Stellaris

Stellaris is a beautiful, busy space adventure that rewards you as much for careful, considered strategy as it does for building a 40-ship fleet as early as possible and going ham on anything with more than one pair of eyes.

Starting at $48.09Buy now

Get on Steam

Get on Xbox Games Store

Explore a galaxy full of wonders in this sci-fi grand strategy game from Paradox Development Studios. Interact with diverse alien races, discover strange new worlds with unexpected events and expand the reach of your empire. Each new adventure holds almost limitless possibilities.

Genres & Tags

Strategy

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Reviews

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 66,776 reviews

gameplay1,775 positive mentions

optimization257 negative mentions

gameplay
6,675 mentions
27 % positive mentions
69 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Stellaris is characterized by its deep and complex mechanics, offering a rich blend of strategy, exploration, and empire management that can be both rewarding and overwhelming for players. While many enjoy the intricate systems and customization options, the frequent updates and DLCs often introduce significant changes to core mechanics, leading to a steep learning curve and requiring players to adapt their strategies regularly. Despite some criticisms regarding the balance and clarity of certain mechanics, the game remains engaging and offers extensive replayability, especially with the support of a vibrant modding community.
- “The gameplay is very complex yet rewarding when you learn the mechanics.”
- “The gameplay is a deep dive into space exploration and empire management, blending diplomacy and warfare with a dynamic event system that ensures no two playthroughs are alike.”
- “The depth of the game mechanics and the variety of strategies you can employ make every playthrough unique.”
- “Vassalage is a terrible mechanic and makes no sense.”
- “Unfortunately, the latest changes to the game wrecked all the standard game mechanics.”
- “The gameplay started to feel quite repetitive fairly quickly.”
story
2,806 mentions
30 % positive mentions
67 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The story aspect of Stellaris is characterized by its emergent storytelling, allowing players to craft their own narratives through exploration, decision-making, and interactions with various alien civilizations. While the base game offers a sandbox experience with limited overarching plotlines, the numerous expansions and story packs significantly enhance the narrative depth, introducing unique quests, anomalies, and lore that enrich each playthrough. Players often find themselves immersed in the rich lore and dynamic events, creating a personalized saga that evolves with every game, though some critiques highlight the repetitiveness of certain story elements over time.
- “It's a brilliant blend of strategy, creativity, and storytelling.”
- “The depth this game goes into planning an intergalactic empire of your making is crazy, and each playthrough is a unique storyline filled with challenges, friends, and foes.”
- “The game manages to create a sense of exploration, and the story elements are rather good for a game of this type.”
- “The story is largely 'make it yourself', making it good for roleplayers who want to play as the Geico gecko who wants to enslave the xenos of the galaxy!”
- “The game is a personal #1 favorite when it comes to grand strategy because it has a high amount of replayability in terms of empire pathing, quests, and diplomacy.”
- “The game has no story mode and is more or less you deciding how you want to make up your galaxy with any empire you create in that galaxy sandbox.”
graphics
1,848 mentions
54 % positive mentions
43 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The graphics in Stellaris are widely praised for their stunning visuals and intricate designs, effectively bringing the vastness of space to life. Many players appreciate the game's aesthetic appeal, noting the beautiful artwork of planets, ships, and the overall interface, which enhances the immersive experience. However, some critiques mention that while the graphics are generally good, they can be basic or repetitive in certain aspects, particularly in late-game scenarios where performance may lag. Overall, the game strikes a balance between impressive visuals and engaging gameplay, making it a standout in the grand strategy genre.
- “The graphics are beautiful, the soundtrack is an absolute masterpiece none should ignore.”
- “Stellaris features stunning visuals with beautiful details of stars, planets, and spaceships.”
- “The graphics and sound design are top-notch, creating a visually stunning and immersive experience that draws you into the vastness of space.”
- “The graphics are poor and childish, the gameplay is very clunky, confusing and irrational.”
- “The graphics are minimal but look visually pleasing because it's played in a top down view it really does feel familiar to the art and graphics from endless legend another game i enjoyed.”
- “The graphics would be bad even for a mobile game.”
replayability
1,783 mentions
54 % positive mentions
45 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
Stellaris is widely praised for its exceptional replayability, attributed to its extensive customization options, procedural galaxy generation, and diverse playstyles. Players can create unique empires and experience different narratives with each playthrough, ensuring that no two games feel the same. While some reviews note that the base game may lack depth without additional DLCs, the overall consensus is that the game offers near-infinite replay value, especially when enhanced by a vibrant modding community.
- “The game offers incredible replayability potential with race customization.”
- “The sheer replayability of this game is unsurpassed.”
- “The ability to create a custom empire gives this game almost infinite replayability, and can lead to a uniquely immersive roleplaying experience.”
