I’ve never actually finished a game of Stellaris. I doubt I’m the only ardent fan of the game that hasn’t done so. The best thing about it, as is so often the case with 4X and grand strategy games, is the very beginning. That opening half-hour of limitless potential and giddy curiosity is utterly spellbinding. I don’t know if any strategy game does it better.
Part of the game’s wonder is just its increased scope. While your Civilizations or your Crusader Kingses offer up a continent or a world to explore and conquer, in Stellaris it’s a whole galaxy. One richly packed with species, anomalies, dangers, events. Stories.
The other big piece of the puzzle is the soundtrack, which I still listen to on a monthly basis. Stellaris can put forward a damn good argument for having the best space opera music in videogames. Like the game, it’s breathtaking in scope, and equal parts comforting and daunting. If you enjoy the soundtrack of Interstellar, I’d highly recommend the Stellaris soundtrack. It’s the perfect backdrop to either a tale of peaceful advancement and exploration of our galactic neighbours, or a saga of relentless galactic horrors and war crimes on an unimaginable scale.
