Star Ruler 2

 PC
User Score
7.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 54 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 40 out of 54
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 54
  3. Negative: 11 out of 54

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  1. ferruspugnum
    Apr 19, 2015
    8
    I am pretty surprised to see such a low rating for this game. I bought it a couple weeks ago to play with couple of friends who really liked it and I have to say it has some great qualities. I think it is up there with some of the best 4x games out there. It has some of the features of Sword of the Stars 1, endless Space, Sins of a solar empire and more all mixed in together.

    I will    I am pretty surprised to see such a low rating for this game. I bought it a couple weeks ago to play with couple of friends who really liked it and I have to say it has some great qualities. I think it is up there with some of the best 4x games out there. It has some of the features of Sword of the Stars 1, endless Space, Sins of a solar empire and more all mixed in together.

    I will be the first to admit that I jump into a game and try to figure it out as I go. Star Ruler is not one of those games that you will jump in, start playing and be a winning galaxy conqueror first time out unless you get extremely lucky. If you could not pause it as you tried to work the more complicated times, a war for instance, you would be lost.

    It has taken me many games to finally figure out how to manage planets fleets and the whole card system. I haven't even tried to redesign ship yet and still it is an amazing game,

    There are flaws as in any other game but if you played it once and hated it because ti did not seem to make sense then jump in a few more times and I assure you you will find it more entertaining.

    The game is well worth buying and supporting!!!    … Expand
  2. Valannor
    Apr 19, 2015
    10
    Very good game. I played many space games (some of them 4X games) and recently tried Distant Worlds: Universe and StarDrive 2 besides this game. I must say that Star Ruler 2 really stands out. It is not over-simplistic nor overcomplicated. It treads on that fine line where it is deep enough but not that deep that you get lost in it. A must get for any space strategy or 4X fans!
  3. Bloodyduck
    Apr 20, 2015
    9
    Very good 4x game that mixes up the formula a bit. Colonize planets and grow an empire to a galactic scale. The game is truly a must have for any 4x fan that is bored of the standard civ formula. The game has so much depth to it, but is also very accessible to players like me who don't have a massive amount of time to put into just learning a game. The game also features onlineVery good 4x game that mixes up the formula a bit. Colonize planets and grow an empire to a galactic scale. The game is truly a must have for any 4x fan that is bored of the standard civ formula. The game has so much depth to it, but is also very accessible to players like me who don't have a massive amount of time to put into just learning a game. The game also features online multiplayer which is also great for strategy games. The only thing that turns me off a bit id the graphics. The game is very well done under the hood, but unfortunately features some boring artwork. I would definitely recommend this game to any strategy or sci-fi fan.… Expand
  4. Aribar
    Apr 20, 2015
    10
    This is an absolutely amazing and innovative game that breathes new life into the 4X genre. It builds on the systems from Star Ruler 1 and adds new ones that are really unique. Custom building your fleet is still really fun and the mod support will guarantee we'll have toys to play with for a very long time. The game has a neat way of handling empire management so you don't have toThis is an absolutely amazing and innovative game that breathes new life into the 4X genre. It builds on the systems from Star Ruler 1 and adds new ones that are really unique. Custom building your fleet is still really fun and the mod support will guarantee we'll have toys to play with for a very long time. The game has a neat way of handling empire management so you don't have to micromanage every single planet, but still get the experience of controlling an entire space civilization.

    The diplomacy is super unique and fun. You gain different powers through a card system like putting riders on enemy proposals or promising support for a proposal in return for getting diplomatic power over that civilization later. It takes the standard 4X/Civ style diplomacy of "Trade XYZ? Increase/decrease relationship modifier? Declare war/treaty?" and puts it to shame.

    An overall fantastic game worth every penny.    … Expand
  5. DarkNeuron
    Apr 22, 2015
    9
    This is a game about high level empire management. If you like neurotically managing every single ship/building in your 4x games, then this is not for you.

    This is a game about the bigger picture. You are the emperor. You make the decisions and then it happens for you. You tell your empire which planets to colonize, and the game does that for you. No need to micro building colony ships    This is a game about high level empire management. If you like neurotically managing every single ship/building in your 4x games, then this is not for you.

