Paradox Interactive has announced the next Stellaris expansion, titled Astral Planes. The new narrative-focused expansion will allow players to wield reality-breaking technologies to explore alternat??e dimensions. In these parallel universes, players will encounter new creatures and phenomena as they journey into the true unknown. There was no specif??ic release date given for Astral Planes, but the release does say it is coming to PC later this year.

The story-centric expansion will feature branching narratives, a first for Stellaris. Players can navigate a branching narrative built specifically to make ??choice?s matter. According to Paradox, Astral Planes will be full of surprises and hard choices. Decisions will not only affect the narrative but also shape the player's empire to fit their playstyle.

In terms of gameplay features, Astral Planes will feature new Technologies, Actions, and Relics, which is pretty par for the course for this type of expansion. It also appears there is a n?ew Origin ??called Riftworld.

Stellaris is my favorite Grand Strategy game, so any new content looks good to me. But depe?nding on how the Astral Planes actually works, this could set the 4X title up for even more content avenues in the future.

Stellaris: Astral Planes will be released on PC later this year.

The post Stellaris: Astral Planes will open alternat?e dimensions later this year appeared first on Destructoid.

Finally trade routes

I love Paradox Interactive games because they allow me to indulge my inner megalomani?ac, but even I have to admit that sometimes they ship sans some key elements. I can look past these shortcomings as their games are usually always 40 bucks at launch and supported through long-term expansions as wel?l as free updates to the base game.

When Stellaris released in 2016, it was an amazing mix of the 4X and grand strategy genres with a great science-fiction skin over it. But one problem that has always persisted is the lack of economic interaction between the interstellar factions. Thankfully the free "Le Guin" update for Stellaris that will release alongside the Megacorp expansion will finall?y address a few of my qualms with the game, especially in the economic category.

The above video details some more of the features of the Megacorp expansion that were hinted at in my announcement piece from a few months ago. While the new units and factions are interesting, it's more of the mechanic additions that interest me. Megacorps can place "branch offices" on planets that connect their trade value to the megacorp's value, benefiting both parties. Also included in the expansion is a galactic trading market where you can buy and sell goods, if you've got the coin. Slave trading is also making its debut and will be?? available to any faction so long as they are a part of the galactic market (more on that next). All of these features will be included in the paid expansion but like my mother before me, it's the free stuff that has me most excited.

To start things off, the grid-based system for structures on inhabited planets is gone. Good riddance. The grid system is now replaced with districts, buildings, and jobs. From the brief look in the trailer, the planet mechanics now look to be more about upgrading your districts to put buildi??ngs in that will then in turn create jobs and ultimately resources. Whereas the previous grid format felt constraining, this feels more in tune with the futuristic setting.

As previously mentioned there will be a new galactic market, and while you'll have to pay for the ability to become a slaver, buying and selling goods will be in??cluded in the free update. This market will be bolstered by the addition of new resource types that will further strain your supply/demand balances.

Finally, the addition that has me quivering with excitement is trade routes and trade values. Factions and their production units will now generate a new resource called "trade value." As well, each faction will assign a trade capital in their empire, and all of t?heir trade value must flow through there with trade routes. These routes can then be connected to other factions creating trade netw?orks. You don't need to call me a dork for loving this stuff, I already know what I am.

The Megacorp expansion will run you $19.99 and will release alongside the "Le Guin" update on December 6. Who needs Smash Bros. anyway?

The post Stellaris’ Megacorp update will bring some needed economic features appeared first on Destructoid.

Tim Curry cannot catch a break

It's nice to have constants in this world. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, tides come in and go back out again, and Paradox releases post-launch DLC for all of their games. This expansion for Stellaris is for all you corpo-wannabes.

MegaCorp wi??ll bring CEOs to the final frontier that will be able to conduct business, possibly across governmental lines.

CEOs will be?? able to set up offices on planets that are within their trade network and then, using those offices, will be able to present solutions to population problems on planet. These offices will take a bit off the top of the trade valu?e of the planet they are situated on in order to grow their wealth.

