Iceberg Interactive recently announced their latest offering in the space 4X genre, a title by the name of Dawn of Andromeda developed by Grey Wolf Entertainment. The game is a pause-able real-time space 4X strategy title. Combat will also be in real-time (no word if it they are instanced or straight on the map or any details on the level of control the player will have). The game will also feature several of the traditional trappings of the genre: such as diplomacy, researching techs, planet management, and will allow the players to customise their ships.

The more noteworthy mentions are the option to play an asymmetrical start, with races already developed with a head start and others showing up late to the party. The game will still let players start games with a symmetrical start that is more common to the genre. The game will also offer scenarios which will be a more focused experience with pre-established conditions.

Here is the reveal trailer:

Features (from official press release):

• Explore, expand, exploit and exterminate in this real-time space strategy game, featuring real-time combat in a dynamic and ever-evolving galaxy.
• New factions and characters can join the fray mid-game; artefacts, ruins, anomalies and a huge variety of fascinating elements are scattered throughout the galaxy and can yield new research opportunities. Various characters such as outlaws, merchants and others roam the galaxy.
• Asymmetric gameplay. Not all races discover space travel at the same time, some may have yet to discover it, some may have already built a mighty empire, and some races may be naturally stronger than others. However if you’d rather prefer a traditional 4X experience and start an entirely symmetric game, it’s up to you.
• Pre-designed, customizable and randomly generated races, each with their unique backgrounds and traits.
• Accessible gameplay, featuring a highly-intuitive User Interface.
• Eras; unique scenarios, each with a pre-designed galaxy and background stories which you can play as one of the existing factions, each with their own victory conditions, traits, challenges and ongoing conflicts and relationships.
• Choose between researching pre-fabricated or randomly generated ship designs, or alternatively research and discover ship parts, allowing you to create your own unique ship designs from them.
• In depth diplomacy system. Create or join coalitions, make allies and enemies, but beware, each action you take can change how the rest of the galaxy will view you. Destroying an entire planet, or just praising or denouncing another race, can have a deep impact on the balance of the entire galaxy.
• Reduce micromanagement by appointing governors to your colonies and council members to your empire, all of whom can be leveled up. Each come with their own unique traits, happiness and experience.
• Multiple, customizable victory conditions, which can even be set to vary for each faction, making for unpredictable friends and foes.

More information will be released in the coming months on their official website before the game hits Steam’s Early Access.

It should be noted that the CEO of Grey Wolf Entertainment is the same developer that was behind Lords of the Black Sun, a game that has received the second most critical review I’ve ever written. Naturally, the developer may have learnt from their past mistakes and might offer something more worthwhile this time, but it can be understandable if some fans of the genre that were disappointed by LotBS may be more skeptical. Here is the comment by the developer addressing this very issue.

As always SpaceSector will keep you informed and if possible offer a review of the game when it is released. The game will be available on Steam’s Early Access sometime in April of this year with no information given on its official release timeframe.