    This is a game about the bigger picture. You are the emperor. You make the decisions and then it happens for you. You tell your empire which planets to colonize, and the game does that for you. No need to micro building colony ships etc. You make the big decisions.

    Planets are divided into tiers. Tier 1 is very basic, Tier 5 is very very good. You get a tier 5 planets by supplying them with goods they need (think the Anno-series), and to get to a tier 5 planet, you need a BIG supply-chain.

    You can colonize swiftly and the AI will do the same. Before long you'll run out of planets and start eyeballing the AI's planets for that resource you need. There are a couple of ways you can get that planet. Either through the brilliant diplomacy system, or a traditional war.

    Which brings me to diplomacy. I really really like the diplomacy system in this game. It's one of the most innovative I've seen. You have a special resource which you can use to get "diplomatic orders", so to speak. One such could be: "Annex a planet". When you use that order, a vote is called, and the races vote. There are often bonuses/penalties for the races who give the most votes for/against. You influence the vote by spending "votes", that you also acquire using the before-mentioned resource.
    There is a lot of depth to the diplomacy system.

    Now for ship combat. This is also mostly automated. You decide your fleet composition, from premade ship designs, or designs of your own. Yes, you can design your own ships using a hex based ship designer, if you're in to that sort of thing. You give the attack order, and the fleet attacks.
    Fleets can be huge, think 10000 vs 10000 ships, and you can zoom in and see the engagement.

    I'm sure I've forgotten something, but the bottom line is: SR2 is breath of fresh air in the 4x scene. A game that dares to be different, and not just a traditional "Civ in space"-game.
    Graphics could be better, but I will only subtract 1 point for that.
    9/10    … Expand
  6. XTRMNTR2K
    Apr 28, 2015
    10
    Star Ruler 2 dares to be different... and it is GOOD.

    Star Ruler 2 is a real-time 4X space strategy game. In case you don't know, the 4X stands for Explore, Expand, Exploit and Exterminate, though it wouldn't be fair to reduce the game to just these; there is much more to this game, and I would like to highlight the most important aspects: First off, ship design. SR1 players may take    Star Ruler 2 dares to be different... and it is GOOD.

    Star Ruler 2 is a real-time 4X space strategy game. In case you don't know, the 4X stands for Explore, Expand, Exploit and Exterminate, though it wouldn't be fair to reduce the game to just these; there is much more to this game, and I would like to highlight the most important aspects:

    First off, ship design. SR1 players may take a bit of getting used to since it is now based on individual hexes, which definitely improved the depth and variety of the whole thing. To go a bit more into detail, ships are divided into flagships and support ships. Flagships are the big ones you give commands to and set out to explore (and conquer!) the galaxy (or multiple!) with. Support ships can then be 'attached' to these flagships (or planets / stations), depending on how much or if they have command capability to do so. As for the blueprint design, flagship designs can be pretty complex - though not overly so - with subsystems that provide power, control, protection, firepower and various abilities. Support ships are designed in the same way, except they are not quite as complex. It is perfectly possible to play and win the game without ever changing existing designs or adding new ones, though in that case you would limit your own fun as well as the chance to get more bang for your buck. Oh, and your ships and stations can be as numerous and big as your economy and industry can afford to build...!

    Speaking of economy, another rather unique design feature of the game is the way that your economy is handled. Instead of continuously generating a steady stream of income that piles up until used, you get budget cycles. Each budget cycle lasts for several minutes, at the end of which the next one becomes active. Your budget does have an upper limit (depending on your economical power as well as research), so it makes sense to spend at least some of your budget before the next cycle begins; inversely, you may also watch your spending lest you accumulate debt - debt will reduce your growth in many aspects and is to be avoided.
    However, unspent budget is not simply lost but can be assigned to the generation of your other primary resources (influence, energy, defense, research), and you can actually go over your budget restriction through various means (i.e. the 'Profiteering' diplomacy card).

    Ah, diplomacy... One of the most neglected and seldom well-done aspects of many, many 4X games. This is where Star Ruler 2 really dares to be different - and actually succeeds in making it a fun and important aspect of the game! Diplomacy plays out similar to a card game. Basic things like treaties, alliances and war declarations aside, diplomatic actions are performed through the use of cards, which players can buy from a shared pool using influence or gain through other means. These cards can range from 'Name Flagship' (which grants a bonus to a flagship and its fleet) to other actions such as spying on other players or even annexing planets and whole systems!
    Activating these cards also costs influence points, and many of these proposals, like the annexation of star systems, are be put before the galactic senate (of which all players are part of) and voted for or against, which also costs cards and influence points. This can make for some really interesting diplomatic power struggles, with favors swinging back and forth, backstabbing, bribing other players and more!

