Sid Meier's Starships

 PC
User Score
4.4

Generally unfavorable reviews- based on 126 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 126
  2. Mixed: 31 out of 126
  3. Negative: 69 out of 126

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  1. neutral22
    Mar 30, 2015
    9
    I would actually recommend it ,on the account of me having fun playing it.

    These days my patience for learning new and complex games are (perhaps unfortunately?) at an all time low. Starships was a surprise, in that it was -really- easy to get into. You don't have to read a manual 10 times the bible just to undock your ship, or learn how the economic's work. Sid Meier's Starships    I would actually recommend it ,on the account of me having fun playing it.

    These days my patience for learning new and complex games are (perhaps unfortunately?) at an all time low.
    Starships was a surprise, in that it was -really- easy to get into.

    You don't have to read a manual 10 times the bible just to undock your ship, or learn how the economic's work.

    Sid Meier's Starships pretty much puts you right in the middle of things, yet giving you some help along the way.
    There's only a few tech-trees if you compare it to the Civilization games, and as such things do feel quite a bit simplified.

    The good thing about this is that it makes the game easy to get into, and still as you learn by playing, you soon find that strategy and thinking helps a lot.
    I would love for Firaxis to add to this game, it's practically begging for a good Hot-seat mode (Like the Old Master of Orion games (MOO 1+2) more diplomacy options ,more ship / customization options, and actually, a little more of everything.

    It's the first space strategy game I've tried in the last 10 years I haven't needed to will myself into playing, but now that I like it? I want more, lots more.

    There positives are :

    Easy to get into
    Smooth gameplay
    Interesting setting / technologies
    The many different kinds of missions , in addition to thrilling space battles
    A sheer joy to play (when you're winning difficult fights)

    The negatives (for me)

    NO FULLSCREEN?!!! ...... That's uber-annoying, what are Firaxis thinking?
    Alt+F4 to quit!?? Where's the QUIT TO WINDOWS (or DOS) button????
    No multiplayer? ..b....but why???? It's a turned based game that practically begs for a Hot-seat mode
    GUI , this -really-really-really- needs work ......I thought they knew how to do this after Civ and X-com
    Lack of gameplay depth, options like setting up diplomatic treaties, alliances ++
    Though the game can quickly pull you in, it soon leaves you wanting more

    I certainly hope the game gets better With patches / fixes and addons    … Expand
  2. TheDancingJesus
    Mar 13, 2015
    8
    I'm really enjoying this. There are tweaks to make, but it's engaging, very well crafted, and has a solid degree of customization. It's not an epic, Civ-style experience, but I imagine I'll play it as a way to get my strategy fix when I'm crunched for time.

    Three things I would change (or at least want to hear why they didn't take this approach): * Add multiplayer. That's so strange to    I'm really enjoying this. There are tweaks to make, but it's engaging, very well crafted, and has a solid degree of customization. It's not an epic, Civ-style experience, but I imagine I'll play it as a way to get my strategy fix when I'm crunched for time.

    Three things I would change (or at least want to hear why they didn't take this approach):
    * Add multiplayer. That's so strange to be missing from a game today.
    * Let you actively lose ships -- other than spending energy to repair damage, the consequences of losing are just really marginal.
    * Have multiple fleets, instead of just one flying around. This would go a long way toward adding the strategic depth that I think is missing -- maybe cap it at 3 so the map doesn't turn into a mess that you have to micromanage (think old Total War games where by the end, you'd have dozens of one-unit armies trying to get to the front).

