In Episode 11 of Critical Moves, Al, Joe, and Tim dive deep into Stellaris, the grand strategy 4X game from Paradox Interactive. With its blend of exploration, empire-building, and storytelling, Stellaris offers a galaxy of possibilities—but not without its shortcomings.
Early Impressions and First Contact
Al reveals that he’s logged an eye-watering 6,000 hours into Stellaris. His playstyle leans heavily on modding the game and experimenting with unique empires, often avoiding human factions altogether. Instead, he prefers crafting alien species and machine empires, drawing inspiration from classic science fiction like Iain M. Banks’ Culture series.
Joe, contrasting Al’s approach, always plays as humans. He enjoys creating dystopian or survivalist scenarios, often using origins like “Payback” and “Tomb World” to weave stories of resilience and human tenacity. Tim, meanwhile, brings a more critical eye, highlighting that Stellaris can sometimes feel like a glorified spreadsheet, where strategic choices are often reduced to incremental bonuses and pop-up management.
The Freedom and the Frustration
Al praises Stellaris for the freedom it offers in creating and roleplaying unique factions. He shares his love for more challenging playstyles, such as using the Necrophage origin to build an empire through conquest and conversion. However, all three hosts agree that while the early game offers rich storytelling and exploration, the mid-game often drags. The excitement of discovery fades as borders stabilize and the game becomes a grind until the end-game crises arrive.
Where Stellaris Falls Short
Diplomacy and espionage are highlighted as underdeveloped aspects of the game. Al would love to see more options for interjecting in conflicts, forcing peace, or playing a more active diplomatic role. Tim points out that trade, a vital element in historical strategy games, is nearly absent in Stellaris. The game’s economy lacks the complexity needed to drive meaningful diplomacy or conflict over resources.
Joe adds that the ship combat, while visually engaging, lacks the tactical depth found in other strategy titles. The team agrees that many of Stellaris‘ systems feel shallow, offering broad concepts but not enough depth to keep players engaged through the mid-game.
The DLC Dilemma
When discussing which expansions are must-haves, Al lists Utopia, Federations, and Nemesis as essential. These early DLCs added substantial content, from megastructures and espionage to new government types and galactic-scale threats. The team notes that while the subscription model offers good value, the sheer volume of DLCs can be daunting for new players.
Joe mentions that he typically avoids species packs, as he always plays human factions, but acknowledges the added variety they bring to AI empires. Tim shares his skepticism about the reliance on DLCs to fix core gameplay issues, suggesting that a more holistic approach to future updates might serve the game better.
What Would Make Stellaris 2 Worthwhile?
The hosts explore what a potential Stellaris 2 could look like. Tim proposes deeper shipbuilding mechanics, a more dynamic economy, and a greater emphasis on trade and diplomacy. Al wants to see expanded storytelling, with mechanics for nomadic empires, religious crusades, and a more vibrant Galactic Community.
They also discuss the challenges Paradox would face in launching a sequel. The team points to Cities: Skylines 2 as a cautionary tale, where a lack of feature parity with the original game led to a lukewarm reception. Any Stellaris sequel would need to match, if not surpass, the richness of the first game with its 22 expansions and countless mods.
Conclusion: Still Worth Playing?
Despite its flaws, the team agrees that Stellaris remains one of the best grand strategy games available. They encourage listeners to share their own Stellaris stories and to join the discussion on how the game could evolve. Next week, Critical Moves will look at the most anticipated strategy games of 2025, continuing their deep dive into the world of strategy gaming.
Listeners can find this episode on Spotify, Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube. For ways to get involved visit the Critical Moves Podcast website.