    Another core part of the game is the way planets and infrastructure are handled. Planets usually have one resource, which can which can be used by said planet or exported somewhere else. Planets need a certain number of food, water and level 1 and 2 resources in order to increase their level. Increasing the level unlocks more of that planets potential, i.e. increasing the maximum population as well as the maximum economic 'pressure'. Simply put, pressure tells people what stuff to build (i.e. markets or research labs), and is gained through the import of resources. This means that in order to get the most out of your (inter)galactic empire, you will need to build a trade network numbering many planets, most of which will be exporting their resources in order to strengthen a few high-level ones. All planets are important, though, since losing even that puny little level 1 world can have devastating effects on your empire!

    Before this review comes to a close, here are a few more facts you should know about this game:
    + You can play with as many planets and galaxies as you want (or rather, as your computer can handle)!
    + The game engine can easily handle ridiculous amounts of ships and projectiles on and off-screen. Epic space battles ahoy!
    + SR2 is extremely moddable and very accessible as well; various mods are already available.
    + Multiple different races to play (i.e. a nomadic race), and you can mix and match their properties to create your own!
    + Lots to discover (anomalies, artifacts, hidden caches, etc.)    … Expand
  7. Ellendel
    Dec 27, 2015
    10
    Not sure why this game isn't up in the 8's and 9'. It's one of the best 4X games I've come across so far. Others have written it up better than I can/will, but I wanted to add my weighting into the score. After the dissapointing lack of innovation in Gal Civ 3 (so far. I'm hoping that will change!) I was really pleased to find SR2, and highly recommend it. The community and dev are also good.
  8. sedkethran
    Apr 20, 2015
    10
    Star Ruler 2 is a great 4x game, hated only by fanboys of the first game who weren't happy with what the devs did in the second game when they through out all of the broken systems that made said now unhappy fans feel like god, but i digress before i even begin.
    Star Ruler 2 is a real time 4x game that can be paused, slowed down, and sped up depending on what the host feel like. In a    Star Ruler 2 is a great 4x game, hated only by fanboys of the first game who weren't happy with what the devs did in the second game when they through out all of the broken systems that made said now unhappy fans feel like god, but i digress before i even begin.
    Star Ruler 2 is a real time 4x game that can be paused, slowed down, and sped up depending on what the host feel like. In a single player game, as in player vs ai, you are the host. In multiplayer, who ever is hosting the serve in the host, but enough about that, some time for some real mechanics.

    Combat-
    Like all 4x games, SR2 has some pretty epic combat, with hundreds of ships of various size flying around destroying each other. Unlike the first, where you couldn't quite manage your fleets do to the sheer diversity, in SR2 you build capital ships, and each capital ship leads a fleet. These fleets, can be titan like knives of the void capable of taking on fleets of equal of greater strength for less the cost (do to better tech, size, and design, don't try this on your first go) or rather capital ships that are the center of the fleet, coordinating logistics and housing the majority of the fleets supplies. Capital ships are highly customizable , while support ships are rather crude, being basic but still making design important for how you want the support ship to function. Early game, the combat boils down to who fleet is bigger, but late game, you can get creative in ways i don't have time to expain ;) also everything from stations to support ships are subject to scale, which is how big they are. A scale 100 ship is obviously pretty over powered for a support ship but not so for a capital ship.

