This is probably the quirkiest strategy game I’ve ever played.
To the Stars is a unique roguelite strategy game, where you conquer the universe one constellation at a time.
In this article, we’ll be giving a full review of the game and ranking it from decaf to fully caffeinated.
Prefer to watch the video version? Check it out here
Story
To the Stars is a strategy game with a really quirky story. The game features nine different factions, each with their own storylines to uncover. Each faction has a distinct personality conveyed through snippets of dialogue between levels. The lore in this game is next level; you really get to uncover a rich, interesting, and hilarious world. You gradually unlock each faction, so you’re given new stories pretty regularly in a way that feels relevant to the game.
The story itself is packed full of stereotypes, over-the-top drama, and colorful personalities, making for an interesting contrast to the strategic gameplay. While the story doesn’t necessarily drive or interact with the gameplay, it’s a fantastic companion to the strategy genre, injecting much-needed quirkiness. So, for story, I’m rating To the Stars as Fully Caffeinated.
GAMEPLAY
To the Stars combines real-time strategy gameplay with roguelite elements and exploding planets – what more could you want? To take over the galaxy, you’ll need to conquer different constellations, battling your way through each cluster of stars.
Each battle sees you face off against other factions. To win, you must either take over all the monuments or wipe out all your enemies by conquering all the planets. Taking over planets is simple: send your forces to them. Your forces are autogenerated by the planets you already control, at a rate determined by the planet’s size and your faction’s strength. Each planet has a starting number that you need to dwindle down. Once your forces start occupying the planet instead, it officially becomes yours. You can take over enemy and neutral planets, but enemy planets can fight back. Your planets can also be attacked by enemy factions, so you’ll need to defend your growing colony.
There are different monuments in each level with unique functions. Capturing all of them wins you the level. Each planet has different mass levels, allowing it to produce forces for a certain amount of time before exploding. While there’s no specific time limit, you’ll need to manage your planet mass carefully.
Each constellation has multiple clusters to conquer and a shop area for upgrades. As you progress, you can upgrade your faction’s strength, speed, special abilities, starting planet mass, and ability recharge time. Each faction has unique special abilities with recharge times, giving you a significant advantage in the game. Battle your way through all the constellations to win control of the galaxy – at least for now. Winning each constellation grants you special galaxy currency to unlock different factions. Each faction has its own constellation-conquering journeys, adding tons of gameplay.
The levels are quick, but there are plenty to keep you entertained. Overall, the gameplay is fast-paced, addictive, and packed with fun action. So, for gameplay, I’m rating To the Stars as Fully Caffeinated.
DESIGN
To the Stars has a quirky design style that brings a lot of fun to the game. The graphic style is an edgy cartoon vibe with unique character designs. I loved the planet designs, and the animated facial expressions added action and personality to the gameplay. The effects are well-illustrated, and the vibrant color palette brings the game to life. The sound design matches the vibe perfectly, with sound effects elevating the overall design and giving it more impact.
To the Stars is a game designed exceptionally well, with complex elements working together to convey the story and enhance gameplay. So, for design, I’m rating To the Stars as Fully Caffeinated.
ORIGINALITY
To the Stars takes a unique spin on the strategy game genre.
The vibrant and quirky design style is a breath of fresh air, and the game’s concept is a great application of a space strategy game. The mechanics are familiar but executed in an eccentric way.
This is a game that stands out for all the right reasons. So, for originality, I’m rating To the Stars as Fully Caffeinated.
THE FINAL BREW
To the Stars is a game packed with strategy, action, and humor. The roguelite progression offers high replayability, and the fast-paced levels are addictive.
We’ve ground the beans, weighed and pressed the grinds, and brewed this game down. Now it’s time for a taste test… To The Stars is Fully Caffeinated.
To The Stars is available on Steam now. You can check it out here.
Until next time, stay caffeinated!
