Stellaris Critic Reviews

This ain't your grandfather's space strategy game. Stellaris opens up a whole new perspective on galactic conquest, and in doing so sets the bar for the genre for years to come.

Stellaris is a new grand strategy masterpiece; one of the best space strategy game on the market.

Stellaris is simply wonderful. If you enjoy grand strategy games then you’ll love this. If you don’t then this could be the one to change your mind. If you’ve been too intimidated to try the genre before now, then here’s your ideal starting point.

Stellaris is easy to comprehend and exciting to execute, which is a perfect combination for a genre notoriously difficult to break into.

Unreasonable expectation of perfection aside, Stellaris is a 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.

Whether you're a Paradox pro or newcomer, Stellaris invites you to a grand strategy experience like no other. With its beautiful visuals, deep exploration mechanics, inspiring soundtrack and intriguing mysteries, Stellaris is bound to make you boldly go where no man - or woman - has gone before.

Calling Stellaris Europa Universalis in space is probably reductive, but it was the first thing I did in this review not because they are almost exactly alike, but because, when I put away my empires and get on with my day, the stories that have played out in these digital worlds embed themselves in my brain, and I so desperately want to tell people about them. Both games tickle the part of my brain that wants every battle to have some greater context, every move I make to be part of a larger narrative. Stellaris manages to do this without history to lean on, though, and does so with aplomb.

As many other videogames developed by Paradox, Stellaris speaks to a very small niche. Complex and uncompromising, it shows an impressive effort to bring the gameplay of a Grand Strategy Game into the space.

While this almost feels like "Sim Universe" at times, the core difference is in something for which to strive and active threats beyond your own mishandling of resources and the occasional fire to put out. There's a whole universe out there, and I can't wait to play through Stellaris as many times as it takes to experience the whole thing.

Stellaris is immense, so deep and complex that sometimes is hard to picture all its possibilities. Without a doubt, this is a great game with a lot of love and effort put into it, and the potential to steal many hours of our time.

Superb RTS & exploration game, Paradox has launched maybe best RTS of the year with impressive results, best is the influence of our choices, worst are some areas of the AI.

Stellaris is simply an excellent strategy game.

Ultimately Paradox has created a brilliant and lasting experience in Stellaris; one that allows players to cultivate an empire that spans entire galaxies. It is both wonderful and appropriately grand.

Stellaris captures the craziness and fun of sci-fi in an engaging, infinitely replayable strategy game.

A stunning first step into space for strategy's superstars - and a great gateway to their other games.

A blisteringly fun early game can be dampened somewhat by the bloated middle and late stages, but Stellaris is another example of Paradox Interactive showcasing that they are the kings of grand strategy, and is a game that every fan of the genre should have in their collection.

From the modular ship constructor system and the impressive (if automatic) fleet battles, to the ethical tensions between interstellar neighbours reminiscent of Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri, to the endless moddability that'll allow, no doubt, classic sci-fi reskins (the likes of Dune spring to mind), I can't wait for Stellaris to be the game it is so obviously going to be. For now, though, it's still struggling with escape velocity on its mission to the stars.

Stellaris is one of the best strategy games that we can find on the market nowadays. It has an amazing big scale design, passion, soul and can keep us playing for hours and hours.

Stellaris presents an Elon Musk level of innovation - it's a really engrossing cosmic strategy that kept me entertained for long hours. There are some cracks on the surface (passive AI and a dull middle part of the game) but they don't matter. Stellaris is extremely pleasant and in the future - after some improvements - can become a true revelation.

A sort of best-of compilation of gameplay mechanics from other Paradox games, Stellaris is one of the greatest strategies this studio has published so far. So, put on your space suit, rev up the thrusters and head into the stars - the galaxy is waiting for you.