Eclipse: Second Dawn for the Galaxy

I played this game recently for the first time. It looked very intimidating at first but ,I was able to
pick up the rules very quickley. It's the strategy that will take you a few plays to develope. There is a lot
of different actions that you can do and try out to see what works best for you.

Excellent game. unfortunately it arrived with the box damaged.

This is a great game. The recurring knock among these reviews is playtime, which is definitely a factor, but only until everyone knows the rules, which may take a couple playthroughs. The box suggests 30 mins/player, and my group (four players) is down to two hours, so the suggested timing seems right. Amazing variability with the tech tree, faction asymmetry, and 4X elements. Turns are fun with high interaction and, while there is an element of luck with die rolling for combat, for example, skill is still the dominating element (and understanding probabilities is a skill, which is why I rarely turn my nose up at dice). The rulebook appears imposing but the rules themselves are straightforward and captured well on player aids. Playthrough examples are thorough and very helpful. This game is tight, polished, fun, and highly recommended.

Not for everyone. If you're relatively new to the hobby and want to get some of the highest-rated games, I'd be careful. Make sure you're ready for something this heavy.