Stellaris might be my favourite grand technique recreation of all time, so after I noticed developer Quick Journey Video games was making a standalone VR roguelite set within the Stellaris universe, I instantly got interested. I’ll admit, I don’t have an excessive amount of expertise with VR. However the concept of a Stellaris story with its many species, techniques, and house buildings gave the impression of the proper match for VR. Ghost Sign: A Stellaris Story steps away from grand technique and as a substitute places gamers answerable for a single ship as they traverse techniques coping with threats, buying upgrades, and monitoring down the Ghost Sign.

Ghost Sign: A Stellaris Story places gamers within the position of the captain of a single ship referred to as the Aurora. On the finish of the tutorial the Aurora receives a thriller sign, dubbed the Ghost Sign, that units in movement the story of the sport. Gamers should observe down the supply of the sign as they tackle varied enemy ships, traverse asteroid fields, and even encounter varied house creatures.

Actually, I used to be anticipating the Stellaris universe to do lots of the heavy lifting right here. However in actuality, the roguelite gameplay is what shines. The overarching story of the Ghost Sign kind of fell into the background, and I discovered myself extra simply worrying about getting ship upgrades and taking over extra—and stronger—enemies.

Ghost Sign: A Stellaris Story (PSVR2[reviewed], Meta Quest 2, SteamVR)
Developer: Quick Journey Video games
Writer: Quick Journey Video games
Launched: October 5, 2023
MSRP: $19.99

VR was made for house

Area actually is the proper surroundings for VR. In Ghost Sign, you’ll progress via totally different Sectors through a map, just like the development in FTL: Sooner than Gentle. Every Sector has a special encounter upon reaching it. These embody battles, boss battles, random occasions, and even outlets and relaxation factors. But in addition, every sector options an attractive backdrop of house, with differing planets and different celestial our bodies within the background. Within the foreground, no matter you might be encountering takes middle stage alongside asteroids, your Aurora ship, and different entities you may work together with.

A robotic companion assists you with studying the ropes and exploring the universe in Ghost Sign. As you discover new entities in house, the robotic will inform you extra details about it. It’s a pleasant little added component for fellow Stellaris followers, serving to to flesh out the universe. Sadly, I do assume the general narrative is a bit missing. For me, upgrading my Aurora and taking over more difficult encounters is what received me excited. Not a lot discovering out the supply of the Ghost Sign. After all, as a roguelite, the story might be meant as added taste, anyway. However with “A Stellaris Story” within the title, I actually hoped for extra precise story.

A hybrid of assorted style favorites

The core gameplay of Ghost Sign revolves round swapping between three totally different weapon varieties for the Aurora. Autocannons deal hull injury, lasers deal defend injury, and missiles deal injury to each varieties whereas sacrificing assault pace for elevated vary. In the meantime, you may navigate your ship to create distance from attacking fleets. The objective is to take out enemy ships one after the other whereas taking the least quantity of harm you may. When you’ve taken out all the fleet, you get hold of a reward that can improve your ship in a roundabout way, after which select the subsequent sector you need to advance to.

As you progress, you’ll discover varied methods to boost your Aurora. Alongside upgrades for encounters, you’ll additionally come throughout outlets and different NPCs which might be keen to commerce upgrades. There’s additionally a mechanic the place you may gamble for the chance to obtain an improve whereas having the prospect to as a substitute obtain a debuff. It’s all of the roguelite mechanics you may anticipate, plopped into the Stellaris universe. It really works surprisingly effectively, as upgrades really feel significant.

Even when you find yourself failing a run—as is widespread with this style—you’ll have the chance to hold over some sources and use them to acquire everlasting upgrades to the Aurora. These upgrades will persist for all future runs. As such, every successive run ought to let you steadily progress additional. It’s a enjoyable gameplay loop and positively the place Ghost Sign shines. The rock paper scissors type fight combined with the power to focus your construct in a selected method retains the fight contemporary with every run.

Yep, that’s a Area Dragon

With some slight alterations, I might simply see Ghost Sign: A Stellaris Story working in a non-VR surroundings. I’d think about controls might simply be reworked to a mouse and keyboard or perhaps a controller to function the Aurora. With its replayability worth and low worth level, it’s the proper play-a-run-here-and-there kind of title. It’s a really related expertise to FTL and different related roguelites. That’s to not say it doesn’t work as a VR title. It’s simply a kind of video games that would work as each.

However as it’s, Ghost Sign: A Stellaris Story is an entertaining and worthwhile journey via the universe of Stellaris. If you wish to play captain and commandeer a ship via asteroid belts when you battle whole fleets of enemies and even large bosses, look no additional. The roguelite loop is satisfying and rewarding, and slots effectively into the VR expertise. I don’t know what Quick Journey Video games plans to do subsequent, however I’d like to see what different genres the studio might pull off within the Stellaris setting.

_{[This review is based on a retail build of the game provided by the publisher.]}