Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion

 PC
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 287 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 204 out of 287
  2. Mixed: 54 out of 287
  3. Negative: 29 out of 287

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  1. MajFauxPas
    Aug 19, 2012
    1
    I was expecting a new game and was completely deceived. Same menu, same ships, same music, same artwork, same voice acting, same races, same planets, same resource system.... ladies and gentlemen, this is the same game. Yes, there are some additions, but they are merely a handful of additions to the same old game. Do not buy this game, especially if you already have the original SOASE. TheI was expecting a new game and was completely deceived. Same menu, same ships, same music, same artwork, same voice acting, same races, same planets, same resource system.... ladies and gentlemen, this is the same game. Yes, there are some additions, but they are merely a handful of additions to the same old game. Do not buy this game, especially if you already have the original SOASE. The differences are so minimal that you won't be able to tell the two apart when you boot them up.

    Stardock is intentionally not showing any gameplay trailers. They have these new rendered trailers which are obviously not from this game, I think maybe they had to buy the technology to make those videos since their game engine is incapable. Don't think you'll be seeing anything like what's in the trailers. In order to justify a $40 price tag, a studio would have to create new content, update their game engine, improve their audio, etc. etc. etc, none of which was done.

    This is SOASE with expansions, like a GOTY edition, except that it's been several years since this game was originally released. Several. Years. Same game. Same old game. A couple new units, a couple new tech, but most of the units (90%) are copied and pasted from SOASE.

    So I'm really curious as to why people like this game. I played the original flavor, and maybe thought it wasn't a waste of $30, but I didn't play it much since it was very rough around the edges, and I was more accustomed to games like Company of Heroes and Civilization which were polished, fun, and well produced. But this SOASE expansion for $40 is like paying for shoes that don't fit and cannot be returned. 'Rebellion' is a waste of money, a useless game, a joke, a trick to steal your hard earned money in exchange for an old game with a new name which was mediocre to begin with.

    What I'm trying to say is: DO NOT buy this $10 expansion for $40. This is an expansion to an existing game being sold as a stand-alone game. There is no option to buy it as an expansion, even though 90% of the game is from the original SOASE. If you like being ropped off, then go for it. I haven't had buyer's remorse this badly in a long time. Total ripoff. He who has ears, let him hear.....    … Expand
  2. dave146
    Jun 15, 2012
    4
    This overpriced and rushed expansion adds a very small number of updates to a good game. a couple new ships per race and a small number of tech upgrades. The only other addition is some new victory conditions which do add some desperately needed depth to the game but overall a very limited update that is FAR less significant than the Entrenchment expansion. This is Stardock attempting toThis overpriced and rushed expansion adds a very small number of updates to a good game. a couple new ships per race and a small number of tech upgrades. The only other addition is some new victory conditions which do add some desperately needed depth to the game but overall a very limited update that is FAR less significant than the Entrenchment expansion. This is Stardock attempting to make some money after the Elemental War of Magic disaster. Only buy if you see it on sale.… Expand
  3. Noems
    Jun 19, 2012
    1
    I have no idea why the reviews for this game are so high. The game plays like it was supposed to be a turn based strategy game, and that has already been done so much better in an older game, Space Empires. The trailers led me to believe there was some in depth storyline, but it's just a series of boring skirmishes that last too long. It looks nice visually (not up to todays standards) butI have no idea why the reviews for this game are so high. The game plays like it was supposed to be a turn based strategy game, and that has already been done so much better in an older game, Space Empires. The trailers led me to believe there was some in depth storyline, but it's just a series of boring skirmishes that last too long. It looks nice visually (not up to todays standards) but you will spend 98% of the time zoomed so far out that you never see any ships or fighting, just tiny icons. A waste of money (thanks for the no refund policy Steam). I advise you not to waste your money. Go play Space Empires, a shareware game from Windows 95/98, while not impressive visually, it is actually enjoyable to play.… Expand
  4. Kerith
    Oct 24, 2012
    2
    Stand-alone expansion that doesn't add anything a mod to the original could. No engine updates for multi-cores and still won't use more then 2 gigs of ram on a 64-bit cpu. There is no single player campaign.

    Only get this if you do not own the Trinity version. I wish this series would pull through on their "epic galaxy battles", however, they do not exist in any version in the series    Stand-alone expansion that doesn't add anything a mod to the original could. No engine updates for multi-cores and still won't use more then 2 gigs of ram on a 64-bit cpu. There is no single player campaign.

    Only get this if you do not own the Trinity version. I wish this series would pull through on their "epic galaxy battles", however, they do not exist in any version in the series thus far. Large and huge maps experience performance decay over time as the AI expands and the last few hours of a game turn into a slide show. You could search support for dev talk relating to the end game lag. Those threads tend to fall off the first page and go into the archive.

