In August, console Stellaris players are getting the new Aquatics species as part of the expansion pass. PC players, though they already have this content, may be feeling a little forgotten - but never fear! PC players never miss out thanks to modding, and so here's five stellar (heheh) mods for Stellaris!
Doctor Who Mod for Stellaris
By JoWi
Twelve new empires from the iconic (and pretty cheerfully hammy!) British sci-fi show Doctor Who take centre stage in this mod, with all the funk that comes with it. You've got the enigmatic Time Lords, the vicious Daleks, and the emotionless Cybermen, but also nine other Doctor Who aliens that made their mark. Moreover, the Doctor himself features with thirteen companions from the past of the show with their own changes on the game's sandbox. All in all? An unexpected but great little total conversion.
Stellaris - Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
By V0lt4ge
This mod features lots of new technologies, including a next generation warp/hyper/jump drive based on the HHG saga, Deep Thought and the Infinite Improbability Drive! A new research chain also joins the new technologies available that greatly affect the technological advancement of the game, as well as other new buildings that help get you in on the sci-fi (which, now that I think of it, a lot of classic British sci-fi has snuck it's way into the Stellaris total conversion scene...which is fine by me!)
Star Wars: A Galaxy Divided
Star Wars: A Galaxy Divided is a mod meant to transport players into the Star Wars universe within Stellaris. Using Legends canon, the mod is primarily set within the Old Republic timeline and includes a variety of factions and other content representative of that Era. Star Wars is a clear and obvious candidate for a total conversion for any space simulator and Stellaris is no exception, giving you phenomenal control over a fan-favourite era of the Legends continuity.
Stellaris Zero
Stellaris Zero is a mechanics overhaul mod focused around overhauling the internal management aspect of the game. With everything from political parties to pirate empires to redesigned rebellions, the goal is to improve upon the under-utilized systems in the game. Mainly, factions and governments. All the vanilla government types have been removed and replaced with just a few new one, as one example of the solid consolidation undertaken as part of this mod's goals.
Homeworld: Conquest
By Pangolins
Homeworld is a key name in large-scale sci-fi strategy, testing players and their tactical skills to the brink. The games generally focus on the moment-to-moment strategy inside an encounter, but for those who prefer the grand-scale meta-game of political intrigue and resource management between encounters, this mod adds an extra layer to the complicated yet rewarding Homeworld series.
Stellar Scale
Stellaris is the grand-scale cosmic civilisation game created by Paradox Interactive. The game places a serious emphasis on political intrigue, resource management, and overall, the "background details" about how a civilisation is run. Mechanics factor in the happiness of populations, as well as the background of your species, which can range from negotiable businessmen to genocidal, purification-obsessed maniacs. In such a sandbox, an easy way to expand the replay value hugely is to add just a little bit extra into the mix - as with Stellaris' many species expansion packs that add new options for players. The console release was a bit behind on these, but now, the Aquatics pack is making its way to console as well, bringing the two platforms closer to parity.
Stellaris' grand-scale strategy is the very definition of butterfly effects,
with huge consequences in late-stage games for decisions made early on
Outer Frontier
The game's expansions are available all on Steam right now on sale, but console players will need to wait until August 25th for the Aquatics expansion. If the average length of a Stellaris campaign is any indication, you might be able to fit in a few engagements before then!
