Sid Meier's Starships

Released

Release Date: March 12, 2015

Strategy, Economic, Turn-based, 4X, Isometric View, Space, Multiplayer, Singleplayer, Hotseat, Internet, LAN

Another entry in the strategy game series created by the legendary developer Sid Meier. In a way it us a continuation to the Civilization franchise, especially Beyond Earth, to which it is connected with its story. What is different is that this time we leave our planet’s surface and focus on managing a fleet of vessels in space.

6.5

OpenCritic

5.0

Steam

4.9

Users

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Ratings

 Videos: 2 

Images: 8 

Plot
Game mechanics
Technical aspects

Sid Meier’s Starships is an unofficial continuation of Sid Meier’s Civilization series. This time players leave Earth and take rivalry with other factions to space. Special team of Firaxis studio led by Sid Meier himself has developed the game.

Plot

Sid Meier’s Starships for PC and iOS starts when the human civilization receives distress call from distant civilization. Not thinking too long, leaders of Earth decide to send a military expedition to help an unknown sender. Players are put in charge of it and when their arrive in their destination, they must make sure to fulfill not only the main objective, but also other missions that will help to protect inhabitants of a distant galaxy from the impending doom. The story is connected to events shown in Sid Meier’s Civilization: Beyond Earth, and there are leaders of factions from that game in Starships.

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Game mechanics

Sid Meier’s Starships stands out from its predecessors not only with space setting, but also its gameplay. Instead of building an intergalactic empire, players must protect each planet and deal with constantly appearing threats. Battles are turn-based, and each task takes place on a completely separate map, mostly procedurally generated. After finishing a certain number of missions in current sector, it is incorporated to player’s’ intergalactic federation. This lets them build their structures to improve the empire’s economy.

Due to its space setting, there are no classic units in Starships, but titular ships. They can be freely modified, e.g. to improve their armor or speed or to enable stealth. Some units can be created from the scratch, adjusting not only their battle potential, but also their shape and look. As in Civilization series, there is a technology tree. Many branches of science and development are entirely fictional and based on futurologists’ guesses. Victory can be achieved in a few ways, including eliminating all opponents, conquering most of the galaxy, building a lot of the so-called wonders and or having a huge advantage in science.

Technical aspects

Sid Meier’s Starships for PC and iOS has been based on engine previously used in Civilization V and Civilization: Beyond Earth. However, since the game has been developed for both PC and mobile devices, creators decided to simplify visuals to allow playing on lower-end devices.

Platforms:

PC Windows

Apple iOS

Developer: Firaxis Games

Publisher: 2K Games

Age restrictions: none

Similar Games:

Endless Space

Master of Orion II

Galactic Civilizations III

Features

Downloads

Top downloads for Sid Meier's Starships Video Game:

trainer Sid Meier's Starships - v1.0 +1 TRAINER - July 16, 2015

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System Requirements

System Requirements for Sid Meier's Starships Video Game:

PC / Windows

Minimum System Requirements:
Intel Core 2 Duo 1.8 GHz/AMD Athlon 64 X2 2.0 GHz, 2 GB RAM, graphic card 256 MB GeForce 8800 GT/Radeon HD 2600 XT or better, 841 MB HDD, Windows Vista(SP2)/7.

Apple iOS

Requirements:
iPad

Ratings

Game Ratings for Sid Meier's Starships Video Game.

6.5

OpenCritic Rating

Game is Recomended by 28% of Critics. There are 37 Critic Reviews.

OpenCritic

Daily Dot: 3 / 5 by Dennis Scimeca

Cranking up the difficulty in Starships and thereby eliminating the margin for error can address shortcomings of the tactical mode, but the strategic mode will always remain simple. Hence the feeling that Starships is more like a mini-game than a fully-fledged title, an observation held up by the game's low asking price of $15.

Full Review

Game Informer: 7 / 10 by Daniel Tack

Those looking for a core strategy experience may be disappointed, but the game is well suited for those that want a fun (if fleeting) tactical game

Full Review

Gaming Nexus: 6.5 / 10 by Travis Huinker

Sid Meier's Starships provides a simplified, portable gameplay snippet of the series turn-based gameplay that ultimately makes it a difficult recommend for Civilization fans. While the game was clearly designed for a tablet, there is still some entertainment to be found in brief gameplay sessions. Yet, it's impossible not to take into account there are far superior strategy games on PC that make Starships an even less-desiring title to play.

Full Review

50%

STEAM Score

All Reviews: Mixed (2,441)

STEAM

User Reviews Summary generated by AI

The main pros of the game

Accessibility: The game is described as easy to play and suitable for newcomers to the turn-based strategy genre. It offers a straightforward learning curve, making it accessible for casual gamers.
Tactical Battles: Some users found enjoyment in the tactical combat, which allows for strategic maneuvering and ship upgrades. The battles can pose challenges and provide fun moments of engagement.
Visual Style: While opinions vary, some users appreciated the clean graphics and aesthetic design, noting that it suits a more casual gaming experience.
Simplicity: The game is seen as a light and entertaining option for those looking to enjoy a less complex space strategy experience compared to other 4X games.

The main cons of the game

Lack of Depth: Many reviews pointed out that the game lacks complexity and depth, with combat and strategic elements feeling repetitive and simplistic over time.
AI Advantage: Some players expressed frustration with the AI having an unfair advantage, as it can take multiple turns while the player is limited to one.
Technical Issues: Users reported problems with the user interface, including small text, no resolution adjustments, and poor fullscreen capabilities. There were also mentions of low frame rates and choppy performance.
Limited Replayability: The game was described as forgettable with minimal replay value, as many players felt they had experienced everything the game had to offer after a single playthrough.

The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users

Customization and Complexity: Users noted the lack of meaningful customization options for ships and a deeper tech advancement tree, which they expected from a Sid Meier title.
Enhanced Diplomacy and Interaction: There were calls for more developed diplomatic options and interactions with other factions, as the current system felt underwhelming.
Multiplayer Mode: Some players expressed a desire for a multiplayer feature to enhance the competitive aspect of the game.
Improved User Experience: Players highlighted the need for better user interface scaling, options for faster AI turns, and overall improvements in user experience.

Summary

In summary, while Sid Meier's Starships offers an approachable and simplistic space strategy experience, it suffers from a lack of depth, technical issues, and limited replayability, which may disappoint fans of more complex strategy games.

Summary generated on: October 29, 2025

4.9

USERS Score

Average score from votes.

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