rkade8583
Realism Invictus Player
4/5 Twinfinite
Shacknews
4/5 The Examiner
7/10 PCGamesN
6.9/10 Multiplayer.it (Italian)
Recommended Eurogamer
Pocket Gamer
8/10 Softpedia
The Verge
Gamezebo
Financial Post (Arcade)
Travelers Today
6.5 IGN
4/5 The Guardian
7/10 LazyGamer
7/10 Game Informer
4/5 PC World[+] Quick-fire strategic gameplay
[+] Ships are awesome, it's just that simple
[+] Surprising amount of content for a low-cost title
[-] Ship customization refuses to give you a sense of personal achievement
[-] PC version really doesn't look like a PC game when running.
Pros:
-A taste of Sid Meier strategy gaming without the Civilization time commitment
-Highly approachable, but plenty of room for advanced tactics
Cons:
-UI is poorly designed
-Some AI quirks, especially when assessing win/loss probability
Shacknews
It's clear that the development team at Firaxis spent a great deal of time putting together a robust ship combat game, and I love seeing my ships evolve as I attach add-ons. But even though the space ship combat is challenging and fun, I don't think it has a lot of long-term appeal. The supporting strategy elements in Starships are too shallow and there's no cohesive narrative holding things together. Although there are pirates and marauders around, and they show up in missions, there don't appear to be any random events to help shake up gameplay. There's just ship combat, and all the upgrades you invest in to make sure you win each fleet encounter.
Ultimately, the game left me wishing there was more to it.
4/5 The Examiner
“Sid Meier’s Starships” offers more of the same, but totally different. Allowing players to play the role of intergalactic admiral, at a price that more than justifies content, the game grants the fantasy of commanding a fleet of futuristic warships against the politics of exploring the crowded cosmos. Though lacking a multiplayer, map editor, and other key features from past “Civilization” entries, “Starships” has more than enough escape velocity to differentiate itself from past titles.
7/10 PCGamesN
Starships may not be a grand epic like Civilization, but its stripped back design fulfils a purpose. If you normally struggle with the multiple complexities of a 4x strategy game, Starships is a great introduction to the genre. It even offers step-by-step advice at every point if you need it. But for anyone more advanced than total rookie, after a handful of campaigns you’ll have seen everything Starships has to offer. Without the usual 4x depth or any multiplayer, Starships lacks the level of replayability. Even though it’s priced accordingly, that’s still its open exhaust hatch. A couple of afternoons after buying, Starships is likely to be lost among the debris of your unplayed Steam collection.
6.9/10 Multiplayer.it (Italian)
Recommended Eurogamer
Starships isn't Civ, but it is Sid, and that's fine by me.
Pocket Gamer
Sid Meier's Starships is an empowering gameplay experience that simultaneously makes you feel like the President of an entire space-faring species, and the Commander at the head of a fleet of combat-ready ships.
And it does it in an endlessly replayable manner that's as strategic and devious as you want it to be.
8/10 Softpedia
The Good
+Tactical combat mechanics
+Engaging player choices
+Array of leaders and Affinities
The Bad
-Repetitive missions
-Escort objectives
-No multiplayer
The Verge
So long as you're content with the narrower scope and scale of Starships, it'll be a rewarding experience not unlike its senior siblings. In fact, for many people who might have been put off by the complexity and time requirements of a proper game of Civilization, the more accessible Starships might be the perfect entry point to Firaxis' extensive library of great strategy games. I was victorious in my first game on easy mode within four hours. The price of Starships, available today on the iPad and through Steam for the PC and Mac, is fitting for this purpose at $14.99. It's a thoroughly enjoyable, lightweight alternative to the big complex games like Elite: Dangerous and Star Citizen that are coming out now. Space doesn't have to be daunting to be fun.
Gamezebo
As a fan of Sid Meier’s strategy games, I approached Starships with a nervous excitement. Nervous, because not every game with his name on the box has been as good as I’ve hoped it would be, but excited for the potential I saw in it.
Sid Meier’s Starships lives up to its potential.
If you’re a fan of strategy games – even if your experience with them begins and ends with Civilization – consider Sid Meier’s Starships an absolute must buy.
Financial Post (Arcade)
Starships may lack the complexity and nuance of other strategy games, and it feels a bit rough around the edges in places, but its accessibility, terrific turn-based combat, and bite-sized duration combine to create a tempting alternative to a multi-evening marathon campaign.
The next time I have a few free hours – and only a few hours – and an urge for some engaging 4X strategy action, there’s a pretty good chance this will be the game I choose to boot up.
Travelers Today
These days, when the gaming world has been overrun by recurring titles and dizzyingly beautiful graphics, it pays a lot to get back to a time when strategy ruled over every other aspect of the game. Sid Meier's Starships delivers on this and more.
6.5 IGN
Sid Meier’s Starships’ battles held my attention for a handful of games, after which point the tactical AI’s behavior became exploitable and the strategic layer became too muddled and unpredictable. So I say so long to Starships after a brief time, but I’ll always remember its neato torpedoes.
+Customizable ships
+Large-scale battles
+Neato torpedoes
– Confusing strategy layer
– Balance troubles
4/5 The Guardian
Starships has been released for PC and Mac, and also for iPad. The latter may be the platform where it prospers, not just because it adapts seamlessly to touchscreen controls, but because it’s tailor-made for the common on-sofa, on-train and in-bed tablet gameplay patterns of people who don’t have huge slabs of (non-work) computer time.
7/10 LazyGamer
Fun, quick and light strategy game, Starships is a great introduction to strategic gameplay or for those who don't have time for a longer experience. On its own, it feels shallow and lacks extensive replay value. Not suited to PC, I think Starships will do best on mobile.
7/10 Game Informer
Concept: Manage a fleet of ships to conquer the galaxy through tactical combat and resource dominance
Graphics: Lightweight but effective torpedo explosions and laser beam blasts add nice visual elements
Sound: Statements like “incoming torpedo” wear out their welcome fast, as does the limited soundtrack.
Playability: This is the easiest strategy game to play and understand in recent memory.
Entertainment: 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.
Replay: Moderate