Info about ENDLESS™ Space 2 - Vaulters: Official game description: EXCLUSIVE REWARDS ================= Join the GAMES2GETHER community now, and receive the Endless Space 2 badge (unlocks points, dozens of avatars and titles to customize your GAMES2GETHER profile) * **Follow** the development of the game and get to know the talent behind the scenes. * **Make your voice count** by giving feedback on the game, submitting ideas, and voting for Art and gameplay elements. * **Participate** in contests and design content that will be created by the studio and added to the game! About the Game ============== This expansion brings one of the most popular factions of the ENDLESS™ Universe: the Vaulters. Following the events happening in ENDLESS™ Legend, this stubborn, and resilient people have left the dying planet of Auriga, seeking a new home to build their future. CONTENT ------- A Quest For A Promised land --------------------------- The Vaulters have spent centuries seeking a home. Stranded on the world of Auriga, they had to survive the harsh climate and even harsher neighbors. Once more among the stars, following their uncontested leader Ilona Zolya, the people that now call themselves the Aurigans still seek traces of their past as well as a safe place to finally call home. The Best Offense Is A Good Defense ---------------------------------- The Vaulters are a scientific- and military-oriented faction. They play defensive with strong population traits oriented towards system protection. Their teleport ability can carry fleets across the galaxy from one Vaulters system to another. Strong allies in peaceful times, it would be foolish to provoke the Vaulters into aggression. Strong Civilizations Need Heroes… --------------------------------- Befitting a tradition of resilience and unending curiosity, Vaulters Heroes are better governors than admirals. Their skills range from great system defense bonuses to improved scientific output. The Vaulters Expansion also marks the return of Opbot DV8 as an unlockable hero. … Powerful Fleets… ------------------ Reminiscing of Mezari designs of old on Auriga, the new Vaulters ships are much like their makers: resilient, sturdy, gorgeous to a fault. They are reliant on a high number of defense modules, along with strong support capacities, that make them a tough opponent in battle. One of the new exotic modules will even allow you to board enemy ships and eventually take total control of them. …and Merciless Allies. ---------------------- Once living in Auriga as a group of warrior clerics, the Sisters of Mercy joined the Vaulters in their quest for a new home. As a minor faction, they will fight for justice and show no mercy to evil forces. Will you befriend the infamous Pirates? --------------------------------------- Pirate Diplomacy is a new powerful tool to get along with these space outlaws. In exchange for payment, you can now get a special treatment by supporting them, and even use them to ruthlessly attack other factions. Vaulters have even the special ability to mask their ships as Pirates. Additional Deeds & Quests ------------------------- New deeds will be available for the players to get a decisive advantage over the other civilizations, should they be the first to unlock them. If you are lucky enough, you might also unveil long lost secrets through exploration by completing a series of new quests. Content Summary --------------- * Vaulters major civilization * Sister of Mercy Minor Faction * Vaulters heroes * Vaulters special node * Vaulters main quest * Pirate Diplomacy * Opbot (hero) * Exotic ship modules * Additional Deeds * 4 exploration quests GAMES2GETHER // CHANGE THE GAME ------------------------------- Join the GAMES2GETHER community now, and receive the ENDLESS™ Space 2 badge (unlocks points, dozens of avatars and titles to customize your GAMES2GETHER profil). Follow the development of the game and get to know the talent behind the scene. Make your voice count by giving feedback on the game, submitting ideas, and voting for Art and gameplay elements. Participate in contests and design content that will be created by the studio and added to the game! Release date: Jan 25, 2018 Categories: 4X, Space Exploration, Diplomacy, Faction Management, Resource Management, Turn-based Strategy, Science Fiction Feature scans: - MTX: score 10; verdict: Fair - No predatory monetization; summary: The review discusses the Vaulters DLC for Endless Space 2, with mixed opinions on its price. There is no mention of microtransactions, loot boxes, pay-to-win mechanics, or any real-money in-game purchases. The only negative is a complaint about the DLC's cost, which is a base price issue, not predatory monetization. - Hardware Profile: No data Feature extractions: - Community Price: - Community fair range: $15.00 - $25.00 - Reasoning: The community consistently praises the content as valuable but repeatedly emphasizes purchasing on sale, indicating that the full price is considered too high. This suggests a fair base-game price range below the typical MSRP, likely around $15-$25. - Playtime Metrics: - Game completion: N/A - Story completion: N/A - Session length: N/A - Endgame: N/A - Reasoning: The only explicit hour count is 20h, but it is not tied to a specific metric