    Research- research is straight forward, nothing new or fancy here, research techs on a hex grid with research points, researching anything from giant engines for your planets to ringworlds that make HALOs look really small
    Diplomacy- diplomacy is a card game, different from most 4Xs as there is some interaction other then, "ai, why you no trade with me!?!" You can buy cards using influence, a resource gained by spending your budget on welfare, or by using certain planetary resources, like plastics. (if you know what i mean)
    Exploration- there are a few things to find in the ingame world atm, there may, for now there just a race to find the best planets and exploit them.
    Extermination- This is where it gets fun, you can conventional conquer you enemies, you can blow up stars and planets, or just annex via diplomacy, or beat them down to the point where they become your vassal. Now, slowly put your civ hard on away, vassal can mean other things, and in this case, a vassal is basically your unconditional ally, you dictate diplomacy for them, and they give you some money, and other resources. Why, because that's your reward for conquering them.
    Soundtrack- pretty cool, but nothing to write home about.
    UI- it takes some getting use to but serves it's purpose, it's like google chrome with it's multiple tabs, and works like a desktop with a bunch of windows pulled up- i personally feel right at home but you might not, for sure though it takes some getting use to.
    graphics- pretty good graphics, on par with endless space, the only area lacking is a a lack of models for ships, but you won't be looking at your ships that close up to care more then a couple of second because you realize that the ship your looking at it bigger then a planet (if it's scale 5000)
    ship design- it's easy to use, difficult to master. Recently me and some friends discovered how to turn flagships into faster then light missles- a space ICBM basically. This isn't an actual thing in game, but rather an example of what you can do with creativity. We have one dude who make all his ships look like dragons and such, but on the down low, the position of your hexes on the gird determine a couple of things. Position determiners how it will be hit, with a couple of assumptions. 1, the left side of your ship in the designer is the front, and the right side is the back. So, if you place a lot of on your flank or sides, it will matter as they will be protected, since damage happens in real time, with real patching, so your support ships can be fitted with giant slabs of steel and effectively be meat shields, and you can very well have your giant floating fortress die because the flank didn't have any armor. Anyway this is like 4500 words, check out the community on steam.    … Expand
  9. ScottyC33
    Apr 25, 2015
    10
    Great game - You can expect a lot of the similar nature of other space 4x games (Ship building, colonizing planets, ship battles, etc...) But it does everything in either a slightly novel way, or competently.

    The planet resource system seems to be a toss up for whether people love it or hate it; I personally love it. The only thing I'd like to see added to it would be possibly more than    Great game - You can expect a lot of the similar nature of other space 4x games (Ship building, colonizing planets, ship battles, etc...) But it does everything in either a slightly novel way, or competently.

    The planet resource system seems to be a toss up for whether people love it or hate it; I personally love it. The only thing I'd like to see added to it would be possibly more than one resource per planet and figuring out how to get that into your resource chain.

    Ship building is a great idea - It's a solid foundation for highly customizable ships in terms of function and layout. Some balancing for the different weapon types needs to be done, but it's very fun to create different ships and try them out in the design editor arena. Like the planet resource system, only suggestion I would have would be to put some of the modules earlier in the research web to expand early game options (Namely shields).    … Expand
  10. Cronstintein
    Jul 24, 2015
    9
    Quite literally my favorite 4x game ever. I love how it respects your time by minimizing the micromanagement. This allows me to spend my time worrying about overall strategy instead of concentrating on building a barracks, granary, boatyard, etc.. on every damn planet.

    While not the sexiest things to concentrate on, the economy and trade systems are what really blow me away in this    Quite literally my favorite 4x game ever. I love how it respects your time by minimizing the micromanagement. This allows me to spend my time worrying about overall strategy instead of concentrating on building a barracks, granary, boatyard, etc.. on every damn planet.

    While not the sexiest things to concentrate on, the economy and trade systems are what really blow me away in this game. I love how you pillage resources from smaller planets to fuel (level up) the ones you care about. It really makes your lv4 homeworld feel powerful when it's connected to ~15 subordinate planets. It also gives importance to those outskirt planets. Once they start going down it can really wreak havoc on your economy.

    I also really like how civilian infrastructure builds itself based on economy 'pressure' (which is derived from what elements you've got). It really cuts through the majority of the bs micromanagement which is much appreciated! The same system is used on 'defense pressure' which is an easy, and micro free, way to give your planets some defense. In this way you are only ever controling a handful of fleets which keeps things elegantly manageable.

    The last thing I'll touch on is the diplomacy system. While 1-on-1 diplomacy is pretty rudimentary (a couple treaty options but that's about it), the galactic senate system is something I really enjoy. You basically develop a resource called 'influence' which is used to buy and activate diplomacy cards. They have a wide range of effects, some of which require a senate vote to pass. It's all very well done and I get some real enjoyment out of dominating the senate. You can annex planets and system this way, stealing them w/o going to war (or losing units).