The biggest change for already existing mechanics looks to be the ability to make a megacity that covers an entire planet, thus vastly increasing population capacity. There are other new buildings that can be built on planets, but details on them are pretty scarce right now. New enc??ounters will also be added, with drifting corporate? trader fleets looking to score deals across the galaxy.

As is always the case with these things, ther??e's a dark underbelly that can be exploited by space governments that don't mind ge??tting their hands and conscience dirty. Through the wonders of space capitalism you will be able to buy and sell slave labor, isn't space dandy? Fear not though, for you will also be able to do the right thing and free the slaves you buy, so your government can turn into an intergalactic underground railroad if you so choose.

It feels appropriate that MegaCorp doesn't have a release date set yet but can be pre-ordered over at Paradox's main website. The expansion ??will run you $19.99 and will release alongside the usual free expansion, ??bringing updates and changes to the base game.

The post New Stellaris expa??nsion will let you be a cor?porate fat cat in spaaaaace appeared first on Destructoid.

Paradox gonna Paradox

Today at PDXcon's announcement show, among the game reveals, news of more DLC packs for Crusader Kings II, Europa Universalis IV, and Stellaris were all announced to be coming in 2018.

The first pack to be released will be the Stellaris story pack, Distant Stars. The pack w??ill add new solar systems and "a mysterious sealed off constellation enti??rely removed from our galaxy." The main focus of this pack will be returning the thrill of exploring the galaxy by adding in more anomalies when traveling through space.

The free update that accompanies the game will introduce new types of stars to the base game, and to help keep all the new anomalies organized, the anomaly menu system has also been reworked. Distant Stars will be available for purchase on May 22, and will s??ell for $9.99.

The Crusader Kings II expansion, titled Holy Fury, introduces two new warring factions: the Northern Crusaders of Catholic Europe, and their Pagan neighbors just to the north. Holy Fury will add bloodlines into the mechanics ?where characters that are descendants of great leaders such as Charlemagne will have comp?arable skills to their ancestors.

New crusade events, succession laws, and changes to the way religion works will also accompany the expansion as well as the ability to have your character be canonized or even coronated as ruler because a higher power demands it. Holy Fury only has a release wind?ow of 2018 so far but when it does release, it wil??l run you $19.99, as well as be joined by a free update for those unwilling to buy it.

Finally the Europa Universalis IV expansion, Dharma, will retool and expand the country of India and how the outside world will attempt to utilize and exploit the East Asian countries that surround it. Focusing mostly on peacetime interactions, the government mechanics for many of the nations will be customized and reworked so that they feel more appropriate. Indian mission trees will be introduced as well as a special new government for those players that already own the Cossack expansion.

As well as the government mechanics, the trade system will be reworked to allow European nations to "interact" more with Asian and African nations. This includes adding in a c??harter company that will allow rich nations to buy their way into trading so long as you can find a ruler that trusts you. Trade? centers will also be able to be upgraded, further expanding your means of making money.

The accompanying free update will rework the maps of India, Tibet, and Burma as well as spruce up the look of the policy system. Like Holy Fury, Dharma doesn't have a set release date and instead is only listed as coming by the end of the year. Dharma, like Fury, will also run you $19.99.

The post Cru??sader Kings II, Europa Universalis IV, and Stellaris all getting new DLC this year appeared first on Destructoid.

Can't spell Stellaris without stellar!

Paradox has made some complicated games. I mean, have you tried Crusader Kings II? Even after playing its tutorial, I had?? no idea what was happening most of the time. Like many games, I had to resort to player-made tutorials in order to comprehend just about anything. 

With Stellaris, Paradox has shown all tha??t it has learned, both in the way to ??introduce mechanics and how to make a damn good strategy game.

Stellaris (Linux, Mac, Windows [reviewed])
Developer: Paradox Development Studio
Publisher: Paradox Interactive
Released: May 9, 2016
MSRP: $39.99

Man, where do I even begin? Stellaris is known as a "4X" strategy game, which is short for explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate. See how clever that is, with the Xs? Anyway, it's essentially a way of saying that the player has a host of options available to them as they play. In general, expect to grow borders, make deals with other factions, and fight in some wars. This is all very true in Stellaris.

