Paradox Offers Free-to-Play FTL and Factorio-Inspired Colony Sim

Alright, let’s see if I can untangle this mess of thoughts and excitement about Stardeus. So here goes nothing—

Once upon a time—well, not quite that old, more like 2022—Paradox, y’know, the wizard behind Crusader Kings 3, Stellaris, Europa Universalis 4, and all that grand strategy jazz, decided to dive into the indie pool. And thus, Paradox Arc was born. They’ve tossed out stuff like Surviving the Abyss and Escape the Mad Empire. Oh, and Across the Obelisk too. But let’s not get sidetracked—I mean, the real star of the show is Stardeus, this quirky colony sim that kinda snuck into Early Access when Arc first took off. Now they’ve tossed us a bone with a free weekend on Steam. High fives all around, right?

So picture this: You’re a snazzy AI on a starship that’s, frankly, seen better days. The human crew? Oh, they’re off in dreamland hibernation style. Meanwhile, you’re juggling ship repairs and commanding a handful of drones. It’s crucial you don’t screw this up, because space aliens and stray humans tend to drop by, either to be a pain or to lend a hand. You’ll be sweating over things like food, oxygen, and energy—you know, the fun essentials of keeping everyone alive while cruising the cosmos. Again, so much pressure, but isn’t that the thrill?

Even though it’s still just a baby in Early Access, there’s so much chaos—and joy!—to dive into. Seems like folks are loving it, too, with an 87% “Very Positive” review score on Steam. Not too shabby, huh?

Oh, and before I wander off on another tangent—where was I? Right! Stardeus is free to play on Steam until Monday, June 16. Plus, it’s only about fifteen bucks right now, which isn’t bad for a cosmic adventure. Go nab it if you’re curious.

But hey, if space hopping isn’t your thing, no worries. We’ve got you covered with top picks for the best space and strategy games out there. Trust me, there’s plenty more to explore.

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