    All-in-all I think it's a very cleverly designed 4x game that does some new things.    … Expand
  11. JonnysBeard
    Apr 11, 2015
    8
    If you want to learn a lot right here right now check out siccless's comment. Sums it up pretty good.

    It's an unique way to do things in an RTS but it all works pretty well. It's heavily macro orientated so don't expect any Homeworld like space fights. I would love to see some gameplay elements expanded but mod support is a key feature and you can access the community at any time from    If you want to learn a lot right here right now check out siccless's comment. Sums it up pretty good.

    It's an unique way to do things in an RTS but it all works pretty well. It's heavily macro orientated so don't expect any Homeworld like space fights.
    I would love to see some gameplay elements expanded but mod support is a key feature and you can access the community at any time from within the game.    … Expand
  12. sicclee
    Mar 28, 2015
    10
    One of the best games I've ever played, in any genre.

    The game is deceptively simple: colonize a planet, link it's resource, repeat and gain affinity. Design and build ships to defend and attack. It's easy to get started and fun to explore and fight. It's top down universe management is excellent for controlling your empire, but the ability to zoom in on ships makes battles rewarding    One of the best games I've ever played, in any genre.

    The game is deceptively simple: colonize a planet, link it's resource, repeat and gain affinity. Design and build ships to defend and attack. It's easy to get started and fun to explore and fight. It's top down universe management is excellent for controlling your empire, but the ability to zoom in on ships makes battles rewarding and exciting. It's a blast to call fleets from the four corners of your empire to jump through FTL gates and converge on an enemy capital ship, then zoom in and watch them get annihilated.

    But there's a very complex under belly to SR2. resources create pressure on a planet, which influences what civilians build on your planet. These civ buildings are what provide you with affinity generation (labor, money, research, energy, influence and defense). Pressure limits are controlled by population, which is controlled by planet level. Linking resources from other planets increases planet level. Building up your planets is necessary to make sure you are utilizing your resources effectively. In order to build large, awesome fleets you're going to have to utilize labor and research at the cost of cash generation. The game is all about balance and macro-management.

    That being said, it's not a spread-sheet manager. The interface is intuitive and nicely done. The hud is customizable and the ship design is exciting (especially in multiplayer!) and well thought out. Every ship I've made is different, with researched techs enabling more specific purposes for the ship's systems.

    There's so much to explore. The diplomacy is inventive and I'll admit at first I wasn't interested in it but after a couple games I realized how powerful it can be. Being able to annex an enemy system once you win the vote in the senate is rewarding and fun. Calling for a patriotic surge from a planet under siege can buy you the time to get your capital ship into it's gravity well.

    Then there's energy, the wildcard affinity. It's used to activate awesome artifacts, cloak ships, prevent enemy escapes and a ton of other really cool abilities.

    The races are varied and unique. The way they utilize things like orbitals and FTL tech make every game feel special. One race requires a special material to build ships out of, another race can't grow population, only build it. There's a race that can't build on planets, but instead lives on orbitals in the gravity well. Each one is different and worth playing.

    But... Modding is what is going to make this game great. It's accessible and easy. There are already a few talented modders and once the game gets traction this community will be bustling with all new ship sets, game mechanics and god knows what. In essence, how do you make a great game even better? Make modding a focus. They've done it, and it rules.

    The bottom line is, if you like strategy games, you can't miss this. If you like space games, get it now. If you like massive battles, they got em. If you like sandbox games with a focus on building and design, this is probably for you.

    The game's so good I bought a copy for two friends. Get it. Get it now.

    One last note: The devs are awesome. They are active in IRC all the time, listen to feedback & act on it, and fix bugs asap. They are passionate and invested, like all devs should be.    … Expand
  13. BoredGamer42
    May 3, 2017
    10
    In an era of crap sequels (Star Drive 2, GalCiv 3) which degrade the genre, Star Ruler 2 reinvents the wheel by making it a hyperdrive.

    The game is immediately accessible, and you can play against the AIs effectively out of the gate, mostly by guessing your way through as the face of the game is very straightforward. The underbelly is considerably more complex. Expect to drop about 10    In an era of crap sequels (Star Drive 2, GalCiv 3) which degrade the genre, Star Ruler 2 reinvents the wheel by making it a hyperdrive.

