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Galactic Civilizations II: Dark Avatar

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8.6 User Score:

Universal acclaim

Based on 22 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 8 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Stardock

Developer: Stardock

Genre(s): Turn-Based Strategy

Players: 1

ESRB Rating: E10+ (Everyone 10 and Older)

Release Date: February 14, 2007

Summary

The year is 2226 and the Drengin Empire reigns supreme across the galaxy. But something utterly evil is devouring the Drengin Empire from within. Expand your Galactic Civilizations II experience with espionage agents, player designed opponents, new alien races, new ships, unique planetary environments, asteroid fields, improved graphics and much more. [Stardock]

Also On Metacritic

GAMES: Galactic Civilizations Galactic Civilizations II: Dread Lords Galactic Civilizations: Altarian Prophecy

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

GameSpy

Dark Avatar does much more than just add new units or new maps, it revisits the very underpinnings the game itself and adjusts them to make the whole experience richer.

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100

G4 TV

It makes a great game that much greater, and unquestionably deserves a long-term, dedicated spot on any fan of this genre’s hard drive.

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100

GameShark

A nearly flawless expansion to an already great game.

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Gaming Nexus

Dark Avatar is a great expansion to a fantastic franchise. This is the highest score I’ve given, and Dark Avatar earns every point. This is 4X strategy at its finest.

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Gamers' Temple

Stardock has managed to make a great game even better.

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PC Gameworld

This is what every expansion pack should be. Nothing seems arbitrary, and you feel like the folks at Stardock really get what 4X gamers want.

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Next Level Gaming

What can I say, this game is massive, and the expansion adds on even more to the title.

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GameSpot

The new features in Dark Avatar elevate the already superb Galactic Civilizations II to the title of undisputed best turn-based space strategy game on the PC.

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Worth Playing

The A.I. is the most intelligent opposition I have ever seen in a strategy title, and the tech tree is vast enough to offer a plethora of various strategies to employ. The lack of multiplayer is ameliorated by the fact that there are so many options and ways to play the single-player portions.

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Da Gameboyz

One of the best space civ sims ever made.

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GamingExcellence

Truly a superb expansion in the way that it not only refines, but provides a new direction for the gameplay and adds a significant value to the game.

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1UP

Dark Avatar does what a good expansion pack should -- it makes it tough to imagine ever playing the base game without it. It makes a great game greater, even if its achievements are measured in pinky widths instead of leaps and bounds.

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PC Gamer

Be prepared for a long journey either way because, as compelling as "Dread Lords" was, Dark Avatar will suck strategy game fans into its marvelously intricate and textured universe like light into a black hole. [May 2007, p.64]

IGN

The inclusion of tech-prerequisites for colonization of certain environments is probably the most significant change here but there are plenty of other new features here that force the player into new and interesting situations. That you get some ample improvements in graphics and AI is just icing on the cake.

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GamingTrend

A great game. It’s detailed, well thought out, and planned. It has real science in it. It has real politics in it. It has drama and it has humor.

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Strategy Informer

If you’re a fan of Dread Lords, then this expansion should absolutely be on your list to pick up as soon as possible. Go download it, I’ll wait.

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Computer Games Online RO

Aside from the battle system and the childish battle sounds, Dark Avatar is a complex experience with an excellent replay value, thanks to the multitude of available options and the AI which sports quite a personality.

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FiringSquad

Above all, compared to almost any 4X game out there, it's the AI that stands out in Galactic Civilizations. It doesn't cheat, except at the highest difficulty levels, and it behaves in believable ways. It exploits weaknesses, it doesn't gang up on the player, and it uses sound strategies.

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PC Gamer UK

It's just the kind of intelligent silliness that's always made GalCiv a joy to play, and worthy of even the most discriminating Space Miner's downtime. [June 2007, p.86]

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GameZone

Part of the fun is the sheer amount of customization available. The game can be short, long, easy or hard, or anywhere in between.

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Games Radar (in-house)

The best stories are the ones that you craft as you kick butt across the universe. Dark Avatar makes your space operas even more varied in tone and content than ever before.

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GameDaily

Dark Avatar still suffers from a few minor issues present in the original game, like non-allied aliens setting up colonies inside a rival faction's solar system without fear of repercussions. However, the positives far outweigh the negatives.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 8.6 (out of 10) based on 8 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Kyle T. gave it a9:
I Think that this is one of the best expansions to come out in a while, even beating my all time favorite, Half-life: Opposing Force in terms of new content. There are enough new features and gameplay improvements that Stardock could have realesed this as a full blown sequel, and it would not have been considered more of the same. It even manages to improve the amazing AI from the original, which i thought was impossible. The only reason I don't give it a 10 is the lack of multiplayer. Civilization 4 found a fun solution to TBS multiplayer, and so should Gal Civ II.

Collin D. gave it a10:
All frustration aside, due to the difficult AI, this is a great game. If you have the patience to actually build yourself a space ‘empire’, the gameplay is great. The only thing I dislike about this game is the diplomacy. It’s an excellent start, however it would be nice if you could have more options for dealing with potential enemies, especially threatening them, without going to war… However, I'm not taking points away from them for that!

Ben H. gave it a2:
Why does everyone like this game? It is so completely boring. The interface stinks. The art stinks. The creators forgot that Space Is Not Flat. It's cool that you can customize your ships, but the feature is merely annoying because by the time you build them, they're obsolete! The research system is just a handful of linear tracks with techs numbered 1,2,3,4. If you want to play the good version of this game, play Civilization 4. Homeworld was better if you like realtime. I have no idea why GalCiv continues to get good critic reviews, I almost always agree with the critics.

Jonathan S. gave it a10:
This is a must-buy for any civilizations fan. If you dont think there was action enough in sid meyers games, this might be something for you too. In this expansion everything has been improved, This is like way more than just an expansion but not really a sequel. There is nothing to complain about the graphics they are quite good (they got improved alot), and most of all, its got the best AI i have ever seen. one bad thing could be the diplomacy, its not very deep and from time to time a bit confusing, but it still cualifies for a 10. The only reason more people dont buy it is becourse they are afraid to try something they havent heard about.

Matthew W. gave it a10:
I didn't think it was possible, but Stardock has managed to improve Galactic Civilizations II, which was already the finest 4X space strategy game I'd ever played. All of GalCiv II's original faults have been eradicated, and new features have made the game all the sweeter. A joy to play.

Derick C. gave it a9:
This expansion adds so much to the original, not just maps or units but it actually makes the game better with its new features and ai. I can safely compare this expansion to Warcraft 3: The Frozen Throne in terms of making the original game unplayable without the expansion.

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Galactic Civilizations II: Dark Avatar

Game Info

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What The Critics Said

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