I first posted in these forums two years ago, right after I placed my order online for the entire GalCiv2 trilogy, about one month before TotA was released.

GalCiv2 has resided on my laptop ever since, and while I haven't played it much as of late, it has been a constant travel companion and has provided countless hours of enjoyment during my light-rail commute to and from work, and during a few trips away from home.

Change happens, of course, and I no longer ride the train to work; it's only a 10-minute drive or a 30-minute walk these days. And, it seems somewhat sad to say, I feel like I've finally had my fill of GalCiv2.

But to think of the past two years of enjoyment that my initial $60 investment has brought me, well, I can't really think of any similar experience that has given me such a great return on so little. I forget what most movies are about a week after I've seen them, it's very rare that I re-read all but the greatest of books, and most other PC games are fun for the time that it takes me to complete their campaigns, and sometimes they're good for as long as six-months if the multi-player component is very compelling. But GalCiv2 was always a blast, and I looked forward to my daily commute so that I could continue to tighten my grip on the galaxy.

On the bright side, a shortened commute means more free time at home, and some of that time has been spent with both Demigod and Sins of a Solar Empire. I had been hoping that I'd be playing Elemental: War of Magic by now, but I'd rather wait to play a polished product than play a buggy game that was rushed out the door.

Many thanks to Stardock and the GalCiv2 community for such a great experience.

P.S. No, nobody paid me anything to say these things, but I'm not above accepting gratuities--say, for example, a free copy of Elemental.