    Random counters:
    Limiting the number of AI players only reduces end game lag in the sense that 1 AI player is unable to capture territory as fast as 1 good player. What you end up is a set games where the AI and player are equal in skill, but unplayable and another set where the player rolls the AI.    … Expand
  5. Schmidte
    Dec 12, 2013
    0
    The release of Rebellion was a giant middle finger to all existing fans of the original game, like myself. Rebellion essentially adds a few new ships to the game and a couple of minor tweaks. It would be a GREAT $10 expansion. The problem is, Stardock released Rebellion as a PURELY stand-alone game for $40 that is 90%+ the same as the original SOASE and it's expansions. They could haveThe release of Rebellion was a giant middle finger to all existing fans of the original game, like myself. Rebellion essentially adds a few new ships to the game and a couple of minor tweaks. It would be a GREAT $10 expansion. The problem is, Stardock released Rebellion as a PURELY stand-alone game for $40 that is 90%+ the same as the original SOASE and it's expansions. They could have easily made this another expansion like the others but they made it a $40 stand-alone as a PURE CASH GRAB. They should have at least allowed existing SOASE owners to tack it on as a normal expansion for half the price instead of paying a full $40 for a game that is more than 90% the same as what I have.… Expand
  6. bigsilverhotdog
    May 1, 2016
    4
    Broken series is broken. Why make an epic space builder/fleet combat RTS when large fleets destroy performance to the point of unplayability, and you can't run max settings (or most mods) without random crashes? The first Sins was like that and this "new" game has identical problems. It isn't a new engine, and it still isn't functional. Complete waste of money and it could have been soBroken series is broken. Why make an epic space builder/fleet combat RTS when large fleets destroy performance to the point of unplayability, and you can't run max settings (or most mods) without random crashes? The first Sins was like that and this "new" game has identical problems. It isn't a new engine, and it still isn't functional. Complete waste of money and it could have been so good. Pathetic.… Expand
  7. COMThing
    Jun 12, 2014
    3
    This is a very bland RTS with 2 major reasons why:

    1: Unit choices are very limited as there are less units overall than the original Command and Conquer. The units are all very similar, if not exactly the same for each faction, so you could definitely say there are only 10 different units in this game. Units also have stupidly specific roles, to the point where you will only buy 1 type    This is a very bland RTS with 2 major reasons why:

    1: Unit choices are very limited as there are less units overall than the original Command and Conquer. The units are all very similar, if not exactly the same for each faction, so you could definitely say there are only 10 different units in this game. Units also have stupidly specific roles, to the point where you will only buy 1 type of unit if attacked by cruisers, or a different type when attacked by fighters

    2: Maps are few and small, which takes away the idea of exploring (on the largest map you can find your enemy as fast as you would in C&C in 1vs1 on a small map). Large maps would just make the game even worse due to the stale units.

    These factors alone take away any sort of strategy other than countering with the right unit, which is very easy to do and incredibly unsatisfying.    … Expand
  8. BillyIdol
    Jul 31, 2012
    4
    Being Sins of a Solar Empire, it's a great game, but it's overpriced for what it does.
    Just adding a couple of ships, won't make this a different game, feels more like a mod than an expansion for the main game.
  9. CaernarvonKjaer
    Sep 8, 2013
    0
    I notice most of the good reviews are from returning players. There is a very steep learning curve. I played 5 games and lost each one soundly. I'm sure there's a correct formula I ignored diplomacy, for instance, but I don't want a formulaic game. I felt no freedom to explore or enjoy various options. Enemy factions attack incessantly and present no time to enjoy any other aspect ofI notice most of the good reviews are from returning players. There is a very steep learning curve. I played 5 games and lost each one soundly. I'm sure there's a correct formula I ignored diplomacy, for instance, but I don't want a formulaic game. I felt no freedom to explore or enjoy various options. Enemy factions attack incessantly and present no time to enjoy any other aspect of the game. There's no real connect between the storyline and the game play.… Expand
  10. damaged
    Jun 21, 2014
    0
    Money-grabbing, untruthful tactic made to take your money for a few extra goodies pasted into an old game and selling as new, In my opinion, Stardock is a disreputable company whose main form of income comes from trickery and deceit, do not buy!
  11. jjhalberd
    Oct 31, 2012
    4
    I enjoyed sins, it wasn't very innovative but it was fun. But paying full price for essentially the same thing is not fun at all. This game is really just another expansion a la diplomacy.
  12. Lefort
    Aug 24, 2013
    3
    SoSaE is a Sci-fi 4x game that looks and can be very overwhelming, while this game does show potential you'll be having a hard time finding it with no Single player campaign and a dead online community and learning curve which is impossible to learn without opposing players. Another thing would be to note this is a game that isn't about micro and situational strategy but more about macroSoSaE is a Sci-fi 4x game that looks and can be very overwhelming, while this game does show potential you'll be having a hard time finding it with no Single player campaign and a dead online community and learning curve which is impossible to learn without opposing players. Another thing would be to note this is a game that isn't about micro and situational strategy but more about macro and resource income pretty much like starcraft with all that much more macro and research. Which makes the game incredibly frustrating when you get absurdly large amount of planets each with its own base building area and limited amount of slots. When it comes down to it this game is really only good for LAN parties that or very long and boring skirmish matches against a one trick pony Ai.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

33
#33 Best PC Game of 2012
64
#64 Most Discussed PC Game of 2012
40
#40 Most Shared PC Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 24
  3. Negative: 0 out of 24
  1. Absolute Games
    Aug 30, 2012
    62
    Rebellion is clearly an improvement over the original Sins of a Solar Empire, but it's still a not very successful attempt to cross an RTS with a 4X strategy game.
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  2. GameCritics
    Aug 6, 2012
    75
    Sins of a Solar Empire: Rebellion is a game I really wish I was more skilled at. I appreciate all the various aspects of gameplay and the depth that the combination of those aspects provides. Still, as my fellow critic Kristin Taylor might say, I was far too enamored with the construction of my newfangled Titan to react quickly enough to the raiders destroying my infrastructure. While it's a long, long way from being up my alley, it at least makes for a good spectator sport.
    Read full review
  3. PC PowerPlay
    Jul 31, 2012
    90
    Miles deep, loaded with options and gorgeous art, Sins: Rebellion is a great, genre-transcending strategy game. [Aug 2012, p.60]
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