Stellaris

 PC
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 984 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 742 out of 984
  2. Mixed: 133 out of 984
  3. Negative: 109 out of 984

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  1. Medus
    Sep 7, 2023
    8
    Pretty good game duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuh)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))
  2. Keron_Heruman
    Aug 25, 2023
    8
    Solid and complex space 4x strategy game. Very fun to play, plenty of options and with a lot of alternatives and modes to play... tends to become boring late game, and the DLC politic is unacceptable
  3. apokalipto
    Aug 11, 2023
    9
    Very good game. I enjoyed playing this game a lot. I strongly recommend this.
  4. thethethe4
    Jul 26, 2023
    8
    Stellaris offers the player a unique experience to manage a galactic wide civilisation. You have resource too mange as well as a government to mange. You also have to be weary of a range of threats. You must also compete with other empires for new star systems and wage war if you must. The game has a lot of mechanics that are all very refined and fun to use, however there is a lot ofStellaris offers the player a unique experience to manage a galactic wide civilisation. You have resource too mange as well as a government to mange. You also have to be weary of a range of threats. You must also compete with other empires for new star systems and wage war if you must. The game has a lot of mechanics that are all very refined and fun to use, however there is a lot of seemly basic things looked behind DLCs. For example you can't build megastructures or use super weapons unless you get two separate DLCs. When playing the game you get reminded that you don't have DLCs by the game allowing you to see the options the DLCs offer but not allowing you to use them, a bit like dangling a carrot in front of a rabbit but never allowing the rabbit to get the carrots unless the rabbits pays a further few hundred. All these features getting locked behind a paywall is really annoying though you can still have a enjoyable experience without them if you use mods.… Expand
  5. HydrophobikFish
    Jun 9, 2023
    9
    Unbeatable space strategy game. So much going on, so many ways to play, so many things to do, so many stories to discover and create. Soundtrack is S tier ambience. Only downside is certain technical limitations, balance choices, and expensive DLC catalogue for full experience.
  6. sara9420
    May 14, 2023
    10
    just one of the best RTS games out there, the sheer amount of time I've spent in this game on the pc and the xbox edtions is crazy, it keeps me drawn in.
  7. aap4ixx
    Apr 27, 2023
    10
    10 и не меньше. Я в неё наиграл часов 100 и каждый раз при выходе нового DCL я к ней возвращаюсь :D
    + Мод сообщество крайне мощное (сейчас без модов я в игру больше не играю, но это не говорит что игра не доделанная, просто всегда можно внести что то новое для души).
    От меня игра заслуживает твёрдую 10 :D    10 и не меньше. Я в неё наиграл часов 100 и каждый раз при выходе нового DCL я к ней возвращаюсь :D
    + Мод сообщество крайне мощное (сейчас без модов я в игру больше не играю, но это не говорит что игра не доделанная, просто всегда можно внести что то новое для души).

    От меня игра заслуживает твёрдую 10 :D
  8. Roger1868
    Feb 28, 2023
    10
    I have to give Stellaris a 10 out of 10 for this masterpiece. This is the greatest 4X strategy game I have played so far. BTW- Paradox makes other great games. With all the DLC, this game without question, is infinitely replayable. The many options of alien character creations are mind boggling. If a game is too long for you, just make a smaller galaxy. Great stuff here. Get this game.
  9. rezo_21
    Feb 15, 2023
    9
    ====================IIIIIIIIII GAME SCORE : 88 IIIIIIIIII====================
  10. jacybfb
    Sep 3, 2022
    10
    Great game! Fun! You can play a lot of different games! Really recommend it!
  11. Andrew_P
    Aug 28, 2022
    10
    Великолепная космическая стратегия. Это отличная песочница для создания разных рас и отыгрыша интересных сценариев. Великолепно!
  12. ChumaGG
    Jun 9, 2022
    9
    Debe ser uno de los mejores juegos de estrategia que he jugado. Altamente complejo, divertido y con un alto nivel de rejugabilidad.
    Los únicos puntos negativos que tiene, están relacionados con la forma en la que esta comercializado y con el late game del juego. Si quieres la experiencia Stellaris completa, tienes que gastar bastante dinero en DLC. Mientras que el late game del juego, se    Debe ser uno de los mejores juegos de estrategia que he jugado. Altamente complejo, divertido y con un alto nivel de rejugabilidad.
    Los únicos puntos negativos que tiene, están relacionados con la forma en la que esta comercializado y con el late game del juego. Si quieres la experiencia Stellaris completa, tienes que gastar bastante dinero en DLC. Mientras que el late game del juego, se puede convertir para algunos, en un infierno de micro gestión.    … Expand
  13. marsmelon24
    May 7, 2022
    10
    Stellaris is the best strategy game I ever played it is so Sc-fi and science fiction it should be in the history book
  14. ShadyAlligator
    Apr 27, 2022
    10
    Has been made into the best space strategy game ever crafted, especially with the expansions. Even without the expansions, the free patches have made the game really deep and replayable, either as a sandbox (on easy) or as a hardcore strategy experience (on hard).
  15. Serevok
    Apr 22, 2022
    10
    Have been playing this game since the very start and I still love this game! There is just something so special and unique about this game that I just have not found anywhere else.
  16. EngineerGamin
    Mar 29, 2022
    9
    Very fun strategy game. War and destruction on a galactic scale are fun! :D
  17. Ivan9173
    Dec 9, 2021
    10
    Сначала я долго не мог разобраться в механиках игры, а позже стал абсолютно от неё зависим.
  18. Rnoviok
    Dec 4, 2021
    10
    Good game from Paradox with lots of good dlc's
    great gameplay in my case is fun for hundreds of hours
  19. Harpmen
    Oct 29, 2021
    9
    Plants that survive in the nuclear world and feed on radiation, enslaving mushrooms, necro-democrats. It's all there for you.
  20. whatname
    Jun 7, 2021
    10
    I might change it later, but for now I give a ten.
    I played for 50 hours.
    This game is amazing. And it works on Linux without doing anything. The only bad thing is that it is difficult to start playing it. I left it there for two months before finding the time and motivation to dig into it. Now, after fifty hours playing it, I really am amazed. It is deep, strategic, with the    I might change it later, but for now I give a ten.
    I played for 50 hours.

    This game is amazing.
    And it works on Linux without doing anything.
    The only bad thing is that it is difficult to start playing it.
    I left it there for two months before finding the time and motivation to dig into it.

    Now, after fifty hours playing it, I really am amazed.
    It is deep, strategic, with the emotion of exploring the stars and building a civilization that I did not have since Galactic Civilizations (one and two).
    Stellaris is much better of course, given how old that game is now.
    Although less important to me, it also has great graphics, music and sound effects.

    You cannot control almost anything during the battle.
    At first I thought that was a limitation, coming from Sins of a solar empire, but now I like it because the fun is being able to build the fleets and defenses, and to decide where to employ them.

    Besides, this game is much more strategic than Sins of a solar empire, and I am not sure anymore that manually controlling the ships would be a plus.    … Expand
  21. Scalzo98
    Apr 16, 2021
    9
    Its a fantastic game that has depths that require quite the learning curve. But once you master it you can become what ever kind of empire you could ever dream of. It does have its flaws and particularly when in online matches glitches will tend to crop up, but they are rarely ever game vreakimg .
  22. Inari_Acolyte
    Apr 1, 2021
    8
    A good sci-fi 4X game with a wide breadth of mechanics, playstyles, and replayability. This game is enjoyable despite the regular changes to its base mechanics, prevalent tech issues, and mediocre AI.
    Unfortunately, the game is woefully incomplete without some of its DLCs: namely Utopia and Megacorps. I only recommend buying this game if you can get it on sale with DLCs.
  23. enro
    Feb 19, 2021
    8
    Really good space strategy game that gives you customization options. Recommend
  24. Nikitosss95
    Feb 13, 2021
    10
    If you mix Sci-fi with Europa Universalis and Star Wars/Star Trek, you will get an extraordinary and exciting game called Stellaris! I love how in the beginning you have to explore and to colonize as many planets as possible until you encounter neighboring empire/realm; I love the well developed economic system of this game as well as the technology tree, kudos to creators of this game!
  25. WCM320
    Feb 6, 2021
    9
    Stellaris is a great example of players not knowing what they want.
    The 8 it has is fair, but it should be a bit higher, there is nothing better then it right now and most likely wont be fore awhile.