- “It's just another Paradox game, the lacking base game that requires many, usually most, DLCs to enhance the experience and replayability beyond an 'it's alright'.”
- “Very limited replayability, but other than that, a decent game.”
- “The same dialog and event chains occur over and over again, reducing the replay value.”
music
1,274 mentions
62 % positive mentions
36 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The music in Stellaris is widely praised for its exceptional quality, with many reviewers considering it one of the best soundtracks in gaming. The atmospheric blend of orchestral and electronic elements enhances the immersive experience, making it enjoyable even outside of gameplay. While some players find the music repetitive over long sessions, the overall consensus is that it significantly contributes to the game's appeal and ambiance.
- “The mix of orchestral and synthesizer works incredibly well; the OST is easily in my top 3 video game soundtracks to listen to even when not actually playing the game.”
- “The soundtrack complements the cosmic adventure perfectly, enhancing the overall ambiance and drawing players even deeper into the game's rich atmosphere.”
- “The music is a masterpiece in its own right, enhancing the sense of wonder and majesty that Stellaris exudes.”
- “The soundtrack has to be the most boring set of songs ever conceived.”
- “The music is a little repetitive, but hell, that's what Spotify/YouTube are for.”
- “The music can get annoying, as it's just one continuously looping track.”
optimization
1,249 mentions
13 % positive mentions
66 % neutral mentions
21 % negative mentions
The optimization of Stellaris has been a significant point of contention among players, with many citing severe performance issues, particularly in the late game. While some users report that the game runs well on lower-end hardware and has seen improvements in recent updates, the consensus is that late-game lag and stuttering remain prevalent, making the game nearly unplayable for extended sessions. Overall, while there are moments of good performance, the game's optimization, especially for larger galaxies and during intense gameplay, requires further attention from the developers.
- “The game is also quite well optimized for old hardware; I can still play this game at 60 fps on my laptop from 2013, which I really appreciate.”
- “The custodian team they have is outstanding, updating old DLCs to be relevant and introducing a continual feed of improvements and optimizations on the base game.”
- “Performance has been improved noticeably in the early game, which is the reason they sliced all of the population numbers in half so at least I'm glad to see it was for a good reason.”
- “Games been out forever and there seems to be zero effort/drive by the devs to fix late game performance.”
- “Despite paradox's efforts the game still has horrible performance in its mid- and end-game stage.”
- “The late game is so poorly optimized that it is eventually practically impossible to play (RTX 2060, i7 9th gen, 32GB, SSD) due to frame rates lower than 20 fps.”
grinding
724 mentions
1 % positive mentions
6 % neutral mentions
93 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with many players finding it tedious and repetitive, especially in the mid to late game. While some enjoy the depth of micromanagement and the complexity of managing a sprawling empire, others feel overwhelmed by the sheer volume of tasks, leading to a sense of boredom and frustration. Overall, the game can be engaging initially, but it often devolves into a grind that requires significant time investment without substantial payoff.
- “It's usually not too tedious managing your empire unless you capture and colonize every planet you come across.”
- “Core gameplay is fun, management isn't tedious, game isn't scripted.”
- “You're never left with nothing to do, and there is no grinding.”
- “The game feels tedious in mid/mid-late game but that's kind of what you ask for in these types of games anyways.”
- “I gave this game a long attempt to try and find the joy but ultimately it felt too grindy and the levers to get things done were too opaque and complicated.”
- “The game is tedious, and frankly un-fun at this point; DLCs are exorbitantly priced, and mods, while great, should not be required to make the game functional.”
stability
534 mentions
6 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
93 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with many users reporting frequent bugs, glitches, and crashes that significantly disrupt gameplay. While some players acknowledge improvements over time, the consensus is that the game remains a "buggy mess," particularly in late-game scenarios, and often requires troubleshooting or the use of console commands to mitigate issues. Overall, the game's stability is seen as a major drawback, overshadowing its potential and enjoyment.
- “I own a 10-year-old PC, and it still runs great even in the endgame.”
- “Runs great on my iMac Catalina 10.15.3 with Radeon Pro 580 8 GB and 16 GB 2400 MHz DDR4.”
- “There are just so many things in this game done so well and there's so little that needs work, and it's almost entirely bug free at launch in my experience, which is so rare these days.”
- “Would be perfect if it wasn't so broken. I want achievements but I'm forced to deal with a commitment mode for that to be possible; unfortunately, I constantly run into scenarios of the game glitching the hell out. For a game this big and around for this long, the amount of glitches ruining my runs is unacceptable.”
- “Consistently crashes around the year 2300. It freezes then minimizes before crashing. I had this issue years back and subsequently stopped playing, came back to the game recently to find the issue still has not been fixed. Don't waste your money on a completely unplayable game.”
- “The game has huge potential, but unfortunately it's extremely buggy and some things completely break the game.”
