Sid Meier's Starships is a turn-based strategy video game developed by Firaxis Games and published by 2K. It was released on March 12, 2015 for Microsoft Windows, OS X, and iOS.[1] The game is a stand-alone title but shares the same universe as Civilization: Beyond Earth, putting the player in control of a fleet of space-faring craft. The player will use the fleet to explore the galaxy, meeting other human and alien forces, and dealing with problems through a combination of military, diplomatic, and other strategic options.[2] Spacecraft in the fleet can be highly customized for meeting certain goals. The game features cross-connectivity features with Beyond Earth for those that own both titles.[2]

Sid Meier's Starships
Developer(s)Firaxis Games
Publisher(s)2K
Designer(s)Sid Meier
SeriesCivilization
Platform(s)
ReleaseMarch 12, 2015
Genre(s)Turn-based strategy
Mode(s)Single-player

Starships was based on Sid Meier's idea of extending the Beyond Earth setting, in which the player guides the development of one of several human colonies on an alien world, and he considers it a further narrative of that game, exploring the universe and encountering other human colonies and threats it may hold. In his concept, Meier wanted to focus on starship creation, including highly configurable ships, and space combat, while providing the player with "a universe filled with interstellar adventure, diplomacy, and exploration".[2] The game was developed by Meier and a small team at Firaxis.[2]

Reception

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The iOS version received "generally favorable reviews", while the PC version received "mixed" reviews, according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[3][4] IGN said of the same PC version, "Sid Meier's Starships produces a few good tactical battles before its AI loses steam and its strategy gets frustrating."[9]

The Escapist gave the PC version a score of four stars out of five, saying that it "lacks the strategic depth of Civilization, but the added tactical layer, and shorter game times make it a fair substitute, especially if you're looking for bite-sized strategy."[17] National Post gave it a similar score of eight out of ten, saying that the game "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."[18] Metro gave it a score of seven out of ten, saying, "Fast-paced and accessible are not words commonly used to describe turn-based strategy games, but Sid Meier's latest is a fun, breezy strategic time killer."[19] GameSpot gave the PC version four stars out of ten, saying "it's a strategy game without strategy, enabling you to sleepwalk your way to triumph."[20]

References

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  1. ^ Nunneley-Jackson, Stephany (February 24, 2015). "Sid Meier's Starships given a March release date". VG247. Gamer Network. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  2. ^ a b c d Makuch, Eddie (January 19, 2015). "Firaxis Reveals New Interstellar Strategy Game, Sid Meier's Starships". GameSpot. Fandom. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  3. ^ a b "Sid Meier's Starships for iPhone/iPad Reviews". Metacritic. Fandom.
  4. ^ a b "Sid Meier's Starships for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Fandom. Retrieved April 18, 2015.
  5. ^ Tack, Daniel (March 13, 2015). "[Sid Meier's] Starships Review (PC)". Game Informer. GameStop. Archived from the original on March 15, 2015. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  6. ^ Tan, Nicholas (March 12, 2015). "Sid Meier's Starships Review (PC)". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  7. ^ Capozzoli, Nick (March 30, 2015). "Sid Meier's Starships Review (PC)". GameSpot. Fandom. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  8. ^ Squires, Jim (March 12, 2015). "Sid Meier's Starships Review: Rule the Galaxy (iOS)". Gamezebo. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  9. ^ a b Stapleton, Dan (March 13, 2015). "Sid Meier's Starships Review (PC)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  10. ^ Griliopoulos, Dan (March 16, 2015). "Sid Meier's Starships review". PC Gamer. Future plc. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  11. ^ Purslow, Matt (March 11, 2015). "Sir Meier's Starships PC review". PCGamesN. Network N. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  12. ^ Willington, Peter (March 12, 2015). "Sid Meier's Starships". Pocket Gamer. Steel Media Ltd. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  13. ^ a b Hall, Charlie (April 17, 2015). "Sid Meier's Starships review: space oddity". Polygon. Vox Media. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  14. ^ Wong, Steven (March 11, 2015). "Sid Meier's Starships Review: Fire All Guns (PC)". Shacknews. Gamerhub. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  15. ^ Dredge, Stuart (March 13, 2015). "Sid Meier's Starships review – deep-space exploration with a nod to the past (PC)". The Guardian. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  16. ^ Musgrave, Shaun (March 23, 2015). "'Sid Meier's Starships' Review – Boss In Space". TouchArcade. TouchArcade.com, LLC. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  17. ^ a b Vanderwall, Joshua (March 19, 2015). "Sid Meier's Starships Review - Touch the Sky (PC)". The Escapist. Gamurs. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  18. ^ a b Sapieha, Chad (March 12, 2015). "Sid Meier's Starships review: Firaxis compresses epic, galaxy-conquering strategy into single-session experience (PC)". National Post. Postmedia Network. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  19. ^ "Sid Meier's Starships review - warp speed strategy (PC)". Metro. DMG Media. March 16, 2015. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
  20. ^ Capozzoli, Nick (30 March 2015). "Sid Meier's Starships Review". GameSpot. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
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