    The only real issue with it is that it feels very much like a "Live service" With the company constantly tinkering with it.
  26. Fallconex
    Dec 17, 2020
    8
    A great strategy with great style, beautiful graphics, good scenarios, and lots of content to explore. Replayable for many many times
  27. openworlds
    Dec 14, 2020
    8
    One of the best recent space strategy experiences out there. It's not the best Paradox game and abuses of too many sci-fi cliches, it's really more oriented to "space fantasy" that a "science prediction and simulation", the options, micro and macro management, could be better, the notification system is annoying, the art, music, ethics system and events are great.
  28. Combiner
    Nov 15, 2020
    10
    One of the best space games for me, with so many detail. I actually never finished any run (I have around 200 hours in it) because every run is different and you want to play it again and again.
  29. crocro27
    Oct 5, 2020
    10
    Stellaris is by far one of the best strategy games out there. It has a perfect balance between politics, management, and warfare. With patches and DLCs the game has only become better, and I really wish they added some other improvements to the game like changing like the army where it would be nice if you could make your own divisions like in hoi4 and on the political side something likeStellaris is by far one of the best strategy games out there. It has a perfect balance between politics, management, and warfare. With patches and DLCs the game has only become better, and I really wish they added some other improvements to the game like changing like the army where it would be nice if you could make your own divisions like in hoi4 and on the political side something like a parliament where if you are a democratic empire you need to get support of the majority to pass your laws similar to te galactic senate in the federations DLC, but other wise this game is perfect… Expand
  30. Pumpk1n_
    Jun 28, 2020
    9
    Played the game for over 300 hrs, with all of its DLCs.

    The game was great in early-mid game when exploring and became a challenge to one's patience towards the end game. Partly because of the high PC requirements for pops as well as the crisis. I love the game for its backgouend stories written and hidden as anormalies waiting to be discovered, loved how you build the universal    Played the game for over 300 hrs, with all of its DLCs.

    The game was great in early-mid game when exploring and became a challenge to one's patience towards the end game. Partly because of the high PC requirements for pops as well as the crisis.

    I love the game for its backgouend stories written and hidden as anormalies waiting to be discovered, loved how you build the universal empire and dealing with different spieces as the leader, loved the great content and variety in the empire management, loved the music, the music was awesome.

    Also , mods would add quite some fun to the game.

    The main issue for the game is the poor late game experience. And I doubt it could be solved in the forseeable future.    … Expand
  31. ARando
    Jun 23, 2020
    10
    A very fun game by paradox. Gameplay is fun and engaging, anomalies are fun, but the best part about this game is that it is an amazing story driving experience. A must try for those who love sic-fi, fantasies about future societies, or simply love a good story in general.
  32. dlbin7
    Jun 22, 2020
    9
    the game has many questions but it still give us a vast and strang world ，I think it will be better.
  33. SubaqueousDream
    Jun 19, 2020
    8
    One of those game that will consume 1000's of hours before you even realize. Then doubles it once you realize you can play with friends in multiplayer!
  34. Sandro86
    May 17, 2020
    9
    Must have for every sci-fi nerd who loves Real Time Strategy games. I has everything,
  35. alanwaketan
    May 2, 2020
    9
    这是第一款让我非常满意的类星战题材的大战略游戏。当然本类游戏其实市场上一个巴掌都数得过来，其他几款年代有些久远已不可考就，而且各有各的优缺点。所以说本作可以说是这个类别里头唯一一款全面没有尿点的游戏。玩这款游戏就是为了实现征途是星辰大海。强烈推荐给每一个喜欢星战的玩家。这是第一款让我非常满意的类星战题材的大战略游戏。当然本类游戏其实市场上一个巴掌都数得过来，其他几款年代有些久远已不可考就，而且各有各的优缺点。所以说本作可以说是这个类别里头唯一一款全面没有尿点的游戏。玩这款游戏就是为了实现征途是星辰大海。强烈推荐给每一个喜欢星战的玩家。
  36. Baltifru
    Apr 19, 2020
    8
    The following was written by a newcomer to the 4X genre.

    Like other Paradox games, it takes a lot of time to learn how to play Stellaris and how to enjoy it. There is a guide (personified by a robot) to help getting started, but the interface seems so rich for new players that it still takes a lot of time to get used to it. At one point I was almost discouraged to go further because it    The following was written by a newcomer to the 4X genre.

    Like other Paradox games, it takes a lot of time to learn how to play Stellaris and how to enjoy it. There is a guide (personified by a robot) to help getting started, but the interface seems so rich for new players that it still takes a lot of time to get used to it. At one point I was almost discouraged to go further because it was taking so long for me to understand the mechanics of the game. But passed a point around 50 hours, I started to fully enjoy the possibilities offered by Stellaris.

    The gameplay includes the management of resources, the expansion of your territory and your planets, politics, diplomacy, wars and research of better technologies. All these aspects have their own importance in the development of your empire. Explaining every function of all these aspects here would take way too much time; let's simply say that whatever aspect of the game you prefer, you can dedicate a lot of time to it and make it count to empower your empire. I praise the devs for coming up with such a complex, yet balanced and enjoyable gameplay. The only element that is not totally on point in my opinion is diplomacy. Interactions with other empires are often chosen from a rather rigid set of possibilities, and all the nuances between brotherhood and total hate are hardly represented in the game. But let's be honest, I have yet to see a videogame where the full complexity of human (or alien) relationships and communication is represented.

    Sound-wise, Stellaris is a masterpiece. One of these games that you want to play just to listen to some of its themes.

    If you are a noob to the genre like me, make sure to change the parameters before starting your first games. Playing against a lot of fallen empires/advanced empires or facing an early crisis can feel very cynical and very discouraging, especially when a typical game lasts between 20 and 30 hours.

    My personal conclusion: the game is totally worth the initial effort required to understand its complex gameplay. A great game with a great personality that fans of strategy can enjoy at its best.    … Expand
  37. Nerevarinho
    Feb 2, 2020
    9
    This is science fiction porn.
    It has a steep learning curve but you will have a great time.
  38. umbershap
    Feb 2, 2020
    8
    I play Stellaris time to time. When start to play it I put it at least 70 hours. This is a great game with every expansion, dlc game becomes much bigger. I hope they continue to support the game and release bigger dlc's .
  39. tobivv
    Nov 26, 2019
    9
    Nothing beats seeing your first galaxy and taking your first steps as a space-faring civilization. Learning all the intricacies of ruling a galactic empire of xenophobic religious purists is an absolute joy, but the game does lose a lot of its magic in consequent playthroughs.
  40. CountCristo
    Jul 19, 2019
    8
    aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
  41. Haveaseatson
    Jun 20, 2019
    8
    One of a kind space 4x game built with passion, let down by the engine which cant handle the calculations mid and late game, and way too many bugs introduced with each patch, but the game itself is really a gem, i've got over 500 hours which is a saying something for me because most games i enjoy i burn out on or get bored with after 50-100 hours
  42. ILoveCraftBeer
    Mar 15, 2019
    10
    Отличнейшая стратегия с прекрасным стилем, красивой графикой, отличнейшими сценариями и сюжетами и НАИКРУТЕЙШЕЙ музыкой.
  43. toxyk
    Jan 13, 2019
    9
    Mezcla de RTS y 4X, que me encanta, de lo mejores juegos espaciales que puedes jugar, muy bien hilados las minihistorias con un cierto ``realismo``
  44. yobrotom
    Dec 12, 2018
    10
    This game keeps going from strength to strength. The developers are actively improving with quarterly updates that always improve the game, never take away from it. I've been playing this game for 2 years straight with few complaints, only a lot of good memories.
  45. clayesterling
    Nov 26, 2018
    10
    Best space strategy game available hands down. More accurately it's a simulation game like other Paradox titles. Lots of tweaking and adjusting small variables, seeing how it plays out, trying to predict what will happen and prepare for the worst. Lots of long term planning required.
  46. Robobob
    Oct 31, 2018
    10
    Best 4x space strategy game of all time at this writing. I used to give that title to the very dated Masters of Orion 2 but this game now takes the title. It has so much depth it is ridiculous and I can see how it might be intimidating to some. However I loved that I was learning more and more the further I played. Even though I rarely do it anymore, it's fun to zoom in completely toBest 4x space strategy game of all time at this writing. I used to give that title to the very dated Masters of Orion 2 but this game now takes the title. It has so much depth it is ridiculous and I can see how it might be intimidating to some. However I loved that I was learning more and more the further I played. Even though I rarely do it anymore, it's fun to zoom in completely to see the beauty of the planets of space battles. No complaints about this game. It's worth the learning curve.… Expand
  47. JaPeLi
    Oct 10, 2018
    8
    Stellaris is a lot of fun for a lot of reasons. It also has a great deal of flaws. The game itself is vast, and in typical Paradox style, it has several expansions which add more content to the game. However, even without all the DLC’s, the game is expansive.
    Stellaris focuses heavily on strategy and exploration, and it does these things very well. You start off the game as a space-faring    Stellaris is a lot of fun for a lot of reasons. It also has a great deal of flaws. The game itself is vast, and in typical Paradox style, it has several expansions which add more content to the game. However, even without all the DLC’s, the game is expansive.
    Stellaris focuses heavily on strategy and exploration, and it does these things very well. You start off the game as a space-faring empire, which has just discovered interstellar travel. Your empire is heavily customizable – for example, I started off on a frozen planet run by a deeply religious xenophilic race of blue humanoids, led by an elite group of priests, which co-evolved with a species of servile tortoises. The game does customization very well, and this offers a great deal of replayability to the game.
    The game can be loosely divided into 3 sections – the early, mid, and late game. These correspond to – in a default game – 100 and 300 years after you begin. Each section from the mid-game on, has its own special events, which can occur depending on several factors. I won’t spoil any of them, but they are generally a lot of fun and provide a brief respite from the otherwise bland portions of the game.

