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Stellar Initiative

82%Game Brain Score
gameplay, graphics
story, grinding
82% User Score Based on 408 reviews

Platforms

PCPCWindowsWindows
Buy Nowfrom $9.99
Buy NowGet on Steam$9.99

About

"Stellar Initiative" is a roguelike tower defense game where you land on planets and use your orbit ship to deliver buildings and support attacks. Choose missions, order buildings, and manage resources while unlocking upgrades and discovering unique artifacts. With 138 artifacts, 25 buildings, 139 upgrades, 12 missions, and 5 difficulties, each game is a new experience.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Stellar Initiative screenshot
Stellar Initiative screenshot
Stellar Initiative screenshot
Stellar Initiative screenshot
Stellar Initiative screenshot
Stellar Initiative screenshot
Stellar Initiative screenshot
Stellar Initiative screenshot

82%
Audience ScoreBased on 408 reviews
gameplay18 positive mentions
story4 negative mentions
  • The game offers a good mix of strategy and challenge, with a variety of buildings and artifacts that allow for creative combinations.
  • It has a simple yet engaging gameplay loop that keeps players coming back for more, especially with the roguelike elements.
  • The visuals and art style are appealing, and the game is actively being updated, showing the developers' commitment to improving the experience.
  • The difficulty curve is steep, especially in the early stages, which can lead to frustration for players trying to learn the mechanics.
  • Progression is heavily gated behind unlocking artifacts, making it feel grindy and limiting the variety of gameplay.
  • Some players feel that the game lacks depth and variety, leading to repetitive gameplay and a reliance on specific strategies to succeed.
  • story
    126 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story aspect is notably lacking, with players reporting "zero story" and a campaign structure that feels repetitive, consisting mainly of completing missions to defeat mid-bosses and end-bosses. Many reviewers expressed a desire for at least a minimal narrative framework to enhance the gameplay experience, as the current mission-focused design does not provide sufficient context or engagement. Overall, the absence of a compelling story detracts from the game's potential depth and player investment.

    • “There are a variety of mission types, which is something that I found quite creative for a game like this and adds some much-needed variety for how simple the main gameplay loop is.”
    • “The upgrade paths are simple but good, artifacts are unique, replayability exists with trying to get all the artifacts and playing with the different factions, different mission types mix things up, mission modifiers add some extra challenge in the mid-game, and the bosses are acceptable.”
    • “Some missions might seem harder, but the more you learn about the game mechanics and artifacts, the more it makes sense why they're designed the way they are.”
    • “- zero story, not even a shabby one but zero.”
    • “- the campaign is literally play a few missions, defeat midboss, play a few missions, defeat endboss.”
    • “No story is available and I think that even a barebones one would have been nice, moving on.”
  • gameplay
    62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Gameplay is generally viewed as a mixed bag, offering a variety of mechanics and mission types that can be engaging, but often feels limited by randomness and a lack of strategic depth. While some players appreciate the roguelike elements and the satisfaction of collecting power-ups, others criticize the time-wasting mechanics and the reliance on a single optimal strategy, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, many find the gameplay enjoyable and rewarding, especially after investing time to understand its intricacies.

    • “Collect different power-ups that change your build with every round, which keeps gameplay somewhat fresh while also satisfying the collector's tooth.”
    • “Very satisfying gameplay loop.”
    • “I find this game enjoyable, with its fast pace, unique runs, and challenging gameplay.”
    • “Unfortunately, despite the game being built around artifact comboing, there's no mechanics to help gain these combos; it's all random.”
    • “There's clearly been some thought put into the mechanics and items, as none of it feels slapdash, but it simply isn't good, or fun, or even interesting.”
    • “The game is basically more of a puzzle game than a roguelike, with one maybe two 'correct' builds, and the entire gameplay loop is just figuring out how to get there, using the same limited options every round.”
  • graphics
    18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are generally praised for their appealing pixel art style and vibrant colors, which effectively draw players in. Many reviewers appreciate the retro aesthetic and well-designed user interface, although some express frustration with gameplay mechanics that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the art style is highlighted as a standout feature, contributing positively to the game's charm.

    • “The visuals are nice; the color and art were what drew me into the game.”
    • “I think my favorite part of this game is the art style.”
    • “This would have been well-regarded in 2014 due to a slick retro aesthetic and fewer better options.”
    • “I love the concept and the minimal art style but... it's not fun.”
    • “A surprisingly fun TD game that hides the actual depth behind a simple pixel art style.”
  • music
    18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has been widely criticized for being limited to a single, repetitive track that lacks energy and fails to enhance the gameplay experience. Many players express disappointment, noting that the absence of variety in the soundtrack detracts significantly from their enjoyment. While the art is described as clean and polished, the overall sentiment is that the music is a major flaw in the game's design.

    • “The art and music are clean and polished.”
    • “It's got a good idea, I like the music, but this is strictly a 'one and done' where you don't accrue anything for subsequent runs.”
    • “Honestly, I cannot think of a single game that I have played with just one song besides this one.”
    • “This game could have easily had 5 songs (menu, mission, ship, boss 1, boss 2) and I probably still would have griped, but this is a low I have not seen before.”
    • “The song is not even that good either, it lacks any sort of energy that makes me want to keep playing, and not only is it the only song, but the song itself is repetitive.”
    • “This just made the game so much harder to enjoy and I cannot say I have ever been so disappointed in a soundtrack for a game before in my life.”
  • replayability
    16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's replayability is viewed as decent, with many players appreciating the diverse builds, strategies, and mission types available. However, some reviewers feel that the content is lacking for the price, suggesting that additional game modes, deeper systems, and persistent elements could significantly enhance replay value. While it is easy to learn and fun, there is a consensus that more depth and variety would improve the overall experience.

    • “Easy to learn, fun, and replayable.”
    • “It's hugely replayable, and has an incredibly diverse variety of builds and strategies to attempt.”
    • “The upgrade paths are simple but good, artifacts are unique, replayability exists with trying to get all the artifacts and playing with the different factions. Different mission types mix things up, mission modifiers add some extra challenge in the mid-game, and the bosses are acceptable.”
    • “Too little content for the price and not enough replay value.”
    • “The game is really good, but it lacks a bit of depth to improve replayability; the general concept is nice.”
    • “What I wished for were some more in-depth systems that increased replayability, like customization of loadouts, things I can take from a previous run to the next one to tackle higher difficulties, and maybe even finding persistent artifacts I can use to customize my run with (possibly with downsides too).”
  • grinding
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the game enjoyable overall, though they note that achieving 100% completion can feel grindy. However, with effective strategies, players can navigate the grind and still have fun throughout the experience.

    • “The grinding in this game feels excessive and detracts from the overall experience.”
    • “I found the grind to be tedious and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
    • “While the game has potential, the amount of grinding required to progress is frustrating.”

Buy Stellar Initiative

13h Median play time
11h Average play time
8-14h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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