    If you saw Sid Meier's name and thought you were getting a Civ-scale experience for $15, I don't think that warrants some of the negative reviews that are here. They were really up front about what this was going to be, and the price point still feels very reasonable to me for how much I see myself playing it.    … Expand
  3. Tb87670
    Mar 12, 2015
    8
    Simplified 4x Space game but not to the point of too simply like SpaceCom did. Mostly a focus on tactical ship/fleet battles, everything you do in the galaxy map is to fuel your capabilities in tactical battles. This is a change from older 4x's like MOO and Space Empires, instead of using most of your time managing the empire you spend most of it in engagements against the enemy.Simplified 4x Space game but not to the point of too simply like SpaceCom did. Mostly a focus on tactical ship/fleet battles, everything you do in the galaxy map is to fuel your capabilities in tactical battles. This is a change from older 4x's like MOO and Space Empires, instead of using most of your time managing the empire you spend most of it in engagements against the enemy. Management is streamlined to be very smooth. This is much like the XCom release from Firaxis, that was not quite as harsh as the original but a smoother still fun experience. Same goes for this 4x game. I knew exactly what this game was when I paid the full $15 for it. That's not much, that's a DLC pack for COD with only a few maps. Most people are expecting a Civ or Beyond Earth type of game at $15 release date price and never researched what this was, that is where most of the negative reviews are coming from. You are simply getting a streamlined space 4x with emphasis on fleet battles and games are meant to last a few hours maybe, not take dozens of hours to finish.… Expand
  4. Gmfeier
    Mar 12, 2015
    9
    The game is actually fun. It's not deep and doesn't pretend to be. I have only been playing it for a few hours, But I can see that I will continue to play it in the future. It is sort of a modernized version of MoO II and players like me who still play MoO II should enjoy it.
  5. Jyykson
    Mar 12, 2015
    9
    Turn-based tactical space combat, upgradable spaceships, and light territory control and empire building aspects. A great $15 package for some quick strategy fun. Negative reviewers should take note that it does not say "Civilization 6" on the title...this is a tightly focused, streamlined tactics game with some light overall strategy to give it structure. Go in knowing that, and you'llTurn-based tactical space combat, upgradable spaceships, and light territory control and empire building aspects. A great $15 package for some quick strategy fun. Negative reviewers should take note that it does not say "Civilization 6" on the title...this is a tightly focused, streamlined tactics game with some light overall strategy to give it structure. Go in knowing that, and you'll have plenty of fun. It's like a sped-up version of a Civ game stripped down and focused on.....Starships.… Expand
  6. RandomLetters27
    Mar 19, 2015
    9
    Mobile game released for PC, just so we're clear. Streamlined, light-strategy experience focused on tactical starship battles, big on unit positioning and angle of attack. It's not meant to take two weeks to finish a game. Where it succeeds is distilling classic Civ features into their basic fundamentals for a Civ-light (very light!) feel. I'll tell you how I feel about this:Mobile game released for PC, just so we're clear. Streamlined, light-strategy experience focused on tactical starship battles, big on unit positioning and angle of attack. It's not meant to take two weeks to finish a game. Where it succeeds is distilling classic Civ features into their basic fundamentals for a Civ-light (very light!) feel. I'll tell you how I feel about this: personally, I'm a Total War game kind of guy, and ideally would spend days on careful worldwide strategy and minute positioning in battle. But now I'm also a parent with a full time job, and I don't have that kind of time. So to me, getting the same general strategy fix in a fraction of the time by shaving away some of the complexity is not a bad thing. I still wrestle with optimizing territory control, determining research tree path, ship loadout and overall playstyle strategy, preventing AI moves that could cost me the game, etc. It just happens a lot faster. For $15 that's kind of a selling point now. As long as this doesn't become the future of Civ games (and it's clearly NOT Civ-6, so I don't think we have to worry), there's a place for this as a light-strategy companion piece.… Expand
  7. Hansilsblood
    Mar 13, 2015
    9
    It's fun intuitive gameplay, but simple. It's worth the 15$ and will be even more worth it when firaxis ties it in with beyond earth creating another layer of game mechanics to and that unique feel that we've been looking for from Sid. I would totally get it. Its repetition doesn't really deduct from the gameplay and its oddly satisfying.
  8. xchaotic
    Mar 15, 2015
    8
    As long as you understand what this game is and set the expectations right, it's actually quite a fun, casual game where you take control of a small fleet of ships.
    It is good for me, as I don't have a lot of time to invest in a game nowadays, but in the end it is a rather simplistic port of an iOS game.
    If you enjoyed Faster Than Light, you will enjoy this game and I'd say this is a    As long as you understand what this game is and set the expectations right, it's actually quite a fun, casual game where you take control of a small fleet of ships.
    It is good for me, as I don't have a lot of time to invest in a game nowadays, but in the end it is a rather simplistic port of an iOS game.
    If you enjoyed Faster Than Light, you will enjoy this game and I'd say this is a similar level of complexity.
    On the other hand FTL is more replayable, at least from the initial impression.
    On the graphics side, it looks very pretty.
    It isn't too demanding on the hardware side - making it a perfect game on the go - I play on a ultraportable laptop that can't handle most AAA games, this one is fine, so a big plus from me.
    Overall a strong 7 but a big plus from me for modest HW requirements so 8 from me.    … Expand
  9. solfireuk
    Sep 24, 2017
    8
    It isn't deep and it isn't worth paying lots of money for but it is fun and well designed in my opinion. Yes it does feel more like a mobile game but at least unlike a mobile game app it doesn't want you to spend more money through micro payments. Just treat it as a fun distraction and no more.

Awards & Rankings

98
#98 Most Discussed PC Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
64

Mixed or average reviews - based on 58 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 58
  2. Mixed: 40 out of 58
  3. Negative: 7 out of 58
  1. PCWorld
    Jan 21, 2016
    80
    Starships condenses Sid Meier's knack for turn-based strategy into a short, two-to-five hour burst of board game-esque tactics that's as satisfying as it is approachable.
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  2. Riot Pixels
    Jul 16, 2015
    25
    This awful strategy game is not worthy of even a single playthrough neither on PC, nor on tablets.
    Read full review
  3. Games Master UK
    May 24, 2015
    73
    More short-term play-friendly beast. [June 2015, p.78]
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