Games Like Stellaris - [8 Intergalactic Games you Must Try]

Games Like Stellaris - [8 Intergalactic Games you Must Try]

The outer border of the galaxy is currently a falling frontier. Interstellar games have made this possible, especially Games like Stellaris. This article addresses some of these artwork pieces so you can experience interstellar travels, intergalactic battles, and more!

What Is Stellaris?

Stellaris is a reference point when discussing 4X grand strategy games in space. The title is just a classic, with dozens of expansions and DLC extending the interaction field to all the corners of the universe.

In this strategy game, you must build your galactic empire across the galaxy. So, you can rule with an iron fist over other galactic civilizations, sapient life, or peacefully coexist, sharing resources and technology.

You can use different ships with unique characteristics to travel across the galaxy and find new places to claim. There you can build science buildings, military vessels, and more.

Like many other strategy games, most gameplay in Stellaris consists of exploring and colonizing space swaths and performing diplomacy or warfare with other empires. Of course, you must also develop advanced technologies to face challenges and increase your dominion.

Having said this, below, we mention other games similar to Stellaring. Most of them are the best grand strategy games currently available, so we recommend you check them and start your journey for the solar system and beyond!

Stellaris Galaxy Edition Global Steam CD Key is available on RoyalCDKeys.

Games like Stellaris

Now, the relevant. We've decided to discuss six essential games with similar features and aspects to those in Stellaris.

Distant Worlds: Universe

  • Developer: Code Force

  • Publisher: Slitherin Ltd.

  • Release Date: May 23, 2014

  • Platform: PC, macOS

  • Metacritic Score: 81

 

Distant Worlds: Universe is a grand strategy game, just like Stellaris, but heavily focuses on warfare, spectacular battles, and the interaction between several civilizations.

This strategy wargame introduces over 1,400 star systems and 50,000 planets and celestial bodies. Your empire can cross the vast universe and try to conquer these new worlds.

Distant Worlds: Universe has multiple vast galaxies that are so deep and immersive that you will believe you're experiencing real vast space. You will feel that the game is expanding all the time. It seems like this game never ends! 

Each galaxy presents alien life forms and colorful characters, such as traders, colonists, pirates, soldiers, and space monsters! You'll have to constantly develop new technologies to face challenges and interact with these new civilizations.

Distant Worlds: Universe is also a turn-based strategy game. In this system, you must battle enemy fleets in tactical combat and plan each of your steps during warfare.

Everything that happens in Distant Worlds: Universe is in real-time but with great simplicity.

So, choose your playstyle, as a standard empire or a pirate faction, and deal with other life forms, either with diplomacy or bellicosity.

Distant Worlds: Universe integrates an intelligent automation system that helps you automate tasks in your empire, such as gathering resources or defending a specific planet or solar system quadrant. This way, you can focus on exploring, colonizing, espionage, and designing and building your civilization.

Distant Worlds: Universe contains four three expansions: Shadow, Legends, and Return of the Shakuri.

 

Key Features:

  • Over 1,400 galaxies and multiple characters to play, as admirals, leaders, agents, scientists, etcetera.

  • Private Enterprise for mining, migration between galaxies, tourism, transporting, and more.

  • 3 major expansions for new galaxies, civilizations, and areas of interaction.

 

Distant Worlds: Universe Steam CD Key is available on RoyalCDKeys.

Endless Space 2

  • Developer: Amplitude Studios

  • Publisher: Sega

  • Release Date: May 18, 2017

  • Platform: Microsoft Windows, macOS

  • Metacritic Score: 80

 

Endless Space 2 is a mix of the two previous games. It's a sci-fi 4X turn-based strategy game and the direct sequel of Endless Space, released in 2012.

Contrary to Stellaris and Distant Worlds: Universe, in Endless Space 2, the universe is ruled by a powerful space race known as the Endless. These races have achieved immortality by advancing in science and virtualizing their minds. This situation created two opposite factions: the Virtuals, who believe electronic immortality is impressive, and the Concretes, who claim that immortality is a sin. This became a war that ended everything.

But the remaining factions survive ten thousand years after the great war. You control one of these factions. Each has its unique storyline, gameplay, spaceships, heroes, and technologies.