Many of the 4X games have gotten a notorious reputation for being incredibly hard to get into because of their insane depth of mechanics. Whereas Civilization is rather approachable for new players, games like Crusader Kings II generally require something like watching hours of player-made tutorial videos before really feeling comfor??table. 

As for Stellaris, the complexity falls somewhere in between Civilization and Crusader Kings. Luckily, it has a brillia??nt tutorial approach that is sure to help newbies and veterans alike get acclimated to the various systems at play. Rather than have a dedicated tutorial option, where players go through a stilted and guided? version of the game, Paradox has integrated the tutorial into the main game.

When beginning a new game, there's the option of selecting a full tutorial, tips only, or no tutorial at all. With the tutorial activated, tooltips and descriptors will pop up as the player clicks on just about anything. If you've ever been in the "wait, what's this thing do again?" situation, you will certainly appreciate this method of tutorializing. And really, it works great. With so many mecha?nics taking place at once it is easy to forget one or two after a while. Once players feel comfortable and no longer need the ??tips, clicking the "Don't show again" button will hide it for the rest of the game.

The end results is accessibility. I have a decent amount of 4X background, but I'm confident that the game is approachable by anyone willing to take the time to learn the systems. There's also in-game access to the Stellaris wiki for any questions players might have. Despite this, I still found myself with unanswered questions from time to time. Th?e wiki isn't as detailed as I had hoped, ??leaving me guessing at specific questions I had.

Players can choose from many of the preexisting races to play as, but doing so would be skipping one of the best part of Stellaris: customizing a race to perfection! Being able to choose traits, weapon type, aesthetic, and plenty of oth??er attributes goes a long way to feeling a connection with the empi??re. It can also be interesting to completely randomize everything and go with the flow.

With the empire chosen, it's time to set up the game. Map sizes range from Tiny (150 stars) to Huge (1,000) stars. The galaxy shape can be elliptical, spiraled, or ringed, though some options will not be available with very few stars. From there, the number of AI empires can be chosen, as well as how many get a "head start," which prevents everyone from hitting the same technology benchmarks around the same time period. It makes the game a lot more interesting, since spawning next to an advanced empire can be very dangerous or very benefic??ial, depending on your empire's approach and negotiation tactics. 

Another important option when creating a new game is "Allowed FTL Method." Faster Than Light travel methods have a huge imp?act on playstyle, and it's possible to limit the options available to empires in a game. There are three options available: warp travel, wormhole travel, and hyperspace travel. Warp travel is recommended for beginners as it is the most straightforward. It's the slowest, but for the most part, it consists of clicking where you want to go and going there. Worhmole is more advanced, and requires setting up Wormhole Stations for quick travel between two points. Hyperspace is quicker than warping, but forces players to follow linear paths between stars.

In a game about exploring and expanding, it's easy to understand how important travel methods are. Wormhole travel is very infrastructure-based, but can allow for some incredible freedom for you and your allies. The early?? game changes dramatically based on the travel method chosen, though I would definitely agree wi??th choosing warp for new players, since wormholes can take some time to figure out and use effectively. 

Okay, so, the game. Players start with a homeworld, spaceport, science ship, and construction ship. Science ships are the ones to send out and explore new star systems. They can survey planets to see what, if any, resources they may contain. The construction ships can then build stations around the planets to harvest that resource. There is plenty more they can do, but if I went into each minute mechanic in Stellaris this would be more al?ong the lines of a dissertation than a review.

The home planet is way more than just an idle "base." A planet's surface is visualize??d as tiles, each with resources attached to it. To harvest those resources, a Pop, or person, must occupy it. The Pop slowly grows over time, allowing players to occupy more resource tiles, but also increases the food consumption on the planet. Trust me, a starving planet is not a happy planet. Buildings can be built and eventually upgraded on tiles to increase or change the resource harvested.

There are lots of resources to keep tr??ack of in an empire. The big three are Energy, Minerals, and Influence. Just about everything built consumes Energy as long as it exists. ?Ships, stations, buildings -- you name it and it is costing Energy; think of it like electricity. Minerals are like money, and are spent on most everything. Influence is a bit more abstract, as it represents "political clout." It's a resource that increases slowly at best, so any decisions that use Influence, like enacting new political edicts, are not ones to make lightly. 