humor
302 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in Stellaris is a standout feature, with players frequently highlighting its quirky events, absurd scenarios, and witty dialogue that add a lighthearted touch to the grand strategy gameplay. Many reviews mention the game's ability to create hilarious situations, such as engaging in space genocide with a comedic twist or encountering bizarre alien species, making it a fun experience, especially in multiplayer settings. Despite some frustrations with gameplay mechanics and bugs, the overall consensus is that the humor enhances the enjoyment and replayability of the game.
- “If you like civilization but have a wicked sense of humor, this game is for you.”
- “The stuff you can do in this game is hilarious and insane.”
- “The narratives and rivalries that emerged were engaging and often hilarious.”
atmosphere
187 mentions
65 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of Stellaris is widely praised for its immersive and captivating qualities, enhanced by a stunning soundtrack and rich lore. Players appreciate the game's ability to evoke a sense of wonder and exploration in a beautifully rendered universe, making it a standout experience in the grand strategy genre. The combination of atmospheric sound design, engaging narratives, and diverse gameplay options creates a unique and compelling environment that keeps players deeply engaged.
- “The atmosphere and setting of this game is unparalleled.”
- “The soundtrack complements the cosmic adventure perfectly, enhancing the overall ambiance and drawing players even deeper into the game's rich atmosphere.”
- “The graphics and sound design are also top-notch, creating an atmospheric and immersive experience that draws you in and keeps you hooked.”
- “Just tried it again and from the feeling and atmosphere, unfortunately, it still is a cold game for me (though I really was hoping it'll change over the months and years since there are many great things or nice starting points for great potential).”
- “What the game absolutely nails in its atmosphere, lore, and wonder, it largely betrays with the simple shell of an RTS model it chooses to employ.”
- “The atmosphere still captures me, the music, the visuals are remarkable, but after the rush of the first few hours all this fades away and leaves a very slow-paced, empty game behind.”
monetization
153 mentions
2 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
73 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game has drawn significant criticism, with many players labeling it as a "cash grab" due to the high cost of DLCs and the introduction of microtransactions. While some DLCs are seen as valuable additions, others are viewed as lacking in content and merely designed to extract more money from players. Overall, the aggressive monetization practices, including in-game advertisements and a subscription model, have left many fans feeling disillusioned and frustrated.
- “Even though Paradox's monetization model annoys me, this particular game is so good that I was willing to shell out the cash for various DLCs.”
- “Fair monetization policy; they ask a lot, currently ~$120 for everything during the sale, but they deliver a lot. Every DLC patch/addition comes with free updates as well.”
- “Stellaris may have more expansions and coincidentally more microtransactions, but the amount of content per transaction is totally worth it.”
- “To buy the game + all of its DLC (disguised microtransactions), you need to spend around 300 dollars.”
- “The primary reason this falls over into 'not recommended' is the monetization model vs actually delivered experience for the end user.”
- “It's incredibly disheartening when a game I've put thousands of hours into over the years has become an uncomfortable and disappointing cash grab.”
emotional
95 mentions
99 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is a mixed bag, with players experiencing both heartwarming moments and deep frustrations. Many find joy in creating and nurturing their empires, often describing the game as a "wholesome space democracy simulator," while others express heartbreak over performance issues and the impact of monetization on their enjoyment. Overall, the game evokes strong emotional connections through its storytelling and player-driven narratives, but it also leaves some feeling disillusioned due to its shortcomings.
- “Absolutely emotionally and intellectually compelling, with a billion percent replay value.”
- “This game more than any other made me feel like the species and civilizations I create are really my own.”
- “The music in the game is some of the best I have listened to; it’s on par with Blizzard in setting the mood for the game and carrying emotional influences with it as well.”
- “Honestly, please don't buy this game. I have no idea why there are so many good reviews. It's the most obtuse game ever, with a boring storyline and ridiculous mechanics. Just play Civ 5/6 or Moo; don't waste your money, and most importantly, don't waste your time.”
character development
3 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is perceived as lacking, with players expressing a desire for more depth to engage with the leader and the empires. While some personality traits are present among the empires, the overall presentation and character design do not stand out, and the sandbox nature of most 4X games limits the potential for in-depth storytelling and character growth.
- “There needs to be at least some basic character development implemented so I actually care about the leader.”
- “I witness AI management of empires falling into all kinds of different categories: from highly successful to 'so bad the whole empire broke down.' The other empires have a bit of personality, but there is nothing groundbreaking in terms of presentation or character design.”
- “Most 4X games are sandbox environments, which means no in-depth plot or character development.”