Battle of Polytopia shows 4X games don't need to be big, and it's free right now

When I think of the leading 4X games, names such as Stellaris and Civilization 7, scale is one of the first aspects that comes to mind. If you’re going to explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate, you want an extensive space to do it in, right? The Battle of Polytopia proves conclusively that this way of thinking isn’t always the answer. On the flat, simple landmass of the Square, this small-scale strategy squeezes packs surprising depth into a tight package, and you can grab it for nothing as one of two Epic Games Store free games this week.