Stellar Tactics

About

Stellar Tactics is a single player open world role playing game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by Maverick Games and was released on September 22, 2016. It received positive reviews from players.

"Stellar Tactics" is a turn-based space combat and exploration game with classless character progression and customizable squads. The game features 160,000 Star Systems, 40 ships, and various equipment items that can be upgraded with Nano-Tech. Players can mine asteroids, trade commodities, capture ships, and engage in ground battles against hostile forces. The game also includes classless character progression with 240 perks for unrestricted customization.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

+15

Skip User Reviews

81%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,165 reviews

story124 positive mentions

grinding63 negative mentions

The game offers a unique blend of turn-based tactical combat and space exploration, reminiscent of classic RPGs like Fallout and XCOM.
The developer is highly responsive to community feedback and regularly updates the game, showing a commitment to improvement.
The vast universe with over 160,000 star systems provides endless exploration opportunities and a variety of gameplay styles.

The game suffers from numerous bugs and crashes, particularly during loading screens, which can disrupt gameplay.
The user interface is clunky and unintuitive, making navigation and inventory management frustrating.
Combat can feel repetitive and lacks depth, with many encounters playing out in a similar manner without significant tactical variation.

story
588 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
75%
4%
The game's story is described as a mix of engaging and predictable elements, with a typical sci-fi premise involving a chosen one and a universe threatened by a deadly virus. While some players appreciate the depth and potential of the narrative, many feel that the execution is lacking, with repetitive missions and a lack of emotional resonance in dialogues. Overall, the story serves as a backdrop for gameplay, allowing players to explore a vast universe while offering a core narrative that can be followed or ignored.
- “It's a game that strives to deliver a fully-realized universe where the player is free to shape their own path—from trading and mining to bounty hunting and story-driven combat encounters.”
- “While there is a core storyline in place, the game quickly opens up, allowing the player to disengage from the main narrative and pursue any number of side activities.”
- “The story is interesting though I'm pretty early into it.”
- “The story is forgettable and the writing is just bland.”
- “Too much sandbox, not enough story for me.”
- “The story is a typical sci-fi staple.”
gameplay
220 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
70%
5%
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with players appreciating its ambitious mechanics and depth, particularly in tactical combat and exploration. However, many criticize the slow pacing, tedious grinding, and clunky controls, which detract from the overall experience. While some find the gameplay rewarding for those willing to invest time, others feel it lacks polish and can become repetitive and frustrating.
- “At its core, the gameplay loop revolves around assembling a squad, outfitting them with equipment, and managing a spaceship that serves as both transport and base of operations.”
- “But for those willing to engage deeply with its mechanics and invest time in mastering its intricacies, the game rewards persistence with an experience that feels deeply personal and satisfying.”
- “The gameplay is a nice mix between XCOM and Starpoint Gemini; you travel between planets/star systems in your spaceship fighting real-time battles and fight through ground encounters with your chosen squad members in turn-based battles.”
- “The galaxy map is 10 times too big for what the gameplay and GUI need, and there is an artificial limit for quick travel - yet the places you need to go are outside of the quick travel limit. Thus, you need to waste 5-10 minutes flying in FTL, then waste a few minutes more flying in-system as well.”
- “At some point, gameplay becomes very tedious and boring.”
- “The balance of time invested versus what you get in return feels off, with a lot of unnecessary tedium involved in the gameplay loop at the moment.”
graphics
127 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
63%
10%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players noting that they are outdated and reminiscent of late 90s to early 2000s titles, yet still serviceable and not visually offensive. While some appreciate the nostalgic aesthetic and find the visuals adequate for gameplay, others criticize the lack of polish, sluggish performance, and basic animations. Overall, the graphics are considered decent for an indie title, but they do not stand out in today's gaming landscape.
- “The graphics are very nice, detailed, and informative.”
- “The visuals and character movements have gotten sharper and smoother, as have the little details like reflections and different burst fires from different weapons.”
- “The graphics are great, and I can see many hours being spent playing this game.”
- “The graphics are outdated.”
- “Unfortuately, I got this game based on all the reviews but what no one mentioned was the graphics look like they are from 2005 and the special effects of weapons etc. were horrible. I got through about 40 minutes of the tutorial and the graphics and sound effects were so dated I couldn't continue.”
- “The graphics looked half bad back then, but now half a decade later they look fully bad.”
grinding