The gameplay of Endless Space 2 focuses on military conquest across the universe. So, as a part of a faction, you’ll explore systems with unique planets, environments, weathers, resources, and anomalies. Each planet is effective in its own way, so it's indispensable that you conquer these planets before other factions to ensure resources and space stations.

With new resources, you can research and develop new technologies, buildings, weapons, upgrades, etc., and even design ships to faster cross the galaxy. Three research trees are available: military, science and technology, and business and trade. Trees have different unlockable levels that improve your area of influence.

But interactions with other civilizations are crucial. In this regard, you can forge alliances with alien races, send them tributes to prevent total war, or directly declare a long war that will last eon. Politics and ethics are crucial in Endless Space 2 to take advantage of relationships. Develop your politicians, scientists, pacifists, ecologists, religions, and industrialists.

Stellaris fans will love Endless Space 2 since it adds a complex battle system and an exciting interaction methodology with other factions and civilizations. Besides, the opportunity to create ships for exploration adds complexity and other exciting aspects to the game.

 

Key Features:

  • Epic Space Battles among massive cruisers shooting their lasers rips.

  • 12 different factions with unique characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses.

  • An endless universe with thousands of systems to conquer.

 

Endless Space 2 Digital Deluxe Edition Steam CD Key is available on RoyalCDKeys.

Master of Orion: Conquer the Stars

  • Developer: NGD Studios

  • Publisher: Wargaming Labs

  • Release Date: February 16, 2016

  • Platform: Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux

  • Metacritic Score: 74

 

Master of Orion: Conquer the Stars (2015) is the latest installment and the highly-expected revival of the old franchise of the same name. This spacefaring 4x strategy game has returned with multiple new secrets across the galaxy.

Master of Orion takes place in The Orion Nebula inhabited by 10 original races. Each race has compelling AI, voice acting, unique characteristics, and possibilities. The Orion Nebula features vast galaxies with over 100 different systems, various planets, stars, moons, asteroids, and more.        

In Master of Orion, interstellar exploration and warfare are cornerstones of the gameplay. Across multiple far-flung galaxies, you’ll build and develop your civilization while confronting opponents, hostile races and worlds, and negotiating with alien races interested in sharing resources with you. In the dawn of the hyperspace jump, you must dominate your enemies and lead your world to victory.

Research technological advancements, including customizable ships with diverse abilities, weapons to achieve the primary goal of winning the fight against other worlds and expanding your civilization. Create your army and go for victory, or do diplomacy, whatever suits you best. In this sense, Master of Orion: Conquer the Stars integrates multiple ways to win, such as diplomatics, technological, and conquest. 

Gamers who love the concepts of exploration, research, and strategic battles and want to blow up their imagination should play Master of Orion: Conquer the Stars.

 

Key Features:

  • Over 10 races, including the Terran race of militant humans.

  • A collection of the three original games of the franchise - Master of Orion 1, 2 & 3.

  • Wide galaxies with multiple planets, different technologies, and addictive gameplay.

 

Master of Orion Steam CD Key is available on RoyalCDKeys.

Starpoint Gemini Warlords

  • Developer: Little Green Men Games

  • Publisher: Iceberg Interactive

  • Release Date: May 23, 2017

  • Platform: Microsoft Windows, Xbox One

  • Metacritic Score: 73

 

Starpoint Gemini Warlords is an interstellar space simulator, a 4X (explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate) and an RPG focused on creating great ships to send fleets to all the corners of the universe seeking expansion and discovering new planets. When you design ships in SGW, consider the battle power of each ship since you may likely face powerful enemies in enemy territory. Starpoint Gemini Warlords presents freelance missions and a full branching dialogue scheme.

In Gemini Warlords, actions such as mining, trading, building strongholds, and other facilities are significant since you must conduct research to improve your civilization. You can carry out this development and upgrade your building and technologies with resources. With new techs, you can gradually expand your territory and conquer the Gemini sector.

You'll need new and better ships to reach new corners of the sector and go into depth. Then, focusing on this point is crucial to managing many other features and activities in Starpoint Gemini Warlords. Put most of your efforts into creating the best fleet in the universe with excellent enhancements and weapons to gain territory. 

With new technical additions, such as projection mapping, realistic physics, physically based renderings, and more, players will experience hours of fun in an endless space.

