Slitherine

Alright, so I downloaded and installed it with no problem.

The splash screen seemed interesting with those waving trees, not so much the intro movie.

My first 5 mins: I jumped straight into the game without reading any tip nor help of any kind. In fact I jumped without knowing what kind of game I was expecting. My first impression was: "It looks like Colonization II or Civilization II but with updated graphics".
Initially I couldn't find how to select several units at a time, or how to go directly to my city if a unit was over it (I am talking about the first 5 mins., remember). I was focusing in the GUI and the graphics, and the first one looked really nice, but I am not so sure about the graphics. Too bright colors, I think units' scale is a bit too big, and I expect some modding can be applied!

My first half hour:
Allright, now I see where every menu leads to, where to find every option, and I can play nicely without having had to take a look to any help. This means the game is really easy to grasp, good job!
I am starting to battle some nasty bugs that appear around. Though when I send units to battle them the game tells me the possible outcome, I am a bit confused about why I am going to be defeated when both of our statistics and bonuses are really similar. Maybe terrain? My marines should be better than those bugs on that hill! Maybe I'll have to read some manual after all, but more information about why the possible outcome is this or that would be useful.
There's something that I don't like: next turn shortcut is Ctrl+Space...why not Space? It is the most used button of all and you make me push two buttons at the same time? No, no, no...
Also, the screen scrolls to the right whenever I try to reach the next turn icon, which is uncomfortable...
I am decided: I don't like too much the units and scenery graphics, but that might be my taste (even though I am an illustrator too...).

Some more time passes:
Well, I am in the "only one more turn syndrome". I like how easy it is to play, the diplomatic options (I haven't still found if there is any kind of alliance to crush those bugs, but I'd love to have it), and I LOVE the WORKSHOP. I wish there were many more improvements and equipment avaliable to play with them in the workshop, as it is really really enjoyable. Please, more weapons and armours!
The science tree seemed a bit awkard (well, it still does). Somehow the branches don't make too much sense to me. The military branches do not look too "military", and seem to be mixed with other options as all the rest are. Maybe I am not understanding well what each option provides as profit, but I cannot get it completely.
Something a bit dissapointing: the RUINS. Yes, I want to get them all, my soldiers will fight for them till the end to get...40 credits? What's this? I want to discover fantastic items and bizarre weapons and improvements, or even discover something really harmful for my empire (a poisonous cloud, my mines collapsing because of an earthquake), anything that makes me think it has been worthwhile. NO crecits nor production, please...I want fantasy!!!

Just some quick impressions, I will post more as I become an expert

I have been playing for some hours now, and achieved my first victory. It has been entertaining, though at the end I was just clicking for improvements and production without thinking really what I was choosing.

Some things I have noticed:

* Definetely I do not understand the research tree. Yep, the icons and captions tell me what each option does, but I cannot get why some options unlock what seem to me unrelated improvements. Like if hidroponics plantations can unlock titanium armour (this is not real of course).

* I guess graphics will improve in the next versions as being identical leads to confusion. I accidentally attacked a friend (a powerful one) because the colour was similar to a faction I was in war with. At least each faction should show some differences between them.

* I don't think there is too much difference between the different factions. Some tweaking should be fine to try different strategies.

* The AI sometimes does weird things: like having a Goliath at the gates of one of therir cities and moving the two marines units that were guarding it away from its walls. If they had stayed at the city they could have gained enough time to let other units come to the rescue, but they allowed me free pass without firing a single bullet.

Overall it was a nice experience, but I don't know if my feelings now are of trying a new game: my sensation is that there are not too many different strategies to win, just produce more than the rest and keep a nice army.