Stellaris - Paradox new sci-fi grand strategy game

[Tytus]

Time to make a nation of space Jews. Talents: Nomadic, Thrifty, Repugnant.

Also we already have those in video games:

 

[MoLAoS]

Nah. Game is wildly overrated. Its not terrible but its not a 9/10 or a 10/10.

 

[Hobo Elf]

I read the IGN review, it seems they gave it to 4x player to review. As a 4x player myself I found it good and all the things that bothered him would probably bother me as well.

If Paradox is trying to expand more into 4x space maybe they should expect to put more 4x features into the game.

Sounds like you just want a space 4X. This isn't that game and it was never intended as such. Stellaris is a 4x / grand strategy hybrid but it still leans more onto the grand strategy paradigm, as one would expect of a Paradox game. Nevertheless, I have 26 hours put into CK2 and 3 hours into EU4 (which I liked a lot but just never got around to playing it), I primarily play space and fantasy 4X games when it comes to strategy gaming and I'm still enjoying myself a lot with this game.

 

[Jimmious]

Nah. Game is wildly overrated. Its not terrible but its not a 9/10 or a 10/10.

Who overrated it "wildly" already?

 

[Kruno]

I really should build defense platforms.

 

[IDtenT]

The autopause options are indeed a bad Miss, I'd love to have the game Pause when for example a research finishes.

Because research runs month-to-month this doesn't really have an impact.

 

[Jimmious]

The autopause options are indeed a bad Miss, I'd love to have the game Pause when for example a research finishes.

Because research runs month-to-month this doesn't really have an impact.

Oh is it so? Well damn, good to know

 

[Inf0mercial]

Never i repeat never ever go hostile against all those space animals if your in a big federation "Hostile fleet detected" on every single one of those fuckers actually gave me a headache like 20 on top bar can't even fight a war as you have no idea when your being attacked.

That's one save i am not going back to especially as the Unbidden spawned in centre of a stagnating empire and then crushed them i take a peek in and 6 2k defense stations in one system that doesn't even have any planets unbdden seem like if they spawn early your kinda fucked unless you federate right away and if they spawn next to you? Your dead. So i federated with like 10 other guys but all those space animal sightings make me want to commit suicide.

Also never Vassalise does not seem worth it until the mid to late game when you have nearly capped out fleet tech, better off using resources to build more def stations, they get pretty bullshit when you get fortress upgrade you can build 2-3k military power stations pretty easy. I mean he did come to my help a few times even with disloyal rating but i feel a few more defense stations would have done the job better.

 

[Zarniwoop]

Also we already have those in video games:

Nigga please. The originals:

 

[mutonizer]

Restarting...again...after a small binge run on hard.

Very polished game, I'm bloody impressed. If that's how they go about releasing game now, this is awesome. No slowdown, no crash, everything works as intended. Sucks to be glad shit works but there you go...

Very slow game if you don't prepare the map setup proper. Hours into my hard game/small map and apart from one mofo who vassalized a couple other dudes, nobody been doing shit. Not yet into a situation where every border's getting cramped but damn it's slow. Good to learn how to build an empire and how shit works but next time it'll be shit tons of races, most of the hand-made by me.
Warp and Wormhole FTL are okish but Hyperspace is a hit or miss on map generation. Wrong one and you are just fucked into a corner. Good one and you can zoom around like crazy.

Hard fucks up the diplomatic system sadly so instead of Hard, I'll go lots of races, lots of advanced and normal difficulty next time.

Otherwise, overall good fun for now but worried about mid/end game.

Edit:
Lack of any kind of espionnage system really sucks. It'll prolly be the #1 DLC but that arn't cool on release.

 

[Kem0sabe]

So playing the borrowed version, and fuck is the combat horrible, even worse than most paradox games as there is no terrain and strategic maneuvering.

The unmodified leader limit of 10 is ridiculously low, taking into account that science ships need scientists, planets need governors and generals, fleets need admirals, research needs scientists.

Diplomacy is also rather limited and so is planet management and ship design.

It nails the event system and the exploration and research as well.

Overall It feels like a shell of a good game, that was tailored made to be expanded through countless dlc packages.

Modding is even easier than previous paradox titles, I think this will spawn a shit ton of mods, there's already WH40K 1 day after launch.

 

[Hobo Elf]

I don't seem to have much luck with missiles. They don't do enough damage to soften the enemy before they engage me in closer combat and missiles are shot at random targets whereas lasers and drivers seem to focus fire on targets. I've not seen a single AI empire use missiles either. Mostly just lasers, which seem to be pretty superior over the other 2 starter weapon types.

 

[ArchAngel]

So playing the borrowed version, and fuck is the combat horrible, even worse than most paradox games as there is no terrain and strategic maneuvering.

The unmodified leader limit of 10 is ridiculously low, taking into account that science ships need scientists, planets need governors and generals, fleets need admirals, research needs scientists.

Diplomacy is also rather limited and so is planet management and ship design.

It nails the event system and the exploration and research as well.

Overall It feels like a shell of a good game, that was tailored made to be expanded through countless dlc packages.

Modding is even easier than previous paradox titles, I think this will spawn a shit ton of mods, there's already WH40K 1 day after launch.

But you don't understand. This is not a 4x game, it is grand strategy

Spoiler

 

[MoLAoS]

Blarg. Surveying gets boring and annoying as shit after a while... And it never ends.

 

[Malakal]

Blarg. Surveying gets boring and annoying as shit after a while... And it never ends.

I remember seeing one guy automate his exploration ships. There, issue solved.

 

[Kem0sabe]

I don't seem to have much luck with missiles. They don't do enough damage to soften the enemy before they engage me in closer combat and missiles are shot at random targets whereas lasers and drivers seem to focus fire on targets. I've not seen a single AI empire use missiles either. Mostly just lasers, which seem to be pretty superior over the other 2 starter weapon types.

