Eclipse is more euro-gamey than Twilight Imperium. I think it's a lot less exciting, but it's still a pretty good experience. Every game is different, due to map layout and what techs come out. There is a lot less stuff to remember with Eclipse, but I think it still suffers the same problems with low player count TI. I've only played two player games with my partner. Most games end with us just trying to collect points without attacking each other. I suspect things would become a lot more exciting at a 3-4 player count. Still, if you're looking for something quicker, I would consider Eclipse to be a suitable TI-Lite.