I' ve got some free time and looking for a shiny new 4xer to dig my teeth into. GC4 had very poor reviews on release, was wondering if it's actually a decent game now with patches etc. I've been a big fan of GC 2 & 3 previously.

I guess my side question is, any other potential 4x gems I may have missed that will scratch this itch. I've played stellaris but it's been a few years and to honest the complexity curve of relearning it is putting me off a bit lol (same with crusader kings, another game I love but it's been a while and I'm not sure I have the headspace to do another degree in medieval law)