    And that is one of my main issues with Stellaris – the “bland” portions of the game. Once your empires borders and opinions of other empires have already been established, they do not change much. What remains is “bland.” Whilst the early game focuses on exploration and colonisation, and establishing borders and strategic points, which is enjoyable; the mid game offers very little in comparison.
    The problem is that the mid-game does away with what Stellaris does very well – exploration. During the mid-game, you generally have explored every system in the galaxy, and encountered every other empire. There is no more exploring to do, and thus no anomalies to find. Thus, you focus on things like research, or (the very limited) diplomacy. Perhaps you become more powerful, your numbers get bigger, but what of it? Until the late game, there is nothing to do, no events to occur, and I have sat through decades (in-game) waiting for something to happen. I generally just left it on in the background whilst I did other things.
    Whilst it does many things well, the game lacks in several important areas, such as the depth (or lack thereof) of diplomacy, the economy, warfare, and of course, the mid-game. Regardless, I still enjoy playing Stellaris, and would recommend it in the hope that these issues are fixed.    … Expand
  48. BGM
    May 24, 2018
    8
    Its nothing special, boring at times, but there are no other games like it. It also recives constant free updates with actually good content. Ai is bad but with mods its way better. Grab it at sale and enjoy. But it is even worth it at full price.
  49. Mxm0
    Apr 12, 2018
    10
    I've played a lot of 4x and RTS (those are prerequisites to not sooking when this game floors you for not thinking ahead).

    This is my 4X of all time. There's not a lot of games that make you come out and look at the real world with more wonder, feed your imagination, and develop so many areas of brain cognition.
  50. Shawndroid
    Feb 26, 2018
    10
    This game takes sci-fi conventions from across the broad history of books, television and movies for a great sci-fi experience. A great experience that really gets the imagination going.
  51. Helmenkalastaja
    Jan 27, 2018
    10
    After palying several 4X games i do like this the most. There is still some things that are way to simple, for example diplomacy. Graphics looks good to me and the fleet battles is great. Goes with the same style as all other paradox games.
  52. akarnokd
    Jun 12, 2017
    8
    I pretty much enjoyed this 4X space strategy game, despite a few game and UI shortcomings.

    Pros: Scanning, mining, building, auto-polulate ship designs. Semi-voiced tutorial. So-so: research being random (may take some time for the auto-explore to show up) Cons: - Lack of a few conveniences, such as the need to select a ship then right-click on a system to get it scanned/mines    I pretty much enjoyed this 4X space strategy game, despite a few game and UI shortcomings.

    Pros: Scanning, mining, building, auto-polulate ship designs. Semi-voiced tutorial.

    So-so: research being random (may take some time for the auto-explore to show up)

    Cons:
    - Lack of a few conveniences, such as the need to select a ship then right-click on a system to get it scanned/mines built; I'd like to right click on the system (no ship selected) and issue "scan this..." or "build mine & research stations here" and the nearest capable ship to do the tasks. Same is true for special projects.
    - Message boxes break the flow, sometimes pausing the game (sometimes not). Also messages are too verbose and with large galaxy and long game time, they tend to repeat. I'd really like an option that only shows a bare minimum about them in a non-intrusive way when no decision has to be made in the situation.
    - Less clicks when researching. There are limited research options per category and I have to click twice (once on the "select research" and once on one of the options) to start the new research.
    - Reduce anti-expansion measures upfront. One of the design decisions often taken by such games is the introduction of approval or anti-expansion effects into the gameplay to "balance" out the possibility of exponential expansion. For example, having a couple of frontier stations drains the approval, preventing colonization of planets that happen to be in that station's range. I consider this a systematic flaw in such games and I don't know how the underlying issue could be solved by other means.    … Expand
  53. ChikatiloZ
    May 17, 2017
    9
    Review version 1.6.1
    Game was an 8 at release, it's a 9 now because more content.
    Would have been a 10 if there was more balance to endgame crisis, events & great wars. Because right now, if you're unlucky on your playthrough, the endgame content can (RNG) end your game. Example, if the unbidden spawn early, in your nation and the great war starts at thesame time, you lose all your    Review version 1.6.1
    Game was an 8 at release, it's a 9 now because more content.
    Would have been a 10 if there was more balance to endgame crisis, events & great wars.
    Because right now, if you're unlucky on your playthrough, the endgame content can (RNG) end your game. Example, if the unbidden spawn early, in your nation and the great war starts at thesame time, you lose all your vassals, you're wiped out by the unbidden and the AI fights a silly war while unbidden consume the galaxy.

    Basically endame content is hit or mis, it can be interesting, or frustrating because it's unwinnable. Depends on your luck, too much luck involved in endgame.

    Everything else is brilliant.

    I suggest you turn OFF endgame crisis to avoid the unbidden spawning in your capital and ruining your game, also limit the amount of fallen empires to ONE, so you can get their tech but they can't start silly war. Crank the difficulty up to high to compensate and give you a challange that way, it'll be a fair challenge.    … Expand
  54. MrsHjort
    Apr 13, 2017
    8
    A great game once you get the hang of it, though, I have to admit it's a bit tough on newcomers such as myself, who haven't played the developer's games before. It has a lot of customizable options though (which makes for great replayability), and it's well balanced. It's one of those games that you can get back to over and over again to try new things and tweak the setup in various waysA great game once you get the hang of it, though, I have to admit it's a bit tough on newcomers such as myself, who haven't played the developer's games before. It has a lot of customizable options though (which makes for great replayability), and it's well balanced. It's one of those games that you can get back to over and over again to try new things and tweak the setup in various ways to get closer and closer to that one "perfect game". It's extremely addicting too, you can always play one more hour, and it's very hard to stop. I only wish for a bit more story missions to make it a bit more interesting.… Expand
  55. XavierAgamemnon
    Mar 28, 2017
    10
    This game is the best ever. I love it so deeply that I look forward to every DLC that is released with childlike enthusiasm on the eve of Christmas. It is an RTS that makes someone who grew up watching Babylon 5 jump with glee. I want to in the future role play this game with friends and act like the civilisation that I am. I will support this game just like I have for Star Citizen and sayThis game is the best ever. I love it so deeply that I look forward to every DLC that is released with childlike enthusiasm on the eve of Christmas. It is an RTS that makes someone who grew up watching Babylon 5 jump with glee. I want to in the future role play this game with friends and act like the civilisation that I am. I will support this game just like I have for Star Citizen and say shut up and take my money. every cent is worth it and I would love to meet the dev someday just to say thank you and make more of Stellaris and boldly go where no game has gone before.… Expand
  56. xxxSMDxxx
    Jan 26, 2017
    8
    The game is amazing. It's really immersing you in a galactic emperor's perspective. And the interaction between the different empires is very clever made. The graphics are very well made. The empire builder and the way each empire acts differently depending on traits was brilliant although there is room for improvement. The 2 things that this game fails are victory types and the combatThe game is amazing. It's really immersing you in a galactic emperor's perspective. And the interaction between the different empires is very clever made. The graphics are very well made. The empire builder and the way each empire acts differently depending on traits was brilliant although there is room for improvement. The 2 things that this game fails are victory types and the combat system.