Research! Did I mention research yet? T??here are three research categories: Physics, Society, and Engineering. Each has its own harvestable resource, which can be then spent on new technologies like weapons, buildings, and ideologies. When one research concludes, players are presented three new opportunities that are somewhat randomized. It doesn't follow the traditional "tech?? tree" pattern, and instead forces players to choose from the most appropriate of the available options. 

The early-game is very small-scale. It takes time to expand, which helps ease players into everything. The focus is to build up resources, explore the neighboring stars, and start to make contact with foreign empires. As it marches on, there are more and more things to keep track of, and Stellaris starts looking a lot more like the grand strategy genre it belongs to. Working out deals with the other empires is a very important part of the mid-game, since it essentially sets up the alliances and federa??tions that define the late-game.

The negotiations screen is a bit more simplistic compared to many other games in the genre. Just about all of the basic elements of negotiation are present though, like mineral swapping, border access, and research agreements. It's straightforward as to which deals will work and which won't, since there's a "Trade Acceptance" sco??re that must be above one to have a chance at succeeding. 

The ?late-game is all politics. At this point, many alliances will form and wars will be declared. Empires will begin having many smaller (but still big) armies in various places instead of one deathball-esque blob since danger is way more omnipresent than before. Resource management is absolutely crucial, and it's at this point that knowing things like having armies orbiting a planet uses up less resources than if they were just idle in space becomes paramount.

Luckily, the game can be paused at any point to take a moment and think things over, and on the flip side, it's possible to increase the speed to rush towards a certain moment in time. Generally speaking, Stellaris moves at a good pace. It can also be a great game to alt-tab? and leave running, listening for the notification noises and jumping back in when necessary. Just be aware that ther??e are plenty of moments that demand full attention. 

On top of all this, random events will take place to help spice things up. Players will come across artifacts on ancient planets or even budding civilizations. There's so much to discover in Stellaris and no two games are remotely alike, and you can bet that players out there will be spending thousands of hours roaming various galaxies. In this case, it will certainly be time?? well spent. I can't even begin to imagine the intricate multiplayer conflicts that will go down when dozens of players get together to compete in space. 

Building up an empire is so incredibly satisfying. It is wonderful to zoom out of the map and see how far your borders have come, or to watch your alliance work together to destroy some alien scum. It's also? exciting to explore the various other smaller mechanics that make the game so unique. Why not be an empire that promotes slavery? How about making a planet mostly full of robots? The possibilities are endless, especially when you throw mods into the mix.

Paradox has a longstanding history of being mod friendly, and Stellaris is no different. The studio has talked time and time again about how moddable the game is. Want to increase the galaxy size to 5,000 stars? Go ahead! Want to create your own race, complete with a unique picture? Sure! I absolutely cannot wait for someone to make a Dune or Star Wars mod, which I'm sure will be avai?lable in no time.

There are plenty of mechanics I haven't even touched on, but hopefully?? by now you understand what to expect. 

Paradox has done a wonderful job making such a complex game approachable. It goes a long way towards making the experience enjoyable, since the player never feels at odds with the extensive mechanics. It's amazing to explore not only the galaxy at large, but also the breadth of options available. Don't be surprised ?if you want to start a new galaxy before conquering your first. 

This is a game for anyone who has already enjoyed the grand strategy genre or anyone who has always wanted to. There is a strong sense of accomplishment from starting an empire and guiding it along the path you choose, even if it eventually ends in failure. Stellaris is easy to comprehend and exciting to execute, which is a perfect combination for a genre notori??ously difficult to break into.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}

The post Review: Stellaris appeared first on Destructoid.

Grand strategy fans take note

Strap on your Napoleonic general's cap. This week, Green Man Gaming is hosting a Paradox Interactive publisher sale with instant discounts for up to 80 percent off the Crusader Kings and Magicka serie?s and more. The sale runs until Friday, April 29 at 9:00am Pacific.

That exact same expiration time coincides with another GMG Paradox discount worth checking out: 25 percent off next week's release of Stellaris. The Paradox-in-space title drops from $39.99 to only $29.99 after a $10 price break. This deal includes all the pre-order bonuses that you would get on Steam like the Creatures of the Void DLC.

