Stellar Monarch 2
- October 3, 2022
- Silver Lemur Games
- 3h median play time
"Stellar Monarch 2" is a turn-based 4X grand strategy game where you step into the role of the Emperor, ruling from the imperial throne and managing your relations with powerful noble houses. Experience the feeling of being an Emperor, dealing with assassins, traitors, and alien threats, all while implementing a feudal system in space. The game features no micromanagement, ensuring you focus on important tasks rather than moving individual ships or building farms.
Reviews
- Stellar Monarch 2 offers a refreshing take on the 4X genre, allowing players to focus on high-level strategy and decision-making rather than tedious micromanagement.
- The game successfully immerses players in the role of an emperor, managing court intrigue and political relationships, which adds depth and engagement to the gameplay.
- Despite being an indie title, the game shows great potential for future updates and improvements, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre.
- The game currently lacks sufficient content and depth, leading to a repetitive experience after a few hours of play.
- The tutorial and onboarding process is inadequate, making it difficult for new players to fully understand the game's mechanics and systems.
- Some gameplay mechanics, such as fleet composition and ship design, can be overly complex and frustrating, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- gameplay17 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this early access title shows promise, with a solid core loop and mechanics that minimize tedious micro-management, though some elements, like the communication tower mechanic, are frustrating and could be improved or removed. While the game currently feels basic and linear, there is potential for growth with future updates and a deeper exploration of mechanics, suggesting that it could evolve into a standout 4X experience. Overall, players appreciate the fresh approach but desire more depth and polish to fully realize its potential.
“This game is a 9/10; if the studio could get bigger and increase the scope of the mechanics and do it well, this could be the greatest 4X ever made.”
“Mechanically, it is a breath of fresh air.”
“A lot of mechanics are better explained and easier to understand now, and the temptation to turn off AI control and handle everything yourself is now harder to succumb to.”
“The blueprint mechanic is unintuitive and doesn't always make a lot of sense thematically.”
“Really the communication tower mechanic is so frustrating that it could be removed from the game entirely and no one would notice.”
“I had high hopes and I was expecting somewhat deep game mechanics.”
- humor3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely appreciated for its lightheartedness and clever jabs at previous installments, contributing to an overall enjoyable experience. Players particularly enjoy the developer's humorous persona and the game's whimsical themes, enhancing its charm.
“It's funny and lighthearted too; I love it! I also enjoy the kind of dune theme.”
“But otherwise, it is an excellent improvement. It's a very amazing game! I love the developer and their funny fursona, 10/10.”
“The jabs at the first game are pretty funny.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players appreciate the game's shift away from tedious micromanagement, aligning more with the grand strategy of being a space-emperor. However, there is one notable exception that still requires some level of grinding, which may detract from the overall experience.
“The mechanics also do a good job of keeping you away from tedious micromanagement, with one glaring exception.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Players highlight the game's significant replayability, particularly noting that it greatly enhances the experience during the late game.
“Huge replayability!”
“It would make a big difference to the replayability of the late game.”
- graphics2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The graphics are widely praised for their stellar quality, with most visuals being impressive and well-executed. However, the audience screen has been noted as a less favorable aspect.
“The art is stellar (pun intended); in fact, everything graphically looks great (except for the audience screen as mentioned previously).”
“Those visuals should remain on the map.”
“The graphics look outdated and lack detail.”
“The character models are poorly designed and lack realism.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised, with users highlighting the impactful music and sound effects that enhance the experience. It effectively conveys the feeling of being a monarch, creating an immersive environment that stands out in the series.
“The music and sound effects create a very atmospheric experience.”
“This series still has incredible atmosphere and conveys the feeling of being a monarch better than any other.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
While users generally praise the diplomacy features, they report that the war and peace mechanics exhibit noticeable bugs, impacting overall stability.
“Diplomacy overall is great, but the war and peace aspect of diplomacy feels buggy.”
- music1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music and sound effects are praised for their atmospheric quality, enhancing the overall immersive experience of the game.
“The music and sound effects are very atmospheric.”
“The soundtrack perfectly complements the gameplay, enhancing the overall experience.”
“Each track is beautifully composed, adding depth and emotion to the game.”