    The victories limit you to an aggressive play. And the combat system makes it worse. The combat system often feels like smashing a vase with either a hammer or a brick. "It doesn't matter the vase will end up smashed anyway" which makes the 2 current Victory types just a big chore. And said victory types are of little diversity. The only way you can actually win the game is play aggressive which makes non-aggressive plays dead on pointless. And with the well made diplomatic and research system. It really is a shame.

    If Stellaris was a book. It would be that story that is really well made, with interesting characters and a good plot, but has a poorly executed forced ending.    … Expand
  57. Jaehaerys61
    Dec 31, 2016
    9
    Franchement ce jeux est énorme même si je ne maitrise pas tout ce qui est conquêtes.

    Le jeux s’étoffe avec les différents DLC qui sont sorties et sans doute les prochains.

    JE RECOMMANDE POUR LES STRATÈGES
  58. ayls01
    Dec 19, 2016
    10
    This game is one of the best 4x experiences I tried, this after the patches have greatly improved and expanded content over and over again .
    In clonclusion is a very good buy, and I do not regret anything.
    Cons: a hard learning curve
  59. Domy_re
    Nov 29, 2016
    10
    Il massimo, peccato per l'assenza della localizzazione in italiano, ma quelli di Bop hanno sopperito. Forse un pò da migliorare la parte della guerra, ma è comunque un prodotto talmente innovativo da non fra gli strategici ambientati nello spazio da non potergli meno di 10
  60. mackoff
    Nov 2, 2016
    10
    Absolutely awesome game for a real fans of deep and rich strategy. This game will rock your socks off!

    Great system of management and tons of possibilities. Everything packed in very user friendly UI. Best played in a bunch of colleagues when you cooperate, trade, plan and compete for your final glory. This game is complete even now but Paradox will develop it for years bringing    Absolutely awesome game for a real fans of deep and rich strategy. This game will rock your socks off!

    Great system of management and tons of possibilities. Everything packed in very user friendly UI.

    Best played in a bunch of colleagues when you cooperate, trade, plan and compete for your final glory.

    This game is complete even now but Paradox will develop it for years bringing us a lot of fun and discover.

    Best strategy game i played so far in 2016, strongly recomended!    … Expand
  61. SharkTankGamer
    Oct 7, 2016
    9
    Paradox always delivers and they delivered again with Stellaris. It's a semi-story driven completely sandbox empire building game! As you explore and grow your empire beware of fallen empires since they start out much more advanced and much stronger to simulate them reaching the stars way before your empire. I simply cannot wait for dlc to customize the game play even more.
  62. socokid
    Aug 11, 2016
    10
    I've only started playing it a few days ago, after the latest large patch. If there were bugs, etc... on first release, they definitely do not seem to be there now. I've played 62 hours, no crashes, lags, etc... Runs great. *shrugs*

    It's an immense, extremely fun, complex but playable classic space RTS. Gaining resources, researching tech, building/designing ships and destroying others.    I've only started playing it a few days ago, after the latest large patch. If there were bugs, etc... on first release, they definitely do not seem to be there now. I've played 62 hours, no crashes, lags, etc... Runs great. *shrugs*

    It's an immense, extremely fun, complex but playable classic space RTS. Gaining resources, researching tech, building/designing ships and destroying others. Throw in exploration, surveying planets, etc...

    It is amazing this game isn't more popular than it is... And some of these bad reviews are so wrong, and I mean flat out untrue, that I either question whether they have actually played the game, or if the first two large updates were just that drastic (never played it when it came out a few months ago).

    On my second play-through, still having a blast, worth every penny IMO.    … Expand
  63. CiaranJ
    Jul 29, 2016
    9
    Very engaging, rewarding and fun. Customization and progression is a welcome addition. I have always found 4X games very frustrating to 'get into', so to speak. I was not disappointed with Stellaris.
  64. sovereign007
    Jun 17, 2016
    9
    While it isn't perfect, Stellaris has taken over my gaming life. It is gripping and addicting, and even AI shortfalls and some bugs do not detract from the overall experience sufficiently to dock more than 1 point from my review. It is also incredibly easy to mod yourself if you wish to get a slightly different gameplay experience out of it: For example, I wanted a longer eXplore phaseWhile it isn't perfect, Stellaris has taken over my gaming life. It is gripping and addicting, and even AI shortfalls and some bugs do not detract from the overall experience sufficiently to dock more than 1 point from my review. It is also incredibly easy to mod yourself if you wish to get a slightly different gameplay experience out of it: For example, I wanted a longer eXplore phase before the borders were set and we became medieval Europe in space. Well, easy enough, make galaxy larger than the max 1,000 stars the game comes with and don't use too many alien races. Suddenly space is big and wondrous. Want the opposite? Increase the max number of empires on a mid-sized map and everyone suddenly needs to rush to grab the little precious land that exists.

    And as a bonus, it looks beautiful without being hard on your video card. A 750Ti runs it more than fine.    … Expand
  65. DMT
    May 30, 2016
    10
    Just wait until the 3 main free content & fix patches are done... Then we have greatness. Right now we have all the ingredients, just need more of them which we know are coming.
  66. obnose
    May 29, 2016
    9
    Wonderful 4X space game, with some traces of the very special Paradox's grand strategy.

    Easier to get into than other Paradox games like Europa Universalis or Crusader Kings, one of its better features is an awesome eXploration phase, neglicted ofently in 4X games. You'll find lot of events, stories, surprises... which will make really enjoyable the first steps of your empire-building.    Wonderful 4X space game, with some traces of the very special Paradox's grand strategy.

    Easier to get into than other Paradox games like Europa Universalis or Crusader Kings, one of its better features is an awesome eXploration phase, neglicted ofently in 4X games. You'll find lot of events, stories, surprises... which will make really enjoyable the first steps of your empire-building. Technology and research (the genetics developments are very welcome), politics (not just elections but managing a diverse and potencially conflicted empire because of divisive issues according to the different ethics of your population), diplomacy (including federations à la Star Trek)... and war, with several options for both your fleet and land forces.