Use code: DEALZON25

• Stellaris Standard Edition — $29.99  (list price $40)
• Stellaris: Nova Edition — $37.49  (list price $50)
• Stellaris: Galaxy Edition — $52.49  (list price $70)

For the Paradox sale itself, you'll need to use a 20 percent off code. Unlike Stellaris, the code stacks with any instant savings, making discounts as high as 84 percent off list prices. Most titles are at or near their all-time low price. Good picks include Knights of Pen & Paper 2, the Victoria series, and of course Cities: Skylines.

For these deals use code: DEALZON20

Crusader Kings:

• Crusader Kings II Collection — $32.01  (list price $160)
• Crusader Kings II DLC Collection — $24.01  (list price $120)
• Crusader Kings II — $8.01  (list price $40)
• Crusader Kings II: Horse Lords — $6  (list price $15)
• Crusader Kings II: Way of Life — $2.19  (list price $8)
• Crusader Kings Complete — $1.61  (list price $10)

Cities:

• Cities in Motion 1 & 2 Collection — $20.01  (list price $100)
• Cities: Skylines Deluxe Edition — $16  (list price $40)
• Cities: Skylines — $12  (list price $30)
• Cities in Motion Collection — $10.01  (list price $50)
• Cities in Motion 2 Collection — $8.01  (list price $40)
• Cities in Motion 2 — $8.01  (list price $40)
• Cities in Motion: DLC collection — $8.01  (list price $40)
• Cities: Skylines After Dark — $7.20  (list price $15)
• Cities in Motion — $4.01  (list price $20)

Paradox Bundles:

• Paradox Grand Strategy Collection — $30.01  (list price $150)
• Paradox Platinum Pack — $24.01  (list price $120)
• Paradox Kings and Queens Bundle — $18.01  (list price $90)
• Paradox Indie Bundle — $10.01  (list price $50)

Euorpa Universalis:

• Europa Universalis IV Collection — $20.01  (list price $100)
• Europa Universalis IV: Cossacks — $12  (list price $20)
• Europa Universalis 4 Digital Extreme Edition — $9.01  (list price $45)
• Europa Universalis 4 — $8.01  (list price $40)
• Europa Universalis IV: Common Sense — $6  (list price $15)
• Europa Universalis IV: El Dorado — $4.09  (list price $15)

Magicka:

• Magicka Collection — $8.01  (list price $40)
• Magicka 2 Deluxe Edition — $8.01  (list price $25)
• Magicka 2 — $4.81  (list price $15)
• Magicka — $2.01  (list price $10)

Hearts of Iron:

• Hearts of Iron 3 Complete — $7.01  (list price $35)
• Hearts of Iron II Complete — $3.01  (list price $15)
• Hearts of Iron 3 — $2.01  (list price $10)

Victoria:

• Victoria Collection — $8.01  (list price $40)
• Victoria II — $4.01  (list price $20)
• Victoria Complete — $2.01  (list price $10)

Knights of Pen & Paper:

• Knights of Pen & Paper 2 — $4  (list price $10)
• Knights of Pen and Paper 2: Here Be Dragons — $2.40  (list price $5)
• Knights of Pen & Paper: +1 Edition — $2.01  (list price $10)

More:

• King Arthur Collection — $6.01  (list price $30)
• Warlock: Master of the Arcane - Complete Edition — $5.01  (list price $25)
• Warlock 2: The Exiled - Standard Edition — $4.01  (list price $20)
• King Arthur 2 — $2.01  (list price $10)

The post Para?dox sale has Stellaris for $30, Cities: Skylines for $12 appeared first on Destructoid.

April and May deals

Later today, Stoic will release its follow-up to 2014's hit turn-based strategy title The Banner Saga. The sequel will cost $20 at launch, but for a limited time you can dip in your savings jar by using a 25 percent off coupon from Green Man Gaming during release week.

This 25 percent off code will also work on select upcoming titles in April and May such as fellow indie title The Black Death along with more prominent releases next month such as Battleborn and Doom.

