Paradox Interactive has announced a new strategy sim from the creator of Crusader Kings II, one that glides past the burnt scraps of human history and sets its sights on the future: space exploration. In development by Paradox Development Studio, the creators of the Crusader Kings and Europa Universalis series, and under the direction of Crusader Kings lead designer Henrik Fåhraeus, the game promises to go beyond the typical empire strategy title, shifting the focus towards a more well-balanced experience placing emphasis on other forms of victory, like diplomacy and scientific research.
This new direction reminds me of the Civilization series' shift to sci-fi with Beyond Earth, though it should be said that Crusader Kings, which focuses more on social intrigue and espionage as a means of conquer and rule, could not possibly be more different from Civilization. Of the two games, I trust Paradox more with the thematic elements of space exploration but in general I have a hard time believing any sim will ever really back off the military approach as the best victory strategy. But since the trailer above does not provide much info, we'll just have to wait and see! Check it out above. For a little information on the alien classes, warfare, and diplomacy aspects of the game, hit up the official Stellaris site.
