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Despite the popularity of space "4X" strategy games - those that stress eXploration, eXpansion, eXploitation, and eXtermination - the pickings in this genre have been very slim in recent years. GT Interactive plans to change all that soon with Imperium Galactica II, an epic strategy game that GT hopes will appeal to Master of Orion 2 fans along with anyone else who's ever wanted a great-looking and great-playing space strategy game. An early, hands-on look at a beta version of the game left us very impressed.

Imperium Galactica II impresses almost immediately - even in the early form we tested. The interface is slick and intuitive, from the main menu to the in-game prompts and windows. MOO2 veterans will have little difficulty diving right into gameplay, despite the fact that Imperium Galactica II uses a real-time engine. No need to fear, though: This is real time in the Star Wars: Rebellion sense (except it works), with a varying time setting that you can pause or speed up to your heart's content. In fact, the real-time engine works quite well in Imperium Galactica II.

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The basic game revolves around three campaigns, each played from the perspective of a different species. While each is open-ended to a degree (much like any Civilization-style game would be), each also has a sequence of key events and plot twists. For example, you have the opportunity in the Solarian (human) campaign to obtain a planet-busting bomb - but it can only be used once and cannot be duplicated. Toys like that can seriously affect your military and diplomatic efforts with friends and neighbors.

You begin the game with a single planet and a single small fleet. From these humble beginnings, you must explore the surrounding space, bulk up on research, and begin diplomatic negotiations with the other races you discover. To help get newcomers up to speed, the game includes an excellent tutorial that walks you through nearly every aspect of the game: fleet management, research, diplomacy, espionage, colony management, and battles.

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The game's main control screen is the starmap, which provides a gorgeous view of your empire and the rest of known space. You can rotate this view and zoom in and out freely. Stars and fleets are clearly visible on the map, as are their text labels. Surrounding your planets and ships, you will see a radar range that determines the areas in which you can spot neutral or enemy ships and planets. Also, the map is beautifully detailed with nebulae and a parallaxing starfield that is truly stunning.

Next: How to manage an empire