Nexus 5X

I still don't get why Stellaris disinherited it (or at least, why doesn't Stellaris more prominently note its role within the story...) It's a good game, and it deserve better recognition.

This game is great. It's TI4 as a videogame, and well made. Games only take 60-90 minutes. Problem is that almost nobody plays, so you have to set up games on discord or get friends into it. But the game itself is great - come play.

This is a fun boardgame, but it was pretty dead on arrival so don't buy this unless you are ok with playing against bots exclusively or if you have a friend group to play with.,

This is exactly what the 4X genre needs - a faster paced game that can be finished in about an hour. There is a ton of variety in factions and strategy, allowing you to play wide or play a small focused empire. A real gem that has innovations similar to the "order system" from Old World, limiting your actions per turn. This along with the galactic voting system makes the strategies more than just "build up fleet, conquer enemy". Diplomacy and objectives actually matter. I just wish that more people knew about it and that its name wasn't literally a cellphone. Why they renamed it is anyone's guess, but it's caused this game to be forgotten by even the Stellaris fanbase. Come back and develop it and once again rename it to Stellaris : 5X or something of that nature with a juicy new patch and I think we'd see a lot more people return.

I like the concept of a "5X game" - even if the title is a little silly. I honestly think it's a shame, that Paradox didn't stick with allowing them to take the Stellaris name and call it Stellaris 5x instead. Would have given the game some well deserved publicity. Haven't played this a ton or anything, but can definitely see myself coming back to this from time to time - which isn't suuuper comon with games (for me). Wouldn't necessarilly say, that I would want to play every faction or leader there is, but definitely found some I like. And it's not like I expect every choice to be my first one. I think that's fine - seems like every version has at least a chance at winning, and the short session design makes for an experience where the AI can atleast fight a good fight (because the player doesn't have as much time to be smarter/better/more efficient etc.), and therefore doesn't automatically run away with the game. [b] Only criticism: [/b] Give me the option for longer sessions. 100 is to short, so I was pumped to find the option to extend the game by choosing the 150 option: Would be nice to have the option to play even longer games and make a perfect empire or conquer everything. (I don't even care if it isn't balanced anymore after a certain point. Maybe make it an option, but with disclaimer?). I just would like to have the option to gain my sweet-sweet-COMPLETELY-decimating-the-AI-in-a-4X-game-serotonin :D

criminally underrated. Smartly designed and very intuitive.

A 4x game that can be completed in under an hour fills a gap in the genre that I have been hoping for for a long time. Its really entertaining, contains all important aspects of a 4x game and i defenitely recommend it.

An overlooked multiplayer gem. It's "Stellaris Lite" in many ways, with games that last about 2 hours on default settings. There are often issues with players getting disconnected but the way they've handled it is really smooth (players can rejoin within a few seconds and everyone else can still do their turn in the meantime). The tutorial is pretty good at getting new players onboarded within an hour or so. Overall I'd highly recommend this one, and it's a shame they're not continuing to develop it!

This is a pretty shallow and simple 4X space strategy game. The limitations are frustrating. I think it's designed more for PvP than PvE (which is what I enjoy). I found that the way the AI seems to have much larger fleet sizes and can pull a rabbit out of its hat with the perfect player card every single time is annoying. The turn system is a bit wonky too in that you leave your system to fight a battle elsewhere only to find you didn't actually leave yet because the AI warped in at the same time and they got to leave but you didn't and have to fight them before you can then take your drastically reduced force to fight in their system now (which they get to update).

Nexus 5X, developed by Whatboy Games and published by Paradox Arc, is a deliberate rethinking of what a 4X strategy game can be when stripped of its traditional time demands and rebuilt around speed and interaction. Instead of sprawling campaigns that unfold over dozens of hours, it compresses the familiar pillars of exploration, expansion, resource management, and conquest into tightly paced sessions designed to be completed in a single sitting. The result is a game that feels less like a grand historical simulation and more like a competitive, session-based strategy experience where every decision carries immediate weight. At its core, the game still adheres to the recognizable framework of galactic empire-building. Players select from a range of factions, each with distinct abilities and strategic tendencies, and compete to establish dominance over a shared map. The mechanics—managing resources, expanding territory, developing technologies, and building fleets—will feel familiar to anyone who has played a 4X title before. What distinguishes Nexus 5X is how these systems are streamlined and accelerated. There is little room for slow, incremental growth; instead, the game pushes players to act decisively, often forcing them to prioritize immediate opportunities over long-term planning. The pacing fundamentally changes how the genre feels. Turns move quickly, and the structure ensures that momentum is constantly shifting. A strong early position can be overturned just as rapidly through political maneuvering or coordinated opposition from other players. This creates a sense of urgency that keeps matches engaging from beginning to end, but it also introduces a level of pressure that may feel unfamiliar to those accustomed to the more deliberate rhythm of traditional 4X games. Success often depends on adaptability as much as strategy, as players must respond quickly to evolving situations. One of the most compelling aspects of the game is its emphasis on diplomacy and social dynamics. Alliances are not just optional tools but central components of the experience, particularly in multiplayer sessions. Agreements can be formed, broken, and renegotiated within a short span of time, and the shifting balance of power ensures that no alliance feels entirely secure. The inclusion of a council system adds another layer, allowing players to influence rules, gain advantages, and shape the direction of the match through political means. These elements give the game a strong sense of interaction, making it as much about reading other players as it is about managing resources. Despite its streamlined design, the game retains a surprising amount of depth. Each faction offers a different approach to victory, encouraging experimentation and varied strategies. Some playstyles focus on military strength, others on economic dominance or political influence, and the interplay between these approaches creates dynamic and often unpredictable outcomes. The challenge lies in balancing immediate actions with broader objectives, as the compressed format leaves little room for recovery if a strategy fails. However, the same qualities that make Nexus 5X stand out can also limit its appeal. The condensed structure, while refreshing, sacrifices some of the scale and sense of progression that define the genre. There is less opportunity to develop a long-term narrative or become deeply invested in a single empire, as matches are designed to begin and end within a relatively short timeframe. For players who enjoy the slow build and expansive storytelling of traditional 4X games, this can feel somewhat lacking. The game’s focus on multiplayer also shapes the experience significantly. While it does include single-player options, they lack the same energy and unpredictability that come from human opponents. Much of the game’s appeal lies in its social interactions—the negotiations, betrayals, and shifting alliances that emerge naturally in competitive play. Without that element, the experience can feel more mechanical and less engaging. Visually, Nexus 5X adopts a clean and functional presentation that prioritizes clarity. The interface is designed to handle a large amount of information efficiently, which is essential given the pace of the game. While it may not be visually striking in a cinematic sense, it succeeds in keeping the player informed and focused, which is ultimately more important for a strategy title of this nature. The overall design supports the gameplay without drawing unnecessary attention to itself. In the end, Nexus 5X is a thoughtful and well-executed experiment that successfully reimagines the 4X formula for shorter, more social play sessions. It offers a fast-paced, decision-driven experience that emphasizes interaction and adaptability, making it particularly effective in multiplayer settings. While it may not fully replace the depth and scale of traditional entries in the genre, it provides a compelling alternative that respects players’ time without sacrificing strategic complexity. Rating: 8/10