Stellaris: Infernals

The main pros of the game

• Unique Gameplay Mechanics: The DLC introduces volcanic worlds and unique origins (Cosmic Dawn and Red Giant) that significantly change gameplay strategies.
• Fun Crisis Path: The new crisis path allows players to engage in a thematic and aggressive playstyle, creating a sense of urgency and excitement.
• Visuals and Aesthetics: Many players appreciate the new ship designs and portraits, finding them visually appealing and fitting the infernal theme.
• Variety of Content: The pack adds new civics, traits, and mechanics that enhance the overall gameplay experience, making it feel fresh and engaging for returning players.
• High Replayability: The distinct playstyle of the infernals encourages multiple playthroughs, allowing players to explore different strategies.

The main cons of the game

• Performance Issues: Many users report that the game runs significantly worse post-update, with lag and crashes being common, particularly in multiplayer settings.
• Bugs and Instability: Numerous reviews highlight persistent bugs, including crashes to desktop and broken features that remain unaddressed since previous updates.
• Lack of Balance: Some players feel that the new content, including civics and crisis mechanics, is overpowered or poorly balanced, leading to an uneven gameplay experience.
• Limited Customization: Critiques mention that the new species portraits lack variety and customization options compared to previous packs, making them feel underwhelming.

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

• Quality Assurance and Testing: Users express frustration over the apparent lack of playtesting, leading to the release of buggy content.
• Expanded Customization Options: There are calls for more diverse species portraits, including robotic variants, and a broader range of government types to accompany new civics.
• Fixes for Existing Issues: Players want the developers to prioritize fixing ongoing performance and stability issues in the base game before releasing new content.
• Better Integration of New Features: Some users wish for more seamless integration of new mechanics, such as the volcanic worlds, with existing gameplay systems, rather than having them feel like isolated additions.

Summary

• Overall, while the Stellaris: Infernals Species Pack offers intriguing new content and mechanics, it is marred by significant performance issues and bugs that detract from the overall experience. Many players are hesitant to recommend the DLC until these foundational problems are addressed.

Summary generated on: December 8, 2025