www.imperion.orghttp://wiki.imperion.com/wiki/Main_PageMade by the same peeps behind Travian. It released late last year in the U.S.
Gameplay is a bit slow at lower levels, unlike a game like Lord of Ultima, therefore if you're the type that likes lots of action from day 1, this is not for you. Normally this would be a bad thing for newbs, but you're afforded enough protection and gifts that you're fairly safe if you invest in a cache... and you can only be obliterated via special units. Obviously, if you spawn in recommended areas you're largely safe from powerful players.
What I like about the game is simply that it's polished. The text-fonts are pleasing as well as the artwork, without feeling hokey. The UI is simple and unobtrusive. The starmap is scrollable and zoomable down to the planetary level and the textures are photoreal. Some info. you have to go digging for in the Wiki (which is laid out just like the game), but this helps to declutter things. Whole game has a very simple to play, hard to master type of feel. I like the tech. trees and research arms, which give you enough avenues to explore and layered complexity if desired. Also, RMT is very minimal and not overtly imbalanced or obtrusive.
I have 3 gripes though. The population is only something like 10,000 players on the .org server, which might not be enough for an epic space game. Early play, like I said, is VERY slow... which can be boring. Since the map is scrollable/zoomable you're limited to a fairly small view of systems, which gives a somewhat claustrophobic feeling for a space strat. game. I prefer games with expansive views of systems/galaxies, but almost always this is at the xpense of polish and/or simplicity.
Overall, a nice browser-game if you have little time to invest early on.... later on though, it's obvious things can get frenetic, just like every strat. game does. I like the mature polish, simplicity, and I like the differing avenues of play with regards to race, building, and research. Is it the best space strat. pbbg? No. But it fits a role.
My location:
.org server - Universe 1 (there's only 1 universe) Galaxy 2, 7:120.
Chat is via in-game mail and IRC.