    Best thing in Stellaris is that is a very powerful frame to keep building the game the way their developers have done (and are doing several years after their release) with Europa Universalis 4 or Crusader Kings 2. Stellaris is a must for all space games lovers.    … Expand
  67. VitaminK
    May 28, 2016
    8
    Great at first, but you soon realize how shallow the game is. I love the devs and I hope they continue to add to the game and I can come back in a year and give it an 8 or 9, but where it sits at release is just not good enough.
  68. cast87
    May 24, 2016
    8
    Good game to my preference. And it have easy interface compared with other paradox games, So i don't have barrier of entry. Likewise, there's no need to long tutorials. But I need DLC !!!
  69. Juggulator
    May 19, 2016
    8
    Really good game a bit of a learning curve but i love the setting as well as being able to create your own faction. One thing i don't really like is your policies being limited by your starting species traits as i find it rather annoying that you cannot change your play style as dynamically however still one of the best Grand strategies i have played in a long time.
  70. Cleglaw
    May 18, 2016
    9
    this is a fantastic game with a very addictive system. as a guy who played nearly all big startegy games that been released in last 20 years, i can safely say that this game deserves a well earned place at my top 5 strategy games... learning curve, balance, randomness can make you rage and flip your table but its all part of this addiction. its not forgiving. its not easy. and everythingthis is a fantastic game with a very addictive system. as a guy who played nearly all big startegy games that been released in last 20 years, i can safely say that this game deserves a well earned place at my top 5 strategy games... learning curve, balance, randomness can make you rage and flip your table but its all part of this addiction. its not forgiving. its not easy. and everything can turn to **** in a moment. but i love it.

    last time i played, there were titanic beast on of my planets... we decieded to watch them but after 5 minutes, some idiot scientist from the main team enraged them. result? instead of getting possibly best army in the entire game under my flag, or learning their biology to modificate my assault army, they crushed and invaded whole planet. they destroyed everything on the planet and afterwards, no matter how hard i try i couldnt take planets control back. see.. before that event, i was marching towards entire galaxy and there were none to stop me. this randomness.. is fun.. but its not for everyone.    … Expand
  71. DemKin
    May 17, 2016
    9
    This game seems to have woken up some kind of urge for 4x games for me...
    Not gonna get into details as I don't know enough about this kind of games, I'll just say that, being a generally space-enthusiastic guy and a liker of games, I'm thoroughly enjoying this game so far ( ~25hrs in as I write this ) and excited to see what they come up with in the future expansions.
    Stellaris is fun,    This game seems to have woken up some kind of urge for 4x games for me...
    Not gonna get into details as I don't know enough about this kind of games, I'll just say that, being a generally space-enthusiastic guy and a liker of games, I'm thoroughly enjoying this game so far ( ~25hrs in as I write this ) and excited to see what they come up with in the future expansions.
    Stellaris is fun, well-thought out, and I can recommend it.    … Expand
  72. fenrishero
    May 17, 2016
    9
    This is the best 4x space strategy sim since MOO2, but that undersells whats great about it. Paradox calls their 4x games 'Grand Strategy' games, but the more appropriate moniker for this particular game would be 'space opera simulator'.

    Pros -The quest storylines are engaging -Randomized races and rare techs offer replayability -Mod friendly, allowing for customization to the way    This is the best 4x space strategy sim since MOO2, but that undersells whats great about it. Paradox calls their 4x games 'Grand Strategy' games, but the more appropriate moniker for this particular game would be 'space opera simulator'.

    Pros
    -The quest storylines are engaging
    -Randomized races and rare techs offer replayability
    -Mod friendly, allowing for customization to the way you want to play.

    Cons
    -Middle game is clearly not complete, with Paradox admitting as much.
    -Game doesn't properly explain some features and late game options that require early game planning, leading to a somewhat long learning curve (don't mix the venerable racial trait with military despotism, for example).
    -Still some bugs that can completely derail your game many hours in.

    Judgement
    This game is about 90% finished, and it's still the best 4x game in more than a decade. Paradox has acknowledged the problems and stated how they plan to fix them. When they do, this game will easily be a 10/10 to 4x fans. If you are the type of person who can lose entire weekends to a single game of Civ, this is the space 4x you have been waiting for.    … Expand
  73. SoreelTheShort
    May 17, 2016
    9
    I created an account specifically to write a review for this game. I am a fan of the Europa Universalis and Crusader Kings and have been playing Stellaris now for about 40 hours. I find it an amazing game. It has a lot of the core mechanics I love from EU4, leaders gaining experience, a rich multi-currency system for advancing, and good diplomatic options but in a setting that isnt anI created an account specifically to write a review for this game. I am a fan of the Europa Universalis and Crusader Kings and have been playing Stellaris now for about 40 hours. I find it an amazing game. It has a lot of the core mechanics I love from EU4, leaders gaining experience, a rich multi-currency system for advancing, and good diplomatic options but in a setting that isnt an already-colonized Europe -- 1000 planets and the chance to expand.

    Starship Design isn't the most intricate but I believe that the decisions I am given truly matter in Combat. I prefer that over customization that doesn't make a difference. I also very much appreciate the established ancient civilizations that start out overwhelmingly more powerful than my fledgling Interstellar Republic. I dont remember a game that has done as well as Stellaris in introducing multiple movement techniques (warp versus wormholes) and making them all work together.

    The tutorial and tools tips ran well and I can count on only one hand the major rules that werent clear from the beginning to an experienced strategy gamer. You need to understand some of the nuances of generating sectors and the importance of Influence Currency but once you get that the rest is pretty straightforward.

    In short, a pretty amazing game so far and I know the Paradox user and developer community will nurture the game and help it to continue to flourish.    … Expand
  74. Nanostar
    May 17, 2016
    9
    OK I rated this a9.. perfection doesn't exist for me but this comes close. It is a game changer of a 4X games.. Gives me the same buzz as the first Civilization or Stellar Crusade.
    4X games have been following Stellar Crusade and MoO's pattern for years... a few showed game changing advances.. GC2.. SE3.. but then these were followed by prettier versions of the same game. Stellaris    OK I rated this a9.. perfection doesn't exist for me but this comes close. It is a game changer of a 4X games.. Gives me the same buzz as the first Civilization or Stellar Crusade.
    4X games have been following Stellar Crusade and MoO's pattern for years... a few showed game changing advances.. GC2.. SE3.. but then these were followed by prettier versions of the same game. Stellaris brings major changes.. Spending the time researching each world and star near home while you develop a colony ship is really interesting. Then there is the first time you Gene Mod your race to better fit the planet you have dumped them on.. its just astonishing when you realize what you can do. The funny stories research generates.. the decision to change your laws to allow robot (slaves).
    But still not perfect. I expect 2 or 3 major dlc releases this year and a better game after each one.
    My only problem is i am not now inclined to play MoO4 which i have on steam.. and which deserves playing in itself.    … Expand
  75. TimW001
    May 16, 2016
    8
    If you want an expansive strategy game that is slow paced, then this is a great game. It is challenging, often you will have to decide on where to spend your resources while. It will challenge you, and the game doesn't baby you either. A great strategy game, you will lose hours in it.
  76. haiontop
    May 15, 2016
    8
    This is 4x, explore, expand, exploit, exterminate. Why would anyone disagree on that just because there are also events? You can turned off event popup if you feel there is no real impact, like I do.
    Innovative features are:
    1. Sector management: so you don't need to micro every planet at the cost of at least 25% energy&mineral surplus in that sector. You get all the research generated.    This is 4x, explore, expand, exploit, exterminate. Why would anyone disagree on that just because there are also events? You can turned off event popup if you feel there is no real impact, like I do.
    Innovative features are:
    1. Sector management: so you don't need to micro every planet at the cost of at least 25% energy&mineral surplus in that sector. You get all the research generated. Sector don't build/manage ship (constructor), so you need to order construction of stations yourself.
    2. Card based research: You have min 3 choices in 3 area of research.

    Can be improved by implementing:
    1. Auto explore like other space games.
    2. Disable popup of contact event (as there is no choice to be made).
    3. Add major event that cripple whole empire/area.

    Overall good initial release, hopefully dlc will make thing more interesting. Distant Worlds Universe is still the best ...    … Expand
  77. Skulb
    May 15, 2016
    9
    Although it isn't perfect, Stellaris is very impressive. It looks amazing and takes some novel twists on the 4X genre. When compared to Galactic Civilization and Masters of Orion it certainly measures up. In some ways I prefer it, although that might be because it feels more fresh.

    Pros: -Good micro management and delegation system. Clusters of systems can be turned into sectors and    Although it isn't perfect, Stellaris is very impressive. It looks amazing and takes some novel twists on the 4X genre. When compared to Galactic Civilization and Masters of Orion it certainly measures up. In some ways I prefer it, although that might be because it feels more fresh.

    Pros:

    -Good micro management and delegation system. Clusters of systems can be turned into sectors and handed over to governors, letting you stay in direct control of a small core the entire game. Balancing many sectors isn't always easy though, but it's a nice way to get around the specter of too much micro management.

    - Great research system and special events. Leaders (Governors, scientists, admirals and generals) have lifespans, which makes things interesting and keeps them that way. A leader can get both positive and negative traits, so once in a while someone will die and it'll almost be a relief.