    The game is immediately accessible, and you can play against the AIs effectively out of the gate, mostly by guessing your way through as the face of the game is very straightforward. The underbelly is considerably more complex. Expect to drop about 10 hours into just learning how to play if you want to be credible in multiplayer.

    This game is FUN!

    As long as you can find a multiplayer game here (which can be tricky - poor marketing means many people missed this one), there's no reason to touch any other 4x on the market this year, and likely for years to come. Enjoy. =)    … Expand
  14. Animorganimate
    Mar 29, 2015
    9
    I'm very surprised by Star Ruler 2. 4X space-strategies are my favorite genre of game, and even though Star Ruler 2 is different than the type of 4X games I usually play (Distant Worlds is currently my favorite, but I've played almost everything else and enjoy MoO, GalCiv, Space Empires, etc.), SR2 is actually a breath of fresh air.

    The resource management and diplomacy are presented in    I'm very surprised by Star Ruler 2. 4X space-strategies are my favorite genre of game, and even though Star Ruler 2 is different than the type of 4X games I usually play (Distant Worlds is currently my favorite, but I've played almost everything else and enjoy MoO, GalCiv, Space Empires, etc.), SR2 is actually a breath of fresh air.

    The resource management and diplomacy are presented in such a unique way that at first I thought it would be too radical. Instead, I'm finding it to be a type of evolution for the genre that I hope to see implemented in other games. There are some things to consider when deciding if this is your type of $X game, however. SR2 is more combat focused and doesn't cater to the micro-manager lovers out there, but that's all a design choice and not necessarily a flaw. SR2 achieves what it sets out to do.

    I never played Star Ruler 1, so I'm not sure how different the sequel is from its predecessor, but I am loving SR2 and can't wait to sink many hours into it. Great job Blind Mind!    … Expand
  15. JulienJaden
    Sep 10, 2015
    3
    A game with potential. It had a lot of interesting ideas and I was inclined to give it a shot. Little did I know what was in store for me...

    The first hour of my time with the game was pleasant. Then, the game crashed for no reason. "Oh well", says I, "at least I've got autosave". "No, you don't", Star Ruler 2 answered, "in fact, you don't get any working savefiles. Ever." I tried. I    A game with potential. It had a lot of interesting ideas and I was inclined to give it a shot. Little did I know what was in store for me...

    The first hour of my time with the game was pleasant. Then, the game crashed for no reason. "Oh well", says I, "at least I've got autosave". "No, you don't", Star Ruler 2 answered, "in fact, you don't get any working savefiles. Ever."

    I tried. I experimented. I looked around on the forums, Steam and otherwise, for a solution. The result of this search was almost a bigger upset than the original issue: The issue has been around for months and the developers stopped responding entirely and before that, all they did was point to mods, old drivers or hardware incompatibility for any and all issues (none of which even remotely apply to me).
    If the devs can't be bothered to fix this, neither can I (if there even is a fix).

    On a positive note, Steam's refund system works like a charm.    … Expand
  16. marc5477
    Sep 12, 2016
    7
    At sub $25 and with a tiny budget, its a good game with room for improvement. The problem is that it is not all that deep (in some aspects) compared to say, Galactic Civilizations but is well on par with other competitors like Stardrive. This game is very much centered around ship design with some economy features thrown in that are not fully realized imho. I enjoyed designing ships andAt sub $25 and with a tiny budget, its a good game with room for improvement. The problem is that it is not all that deep (in some aspects) compared to say, Galactic Civilizations but is well on par with other competitors like Stardrive. This game is very much centered around ship design with some economy features thrown in that are not fully realized imho. I enjoyed designing ships and forming massive fleets and I enjoyed the RTS style of combat and having to intercept enemies. In this game, things like flanking an enemy matters since its costly to place armor all around a ship thus most design have weaknesses to the back and sides. I had success at both creating fast fleets that I control and flank with as well as tank fleets that are more hands off allowing me to focus on other problems.

    Despite the fun combat, the game is weak on the economy management side of things. Most planets in the game are fairly useless except for the one item it can export. Once you have it, you connect it to another planet to create higher level planets. At the end of it all, you will have about 30 planets shipping to a main planet and aside from making sure they are not conquered, there is nothing else to do with them. The game does not encourage you to build things on other planets due to the fact that it is costly and most will never be able to level up to higher tiers making their output limited.

