Stellar Orphans
- March 25, 2024
- Artifex Parvus
Get on Steam"Stellar Orphans" is a deck-building game set in an immersive, thrilling sci-fi universe. Players must strategically build decks to navigate cosmic challenges and ensure the survival of their crew. The game offers narrative depth with moral dilemmas, tough choices, and intriguing plot twists in the mysterious expanse of space.
Reviews
- Stellar Orphans offers a challenging and rewarding strategic experience that encourages players to learn and adapt with each attempt.
- The game features beautiful AI-generated art and a unique blend of deckbuilding and board game mechanics, providing a fresh take on the genre.
- High replay value is present due to multiple scenarios and crew sets, making it an engaging experience even in Early Access.
- The game suffers from significant balance issues and a heavy reliance on RNG, which can lead to frustrating experiences for players.
- Many players feel that the difficulty is excessively high, with some scenarios being nearly impossible to complete without favorable luck.
- The game has been criticized for its lack of meaningful meta progression and customization options, leaving some players feeling limited in their strategic choices.
- gameplay11 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Stellar Orphans" is a mixed bag, featuring innovative deckbuilding mechanics reminiscent of board games, but marred by balance issues and a frustrating "hurry up and wait" loop. While some players find the gameplay addictively fun and appreciate the unique scenario-based approach, others criticize its reliance on RNG and mechanics that can hinder progress. Overall, the game shows promise but requires further refinement to enhance the player experience.
“Addictively fun gameplay.”
“Still, the very long scenario-style games are a bit of a new approach to deckbuilding that sees your deck go in multiple different directions over the course of the game, rather than just steadily building in combat power or whatever, and I enjoyed the approach a lot.”
“Very well made and addictive game, with interesting mechanics and atmosphere.”
“I'm not a fan of 'hurry up and wait' gameplay loops.”
“Some solid mechanics, but with about ten hours in on the demo and the full version, I can say this one is going on my shelf for a while until the balance issues and RNG dependence get some attention.”
“The mechanics seem designed to hamstring you right from the start.”
- story5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 80 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The game's story is criticized for its limited scope, featuring only two main storylines despite a diverse cast of characters, and is described as a mix of hard sci-fi and space opera with a somewhat silly tone. Players express frustration with the reliance on RNG mechanics, which can hinder progress and lead to a feeling of helplessness in advancing the narrative.
“The story, such as it is, is quite silly and goes rapidly from hard sci-fi to space opera to dime store paperback.”
“The 'story', such as it is, is quite silly and goes rapidly from hard sci-fi to space opera to dime store paperback.”
“This game only has 2 storylines so far, compared to the large amount of crews.”
“Even if you do everything in your power to solve the bad events and advance the main story as quickly as possible, it almost always happens that the RNG just fails you - you don’t draw the cards you need and you lose turn after turn, and there’s absolutely nothing you can do about it when luck is not on your side.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players highlight the game's strong replayability, noting that the demo alone offers significant value and enjoyment. With two distinct scenarios currently available and more planned for the future, the game encourages multiple playthroughs due to its varied experiences.
“The demo was so good with replay value that I could honestly have played it forever.”
“A lot of replayability and value from the small price as well.”
“There are two scenarios included in the game (with more incoming) that currently have some differences, which makes the game even more replayable.”
“There are two scenarios included in the game (with more incoming), that currently have some differences which make the game even more replayable.”
“A lot of replayability and value from the small price as well.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is generally praised for its engaging art and mechanics, creating an addictive experience. However, some players feel that the storyline does not align well with the overall fantastic atmosphere, detracting from the immersion.
“Very well made and addictive game, with interesting mechanics and atmosphere.”
“It has quite a lot of atmosphere, thanks to the art of the cards and the game flow.”
- graphics1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The graphics are praised for their high quality, featuring impressive art and a cohesive theme that enhances the overall visual experience.
“The art and graphics are exceptional, perfectly complementing the game's theme.”
“The visuals are stunning, creating an immersive experience that draws you into the game world.”
“The graphics are beautifully designed, showcasing a unique and captivating art style.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is enjoyable, but players report experiencing numerous bugs that affect its stability.
“Fun game, but it's really buggy.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it hard to enjoy.”
“I experienced constant lag and stability issues during gameplay.”
