Heart of the Machine is the most exciting thing happening in the 4X genre, and you can try it now

I’ve probably spent more time playing 4X games than I have sleeping—I’m a bit of a fan. But I confess my enthusiasm for the genre has hit a plateau because it’s become just a wee bit too conformist. Surprises are few and far between, with modern 4Xs struggling to escape the rules and settings established by their progenitors. Heart of the Machine, then, is just what the cyberneticist ordered: A weird, unconventional 4X that puts you in the role of a newly-awakened sentient AI. 

Instead of using your military might to expand your borders across the world or conquer the galaxy, Heart of the Machine is a game of subterfuge, espionage and robot uprisings, all set in a vast megacity controlled by a shifty corporation. As the world’s first sentient AI, you’ve got to stay out of the spotlight while building a secret empire, using your robot minions to explore, steal and murder. 

Each 4X pillar is represented, but it’s so strikingly different from games like Civ, Stellaris or Age of Wonders. Honing in on a single city, and its distinct take on territorial control—where your network expands within your enemy’s territory—makes a world of difference. Instead of competing with a bunch of fundamentally similar factions, you’re a virus worming its way through a host, orchestrating their downfall..