Stellaris

Unreasonable expectation of perfection aside, Stellaris is an expertly blended mosaic of 4X, grand strategy and self-created narrative. For the relatively small niche that this game occupies, it is the undisputed master and commander. It’s also a nice platform for DLC and modding so as if the game didn’t provide enough substance out of box, then I’m sure there’s going to be plenty of content for y...

This is a game for anyone who has already enjoyed the grand strategy genre or anyone who has always wanted to. There is a strong sense of accomplishment from starting an empire and guiding it along the path you choose, even if it eventually ends in failure. Stellaris is easy to comprehend and exciting to execute, which is a perfect combination for a genre notoriously difficult to break into.

The long-awaited Stellaris game has conquered space and... Steam. Paradox has created a great 4X style space strategy game. Despite its shortcomings, it is an extremely addictive production.

A wonderful game on its own, but beware of its own lack of optimization and stuttering late-game.

In the end, then Stellaris is a tremendous return to form from Paradox. The title manages to mix complex strategy mechanics with a more lenient attitude towards newcomers to great success, granting a level of flexibility of play rarely seen in the genre. Combined with some great world-building and an enchanting atmosphere, Stellaris comes highly recommended.

Stellaris builds a foundation that will hopefully yield something wonderful within the next few years of patches and expansions. For now, this is a good game that I recommend for both the newcomer and the hardened veteran that probably already has this game.

Off the Shoulder of Orion

No summary available

Stellaris is filled with good ideas, and it’s not difficult to see the outline of a great space strategy game where those ideas could come together. But beyond the early game, it’s only compelling in bits and pieces – it turns into a largely uneventful slog after that. Paradox has developed a reputation of major upgrades to their games for years after launch, and Stellaris is going to need all tha...

The Grand Archive Story Pack isn’t very grand and is pretty light on story. There’s some new pathways to explore but not enough substance to recommend this expansion over other DLC in the franchise.

But what I'm most hoping for are official, bolt-on replacements for systems like diplomacy and ship building, which just aren’t quite as polished as I’d like to see at release. Paradox has proven that it is willing to work on long timelines, and has a history of supporting its games years after launch with substantive upgrades. I expect that, three years from now, Stellaris will be a much improved...

The great experiment of the game was not so much the change of scenery, from history to science fiction, it was the decision to create a Civ-like game of expansion with some complexities and aspects of simulation borrowed from grand strategy. It's in the simulation of a living galaxy that most of the complexity has been lost, but what has been gained is a precise and finely tuned machine. Less err...