such as game completion, story completion, session length, or endgame. Other quotes indicate multiple completed games and a completed legendary quest, but provide no hour values. Therefore, no numeric playtime metric can be reliably derived from the evidence, so all metrics are set to null. - Time-to-fun: - Summary: The Vaulters faction is enjoyable from the start, with early game options like pirate diplomacy and a powerful colony ship. The faction also enhances late game fun, but no early friction is reported. - Stance: Fun immediately - Anchor: N/A - Time to anchor: N/A - Friction: N/A - Unlock drivers: N/A - Conditions: N/A - Player Archetypes: - Devoted Endless Fan (buy) - Motivation: To continue the Endless universe lore and experience the Vaulters' story. - Playstyle: Immersive, story-driven, exploring faction identity and meta-universe connections. - Experience: veteran - Purchase stance: buy - Labels: N/A - Reference games: Endless Legend; Dungeon Of The Endless; Endless Space - Strategic Optimizer (buy) - Motivation: To master the Vaulters' unique mechanics and achieve late-game superiority. - Playstyle: Analytical, planning-focused, optimizing faction strengths for large maps and long games. - Experience: veteran - Purchase stance: buy - Labels: N/A - Reference games: N/A - Cautious Pragmatist (sale) - Motivation: To enjoy the new content despite technical flaws and additional costs. - Playstyle: Cautious, reloading to avoid bugs, attentive to mechanics and costs. - Experience: familiar - Purchase stance: sale - Labels: N/A - Reference games: N/A - Value-Conscious Newcomer (sale) - Motivation: To expand their enjoyment of the base game at a reasonable price. - Playstyle: Casual, fun-focused, not deeply strategic. - Experience: newcomer - Purchase stance: sale - Labels: N/A - Reference games: N/A Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category. Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews. What players like: - Vaulters are fun and unique (weight 0.86): Multiple reviews highlight the Vaulters as an enjoyable, unique faction with excellent design and playstyle. They are also considered very new-player friendly, making them a great pick for beginners. - DLC is highly praised (weight 0.64): The expansion is considered one of the best DLCs, adding a lot of fun and content to the base game. Reviewers appreciate the new faction, pirates, and additional features that fill gaps in the game. - Pirate diplomacy adds depth (weight 0.56): The addition of pirate diplomacy is praised for adding a new layer of strategy and spice to the game. Players enjoy negotiating with pirates, hiring them, and using them to attack enemies. - Portal ability enables fast travel (weight 0.56): The Vaulters' portal ability allows instant travel across the galaxy, making it easy to cover vast distances and manage far-flung territories. This is a key feature that enhances their mobility and strategic options. - Vaulters are very strong (weight 0.5): The Vaulters are described as very strong and flexible, with immense defense power and science bonuses that allow them to outpace other factions. They are considered formidable foes and an awesome race. - Vaulters have strong lore (weight 0.42): The Vaulters faction is well-integrated into the game's lore, with interesting storylines and fitting theme music. Their narrative is considered extremely interesting and worth experiencing. - Unique colonization mechanics (weight 0.27): The Vaulters have a distinct colonization system that instantly settles systems, streamlining the process. This unique mechanic sets them apart from other factions and adds strategic depth. - Vaulters return to universe (weight 0.26): The Vaulters make a dramatic return to the Endless universe, bringing back one of the most popular factions. Their return is well-received by fans of the series. - Teleport ability is powerful (weight 0.26): The teleport ability is highlighted as very powerful and not to be underestimated. It provides significant strategic advantages in both exploration and combat. - Vaulters interact with pirates (weight 0.21): The Vaulters have special interactions with pirates, including the ability to board and steal enemy ships. This makes them a pirate-like faction in Endless Space 2, adding a unique playstyle. - BGM and art style are good (weight 0.2): The background music and art style of the DLC are praised for being beautiful and fitting. This enhances the overall atmosphere and enjoyment of the game. - DLC is full-fledged expansion (weight 0.16): The DLC is a full-fledged faction expansion, adding the Vaulters as a complete playable faction. It is considered a substantial and well-rounded addition to the game. - Portals aid resource extraction (weight 0.15): The Vaulters can extract strategic resources faster with appropriate heroes, and their portals facilitate resource management. This makes them efficient in gathering and utilizing resources. - Golden age provides big boost (weight 0.15): The golden age bonus, lasting up to 30 turns, gives a significant boost to the Vaulters. This long-lasting bonus is considered considerable and impactful. - Factions are diverse and distinctive (weight 0.15): The factions in the DLC are diverse with unique mechanics, making