63 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it excessively tedious and time-consuming, particularly in crafting, trading, and combat. While some appreciate the incremental progression and the depth it offers, others feel that the repetitive nature of grinding detracts from the overall enjoyment, leading to a lack of engagement and motivation to continue. Overall, the grinding is seen as a significant hurdle that can overshadow the game's potential fun and creativity.
- “At some point, gameplay becomes very tedious and boring.”
- “It's a shame, I love the idea behind this game, but the dev made it so horrifically, overwhelmingly tedious instead of...fun...so to reiterate, the store page advertisement of 'build your character your way' is 100% a lie.”
- “The game has great promise, but as it is now lacks goal and gets repetitive and grindy.”
stability
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
6%
94%
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with many players reporting frequent crashes, long loading times, and various glitches that disrupt gameplay. While some users noted that the game is playable and showed potential, the overall consensus is that it remains buggy and incomplete, particularly in combat mechanics and loading sequences. Despite occasional positive remarks about the game's concept and features, the instability significantly detracts from the overall experience.
- “The game seems to be bug-free at this point, or at least I haven't run into any that I've noticed.”
- “Summary: a playable, relatively bug-free early access space game with squad turn-based ground combat and space flight and combat.”
- “I understand that you don't write programs for free and I'm ready to support you with more money for additional fun after it's out of early access and reasonably bug-free if you create DLC to add brand new content.”
- “I did about 20 minutes of troubleshooting following advice on OpenGL settings, Steam overlay, and all the other regurgitated advice you normally get in these scenarios, but performance was still a dumpster fire right up until the game crashed and burned.”
- “This is not a finished game; it's buggy, has an unbalanced economy, is prone to crashes, and the designer puts nebulae everywhere... and I mean everywhere you look in any map will be huge nebulae encapsulating the maps on every graphics setting.”
- “In just 12 hours, the game has totally crashed 4 times, and I have had glitches in the game as well - mobs appearing on top of you, items you can't get to, etc...”
music
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
50%
8%
The music in the game is a mixed bag, with many players appreciating the ambient tracks that enhance the atmosphere of isolation and mystery, particularly during space exploration and combat. While some find the soundtrack engaging and well-timed, others criticize it for being repetitive and lacking variety, especially during ground combat. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's immersive experience, though opinions vary on its quality and impact.
- “Audio design is subtle, with ambient music setting a tone of isolation and mystery.”
- “The soundtrack is excellent and I have really been enjoying it.”
- “Great storyline so far, good tutorial that runs you through everything, solid graphics, epic soundtrack.”
- “The music is low key boring.”
- “The other thing that drove me nuts was the music in this game... it is like it is on a never-ending loop of cheap dreary sounds to the point I was getting depressed listening to it.”
- “The music always has the same vibe no matter where the player is, and basically everywhere is pretty dark after the prologue.”
replayability
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
61%
17%
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, with many users highlighting the endless and procedurally generated content that enhances the experience. While some players noted that certain aspects, like combat tactics, could become repetitive, the potential for future updates and character progression suggests a promising replay value. Many reviewers agree that, despite being a work in progress, the game offers a solid foundation for repeated playthroughs.
- “Replayability is endless.”
- “The game has plenty of depth and when it is finished it will have very high replayability value.”
- “The battles were fun for a few hours until I realized there were no fatalities to my crew, and I started the same tactic every fight. I knew I would win the next fight, which wasn't a lot for replayability.”
- “Overall, I'd say it's potentially a great game as long as future content is big enough (which from what I've seen should have no issues being so), and if done right should have a decent amount of replayability too.”
- “Most of the content is procedurally generated (and in a good way), so there's really no limit to replayability value.”
character development
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
31%
19%
Character development in the game is multifaceted and skill-based, allowing for a flexible mix-and-match system that enhances player engagement. While some players appreciate the depth and strategic elements of character progression, others note a slower pace and desire for more customization options. Overall, the well-crafted storyline and mechanics contribute positively to the character development experience, making it a standout feature of the game.
- “The tutorial does a great job framing the world building and introducing the player to the game's mechanics, while the story includes a lot of unexpected twists and character developments.”
- “That being said, it is well thought out, has a great balance of tactical and strategic elements as well as great character development.”