Beyond The Banner Saga 2, we're also looking forward to Mirror's Edge Catalyst, which is now getting an open-world spin and shaping up to be an int?eresting title. Here's hoping it holds true to the original while adding lots of fun depth.

Coupon code: DEALZON25

Releasing April 19:

• The Banner Saga 2 (Steam) — $15 (list price $20)
• The Black Death (Steam) — $15 (list price $20)

Releasing May 3:

• Battleborn (Steam) — $45 (list price $60)
• Battleborn - Digital Deluxe (Steam) — $56.25 (list price $75)

Releasing May 9:

• Stellaris (Steam) — $30 (list price $40)
• Stellaris: Nova Edition — $37.50 (list price $50)
• Stellaris: Galaxy Edition (Steam) — $52.50 (list price $70)

Releasing May 13:

• Doom (Steam) — $45 (list price $60)

Releasing May 17:

• Homefront: The Revolution (Steam) — $45 (list price $60)
• Homefront: The Revolution Freedom Fighter Bundle (Steam) — $60 (list price $80)

Releasing May 24:

• Mirror's Edge Catalyst (Origin) — $45 (list price $60)
• Total War: Warhammer (Steam) — $45 (list price $60)

The coupon code at GMG has a limited run. The official end date is Friday, April 22 at 9:00am Pacific, if they decide to extend our code, we'll update accord??ingly above.

Game deals from Dealzon. Sales help support Destructoid.

The post Banner?? Saga 2, Stellaris, and other upcoming games are 25 percent off appeared first on Destructoid.

Paradox in Space gets discount

Update 4/15: New and bette?r 25 percent off code available. Prices updated belo?w.

If you were like some of us and thought the upcoming sole focus for Paradox Interactive was Hearts of Iron IV, you were wrong. In fact, come May 9 (before HOI4) its next strategy title release will be Stellaris.

Just yesterday Paradox opened up pre-orders on Steam, but of course you'll be able to pick up a copy over at Green Man Gaming too. There, you can take 20% 25% off Stellaris for the Standard, Nova, and Galaxy Editio??n of the game.

Use Code: DEALZON25

• Stellaris: Galaxy Edition — $52.50 (list price $70)
• Stellaris: Nova Edition — $37.50 (list price $50)
• Stellaris — $30 (list price $40)

Are the Nova and Galaxy Editions worth it? Magic 8-Ball says "maybe." The Nova Edition includes the base game with the digital soundtrack (2.5 hours) and an exclusive alien race DLC which is purely cosmetic in nature. The Galaxy Edition includes everything in Nova, a 130-page digital collector's book, eBook novel, exclusiv?e avatar to use on the Paradox Forum, and a signed Wallpaper from the development team (digital of course).

Pre-order Bonuses

There are a few pre-order bonuses attached to Stellaris, w??hich look about as attractive as the Nova or Galaxy Editio?ns:

• Creatures of the Void DLC - Five additional alien races
• Stellaris-themed ringtones and message alerts for your mobile phone
• Blorg forum avatar (presumably for the Paradox Forums)
• They will send your name "into space"

Send your name into space? Apparently if you have a Paradox account and link it to your Steam account you'll have your name included on a weather balloon they'll send? into the upper stratosphere. I guess tha??t's "space" of sorts. The event will be filmed but you must have your accounts linked by June 1, 2016. For novelty pre-order bonuses, this would be it.

Game deals from Dealzon. Sales help support Destructoid.

The post Stellaris pre-order deals n??ow available with Galaxy Editions in tow appeared first on Destructoid.

In space no one can hear you scheme

Earlier this year, Paradox offered an alternative for the many disappointed by EA's botched SimCity two years earlier by publishing Colossal Order's excellent city-building-simulator Cities: Skylines.

Now Paradox's internal studio is effectively getting the run back on Civilization: Beyond Earth and addressing complaints of unapproachability levied at its own successful strategy games, like Crusader Kings and Europa Universalis. Mind you, the latter is more important. But while Destructoid's Darren Nakamura gave Beyond Earth a "stellar" 9.5 (misquoted on the?? Steam page as just a 9), user response on Steam and M??etacritic is pretty torn. Clearly people have some mixed feelings there.

