Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri (1999)

I havent' played any Sid Meier Games to my knowledge other than this one. I played it in 2013 just a few years back, was really impressed and drawn into it. I love games like this that have really sensationalistic research trees and the research is a big component of the game. I know nothing of research quite like in this game aside from XCOM. In this one, the research determines exactly how you will play the game, your strategies and what makes you better than your opponents. Every research technology is highly embellished and sensationalized and has a long voice acted narraative and short CG video. the excitement of unlocking a new technology was my favorite thing about this game. This was such a nice touch and almost makes it feel like you are playing some interactive hard sci fi thing by arthur c clarke or something. Also, the game was made in later 90's and captures a Y2K 'tech will save us' techno-optimism. So they really went for broke with the whole idea of transhumanism by incorporating just about every kind of possible technology imagined.

These crazy tech advances are maybe a bit larger than life, do not exactly translate into the game (it would obviously break the balance one you unlock GODTECH) but it's a nice headspace it puts you in as you play the game and make progress. The game itself seems to be like what I've seen from civ, but maybe more simplistic. You determine if you want your cities to focus on food/population, minera/buildingl or gem/money production ( i think i got it right but i might be mistaken), there are also other more minor resources, but in general you build through city hives that have a focus on a particular resource (like civ, i think)

The game itself is slow territorial expansion based on how you manage your cities and research trees ultimately determines the path and focus of your empire. Whether you want to be colonial and expansionist with heavy population or more militaristic, you can also focus on finance. There is enough background writing in this to make anyone's head spin.

Writing this makes me want to play Beyond Earth and the Anno series.

most complex turn based strategy i ever played, great political Systems, the economic system is kind of simple in comparison. Best thing are the seven factions (14 with expansion) from fundamentalist christians to greedy neo-capitalists there is everything you could wish. The tech-tree is enormous and every invention is nicley explained with great voice acting. I can only say, that this game gives me a cold rush of astonishment every time i play it, its on rank 3 of my all-time-favourites.