-term thinking and efficient organization. Every successful expedition, completed research project, and carefully planned expansion contributes to a satisfying feeling of gradual achievement. The balance between overseeing daily operations and uncovering the secrets of distant worlds prevents the experience from becoming repetitive, while procedurally generated exploration helps maintain replay value over extended campaigns. Overall, Exogate Initiative is an impressive management simulation that successfully combines base construction, scientific research, personnel development, and narrative-driven exploration into a cohesive science-fiction experience. Its strongest qualities lie in the meaningful interaction between its many systems, ensuring that nearly every decision has lasting consequences for the future of the initiative. While its complexity may discourage players seeking a more casual management game, strategy enthusiasts who enjoy thoughtful planning, world-building, and interstellar discovery will find a deeply rewarding experience. Developed and published by Xeno Bits, Exogate delivers an intelligent, immersive, and highly replayable take on the science-fiction management genre. Rating: 7/10

The game had me in the first half. I only played one game and I'm not going to play another. Funny events, interesting gameplay loop, little things to explore and look at. Until there wasn't anything left. The big Cons: Beating the game was a SLOG. I see all of the possibilities but I decided to end my run with conquest, because it was the fastest, easiest, and least annoying. The other antagonists aren't interesting. They don't add anything, they are a roadblock that needs managing. On your first playthrough you will learn everything too late. I thought the Dev's were being good by not hand holding and letting me learn, however that just led me to the meta and I stopped trying to learn after that. There is no self expression. For a base building game with characters and stories I, as the player, did nothing. I was a middle manager. I placed things where they were the most effective, and expanded when needed. It felt like managing a game and not playing a game. I've played a lot of evil genius (1 & 2), dwarf fortress/rim world, and this honestly feels like a scaled down 4X game instead. I wish I had something good to add, an improvement, because this game could be SO much more fun. Stargate + Xcom enemies unknown would be a upgrade.

Vielen lieben Dank! Ich habe dieses Spiel gerne gespielt und muss sagen - als Fan des Film Stargate war es mir ein vergnügen. Normalerweise habe ich immer ein paar Verbesserungsvorschläge, aber das hier... super!

I found out about this game around 2-3 years ago from a youtuber called SplatterCatGaming. Honestly this is not the type of game I usually play so I waited for a sale before eventually buying it, After putting in around 13 hours I can honestly say that this game has me hooked! It starts off relatively slow (which I like) but eventually it picks up and there is a lot more to do and pay attention to. Everything going on at once may be a little intimidating at first but once you get used to the mechanics and start to understand how everything works it becomes a lot easier and enjoyable to play. Again, this is not the kind of game I usually play, so it was probably more overwhelming for someone like me than it is for someone who plays Kenshi, Rimworld, etc. But overall I'm really enjoying it so far, and I plan to sink many more hours into it.

I like, - The game play is fun and funny at times. - Good tutorial help while you play, you aim to complete the tutorial checkboxes and you learn how to play while your achieving them. - I found the game addictive once I followed the tutorial suggestions. DIdn't Like, - Sometimes it's hard to make points for studying things to improve your base when you need people to explore but need higher level dudes to explore so it's successful. - I didn't like when I ran out of money and my guys walked off the job made it impossible for me to manage the teams and get to a state I'm making money again, it just fell appart. All in all, thumbs up from me, it's fun.

If you enjoy Evil Genius style base builders and/or like Stargate, Exogate is worth a look. I tried the demo on a NextFest years ago and it was not great, but trying the game now that it's launched on sale was a very pleasant surprise. The core gameplay loop is solid, the UI is functional (a bit lacking, but servicable), and the theming is great (it's like Stargate, but clearly its own unique thing, not just aping something else). Definitely 100% recommend on sale, probably even at full price.