I find projectiles to be really good at start of game, as they chew through shields and armor.

 

[MoLAoS]

Blarg. Surveying gets boring and annoying as shit after a while... And it never ends.

I remember seeing one guy automate his exploration ships. There, issue solved.

I can say survey system but not total automation.

 

[Ulminati]

Meanwhile, my space cats are getting 500+ minerals every month, but are constantly in negative energy credits. I have to maintain ongoing trade deals with my neighbours where I give them minerals for energy because the power reactor tech never popped for physics

 

[MasterSmithFandango]

So Stellaris has some downright awesome aspects, and some stuff that feels lacking.

The awesome stuff: Tech system is probably the best I've had in a 4x. The randomization leads to a lot of different options and I really like that. Ethics and Government types are great as well, although I think *some* of the malices that come from it in diplomacy might be too much. The event chains are REALLY good - better than CK2 honestly. Adds a whole different element to the genre. I like the ship designer as well - it's more functional than others. Also - this game looks amazing. Uplifting species and things like that is a great mechanic, as are the observation posts you can build around developing, land bound civilizations. Also - the sector mechanic to reduce micromanagement - I thought I would hate not being able to directly control all of my planets, but there's enough going on that dragging them into a sector is much more preferred now and maintaining my core planets.

The lacking stuff: Trade and Diplomacy are the two big ones. Trade is pretty much missing - I would have liked a lot more. In that way diplomacy feels a little two dimensional as well. There are rivalries and alliances and federations... and that's it. I would like more options. Also - this game needs espionage badly. From Distant Worlds: Universe where espionage is one of my favorite gameplay mechanics to this feels like a step back in that regard. Also, while the species designer is fanatastic, I would have liked a few more cosmetic options for ships and stuff like that, but that's a nitpick.

Ultimately - I know the Trade, Diplomacy, and Espionage will be added in DLC because lol it's Paradox and there's going to be 50 DLC for this thing. But I do think those are elements that should be - if not fully fleshed out - at least more fleshed out in the core game. Still, it's very good and I'm having a ton of fun with it.

 

[Turisas]

Meanwhile, my space cats are getting 500+ minerals every month, but are constantly in negative energy credits. I have to maintain ongoing trade deals with my neighbours where I give them minerals for energy because the power reactor tech never popped for physics

Yeah the randomness can be a pain in the ass. Maybe someone'll make a linear tech tree mod a la Sid.

 

[MasterSmithFandango]

Blarg. Surveying gets boring and annoying as shit after a while... And it never ends.

I remember seeing one guy automate his exploration ships. There, issue solved.

I can say survey system but not total automation.

I think you can autmoate it, actually. Let me check really quickly.

 

[Ulminati]

Meanwhile, my space cats are getting 500+ minerals every month, but are constantly in negative energy credits. I have to maintain ongoing trade deals with my neighbours where I give them minerals for energy because the power reactor tech never popped for physics

Yeah the randomness can be a pain in the ass. Maybe someone'll make a linear tech tree mod a la Sid.

No thanks. I rather like this to be honest. It keeps repeatability higher when I don't follow the same tech order every time. Besides, I just got a rare+dangerous "sentient AI" tech option. +10% research speed.What could possibly go wrong?

 

[Turisas]

But as is I can't beeline to the gigakiller neutron cannons right away, gotta research some bullshit greenhouses in the meantime in the hopes the good stuff'll pop up. That makes me a sad destroyer of worlds.

Well at least 2 out of 3 of my scientists have the genius trait for a +10% all research, that's p. nice. Anyone know how often those leader recruits refresh? It'd be worth it for the scientists at least to try and get the best ones instead of just waiting for the old ones to die.

 

[Quigs]

A little annoyed that they decided Phobic meant both a fear and a hate of aliens. Still, having a blast, though expansion seems difficult.

 

[Trash]

Been toying around with it for a bit and am pleasantly surprised. There's a lot of scope for improvement but as it is the game is already one of the best I played since Master of Orion II. Big words but then I've been continuously disappointed in this genre. This one is fresh, expansive, has oodles of atmosphere and is quite a bit of fun to booth.

Still, improvements. How about more differentiation in your playstyle with different aliens? Many 4x games have tried to make different factions feel really unique. As is the different races do feel different but the basic playstyle remains the same. Give me genuine space nomads, a species going all out for 'transhumanism', infectious intelligent parasites (they even got a portrait that hints at something like this) or whatever else they come up with.

Loved the event about finding the writings of an alien merc carved into the crust of a planet by orbital laser. Then realised I miss my mercs. And my adventurers.

Talking about this, combat can use some work. Space combat is fun to look at but apart from building a decent fleet and deploying it somewhere advantageous it really feels empty. More abilities, more tactical and especially more options in combat. Then we got ground combat. I was led to believe it wasn't even in the game but it surely is. And it actually works quite well with different types of forces that you can even augment further. I am enjoying that. Still, more options are always great. And why not kick off events that can happen during invasions?

Orbital bombardments. Sounds awesome, right? Then why does every game try its best to make them appear dull? MOOII already did it well by letting you drop everything from horrid viral bombs to asteroids on your foes. Why not here? Again, more options. And why not make some of these options have stern repercussions in diplomacy? Wiping out a planet by a nano plague might give you a reputation for instance.

Diplomacy. It could use some more work. Yes, it's there and I do enjoy the various quips and all. Still, there is room for expansion. Which is basically what sums up this game to me. It's there, I dig it, it feels like it could be more. Trade, espionage, planet modifiers (where are my tomb worlds?) massive structures in space, blockades, planet busters, war weariness. I can keep this up for days but fuck it. I'm gonna play some more.