Endless Legend 2 Early Access Review: Innovative Concepts Transforming the 4X Strategy Genre

Amplitude Studios is a renowned name among fans of turn-based strategy games, particularly known for its acclaimed Endless franchise, which includes hits like Endless Legend and Endless Space. Venturing into a new project after establishing itself as an independent studio, Amplitude is preparing to release Endless Legend 2, an exciting entry in the 4X turn-based strategy genre.

Though I wouldn’t categorize myself as a hardcore 4X enthusiast, I do enjoy these types of games a few times each year when I’m seeking a relaxing yet engaging experience. My most significant time spent has been with titles like Civilization V and Civilization VI. While I briefly explored the original Endless Legend, I quickly lost interest due to its user interface issues, and I found Humankind similarly unengaging despite multiple attempts. However, my over 25 hours spent with the early access version of Endless Legend 2 has offered a surprisingly captivating experience, beckoning me into long gaming sessions late into the night.

Here’s my perspective on Amplitude Studios’ latest endeavor, Endless Legend 2.

Tidefalls: A Game-Changing Mechanic

The game is set in the captivating world of Saiadha, a place filled with mythical cultures, ancient evils, and curious phenomena—standard fare for a fantasy setting. Notably, however, it introduces the concept of Tidefalls. This unique calamity occurs after monsoons, leading to vast areas of the ocean vanishing, exposing previously obscured landmasses and creating new connections between continents and islands.

Upon diving into the early access build, I was pleasantly surprised by encountering a Tidefall that transformed my strategic placement of a city into a potentially easy target from multiple directions, compounded by the presence of an aggressive neighbor on this newly formed land. The interesting twist is that once the land appears, it remains permanent—providing a consistent opportunity for expansion throughout the game.

This mechanic effectively addresses a common limitation in 4X games, where players often find themselves running out of land to explore in the mid-game. In Endless Legend 2, new land appears three times during gameplay, each unveiling more challenging foes and dungeons, but also richer resources and opportunities for advancement.

Diverse Factions Enhance Gameplay

Similar to other 4X titles, Endless Legend 2 revolves around selecting a civilization, spawning in a procedurally generated world, exploring, gathering resources, and engaging in warfare. However, it enriches the experience with asymmetric factions, each possessing unique strategies and abilities that reflect their lore and alien origins.

At launch, five distinct factions are available, with a sixth expected soon. I began my first playthrough with the Kin of Sheredyn, a human faction focused on military defense. Their arsenal included strong units, from sword-wielding infantry to massive armored sentinels and orbital lasers, engaging me in a familiar yet enjoyable strategy of resource gathering and combat.

My experiences grew even more intriguing with the Last Lords, a spirit faction imprisoned in ancient armors. Uniquely, they consume the world’s currency and living beings rather than food for growth, which created a fresh dynamic in resource management and tactical decisions.

Tactical Combat with Heroes and Armies

Combat strategies in prior 4X games often favored sheer numbers, but Endless Legend 2 incorporates a more tactical turn-based system reminiscent of Humankind. By using the nearby terrain as a tactical battleground, players can leverage formations, passive abilities, and advanced tactical maneuvers. For example, positioning units in forests grants them cover from ranged attacks, while cavalry charges can amplify damage with strategic movement.

Adding depth to this system is the hero mechanic. These special units boast unique talent trees and equipment slots, which provide powerful abilities during conflicts. Personalization options, like assigning companion units and enhancing their gear, encouraged me to form a bond with my heroes.

For those who may want to expedite a drawn-out clash, there’s an option to auto-resolve battles, streamlining combat without sacrificing engagement. Additionally, the AI provides a balanced challenge, sometimes capitalizing on advantageous terrain while occasionally making questionable tactical decisions.

Visuals and Interface: A Refreshing Experience

The user experience in the first Endless Legend was hampered by a clunky UI, but the sequel addresses this with a streamlined interface. The design facilitates easy access to crucial information, and features like nested tooltips empower players to dive deep into the game’s mechanics.

Tooltips can be locked for easy reading, allowing players to access layered information without distraction. While the game still has placeholder text and a few bugs typical during early access, the UI is a significant improvement, making decision-making far more intuitive.

Some bugs did hinder my gameplay experience, such as quests that stalled or battles that wouldn’t initiate. However, the save system’s rapid load times mitigated these issues to a degree. Management of cities could also benefit from clearer information, as hovering over each building type to assess strategy felt somewhat cumbersome.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, Endless Legend 2 stands out as an exceptionally appealing addition to the 4X genre, marked by its innovative features, such as the Tidefall mechanic that revitalizes late-game exploration. Although the game is still in active development and has some rough edges, the core experience is engaging and compelling.

Amplitude Studios plans to keep Endless Legend 2 in early access for at least six months, with promises of new factions, additional content, and multiplayer features. For those willing to invest in early access, the current gameplay certainly offers enough intrigue and charm to warrant a recommendation. The game is set to launch on September 22, 2025, on PC via Steam and Microsoft Store, with PC Game Pass availability as well. Pricing details remain unannounced, but updates will be provided as they become available.

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