Stellaris

Stellaris is filled with good ideas, and it's not difficult to see the outline of a great space strategy game where those ideas could come together. But beyond the early game, it's only compelling in bits and pieces – it turns into a largely uneventful slog after that. Paradox has developed a reputation of major upgrades to their games for years after launch, and Stellaris is going to need all that love and more to reach its potential.

Stellaris gives you the stars as your playground, proving that Paradox capably translates some of their strategy game prowess into space.

Stellaris is the Paradox grand strategy game you need to play.

The early game promises an instant strategy classic, but Stellaris is unable to maintain that pace.

Stellaris isn't astounding yet, but in time, it may just get there

A series of small tasks makes Stellaris easy to jump into, but hard to put down without completing that "one last thing"

Less erratic and surprising than its ancestors, but much more elegant in its design.

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 notoriously difficult to break into.

A fantastic space strategy game let down by some plodding sections.

Stellaris is not a perfect game and there are aspects that Paradox could (and, judging by their track record, probably will) improve, including an unexciting range of technologies, a potentially plodding mid-game and timid enemy AI.