    - Very good colonization system. You can either tech up so you can colonize worlds your species isn't comfortable with. or you can simply conquer a world with a species living on it, integrate it into your empire and then use that species to colonize worlds you can't use, but which they can.

    - Detailed government, social and spiritual simulator. Planets can riot, go on strike or even revolt; populations can migrate, usually between your planets. Building a happiness generating building on one planet makes the people there happy, obviously, but also tends to entice people on other planets without this building to migrate there. It's all deliciously complicated, but since nothing too catastrophic usually happens you can take most of this in your stride.

    Excellent economic sim. There is pressure from the start between getting enough minerals for building mining bases and stuff on your planets, and the energy you need to run all of it. There is also influence, which is a tricky resource with few sources. But you need it for all sorts of things, like hiring leaders, building certain buildings and suppressing revolts, so running out of it can be almost as crippling as running out of energy.

    - Good visuals and sound.

    - Scientifically speaking an awesome take on space travel. Each species has one of three modes of transport: warp jumps, hyperspace and worm holes. Warp space is slow but you're free to go in any direction within the jump radius; hyperspace is faster but restricts you to following the rigid network of hyperspace lanes while worm holes are instant once the portal has been made and have the best range. But once you get to your destination you can only jump back to where you came from.. This makes for interesting sci-fi fodder as warp drive dependent fleets try to follow worm hole users. Free tip: don't do what I just said. It doesn't work.

    - Good species and traits variations.

    Cons:

    Although the species are nice and varied they do tend to look a bit samey, and most of the buildings are identical. This is one area where GalCiv definitely has an edge I think. The races there feel a lot more different than they do in Stellaris.

    - The governor AI is very passive (Or quite possibly useless.). It takes them forever to upgrade planet capitals, if they do at all. I'm still not sure. But this needs to be done ASAP, so why there's even a delay is anyone's guess. This could have done with a bit more programming and a few more parameters to guide AI behavior. If there was a box saying "upgrade planet capitals as soon as possible" I would definitely have checked it.
    In fact, AI in general is questionable. For example, when you bombard a planet and the enemy empire has existing orbital bases around other planets after you have beaten their fleet, they will trickle in one ship at a time from all of them. This is obviously useless but it also very annoying. Every time a single defenseless ship arrives to the siege you have to lift the siege, fire a volley and then click the planet again to resume bombardment. I hate it when AIs are this dumb.

    - Small one, but although the music is very good it does tend to wear a bit thin after a few hundred loops. The game could do with one more musical theme as developed as the one it has right now. About twice as much music as it currently has seems about right.

    - Wrong kind of tutorial for my taste. It uses the pop-up approach, which I always turn off to avoid annoyance. I much prefer optional information I can look up when I need it. Also, the existing and very irritating tutorial manages to drop the ball something terrible when it comes to setting up and managing sectors. This you'll basically have to do by the seat of your pants, and it will fail many times before you figure things out. The game is not going to help you.

    - Simplistic space battles.

    Wonderful game altogether though. The only significant weakness is the AI, which is possibly the least impressive AI I have seen in a Paradox game since EU Rome. It's not so bad that it ruins one's enjoyment of the game though.    … Expand
  78. Leuko
    May 15, 2016
    8
    I like this game so far. It is well delivered 4X strategy without messy micro management. Unfortunately warfare in Stellaris is really boring what I fear will impact this game's replayability.

    Logistics is appalling. Ships do not need supply, so war can be waged in any part of map with same efficiency. Additionally there is no combat penalty for huge fleets so final effect is creation    I like this game so far. It is well delivered 4X strategy without messy micro management. Unfortunately warfare in Stellaris is really boring what I fear will impact this game's replayability.

    Logistics is appalling. Ships do not need supply, so war can be waged in any part of map with same efficiency. Additionally there is no combat penalty for huge fleets so final effect is creation doom stacks that can strike anywhere without restriction.

    Only limiting factor is Naval Capacity and it does not affect the way wars are conducted.

    In its current state combat is worse than in Civ4. I guess i will revert to EU4 once novelty wears off.    … Expand
  79. Brogam4r
    May 15, 2016
    10
    Awesome game. Just what I wanted, a bit of fresh air in the 4x genre. Its a bit rough on the edges but generally very stable and playable. I am sure treats it the same way it has treated its other titles it will grow into the best game in the genre.
  80. RomanWolf
    May 15, 2016
    9
    Better than Civ5, simpler than EuropaUniversalis games, deeper than EndlessSpace, more engaging than many other 4x games, and what is most amazing.... the Multiplayer in real time (it does not uses turns !) + the Steam Workshop work flawlessly. If this is only the beginning of journey + with DLC for good price this could be the game of the year and i am not joking.
  81. NameUsedBefore
    May 14, 2016
    10
    Fantastic engaging game. Breath of fresh air from the current release of games. Only gripe is some of the layout presentation and design choices of alien races.
  82. Paul_Kingtiger
    May 14, 2016
    9
    I've been playing this game for 11 hours now, over the course of 2 play sessions. TLDR - I love it, buy it, it's not perfect, but it's very very good, and well worth the price!

    I'm still very much in the exploration phase of the game, founding new colonies, meeting other empires and exploring with my science ships. I've been running the game at normal speed with the odd pause to catch    I've been playing this game for 11 hours now, over the course of 2 play sessions. TLDR - I love it, buy it, it's not perfect, but it's very very good, and well worth the price!

    I'm still very much in the exploration phase of the game, founding new colonies, meeting other empires and exploring with my science ships. I've been running the game at normal speed with the odd pause to catch up, and there is never a time when nothing is going on and I feel bored.

    I know there have been some complaints about the research system. Basically you get to pick from a small number (never less than 3) projects to research. These projects are weighted by what you have just unlocked and your progress in the game. So there is a loose tech tree of sorts, but you aren't limited by a set tech tree like say, Civ V, where you know what is coming and quickly build an optimal path that will be repeated with every play though. With the Stellaris system there is no obvious path to follow and it more realistically follows real discoveries, where scientist look for funding to work on a project. More importantly it keeps the game fresh and very repayable.

    As to the depth, another complaint. I keep finding whole new game systems I haven't really encountered yet. Planetary armies and air forces, multi-species empires, the list goes on. For espionage, I imagine that is something that will come with DLC.

    Oh, the Paradox DLC model. Sure they really crank out the DLC for their games, but they match that with a low entry price. $39 in a market where many games cost #60. Even if you don't buy the DLC it always comes with a free patch with many new systems, expanding the game at no additional cost.

    I've been a big Paradox fan since CK2 and this is a great additional to the grand strategy family.
    Recommended.    … Expand
  83. Darizuka
    May 13, 2016
    10
    In the face of a Robotic Incursion, hellbent on conquering, pacifying and enslaving sentient mortal organic beings.. Several civilizations cast away their differences to fight in Union to put an end to the Robotic Uprising...
    And not long after, would blow eachother to kingdom come.

    10/10 for Realistic accuracy.
  84. jpnole
    May 13, 2016
    10
    Just a quick 10 to balance out any sub 7 scores given by the trolls. Absolutely fantastic game and top 3 contender for GOTY. Only thing that comes close is Sins.
  85. nabla
    May 13, 2016
    9
    This is one of the best space strategy games ever made. It's full of content, exploration is fun, graphics look astonishingly good for a Paradox game. I really love playing it and I think Paradox is on the right track making their recent games easier to get into (compared to a Hearts of Iron III). For someone like me who digs really complex games it's maybe a bit too simple regardingThis is one of the best space strategy games ever made. It's full of content, exploration is fun, graphics look astonishingly good for a Paradox game. I really love playing it and I think Paradox is on the right track making their recent games easier to get into (compared to a Hearts of Iron III). For someone like me who digs really complex games it's maybe a bit too simple regarding strategy and gameplay mechanics, but I think it perfectly fits the scenario. Good work Paradox! You already sold me a copy of the forthcoming Hearts of Iron IV.… Expand
  86. Injun
    May 13, 2016
    9
    Great game, very addictive.....as addictive and good as any strategy game I've played in the last 20 years.

