>YOOO DUDE THIS GAMEPLAY IS FIREEEE
how the fuck is stellaris so successful? It's literally the bottom of the barrel, shallowest grand-strat game in existence

Going wide?
>send out scout ships
>claim systems
>build econ
>build doomstack
>win

Going tall?
>send out scout ships
>claim... fewer systems
>build econ
>build doomstack
>win

That's IT. What the FUCK?? Yes I'm mad

>>2065946 (OP)
it's a space janny sim truly

give me a game where the ideology actually rewrites the mechanics. like if being spiritualist made you do weird stuff. psy-priests instead of researchers. ritual sacrifices for unity. tech tree branches that are locked off or straight-up replaced. not just “+5% unity gain and a different advisor voice.”
mechanically, at its core it's all the same man...

it's not a bad game, It's just... a systemic sandbox disguised as a roleplay sim. and as per usual, the systems ain’t as deep as they look.

>>2065957
>for this playthrough... I'm gonna play as a faction.......WITH A YELLOW COLOR
>WOOOOAHHHHH
really nigga

>>2065946 (OP)
Slightly less trolly OP question: is there a combination of mods and DLC that are recommended for stellaris?
Vanilla really do be the same shit over and over

>>2065957
tsk tsk, you want a 4x space opera with OPTIONS? with strategic depth? where wrong ship loadout will get you murdered even by the AI? with crises that are actually scary?
play sword of the fucking stars, it's the great grandfather of stellaris

>>2065998
funny way of spelling Endless Space 2

>>2066006
with that combat? I'll stick to the classics, thank you

>>2066017
yeah, the ideal space opera grand strategy sim would be akin to stellaris, but with unparalleled customization. each customized faction would be fundamentally distinct and balance would be minimal

>>2066029
>each customized faction would be fundamentally distinct
that's why I recommended sots
unless you're fighting your own race, every war will be asymmetrical to some extent

>>2065946 (OP)
>send out scout ships
explore
>claim systems
expand
>build econ
exploit
>build doomstack
exterminate

>>2066047
Yet it's always the same and your faction means nothing. Curious!

>>2066017
Are you implying Stellaris is anything more than sending your doomstack against another doomstack?

>>2066128
Just like every 4x game

distant worlds 2 is better in many ways. those with paradox mind virus know no better. leave the matrix.

>>2066156
Endless Legend 2 and Endless Space 2 have great faction variety though.
Have you considered you might be retarded?

>>2065946 (OP)
Its a slop space 4x game that does plenty of things but doesnt do any of them well and detailed enough to scare normoids and idiots.
Plus its Bethesda syndrome - on paper its an amazing game especially with mods so you often fall in the loop of modding and restarting it hoping in vain that you will find the "right" combination of mods that will finally make the game fun and exciting.

>>2066585
>>2065946 (OP)
OH and it has mp/e-celeb faggotry so that helps it too.

>>2065946 (OP)
>how the fuck is stellaris so successful?
It allows you to customize your empire whereas every other 4x requires you to select from a handful of presets.

>>2066745
What's the point if they all play the same regardless?

>>2066759
They don't. That's a pathetic cope by people who can't stand the fact that Stellaris is more popular than their beloved super-niche autism simulator. If you really want a game where every faction plays exactly the same, go play at Distant Worlds 2.

>>2066771
Bro all of Stellaris' "uniqueness" is just different coats of paint

>>2066745
>whereas every other 4x requires you to select from a handful of presets.
Absolutely false.

>>2065957
Star Ruler 2
Endless Space 2

>>2065957
>give me a game where the ideology actually rewrites the mechanics
Not Stellaris that's for fucking sure

>>2066017
It's really interesting how everyone I see complain about Endless Space 2's combat also never explains what's wrong with it.
Must be a reddit-like hivemind moment, where they strogly spout an opinion but can't explain it

>>2066896
>explains what's wrong with it
it doesn't fucking exist, that's what's wrong
stellaris at least doesn't pretend to give you a semblance of control in tactical battles, you just ram your fleets and watch the fireworks
>but muh kardz, muh taktiks
fuck off with that lazy gay shit
either give us proper control or don't bother, fucking stardrive did it better
and the less said about "ground" "combat" the better

>>2065946 (OP)
Distant worlds 2 mogs it so hard, I dunno how stellaris is still going

>>2067128
Multiplayer.
Stellaris is popular because it provides the right amount of autoplilot gameplay and memes for multiplayer.

>>2067128
Same reason why NASCAR is a thing despite formula 1 existing. Retards have their niche on the market.

>>2067134
Formula 1 is peak slop, what the fuck are you on about?
Indycar beats it any day of the week

>>2067186
>dude just turn left

>>2067462
>literally has no idea what Indycar is
fucking retard

>>2067134
>>2067462
>4xvirgin tries to make a sports reference
>is completely clueless
lmao

>>2067479
Driving will never be a sport.
It's all engineering. The driving pageantry is to make toothless hicks (you) feel better about themselves.

I finished a complete campaign of the base a couple weeks ago and it was extremely mediocre.
I know it has a shit-ton of DLCs but I don't really see how they can push this game over a 5.5 score.

>>2067466
>>2067479
The indy 500 is literally the only event that garners any attention. Aside from that F1 is more popular lmao. Not my fault you like eating shit.

Which 4X game allows interspecies breeding

>>2067592
lmao he looked it up with chatgpt or some shit.
Also
>it's popular, that means it's good!
Yeah Justin Bieber is soooo good! Fuck off retard