The Endless Legend 2 release date is set, as the fantasy 4X game takes on Civ 7

Civilization 7 makes bold changes, but it hasn't been to everyone's tastes. The new entry in the most iconic series of 4X games continues to struggle despite Firaxis' best efforts. But there are alternatives, from historical options like Old World to the more fantastical Stellaris and Age of Wonders 4. Now, one of the best Civ rivals is finally back. Endless Legend 2, the sequel to the ultra-creative strategy game from Amplitude Studios, has been teasing us lately with faction reveals, and we finally have a launch date.

In our Endless Legend review back in 2014, Fraser scored it a resounding 9/10, praising its strong design philosophy and willingness to evolve on genre conventions. Now under the umbrella of Against the Storm publisher Hooded Horse, Endless Legend 2 follows in the footsteps of its predecessor as a notably asymmetrical 4X game. Each of its factions boasts dramatically different core mechanics, making every playthrough feel unique from the others.

This time, however, we're moving to a new world; the oceanic planet of Saiadha is defined by its dramatic tide shifts, with receding oceans that can unveil new lands to settle or open potential paths of attack towards previously safe coastlines. These 'Tidefall' events are integrated naturally into the procedurally generated maps, ensuring that the world will look very different from how it began by the time your game concludes.

Much like the original game, Endless Legend 2 takes place on a hex-grid map, and combat encounters generate bespoke battlefields based on the surrounding terrain as they happen. Depending on your chosen faction and their preferred approach to others, smaller groups you run into as you explore could be negotiated with to trade for resources, assimilated into your empire, or consumed entirely to feed your own strength.

At launch, Endless Legend 2 will feature five factions, and we've already taken a look at three of them. The Kin of Sheredyn are stranded spacefarers looking to regain access to their technological marvels among the stars. The Aspects are a blend of coral organism and machine hivemind that spread a Zerg-like terrain across the map. Returning favorites the Necrophage are all-consuming warmongers, based out of a single city and capable of traveling rapidly across the lands through an extensive tunnel network.

The Endless Legend 2 release date is Thursday August 7, 2025 via Steam Early Access. You can wishlist it now if you want to be notified when it arrives. Expect deep dives into the final two factions before the full release arrives.

For more of the best games like Civilization, take a look through our most-recommended picks. We've also rounded up our favorite turn-based strategy games, so you'll have plenty of options for what to play next.

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