This old game is the precursor or ancestor of games like Masters of Orion or Imperium. It dates from 1982. The interface is fairly basic which comes as no real surprise as the game was written in well, basic: so don't expect pretty animations. In fact the main screen looks like a dos directory with a bug.
At the start of the game use can choose between life-form types such as amphibian humanoid or molluscan (there something endearing about the idea of a galactic empire of giant clams).
This doesn't have a major effect though it is kind of fun.
The aim of the game is to acquire resources and use them to expand your empire. You start with one home planet and some resources which you can use to build a colony or one of the three classes of ship. The new colonies then go on to produce more resources which you use to build more ships colonies and defences. The idea is to quickly expand as quickly and cohesively as possible (apparently the game original box came with graph paper and a pencil presumably to help with this, I however had to struggle on without it).
The planets to which you travel have different features such as a weird indigenous life-forms or
technologies which does add interest to the game.
This game marks a major departure from games like risk in that you do not get your armies and colonies directly from you territories, but instead get resources with which you buy your hardware however unlike civilisation your resources are pooled.
All in all, if you are a fan of the genre, you should try it.