    Definately the best I've played in the last 5 years.
  87. Joshua_Jones
    May 13, 2016
    9
    One of the best space games I have played in years, bar none. Stellaris isn't perfect, but it's closer than any game I have played in a decade. Given Paradox's history it will continue to get better over coming months and years. The simplest way I can put it is I have not dared to load the game for the last few days because if I do I will start after work and suddenly the sun will beOne of the best space games I have played in years, bar none. Stellaris isn't perfect, but it's closer than any game I have played in a decade. Given Paradox's history it will continue to get better over coming months and years. The simplest way I can put it is I have not dared to load the game for the last few days because if I do I will start after work and suddenly the sun will be coming up and it will be time to head back to work.… Expand
  88. PaperThing
    May 13, 2016
    9
    Truly excellent - despite some minor flaws in the UI and the ship design being far from as in-depth or customisable as is in equivalent games such as 'Galactic Civilizations'.

    An excellent blend of Civilization and Paradox's grand strategy games such as EUIV. Will definitely be better through patches, updates, dlc and mods as happened with CK2 and EUIV.
  89. PeppyPanda
    May 12, 2016
    10
    Stellaris is an extremely in depth strategy games that takes elements from other paradox interactive games and a little from Endless Space and combines them all together to create a wonderful expierence.
  90. An00b1s
    May 12, 2016
    10
    A great space strategy game. The music and atmosphere are great. Like any Paradox title, give it time to fully flesh out with more content that will come later down the road. Or check out the built in mod support that the game comes with. Early game plays a little slow, but that is so you can get the feel of it. Later game becomes the strategy game folks are craving.
  91. Galverizer
    May 12, 2016
    10
    Something Stellaris do unlike any other strategy game is the way it offers a universe full of undiscovered mysteries and exploration opportunities . It is not only those factions who lives in space. Seemingly neutral species and other phenomena flying through space independent of what you are doing, and through certain projects these can be researched and mapped. You may learn somethingSomething Stellaris do unlike any other strategy game is the way it offers a universe full of undiscovered mysteries and exploration opportunities . It is not only those factions who lives in space. Seemingly neutral species and other phenomena flying through space independent of what you are doing, and through certain projects these can be researched and mapped. You may learn something new from these creatures that unlocks additional research opportunities .

    One of the coolest things I came across was when I colonized a planet and found out that it was inhabited by Titans - enormous creatures a la Hercules and Greek mythology. I was stupid enough to think that everything would go well. In a short while the planet was taken over by the Titans , and wave on wave of expeditionary forces were not able to take it back. A sad end there then, but the discovery was no less spectacular for that reason.

    Not only can you discover ancient mysteries or clues that will take you on all sorts of adventures, but you are lucky during exploring then you can come across intelligent creatures who are trying to evolve into an ordinary fractions. One of the most unforgettable I have done was to make an observation post of such a planet, that enabled me to pay attention to what these creatures where doing. Before I knew it I had kidnapped " copies " of this alien race . To my great surprise , this led to the nations on the planet gathered against me . It all ended in me , through advanced technology, infiltrated government on the planet , helped them with technological advances so that they became a full-fledged faction , and then I made ​​them to my vassal . That is long term strategy like nothing else! However if you just want war action and controlling ships in combat this game is nothing for you. I can't wait to play this in multiplayer against some friends:)    … Expand
  92. Rumpeltroll
    May 12, 2016
    10
    The game is awesome. It's smooth, elegant, sounds great, looks great, and is stable.
    This is no trivial game that you can master, finish and discard in a couple dozen hours.
    I imagine this is a game I will continue playing for months, if not years, especially as new content is released. Stellaris is a STRATEGY game, and makes no bones about it, as there is barely even a nod towards    The game is awesome. It's smooth, elegant, sounds great, looks great, and is stable.
    This is no trivial game that you can master, finish and discard in a couple dozen hours.
    I imagine this is a game I will continue playing for months, if not years, especially as new content is released. Stellaris is a STRATEGY game, and makes no bones about it, as there is barely even a nod towards tactical elements.

    The one thing I love about Stellaris above most other games in this genre .... there are actual STAR SYSTEMS, not just planets floating in space or arbitrary placeholders. Ships which warp or jump into a system have to traverse the system or wait for their jump drives to cool down before they can jump again. As an immersive factor, this WORKS for me.

    The nature of the game is TOTALLY suited to modding and customisation. I can imagine people designing the entire star wars galaxy or star trek galaxy or empire of man or warhammer 40k universe or starcraft universe in this. I literally cannot wait to see what modders will do in terms of race design, 3d models, static galaxy designs, story driven gameplay, event chains, etc.

    Stellaris has given a massive POKE IN THE EYE to those who think 4x games cannot encompass multiple stardrive types and should be simplified to managing hyperlane bottlenecks.

    You will love it if
    - you like sandbox games
    - you want control of customisation
    - you want to set your own goals, and drive your own agenda
    - you love science fiction stories, as the anomalies and events in the game are like a story unfolding, absolutely amazing.

    You will hate it if
    - you are a twitch gamer wanting a rail-shooter in space
    - you want the game to drive the agenda for you
    - you just wanna kill things and couldn't be bothered to read.

    Being a sandbox, i imagine it will suit the multiplayer environment much better than the single player environment, but it is still an awesome single player experience.

    There are a few things missing, but they detract very little from the game experience.
    - there are only randomly generated games, no campaign modes
    - there are no freighters, passenger ships, trade routes, etc.
    - the game is pseudo 3d, and effectively plays out on a flat galaxy map
    - no tactical combat mode, but its well done, with combat seamlessly playing outin real time on the strategic map.
    - current diplomacy is not that complex, no espionage, sabotage, etc. But the sheer number of species and diversity adds its own complexity.
    - being a sandbox, there is currently no campaign, but I am sure the modding community will solve this.
    - while there are leaders (governals, admirals, scientists, etc) with traits, experience and skills, they are randomly generated, not a result of a complex relationship engine as in CK2. Not a big deal to me, but I imagine some would have hoped for this. I can imagne a system like rome total war with governing families leading factions might have worked.

    Many of the tricks the designers missed in the realease version, I imagine can be added in future content, or through modding.    … Expand
  93. Malten
    May 12, 2016
    10
    This game is so good. It really gives you a feeling of running an interstellar empire with gameplay that includes managing the ethos and expectations of your subjects, administrative sectors and more. There is always something interesting to do, with random events, planet development, empire management and ongoing politics.

    The game is incredibly well presented. Everything is gorgeous    This game is so good. It really gives you a feeling of running an interstellar empire with gameplay that includes managing the ethos and expectations of your subjects, administrative sectors and more. There is always something interesting to do, with random events, planet development, empire management and ongoing politics.

    The game is incredibly well presented. Everything is gorgeous and the music is fantastic.

    The user interface is a dream to use with mouse over information, right click menus, queuing up orders, and various screens.

    There is strategy in your fleet design and choosing the right technologies to gain an edge over your opponents is important. Then you watch the battle play out. It looks fantastic.

    The technology system is fantastic with random choices each time you finish a tech. There is a lot of depth to the technology system and hard choices to make sometimes on what to research.

    The ability to customise your race and empire in this game is the best I've ever seen. Stellaris is a game where you can really create any kind of space faring empire that you can imagine, from the noble houses and Emperor of Dune to the space faring states of other sci fi settings.    … Expand
  94. thoord
    May 11, 2016
    10
    This game is beyond amazing, the best strategy I've ever played and with enormous amount of potential to grow. I am a huge fan of Paradox and this is by far the best game they've ever released.
  95. Chrischrill
    May 11, 2016
    8
    Stellaris is your typical grand strategy game from Paradox, except for the setting. With space, Paradox conquers the final frontier? Or do they?

    The game is off to a great start, the early-game is fantastic and it gives me great pleasure to explore the universe and its anomalies. Once I reach mid-game, the game grinds to a painful halt. Many of the features and functions of this game    Stellaris is your typical grand strategy game from Paradox, except for the setting. With space, Paradox conquers the final frontier? Or do they?