Humans left the Earth and the ruined solar empire in the solar system and flew to the Gemini system. Planet Phaeneros, your new home, will be your starting point in this great adventure.

 

Key Features:

  • A massive game world with over 60 factions.

  • A campaign mode or a free wandering for the Gemini sector.

  • Procedurally generated encounters, including freelance jobs and fast-paced battles.

 

Starpoint Gemini Warlords Steam CD Key is available on RoyalCDKeys.

FTL: Faster than Light

  • Developer: Subset Games

  • Publisher: Subset Games

  • Release Date: September 14, 2012

  • Platform: Microsoft Windows, macOS, iOS, GNU/Linux, iPadOS

  • Metacritic Score: 84

 

FTL: Faster than Light is an interesting game of this genre since it mixes roguelike and real-time strategy games. It also integrates a gameplay primarily based on reality since you control the crew of a small spaceship in charge of delivering secret and vital information across the galaxy. 

While trying to achieve this impossible mission, your spaceship will be chased by rebels and hostile groups. So, in this context, you must reach the main headquarters of the Federation to deliver an essential data package with valuable information that can destroy the rebel insurgency.

The mapping is procedurally generated, so the route to your destination is always different. Sections you must cross to find the way to the Federation may contain demanding challenges, limited resources, and impressive battles. You never know what the next section has in store for you. 

 

Key Features:

  • A complex battle system where you have to give orders to all the crew members.

  • The option to play at your own pace depending on your strengths, weaknesses, and forces that attack you.

  • Procedurally generated mapping with unexpected possibilities.

 

FTK: Faster than Light Steam CD Key is available on RoyalCDKeys.

Between the Stars

  • Developer: Isolated Games

  • Publishers: Isolated Games, Poysky Productions, WhisperGames

  • Release Date: May 28, 2019

  • Platform: Microsoft Windows, macOS, Steam

  • Metacritic Score: N/A

 

Between the Stars is a space RPG with incredible real-time action which puts you in control of an interstellar cruiser.

In Between the Stars, you can create your character, a leader and captain of your spaceship, and develop them throughout the adventure. They will gain skills, abilities, and experience to help you explore the stellar map and complete events in a procedurally generated universe.

Your captain is also in charge of a considerable crew that you need to upgrade to reach new galaxy sectors, space stations, planets, and more. Improvements also consider new technology to increase your chances of surviving out there.

Between the Stars presents amazing graphics which help to immerse you in its incredible action and universe. This space RPG also delivers abundant texts that provide a new approach to the action experience and events that occur in sectors. Thanks to this, every encounter and every potential danger will be a profound experience.

 

Between the Stars Global Steam CD Key is available on RoyalCDKeys.

Honorable Mentions

Below we mention a couple of games that will provide a different experience than the aforementioned games. Still, they're great games with unique gameplay.

Terra Invicta

  • Publishers: Hooded Horse

  • Release Date: September 26, 2022

  • Platform: Microsoft Windows

 

Terra Invicta is a conquering simulator. After a world war and devastation, an alien invasion fractured humanity into seven ideological factions. Each of these factions has a unique vision for the future of mankind, cities, and countries around the globe. Your mission is to lead your chosen faction and take control of Earth's nations, rule the Solar System, and fight against enemy fleets in tactical combat.

Space Empires: Series

  • Publisher: Strategy First

  • Release Date: October 16, 2006

  • Platform: Microsoft Windows

 

Space Empires is another 4X turn-based strategy game with three-dimensional graphics, which, as its name indicates, is about building and ruling a space empire. The game contains several races with unique technology and characteristics and features 3D real-time combat, which offers an exciting experience and planning. It's an interesting game that the space-game community adores.

The Bottom Line

Most games about empires focus on the Roman Empire or conquering, such as Crusader Kings 3 and Sid Meier's Civilization. Others, such as Heart of Iron IV, focus on World War II and warlike experiences, but just a few mix all these topics in an interstellar environment. The game we've mentioned above completely fulfill this aspect, and nothing’s better than bombastic gameplay in a consistently expanded universe.

For more games like those mentioned above, please browse our website and check our catalog. We have dozens of video games based on space and hyper-special travels!