each playable and distinctive. This adds variety and replayability to the game. - Vaulters are versatile (weight 0.15): The Vaulters are described as good at just about anything, making them a stunning and versatile faction. Their flexibility allows for various playstyles and strategies. Common complaints: - Pirates are unbalanced (weight 0.84): Pirate mechanics are inconsistent: they are either too powerful early or too weak later, and their actions are not deep. The cost and effectiveness of pirate diplomacy are also problematic. - DLC overpriced for content (weight 0.44): Multiple reviewers state the DLC is overpriced relative to the content, which is seen as a single faction pack rather than a true expansion. The small file size and lack of major mechanics reinforce this perception. - Vaulters expansion is slow (weight 0.42): The Vaulters' expansion is slow and expensive because only the mothership can colonize and must recharge, making colonization tedious. This is frustrating when systems are stolen. - DLC adds only one race (weight 0.33): The DLC is criticized for adding only one race, the Vaulters, compared to four in the original Endless Space DLC. This is seen as insufficient and a mere civ pack. - Game-breaking bugs occur (weight 0.33): The DLC can corrupt game files, cause turn-stuck issues, and make saves unplayable, forcing reloads or losing progress. These bugs severely impact the experience. - DLC lacks major changes (weight 0.31): The DLC does not change gameplay significantly, unlike some Endless Legend expansions, and adds little beyond a faction and pirate diplomacy. It feels underwhelming. - Pirates are weak late (weight 0.25): Pirates are weak and expensive after round 20, making them a wasted opportunity. Their actions are not deep enough to justify the cost. - Sisters of Mercy odd (weight 0.24): The Sisters of Mercy faction has odd flavor, with monotonous leader animations and a lack of female characters in the opening CG. This detracts from immersion. - Pirate diplomacy unreliable (weight 0.24): Pirate diplomacy is not reliable, especially at low pirate difficulty, and paying pirates to attack others may backfire. This makes the mechanic less useful. - Content should be in base game (weight 0.21): The Vaulters faction and other content should have been included in the original game, not sold as DLC. This is seen as a cash grab. - Faction balance is precarious (weight 0.2): The game has precarious balance, with factions like the Vaulters being overpowered or underpowered depending on start. This affects fairness. - AI is disproportionately strong (weight 0.16): AI-controlled factions, especially Aurigians, can produce complete armies in one turn with minimal resources, making the game frustrating and unbalanced. - Game becomes boring later (weight 0.15): The game becomes boring and annoying after a while, with chasing the AI being frustrating. This reduces long-term enjoyment. - DLC file size is small (weight 0.15): The DLC is only about 15-20 MB, which is absurd for the price. This reinforces the perception of it being a minor addition. - Vaulters quest issues (weight 0.14): A Vaulters quest cannot be completed if the robot hero is leveled past level 10 before placing it, and the faction quest is difficult, requiring many facilities. This can block progress. - Combat lacks depth (weight 0.09): Combat only allows choosing tactics and ship placement, then the battle is watched, which is seen as shallow. This reduces strategic engagement. - Tutorial is weak (weight 0.09): The tutorial is weak, making starting the game difficult multiple times. This hinders new players' ability to learn the game. - Story and ships copied (weight 0.08): The ships and story are very similar to Homeworld's Karshan/protagonists, to the point of copying. This reduces originality. - Game empty without DLC (weight 0.08): Endless Space 2 remains very empty without this DLC, implying the base game lacks content. This is a criticism of the base game's completeness. Gameplay feedback: - Vaulters use unique portal colonization (weight 0.78): The Vaulters have a distinctive colonization system based on a legacy colony ship and portals, allowing rapid expansion and instant travel between systems. This sets them apart from other factions in the game. - Pirate diplomacy adds negotiation options (weight 0.64): The expansion introduces pirate diplomacy, allowing players to negotiate with pirates using money or influence, hire them for contracts, or fight them. This adds a new layer of strategic interaction with neutral factions. - Portals enable instant fleet movement (weight 0.64): Portals function as wormholes, allowing ships to jump instantly between systems within a single turn once built. This provides a significant strategic advantage for the Vaulters in terms of mobility and defense. - Pirates can be bribed (weight 0.36): Players can buy black marks to turn pirates against specific opponents, effectively using them as a tool for harassment. This adds a diplomatic and covert option for dealing with rivals. - Vaulters focus on science (weight 0.31): The Vaulters are a science-based race with a defensive playstyle, emphasizing research and technological advancement. This makes them suitable for players who