Ironclad Games took a gamble, but did it pay off?
There are three races in Sins of a Solar Empire, and all of them play differently. For example, the Advent focus on culture and strength in numbers, whereas the TEC focus on balance. Each race also has a different tech tree, allowing them to build certain ships and structures earlier. There is also diplomacy in the game, however it mostly includes the computer ordering you around like a slave, before you can actually engage in treaties.
Though the diplomacy may be lacking, the AI is no slouch. Fleet AI is truly marvelous and takes loads of micromanagement of your back. Ships attack those which they are strong against, and use abilities effectively most of the time, although one time, my capital ship thought it was a good idea to colonize a planet with a good deal of bombers around it. The computer also knows how to run when outnumbered and to protect their capital ships.
However, this game really shines in its user interface. On the left of the screen, there is a list of planets that you own and planets which you have ships stationed at. Double clicking on them automatically zooms you to that locations. You can also assign fleet leaders so you don't have to cycle all the way to a capital ship to use its abilities.
Sins of a Solar Empire is a good game, considering it had a small budget for its development. However, it lacks any campaign mode of sorts, which is something that would have benefited this game. This game may not appeal to everyone, so try the demo before buying it.