The gameplay is its most outstanding feature and the reason to buy this game. The goal of Space Empires IV is to create a more prosperous empire than the other races. How that is defined is up to the player, as the game gives you the option to set the parameters for victory in advance.

The game starts with your player colonizing and building out his little corner of the galaxy. Although there is little conflict at this stage of the game, the player must carefully build his empire to be ready for when other races come into play. The early game consists of building and launching ships, colonizing and exploiting planets and researching new technologies. Dozens of options exist for each of these tasks. For example, the player has the option to create different ship classes, each of which has its own complement of equipment and weapons. Also, the player can colonize planets in his home system or other systems where he has sent spacecraft. Finally, the player has the option to increase the power and efficiency of his empire by researching new technologies.

The real game starts when your player makes contact with another race. Then the player needs to decide what kind of game he wants to run. Space Empires IV gives the player the option to use diplomacy or try to take the galaxy by force. Because the game gives the player so many options to customize, that choice is really the player's. However, the game obviously contemplates some combination of war and diplomacy. For example, having diplomatic relations with another race gives you access to trade and resources that can sustain you in a war with another faction.

Space Empires IV's story is what you make of it. You create a protagonist race from a variety of pre-set options and then set out to conquer the galaxy. Space Empires IV creates its tension from the choices the player makes in creating their empire. If you choose diplomacy as your focus, the game can be a delicate resource management simulation. If instead you choose battle as your focus, then action predominates. If you take the middle road, as the game often forces you to, you have an harried life trying to balance the competing interests of your empire.

Space Empires IV Gold looks good. The graphics are mostly 2-D, however, and this will disappoint people who live and breathe framerates. The ships, planets and other celestial bodies that exist in the game are beautiful and provide more than enough eye candy to get you through.

The sound effects are generic and the music is somewhat quiet. That's not necessarily a bad thing, with all of the information that you have to keep track of during the game. Space Empires IV can be played without its program disk, but you do so at the expense of any music whatsoever.

The game is not necessarily difficult. Careful planning and conservative play can usually lead to victory. Space Empires IV Gold is not very approachable to someone new to these types of games. The game does include a tutorial that will get you started, but it only gets you started. Reading the manual (a 100+ page affair) can be daunting, but is necessary to get the most out of this game.

Perhaps I am showing a console-game bias, but I do wish that this game would automate some of the tasks and help the player out more. During every round of play there can be dozens of actions that the player needs to take care of. The game give you time to complete those tasks, but forgetting to tend to a ship or a colony can cause problems down the line.

Space Empire IV is a good game, it is not for everyone, but if you have the patience to dig into it, it won't disappoint.