prefer a more methodical approach. - Vaulters offer new playstyle (weight 0.15): The Vaulters introduce a whole new way to play the game, with their unique portal mechanics and colonization system. This provides a fresh experience for veteran players. - Pirate disguise avoids penalties (weight 0.15): Races can disguise their ships as pirates to raid without incurring diplomatic penalties, allowing for covert aggression. This adds a strategic layer to managing relationships with other factions. - Boarding pods and pirate mechanics (weight 0.14): The game includes boarding pods and pirate diplomacy mechanics, expanding the tactical and diplomatic options available to players. These features add depth to space combat and interaction with pirates. Performance notes: - Bugs cause unplayable saves (weight 0.17): Players report that bugs can make a save file unplayable, and the game becomes unplayable around turn 140. This suggests a critical progression-blocking issue. - Alliance system causes bugs (weight 0.1): The new alliance system triggers bugs and can cause the game to get stuck. This is a specific feature-related issue that disrupts gameplay. - Client stability issues (weight 0.09): Players mention that the client had issues, indicating general stability problems beyond specific in-game bugs. This may affect overall user experience. Recommendations: - DLC is worth buying (weight 0.49): Multiple reviewers strongly recommend the DLC, stating it is worth the price and provides good value for the content offered. The consensus is that the purchase is justified. - Recommended for franchise fans (weight 0.26): The DLC is recommended for fans of Endless Space and Endless Legend, as well as for players who already enjoy Endless Space 2. It is seen as a natural addition for existing fans. - Essential for Endless Space 2 (weight 0.17): Some reviewers consider this DLC essential, noting that without it, the base game feels very empty. It is highlighted as the only DLC for Endless Space 2 that is truly needed. - Buy on sale or full price (weight 0.15): While some reviewers recommend waiting for a sale, others state it is worth the full price. The price is generally considered not excessive for the content provided. - Recommended despite minor issues (weight 0.14): The DLC is recommended even with some stability issues, as the pirate diplomacy mechanic is not bad enough to hurt the game. The overall experience remains positive. - Mixed opinions on purchase (weight 0.1): While most reviewers recommend the DLC, there are a few dissenting voices, including a definitive 'no' and a 'do not buy' recommendation. The majority view is positive, but not unanimous. - Not a must-have expansion (weight 0.08): One reviewer notes that while the DLC is good, it is not a 'must have' like some Endless Legend expansions. It is a solid but not essential addition. - Wait for bug fixes (weight 0.07): A reviewer cannot recommend the DLC until the next update fixes the bugs. This suggests the current state has issues that need addressing before a positive recommendation. Other player notes: - Vaulters are returning franchise favorites (weight 0.97): The Vaulters are a well-known faction from previous Endless games, including Endless Legend and Endless Space 1. Reviewers frequently compare their portrayal and mechanics to these earlier iterations. - Lore connects to Endless Legend (weight 0.64): The Vaulters' storyline is a direct continuation from Endless Legend, following their narrative events and survival from the ice planet Auriga. This deepens the connection between the two games. - Amplitude provides continuous support (weight 0.36): The developer Amplitude is praised for continuous patches, free content updates, and community additions. Reviewers appreciate the ongoing support and balance changes. - Price considered too high (weight 0.32): Some reviewers feel the DLC is overpriced for its content, comparing it unfavorably to Paradox DLC policy. Others note it is worth the small price and not required. - Game compared to other strategy titles (weight 0.3): Reviewers compare the game to Endless Legend and Endless Space 1, noting similarities in traits and gameplay. One review compares pirate diplomacy to Civ VII's barbarians. - Localization and translations available (weight 0.19): The game has Russian and simplified Chinese translations, and fan-made Japanese localization is progressing. This broadens accessibility for non-English players. - DLC includes fan service (weight 0.15): The expansion features fan service, such as the appearance of Opbot from Dungeon of the Endless. This appeals to long-time fans of the Endless universe. - DLC size and patch details (weight 0.14): The DLC is 15 MB and is followed by a 45 MB patch. Some reviewers criticize the patch model, suggesting patches are rebalancing rather than bug fixes. - Game made by Amplitude (weight 0.12): The game is developed by Amplitude, an Italian-Scottish developer. Reviewers acknowledge the developer's reputation and support. - Vaulters survived Auriga in lore (weight 0.12): The Vaulters fled from the ice planet Auriga and survived, as detailed in the lore. This is a key narrative element for the faction. - Vaulters compared to Homeworld protagonists (weight 0.08): The