    The game is off to a great start, the early-game is fantastic and it gives me great pleasure to explore the universe and its anomalies. Once I reach mid-game, the game grinds to a painful halt. Many of the features and functions of this game are undeveloped and sometimes not very well thought through. Depending on your mode of FTL transport, you may be fighting an enemy you cannot reach even though they can reach you. It's hard to win such a war, isn't it?

    Stellaris is lacking in areas such as trade and economy. Knowing Paradox, this is something they will work with in a future DLC. All in all, this is a good game with greater potential waiting to be unlocked.    … Expand
  96. J4MESOX4D
    May 11, 2016
    9
    Stellaris is another magnificient grand strategy title from Paradox Development Studio that is incredibly deep, immensely detailed and highly ambitious. The game is also championed by a vastly improved user interface when compared with other Paradox games and has a far more inviting learning curve without losing the challenge or depth that the other games by this highly regarded developerStellaris is another magnificient grand strategy title from Paradox Development Studio that is incredibly deep, immensely detailed and highly ambitious. The game is also championed by a vastly improved user interface when compared with other Paradox games and has a far more inviting learning curve without losing the challenge or depth that the other games by this highly regarded developer offer.

    Paradox are widely known for their catalogue of strategy games over the years which are of a very high quality but are also remarkably complex to an extent; some newcomers and even veterans of the genre felt alienated, confused and simply overwhelmed. Stellaris however, has a fully fledged tutorial integrated into the main campaign which not only guides you through the general mechanics along with each feature in a constructive manner; it explains aspects clearly and this is further supported by a far more user friendly interface. The screen is less cluttered when compared with the likes of Europa Universalis IV and all the information is clear, condensed and well presented.

    The game takes place in space which is an almost Call of Duty style departure from the typical Paradox titles of classic eras and a real world setting. The premise is also slightly different as you create your colony from scratch or by selecting some preset examples instead of guiding an already established country. Your goal in the galaxy is to explore, build, research, expand, conquer and even exterminate all other races you come across - basically exactly what you'd expect from a 4X title. You can play this game however you wish and at your own pace - you may opt to be a fanatic militarist or simply want to discover as much of the universe as possible whilst befriending and benefitting from other races you meet along the way. It is a massively detailed and highly engrossing experience in which the developers have made the transition from reality to sci-fi in a very credible fashion.

    Stellaris runs superbly too and is bolstered by truly fantastic atmosphere enhancing audio that complements your game throughout. The visuals are very good too and the galaxy map whilst despite looking rather basic, is easy to grasp and understand which is another massive plus. Overall; Stellaris is another superb Paradox title that is riddled with depth and a long term challenge but is also presented and executed in a far more appealling and enjoyable way than some previous titles by the studio. This game will have a bright future and is sure to provide many hours of entertainment.    … Expand
  97. wushu
    May 11, 2016
    10
    A fantastic space strategy game, one of the best. True it may have streamlined much mechanics and receives criticism for that but that's what mods are for - which are embraced by the devs, Paradox who have a long standing tradition of post release support and community but I think have taken it to another level on this one. One negative is the lack of options as far as system and guiA fantastic space strategy game, one of the best. True it may have streamlined much mechanics and receives criticism for that but that's what mods are for - which are embraced by the devs, Paradox who have a long standing tradition of post release support and community but I think have taken it to another level on this one. One negative is the lack of options as far as system and gui settings, which hopefully and assuredly will be addressed in a patch by the company which is not an EA or Actiblizzard and actually care about the customers. So in that regard and also in terms of gameplay and a surprisingly bugfree release (how often do we get to say that with AAA releases these days?) I give the game a perfect score.

    10/10, would be enslaved to the master race that is Stellaris again and again.    … Expand
  98. dinin70
    May 11, 2016
    8
    I'm noting the game as it is now, knowing that, as with any other Paradox game, within a couple of years it will be HUGE.

    It is, for me, after about 5 hours of gameplay, by far the best Grand Strategy game in space. Much better than the empty Endless Space, ridiculously overwhelming but simple Galactic Civilizations. Much better since for the first time it's another gameplay than    I'm noting the game as it is now, knowing that, as with any other Paradox game, within a couple of years it will be HUGE.

    It is, for me, after about 5 hours of gameplay, by far the best Grand Strategy game in space. Much better than the empty Endless Space, ridiculously overwhelming but simple Galactic Civilizations. Much better since for the first time it's another gameplay than simply: expand, spawn troops, expand, meet neighbor, crush him. Expand, spawn troops, crush and so forth.

    Unfortunately, it is by far inferior than Hearts of Iron or Crusader Kings. It is way more superficial. Maybe you need to have 50hours gameplay before you start feeling the small subtleties, but after 5 hours, you seem to have understood most of your challenges which is unique in Paradox games. After 100h+ in Hearts of Iron or CK2, you still discover new things. Not the case here.

    However, I'm certain that Paradox will keep on updating the game providing much more features (real politics, Ministers, political parties, social unrest). For me, they just need to add a flexible social and political environment (parties providing pros and cons) coming from things happening in the universe: i.e.: you are peaceful, technological and xenophile Empire (party). But you are weak: pirates roam your galaxies, neighbors too strong, you are loosing a war: people will start voting a Warmonger party providing bonuses in production, military technologies etc. but provide opposite effects to Social techs, diplomacy, trade...

    On the other side, you have battled for centuries. People is happy. After long time, they are fed up with war: another party may win the election, providing other bonuses. Or the economy is turning sour (starvations, lack of funds...) a more socialist party with less individualist bonuses but high collectivist bonuses. Or you have several species in your Galaxy, if you don't invest in Education people will turn xenophobe and a party with genocidal views may win the elections.

    Or maybe laws: a belligerent party wins the election. Parliament votes a low for forces Military Service against education. If you refuse, unrest could increase and Democracy overthrown by Militaristic Despotic regime.

    Also adding ministers, like Hearts of Iron. Ministers depending on the winning party, providing bonuses here and there.

    Well things like that...

    THAT IS COMPLETELY FEASABLE and would make this game the best game ever... And I'm sure Paradox will do that.

    Yet, it is not case. And after 5 hours of gameplay I understand I will need at least extra 95 hours before finishing the game. I am NOWHERE yet and everything still needs shape. And that makes me want to play game    … Expand
  99. wujekblazej
    May 10, 2016
    9
    My girlfriend doesn't speak to me, my friends think I'm weird, my parents came by to give me food and check if I am alive: this is the type of game that destroys lives.
    On the other hand, AI really needs to be improved, also diplomatic depth is not as deep as I hoped. In few months it will be one of the best games Paradox has ever produced, just give them time to polish it.
  100. pguyton
    May 10, 2016
    9
    I love this game alot, it feels deeper and better developed than any other 4x title out there, paradox will also do a great job supporting it - it's already VERY modable and I'm enjoying it alot

    it will take you a VERY long time to play all the way through as all their games do. if you know their other games you should be aware that it isn't about combat it's about exploring    I love this game alot, it feels deeper and better developed than any other 4x title out there, paradox will also do a great job supporting it - it's already VERY modable and I'm enjoying it alot

    it will take you a VERY long time to play all the way through as all their games do. if you know their other games you should be aware that it isn't about combat it's about exploring development and diplomacy - it's very pretty but combat is a a game/dice rolling in the background not total war type micro .

    it's like a wonderful giant boardgame with a very epic feel

    I for one love it and strongly recommend it .    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

99
#99 Best PC Game of 2016
23
#23 Most Discussed PC Game of 2016
31
#31 Most Shared PC Game of 2016

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
78

Generally favorable reviews - based on 57 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 46 out of 57
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 57
  3. Negative: 1 out of 57
  1. Games Master UK
    Jul 25, 2016
    90
    A stunning first step into space for strategy's superstars - and a great gateway to their other games. [July 2016, p.76]
  2. CD-Action
    Jul 21, 2016
    85
    It was really hard for me to break away from Stellaris’ grip to write this review. It’s one of those gems you launch in the evening for a moment but quit at dawn. [07/2016, p.50]
  3. Riot Pixels
    Jul 11, 2016
    65
    Stellaris feels like two games of completely different quality. One game offers boring linear stand-offs against a tame AI, the other is an excellent multiplayer platform.
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