    I am neutral about the diplomacy mechanics. Diplomacy is basically a card game. You use diplomacy points to buy randomly generated cards that cycle, fairly quickly, in real time. I like how it plays a bigger role in the game and I actually like the card battle idea (though it is simple) but the real problem is the snowball effect. If you decide to focus on diplomacy you can completely overwhelm the AI and by midgame you will own them in every way. With diplomacy, you can systematically take all their planets without ever lifting a finger. It sounds fun, but the problem is that the AI will waste a lot of its cards on meaningless challenges leaving them nothing to fight with when you decide to challenge for one of their star systems. Once you drain them of all their cards, they have no way to recover and you will win every battle from there on with very little effort. Its a good idea, but not well implemented and if were up to me, I would just turn off all diplomacy.

    Some things I didnt like. Not enough customization of races. They are only a few things to pick from and none of it changes during the game. The tech tree is looks messy graphically. It need some UX optimizations such as a way to distinguish what was already researched and what is actually locked (they are both just shaded out). A line showing what paths had already been researched would be good. More unlockable equipment and abilities would be nice as well.

    All in all, some really cool things in the this game and despite its weak economic and explorations aspects, I enjoy playing the game. Above average easily and if these guys ever resurface, I would love to see this game expanded and improved.    … Expand
  17. Loki64
    May 26, 2015
    0
    I played many 4x games. Ranging from Master of Orion to the Endless Space.
    More horrible art and design interface I've yet seen.
    The entire game runs on rule - send all resources to the capital, about the rest of the planet forget.
    Very boring..
  18. Horrux
    Feb 27, 2017
    9
    Amazingly fun, engaging and deep game. Its only minus is that its production isn't very glitzy, and menus are somewhat primitive, and alien portraits aren't animated. But heck, Stellaris and Endless Space don't have any better alien depictions...

    Game is fun from the get-go. It teases at the new player that there is much he does not yet understand, and yet, he is discovering. The pace    Amazingly fun, engaging and deep game. Its only minus is that its production isn't very glitzy, and menus are somewhat primitive, and alien portraits aren't animated. But heck, Stellaris and Endless Space don't have any better alien depictions...

    Game is fun from the get-go. It teases at the new player that there is much he does not yet understand, and yet, he is discovering. The pace of discovery and learning is quick enough to be interesting, but the learning curve is not so steep that you would need to take classes for it first.

    It is deep enough that you can expect to discover new twists and turns to how to do things, well into the 200+ hours of play time. Diplomacy is fairly involved, and is in fact its own game inside the game.

    I'm taking off a point for the non-animated aliens (Galactic Civilizations III holds the crown for that ATM IMO) and the somewhat primitive menus.

    It is infinitely better than Stellaris, if you are trying to compare them.    … Expand
  19. Athelas
    May 4, 2015
    10
    where are negative reviews?where are negative reviews?where are negative reviews?where are negative reviews?where are negative reviews?where are negative reviews?where are negative reviews?where are negative reviews?where are negative reviews?where are negative reviews?where are negative reviews?where are negative reviews?where are negative reviews?
  20. ChaoticTitan
    Oct 29, 2015
    3
    Its obvious based on the lack of posts, community, and online presence, that I am not the only one who thinks this game was a miserable excuse for a sequel. Much like supremecommander 2 and sword of the stars 2. Miserable tech, combat, and colonization systems that were designed for strategic rejects who would do better playing chess or stratego

Critic Reviews

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No score yet - based on 3 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 3
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 3
  3. Negative: 0 out of 3
  1. Twinfinite
    May 17, 2015
    100
    With its massive scale, broad customization, and entirely solid core, Star Ruler 2 has everything that you’d expect from an indie-developed 4X strategy title and then some.
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  2. The Escapist
    May 13, 2015
    70
    Star Ruler 2 delivers a unique, fascinating experience despite its reliance on sometimes obtuse systems.
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  3. 4P.de
    May 8, 2015
    79
    When it comes to the realtime elements Sins of a Solar Empire is more defined. But the economical and political aspects of the galactic conquest make this one an interesting choice. Not to mention the individual construction of your fleet. There is enough substance to spend a lot of time in this universe.
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