Vaulters' ships and story are compared to the Karshan/protagonists of Homeworld due to strong similarities. This highlights the faction's narrative depth. - DLC not as large as Disharmony (weight 0.08): The expansion is not as large as the Disharmony expansion for the first Endless Space. This is a point of comparison for scope and content. - Reviewer received code from developers (weight 0.07): One reviewer received a code from the developers, which may influence their perspective. This is a transparency note in the review. - DLC purchased on pre-order (weight 0.07): One reviewer bought the update on pre-order, indicating early commitment to the content. This shows anticipation for the expansion. - Corsair mode not tested (weight 0.07): The reviewer did not test the corsair mode, leaving a gap in coverage. This is a limitation of the review. - Trailer praised by reviewers (weight 0.07): The trailer for the DLC is praised, contributing to positive reception. This is a minor point in the overall review. - DLC includes all ES2 content (weight 0.07): The DLCs Vaulter, Untold, Dark matter, and soundtracks together cover all Endless Space 2 content. This provides a complete package for players. - Turn-stuck issue resolved (weight 0.07): The turn-stuck issue was resolved and was not a DLC problem. This clarifies that the bug was not related to the expansion. Emotions: - Satisfaction (weight 0.17): Players are highly satisfied with the Vaulters expansion, praising its flawless integration, balanced faction design, and strong strategic advantages like the portal and colonization system. The DLC is considered well worth its price, offering substantial content and resolving previous technical issues. - Appreciation (weight 0.11): Reviewers appreciate the unique Vaulters playstyle, the continuation of the Endless story, and the excellent soundtrack. They also value Amplitude's fair pricing and the strategic depth added by the space jump and stardust mechanics. - Frustration (weight 0.11): Frustration stems from broken pirate mechanics, game-corrupting bugs, and a weak tutorial that hampers early play. Players also complain about AI stealing systems, quest bugs, and the need to pay extra for a faction from previous games. - Disappointment (weight 0.1): Disappointment arises because the DLC is seen as merely adding a single faction without major new mechanics, and the price is considered unjustified. The story and pirate actions are not deep enough, and the Vaulters should have been in the base game. - Enjoyment (weight 0.09): Players enjoy the Vaulters' unique portal ability, flexible playstyle, and the fun of pirate diplomacy and ship capturing. The faction variety, ship design, and generated worlds contribute to a highly enjoyable experience. - Excitement (weight 0.08): Excitement is driven by the dramatic return of the Vaulters, their powerful abilities, and the meta-universe concept. New weapon modules and the super colonizer make the game feel faster and more thrilling. - Love (weight 0.04): Players love the Vaulters faction, its abilities, theme music, and lore, considering it their favorite and the strongest in the game. The DLC is deeply cherished for featuring this beloved race. - Approval (weight 0.04): Approval is given for the good music and story, the Vaulters' popularity, and the overpowered but enjoyable class. The race's neat changes and awesome storyline earn positive reception. - Enthusiasm (weight 0.04): Enthusiasm comes from the teleport ability enabling efficient fleet management and the unique cyberpunk viking concept. The Vaulters' diverse mechanics and fan-favorite status generate high excitement. - Admiration (weight 0.03): Admiration is expressed for the Vaulters' stylish design, classy presentation, and fascinating story. The new faction is considered stunning and well-crafted. - Liking (weight 0.03): Players like the Vaulters' neo-feudal style, the portal mechanic, and boarding tech. The expansion's new content and modules add welcome depth to the game. - Happiness (weight 0.02): Happiness is felt from finally seeing a second human race and the return of the Vaulters with a favorite playstyle. - Concern (weight 0.02): Concern arises from the faction's heavy dependence on the starting position, which could lead to losing to the helmet sister. The portal ability is also feared to be overpowered and subject to nerfs. - Hope (weight 0.02): Players hope the studio will improve the DLC and continue releasing new factions, expressing a desire for more content beyond this expansion. - Mixed feelings (weight 0.01): Mixed feelings are caused by pirate diplomacy, which allows postponing warfare but is considered dangerous. - Uncertainty (weight 0.01): Uncertainty is felt about playing other factions after being spoiled by the Vaulters' powerful bonuses. - Boredom (weight 0.01): Boredom sets in after extended play, as the game becomes repetitive and annoying. - Comfort (weight 0.01): Comfort is derived from the Vaulters' playstyle fitting the reviewer's personal preferences. - Fondness (weight 0.01): Fondness is expressed for the new faction's ability to expand territory effectively. - Sarcasm (weight 0.01): Sarcasm is directed at the presentation of the big tree option as exciting, implying it is not.}