14 DAY TRIAL // 
I love to play as the TEC in Sins of a Solar Empire because it allows me to create a story about a number of assailed human-inhabited planets that need to link their meager resources in order to develop a powerful armada that can battle both their own splinter groups and powerful aliens.
The space-based science fiction strategy title from Ironclad Games remains as solid as it has ever been, and with the New Frontiers edition, gamers can get one single package that includes almost all the content launched for it and allows them to master the unique mechanics associated with six interesting races and flex their strategic thinking muscles.
The title is no longer the impressive and innovative product that it was back in 2008, but it continues to deliver impressive battles and interesting challenges that will satisfy all fans of the real-time strategy genre.
Story
Sins of a Solar Empire does not have an actual story, and Ironclad Games has been adamant that the structure of the game would not support a true single-player campaign.
This does not mean that the game does not have a very complex universe, filled with lore and details that narrative lovers will spend hours to fully explore and understand.
There are three core factions to initially choose from: The Trader’s Emergency Coalition or TEC, the Advent, and the Vasari, and each of them is split into two groups, with Rebellion giving players more choices in terms of both units and overall gameplay philosophy.
Each of the sides included in the game has a clearly defined personality, best seen in the design of their units and in the technologies that they can use, and playing a game as the TEC is an entirely different experience than trying to win as the Vasari.
The development team has tried the best it could to make each match, be it single or multiplayer, feel like its own contained story, an occasion for the players to create their own narrative filled with heroic moments, complex tactical moves, major setbacks and the tango of diplomacy and betrayal.
Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion – New Frontiers adds a little to the flavor of the universe with its mysterious planets and its expanded list of bonuses that gamers can discover and use to their advantage.
The additions are not essential to the series, but they will have an impact for long-term fans.
Gameplay
Sins of a Solar Empire is a real-time space-based strategy experience in which gamers focus on the creation and the movement of fleets, using a complex solar system layout, that can then be used to defeat similar enemy formations and then lay siege to their planets.
The game allows players to achieve a purely military win or to try to get to the same result using diplomacy or by simply researching the most expensive techs included in the game.
Other modes include Last Flagship Standing, Occupation, and Last Capital Standing, but regardless of which one a gamer is aiming for, they will have to carefully use their fleets, protect and develop their planets and decide exactly how to use their limited resources.
Sins of a Solar Empire tests the attention resources that a player has, especially once the early game moves are done, because the gamer needs to juggle fleet movement, research, planetary development, and diplomacy.
Once two fleets meet in battle, gamers need to carefully place their ships based on their attack patterns and abilities and to use their special powers in order to impede enemies and take them out.
Once the skies are clear of defenses, planetary attack vessels can be used to destroy a planet and then take it over.
Sins of a Solar Empire is focused on combat, but there are plenty of ways to interact with other races diplomatically, trying to create alliances to contain the most powerful empire or getting them to share technology in exchange for protection.
As mentioned, I tend to play as the TEC, and one of my favorite moves is to hang back defensively in order to rush the Novalith cannon tech and then take out enemy planets from distance while they futilely try to get through my armored starbases to destroy my weapon of doom.
The beauty of Sins of a Solar Empire is that each of the six factions has a similar super-powerful toy to play around with, and there is also a chance to create impressive, massive Titan ships in order to simply plow a path of destruction through enemy space.
The New Frontiers Edition of Sins of a Solar Empire gives gamers more types of planets that can be colonized and an entirely new system to develop them, which makes it easier to decide whether they should be focused on industry or on other priorities.
There are also a few new additions to the ship line-up for all factions, with more support issues for the mighty Titans and powerful Capital ships, which at the moment also have new ability levels that increase their power.
The team has also introduced some tutorials, which should be an essential resource for all those who are playing Sins of a Solar Empire for the first time.
Graphics and audio
Sins of a Solar Empire was impressive from a graphics point of view when it was first introduced in early 2008, and via continuous updates to the engine, the development team at Ironclad Games has managed to maintain its beauty even six years later.
The fleets of ships, especially the big Titans and the Capital vessels, look great during battles, and the user interface that Ironclad Games has created, while no longer innovative, does a great job of offering players all the information they need in order to manage their empires.
Unfortunately, Sins of a Solar Empire matches are complex enough that there’s limited time for the player to simply watch the action, beautiful as it is.
The sound design is equally solid and serves to enhance the overall atmosphere of Sins of a Solar Empire, especially during the majestic battles.
Multiplayer
In many ways, Sins of a Solar Empire is designed to be played in multiplayer, because only another human can offer a solid challenge to another player, even if the Artificial Intelligence that Ironclad Games created is pretty good.
The biggest problem with the New Frontiers version of the game is that it’s launch seems to have had little impact on the number of online players, which has dwindled to under 1,000 in the past few months.
Cool matches can still take place, but the fact that most of those engaged in Sins of a Solar Empire multiplayer are very good at the game and have an already established list of friends to play with might pose a problem to newcomers to the series, even if the community at large is pretty friendly.
Games can also take a long time to complete, especially when players with almost equal levels of skill are involved, but playing one is very fun, and the shifting alliances and massive battles mean that the investment is worth it.
The Good
- Strategy mechanics
- Variety of planets
- Faction unique elements
The Bad
- Limited new content
- Games can take a long time to complete
Conclusion
The expansions that were added really changed the experience for the better, both when it comes to the actual battles between fleets and in the area of planet and empire development.
The most interesting additions are the new planet types that can be colonized and the Titans that can be unleashed against enemy empires.
For long-time fans of the Sins of a Solar Empire concept who have already played Rebellion, the new release does add some interesting new content, but probably not enough to significantly change their take on the title.