Stellaris (PC)
Developer: Paradox Development Studio
Publisher: Paradox Interactive
Release: TBA

So, conquest in space, again, with Stellaris. The Beyond Earth comparison isn't just based on the sci-fi theme, as director Henrik Fåhraeus explained to me last week, Stellaris, "is a grand ?strategy game masquerading as a 4X game.?"

In that sense it's a departure from past Paradox successes and the upcoming, WWII-set Hearts of Iron IV. He explained in a blog post earlier this year, "The early game is thus characterized by exploration and discovering the wonders of the galaxy," until reaching the mid-game wherein, "there is not much left to colonize and your easy expansion grinds to a halt. At this point, the map stabilizes into the Stellaris equivalent of the world map in Europa Universalis."

You begin as one planet directed by a set of cultural guidelines (shown off to us last week was an Individualist Xenophobic empire, which made for a good firs??t encounter with another large empire during which the only dialogue option was, "Alien scum!") that has just discovered faster than light travel. You'll choose between slower , free-moving warp travel; hyperspace across straight lines; and wormhole travels, which requires wormhole stations to be built.

As opposed to pre-canned societies, there are over 100 alien portraits that can be aligned with a variety of traits, so "you will never meet the same aliens again;" or, at least, those bug-eyed purple asshole from your third game might be an inquisitive, pacifist sect next time you encounter that alien art. There are a few other parameters to set, like how many large empires will populate the galaxy you're exploring, but there are also quick start and preset options that reflect Paradox's attempt to widen its appeal, "withou??t compromising our level of depth and complexity."

There is an in-game adviser, for example, full voiced to help guide burgeoning emperors (or democratically-elected fish-faced idiots, whatever). In fact, Stellaris is Paradox's first project with a dedicated audio director. Coupled with all the space-faring in a full-figured galaxy and it could prove a little more inviting than playing on a giant map if the grand scope of spaaace isn't too alienating itself.

Other simplifications include ditching tech trees for a system, "more like a collectible card game where you draw three cards and pick one." Resear??ch into Physics, Society, and Engineering is dictated by your scientists' traits and immediate options are weighted to be most convenient to you at any given time, though sometimes rare research opportunities pop up ("space amoeba weapons" were mentioned).

Game progression goes something like this. Start on your home planet, represented by squares arranged 4x4 wherein you can place population unites (and strive for adjacency bonuses, like XCOM's base-builder). Send your science ship around to survey the galaxy, incl??uding addressing strange anomalies.

In the demoed instance, we were drawn to a distress signal much like our own. There was a 10% failure rate, which just means missing out on the anomaly, though there is potential for catastrophic failure. In this case, the crew of the discovered ship was dead by brain parasite and a trait of our surveying scientist is the only thing that saved our crew from succumbing. Instances like these are neatly thrown into a Situa??tion Log and you can research them from there.

Then you'll want to send out ships for colonization and build construction ships to take advantage of resources (habitable planets are rare and meant to be cherished). There's a detailed ship builder, but you can auto-build for the best?, too. "I don't want the flow in this game to be too micromanagey," Fåhraeus said. Other systems will start looping back around later. The population of a colonized planet or even your native planet can splinter off into factions of warring ideology, leaving you to choose if y?ou want to say, quash the insurrection with force or give rein to a splintered, population-supported political spin off group.

Eventually you will make it to the aforementioned mid-game, where it's "more like Europa Universalis" and you're butting up against large, rival empires. If one scouts you, it has the option to res?earch you before you ?research it, and make first contact. There are other, smaller civilizations you'll discover, too, some pre-industrial, some post-technology. 

To counter pa??st Paradox games' anti-climactic endings when "you reach a point where you know you won," and are just trudging along to victory, late game crises are introduced, revolving around things like dangerous technological advancements or sentient robot worker uprisings -- things that threaten th?e whole galaxy. And there's maneuvering to do there, too, like letting the killbots off your biggest threat while allying elsewhere, bolstering yourself for the impending man-vs-bot slaughter.

Also, you can "uplift" alien wildlife and, say, create a planet of space-faring, extremely loyal dolphins to go space crusade in your name, amen. Stellaris is "coming soon."

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