
Stars in Shadow is a turn-based 4X strategy game and a vivid tribute to the genre classics. Compete with alien factions to explore and colonize nearby starsystems, build fleets to defend against rivals, negotiate or conquer them. Win by unifying the galaxy, through diplomacy or force.
Modeled estimate, not a reported figure. How we estimate →
Prices
The United States storefront in every case, so this compares stores and not countries.
Discounts
Every price cut of more than 20% we have observed, in each market that quoted one, with this game's chart position on either side of it. These are episodes, not a model: a sale is one event, and one event cannot tell you what the next one will do.
For scale, across Steam · Top Sellers · Brazil over the last 30 days: the 26 chart moves that followed a price cut of more than 20% went a median of 7 places towards #1, and the 2,400 moves with no price cut behind them went 2 away. One store, one chart, one country — it is the only place we have enough observations to say even that.
Prices outside the United States have been collected since 6 August 2026 and chart positions since 19 July 2026, so a cut older than that has no market to compare and a market that joined later has no history yet. Nothing here is converted between currencies.
About
Stars in Shadow is a turn-based 4X science fiction strategy game. Explore the stars, settle distant worlds, and build an interstellar empire. Recover ancient technologies and negotiate with alien leaders. Created by a pair of passionate strategy gamers, Stars in Shadow features streamlined empire management, sophisticated turn-based tactical combat, and detailed world building.
Epic Scope:
Starting at the dawn of interstellar travel, progress through four eras of technological advancement. Discover the science of planetary terraforming, upgrade your infantry battalions to battle mechs, and grow your fleet from a squadron of destroyers to an armada of planet-destroying Dread Stars.
Varied Factions:
7 Playable factions comprising six alien races. Each faction has different research strengths and technology options. Forming alliances, conquering neighboring species, or discovering ancient artifacts may open up additional avenues of research. Choose your race wisely as it impacts which worlds will suit you, what trades or alliances may be offered, and whether or not your neighbors are inclined to trust you.
Stylized Setting:
A distinctive comic-book art style and an original, detailed universe backstory draw you into an immersive game world. Interact with a unique cast of alien characters, make friends and influence people, or crush your enemies and see them driven before you.
Focused High-Level Strategy:
Build a vast and varied empire, taking advantage of the unique traits offered by different alien populations and the worlds they inhabit. Experiments on a slave population might diminish your popularity in the Galactic Council. A streamlined resource and planetary improvement model keeps the game moving even when your empire grows large.
Deep Turn-Based Tactical Combat:
Face off against your opponents in complex 2D turn-based tactical battles. Counter your enemy’s missile barrage using point defense or interceptors, then close to energy weapon range! Stars in Shadow’s tactical engine includes several features rarely seen in turn based games. Multi-ship commands keep even large fleet battles fast-paced, and smart unit behaviors allow tight control with minimal micromanagement. Auto-resolve battles that are a foregone conclusion, while retaining the ability to replay any engagement to see exactly what happened.
Sums Steam only; GOG publishes no volume signal, so the true total is higher by an unknown amount.
| Store | Price | Audience | Score | Chart | Est. revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SteamYou are here | $24.99 | 837reviews | 78% | — | $515.3K |
| $4.49−82% | 171ratings | 78% | — | not modelled |
Matched by title — a reused name can pair the wrong games. * is a critic aggregate. Prices and positions are each store's United States storefront; Epic charts worldwide. Audience and Score too, except Steam's, which is worldwide.
Engagement
Reviews
Themes across 45 recent reviews and how positive each mention is. A keyword signal, not full sentiment analysis.
Reviews
It's not terrible I'd even sat the turn based combat is well done and the art is pretty good didn't run into any bugs. But the whole game just feels shallow and maybe a bit under baked. The tech tree is pretty bare and generic the races mostly have pretty minor variations and there's just not all that much interesting to run into as you explore the maps. Bask to Playing the original Sword of the Stars for me.
I'm sure I had no problems with SiS a few years ago when I played it, and really enjoyed it. But coming back to it here in 2026, it's IMPOSSIBLE even on "easy". Enemy ships are just, well, invulnerable. Missiles, fighters and bombers are useless, they all get destroyed on turn 1 - so half the game's weapon options are rendered tactically useless from the git go. It wasn't like this first time I tried it. It just sucks right now! The devs have obviously ruined it since!
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Price dynamics, follower growth, revenue and sales trajectories with interactive tooltips
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Genres
Stats
All-time low is the lowest price we've recorded for this game since we started tracking it.
Languages: English
Hours played at review time, across 46 reviews with recorded playtime.
positive critical· bar length = how often the theme comes up
The game is very underrated. It's a good game, not trying to simulate an entire never ending civilization, but just an interstellar conquest game. Loads of flavor, and pretty good AI. I refunded because I got a better deal on GOG. Play it there still. Even just today.
One of the best ways to get that Master of Orion "Just one more turn" fix
A low learning curve for some races and a made sense battle. some races have higher learning curve, and those are quite challenging. The ruthless method was an easy way out.(Killing the entire planet) Very re-playable. I am learning how to play with other races. (using a more humane method of ruling them)
Отличная стратегия чтобы убить пару сотен часов на одну партию. Управление не перегружено - все на своих местах. Технологий очень много (чтобы все открыть и попробовать нужна наверное очень большая карта). Минус только в малом количестве контента. Хочется больше возможностей в дипломатии, случайных событий, рас, биомов планет. Тема с существами из варпа не раскрыта. Разработчики планируют что-то новенькое скоро. Поэтому ждем и надеемся. В любом случае игра очень хороша и в ней приятно находиться. Любителям 4х очень рекомендую!
Old school 4x in space. Reminds me a lot of Master of Orion 2
虽然游戏没中文,但是作为一个出了9年的4X游戏,还有在更新和修BUG,就值得一个好评
its been 3 days, 750,000 colinists have starved to death. 2 scout ships have been burned at neighboring stars. Dinosaurs are now extinct... again.. Could use a good starting tutorial, too much going on within the screen, ill come back in another century to see if i can figure it out.
Selling now
See how fast this game is selling right now — estimated copies and revenue per day from recent review growth.
Players by region
Where this game's players are, estimated from review languages.
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