- “You start with a squad of four and, according to the developer, will have about 20 or so characters throughout the game you'll be able to have with you, hire, etc. Again, if you've played Fallout or Wasteland-type games, you'll be pleased to see many stats, upgrades, and character development paths to take and learn.”
- “Character development takes place through several separate systems.”
- “Would like to see more character development options, aka XCOM-like in that regard, where I can choose certain skills or other benefits to further make each character unique.”
- “Turn-based combat and character development, and in general the quest structure are really basic, clunky, and janky.”
optimization
15 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
60%
20%
Overall, the game's optimization has been widely criticized, with players reporting significant performance issues such as long loading times, sluggishness, and crashes. While a recent patch has provided some improvements, many still find the engine unpolished and in need of further enhancements to graphics and interface efficiency. Users express hope for future updates to address these ongoing optimization concerns.
- “I'm talking about better and more optimized graphics, many improvements in interface and more quality of life commands.”
- “December patch included some performance improvements and has effectively eliminated any crashes/lock-ups for me.”
- “It's definitely in need of some optimizations and tweaks, but for an early access title, there is definitely a great formula here.”
- “I did about 20 minutes of troubleshooting following advice on OpenGL settings, Steam overlay, and all the other regurgitated advice you normally get in these scenarios, but performance was still a dumpster fire right up until the game crashed and burned.”
- “The game optimization is not that good.”
- “Whole engine is in very bad shape - sluggish, crashing, slow (loading times for this graphic level are unbelievable, the whole game can fit into GPU memory but it just loads and loads and loads everything all the time. It's so bad that even an M.2 SSD won't help here) unpolished and unoptimized = inefficient. Long time since I've seen such bad work.”
atmosphere
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
8%
25%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised, with players noting its unique and immersive qualities across different environments. Many reviewers highlight the combination of engaging visuals, music, and a well-crafted universe that enhances the overall experience, making it a standout feature of the game. Despite some gameplay challenges, the atmospheric elements consistently contribute to a compelling and enjoyable setting.
- “Everything else about the game is great; ground fights, space flight, music, and atmosphere are all really well done.”
- “The atmosphere is brilliant.”
- “The developer is creating a universe of his own with a great feel and fantastic atmosphere!”
- “But as I continued to play, there was just something that kept getting in the way: the atmosphere.”
- “If you prefer story and - later on - a huge amount of possibilities mixed with interesting, comfortable but also challenging gameplay or just like the more simple look and atmosphere, this may just become or already be your game.”
- “Atmosphere: this is where I think the game shines the most for me so far.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is generally viewed as lacking, with dialogues serving more to advance the plot and world-building rather than to create deep character connections. Players feel that the emotional engagement with hired mercenaries is insufficient, and the overall experience misses the opportunity for a more resonant character-driven narrative.
- “The game offers a unique perspective on a galaxy-wide adventure, but it feels like there are few developers exploring the emotional depth of such a vast universe.”
- “While the dialogues serve their purpose, they often miss the mark on creating an emotional connection, focusing more on world-building than on deep character drama.”
- “I found that there isn't enough emotional connection with the mercenaries you hire, which detracts from the overall experience.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players appreciate the humor in the game, noting its lighthearted tone and amusing writing, which often includes intentional grammatical errors that add to its charm. The comedic elements contribute to a sense of fun, suggesting that the game doesn't take itself too seriously, enhancing the overall experience.
- “Which led to the funny fact that now I visit the augmentation merchant before the reward vendor.”
- “The grammar is atrocious, but to be honest, it tickles my funny bone seeing things like 'gun's' and 'medkit's.' It kind of makes the game feel like it doesn't take itself too seriously.”
- “Besides the story, the humor and the writing are fantastic.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players feeling misled by promotional claims about character customization, while others appreciate the developers' commitment to providing a quality experience without resorting to aggressive cash-grabbing tactics. Overall, the approach is seen as a double-edged sword, balancing between player satisfaction and perceived tedium.
- “It's a shame, I love the idea behind this game, but the dev made it so horrifically tedious instead of fun. To reiterate, the store page advertisement of 'build your character your way' is 100% a lie.”
- “With the industry standard turning into 'trick them into a cash grab', this is the one game that insists on giving you a better product and keeps on giving!”