The mechanics of the game allow players to either improve their planets' resource production through the construction of facilities or build more ships with which to defend their empires.

Further along the tech tree this is facilitated by technology, allowing the player to destroy planets whole and manipulate stars turning entire systems into black holes or storms.

Other ways to win include diplomatic allying with all races and maintaining peace throughout the universe (a difficult feat with rival computer players fighting amongst themselves).

Planets are either ice, rock or gas types, with an atmosphere of none, hydrogen, oxygen, methane or carbon dioxide.

By contrast the Xi-Chung hive's aggressive tendencies and technologies generally make them dangerous foes in the early game only.

In the standard games the racial techs are Organic, Crystalline, Psychic, Temporal and Deeply Religious.

In 2003, writer Mark H. Walker noted that Shrapnel Games had "made serious money" with Space Empires IV.