Stellar Initiative
by Five Head Games · 27 May, 2024
8 downloads
Update Available
ProtonDB: Platinum
About the Game
Stellar Initiative is a roguelike tower defense game where you land on the planet and use your orbit ship to deliver buildings and support you with fire.
Features:
Choose next mission: scout for new opportunities, mine more resources, discover rare artefacts, defend the position or prepare to fight the boss!
Order buildings: turret to hold the position, walls to stop enemy waves, generators to build up the economy, or any other building to adapt to next enemy attack.
Manage resources: balance between delivery duration, buildings cost and available space.
Unlock upgrades: choose the path you desire for each building and combine them to fit your play style.
Discover artefacts: each one with its own effect can guide your strategy and make every game unique.
Content:
156 unique artifacts
26 different buildings and ship abilities
139 upgrades to install with different paths
12 missions of 6 types and 12 different modifiers
5 difficulties
Screenshots
10 images
Version Information
Steam Patch Notes
Official update history
On the site: Build 18503155
·
Latest on Steam: Build 23047874
Update available
Another update, rather small, but because I'm already actively working on the first major content update, which I will announce later!
v1.0.6
- Impactor and self destruction now also deal damage to bosses
- Cryozone will stop dealing damage on the final speed-up
- Buff contraband artifact, supplies and generator cost 20 -> 17
- Buff research module artifact, stellarium gain 1 -> 2
- Buff laser propulsion artifact, delivery boost 5 -> 7
- Buff nuclear reprocessing artifact, energy gain 10 -> 12
- Buff disorientation artifact, damage multiplier 2x -> 3x
- Fix small rockets flying away if the game is paused
- Fix small exceptions
View on Steam
v1.0.6
- Impactor and self destruction now also deal damage to bosses
- Cryozone will stop dealing damage on the final speed-up
- Buff contraband artifact, supplies and generator cost 20 -> 17
- Buff research module artifact, stellarium gain 1 -> 2
- Buff laser propulsion artifact, delivery boost 5 -> 7
- Buff nuclear reprocessing artifact, energy gain 10 -> 12
- Buff disorientation artifact, damage multiplier 2x -> 3x
- Fix small rockets flying away if the game is paused
- Fix small exceptions
This update is mostly focused on QoL improvements, including highly requested builder features like planning building placement.
You can press the middle mouse button to plan a building and then place the real one on top. Press the delete key to remove all planned.
Also, some balancing to make decisions more interesting and different things more viable.
v1.0.5
- Add buildings planner
- Show signal range for draft buildings
- Show a tooltip for installed upgrades in pause and end game screens
- Add a small indicator of station energy generation progress
- Increase the number of resources from missions (about 4 more spread across different missions, mostly at 2nd part of the game)
- Matter generator cycle duration is now scaled with difficulty waves delay (so it's stronger on Legend and weaker on easiest difficulties)
- Nerf matter generator upgrades, cycle duration (100/60/30 -> 100/70/40)
- Generators now require full time to gain energy first time after landing (was 70%)
- Adjust resistance to knock back and stun for some enemies
- Buff dielectric artifact, capacity 2 -> 3
- Buff holograms artifact, speed 80% -> 70%
- Buff sub-caliber ammunition artifact, range 0.3 -> 0.5
- Buff incandescence artifact, period 5 -> 4
- Buff liquid cooling artifact, discount pet killed 1 -> 2
- Nerf electromagnets artifact (shield for coil from damage), chance 100% -> 50%
- Fix small exceptions
View on Steam
You can press the middle mouse button to plan a building and then place the real one on top. Press the delete key to remove all planned.
Also, some balancing to make decisions more interesting and different things more viable.
v1.0.5
- Add buildings planner
- Show signal range for draft buildings
- Show a tooltip for installed upgrades in pause and end game screens
- Add a small indicator of station energy generation progress
- Increase the number of resources from missions (about 4 more spread across different missions, mostly at 2nd part of the game)
- Matter generator cycle duration is now scaled with difficulty waves delay (so it's stronger on Legend and weaker on easiest difficulties)
- Nerf matter generator upgrades, cycle duration (100/60/30 -> 100/70/40)
- Generators now require full time to gain energy first time after landing (was 70%)
- Adjust resistance to knock back and stun for some enemies
- Buff dielectric artifact, capacity 2 -> 3
- Buff holograms artifact, speed 80% -> 70%
- Buff sub-caliber ammunition artifact, range 0.3 -> 0.5
- Buff incandescence artifact, period 5 -> 4
- Buff liquid cooling artifact, discount pet killed 1 -> 2
- Nerf electromagnets artifact (shield for coil from damage), chance 100% -> 50%
- Fix small exceptions
It feels like now the difficulty is right, at least for the first 2 difficulties to learn the game, but the curve to the Captain is too steep. Also, the way mortars work compared to plasma towers does not scale well with the amount of enemies.
In this update, I changed the difficulty curve and the number of small enemies (mostly runners and soldiers) on higher difficulties.
Artifacts are the major factor in winning and some games can feel too lucky or unlucky. This update will introduce rerolling of the artifacts reward to give more control in the hands of a player.
Also, the artifacts pool that is used for 3rd starting bonus was reworked to make it more impactful.
Although a matter generator is a risky option, most of the time it feels like a safer option. I don't want to nerf it as most of the players enjoy how it feels, so other options were buffed significantly. But the cost of installing upgrades for the matter generator was increased, but very slightly.
v1.0.4
- Add ability to re-roll artifacts choice once per event
- Rework starting artifacts pool (remove weak, add more meaningful)
- Reduce the amount of smallest enemies on higher difficulty to balance AoE weapons
- Make the difficulty curve better (Captain and Start Lord for the most part)
- Buff laser cannon, reload duration (18/15/2/1 -> 15/10/1/0.5), upgrades cost changed to support this buff
- Buff deathray, min attack speed (5/10 -> 10/20), attack speed growth (5%/10% -> 10%/20%)
- Slightly increase matter generator upgrades cost (upgrade 3 1 cost +1 stellarium, upgrade 3 2 cost +1 stellarium, upgrade 5 cost +1 aetherium)
- Allow resetting tutorial (with default loadout) by deselecting tutorial in settings
View on Steam
In this update, I changed the difficulty curve and the number of small enemies (mostly runners and soldiers) on higher difficulties.
Artifacts are the major factor in winning and some games can feel too lucky or unlucky. This update will introduce rerolling of the artifacts reward to give more control in the hands of a player.
Also, the artifacts pool that is used for 3rd starting bonus was reworked to make it more impactful.
Although a matter generator is a risky option, most of the time it feels like a safer option. I don't want to nerf it as most of the players enjoy how it feels, so other options were buffed significantly. But the cost of installing upgrades for the matter generator was increased, but very slightly.
v1.0.4
- Add ability to re-roll artifacts choice once per event
- Rework starting artifacts pool (remove weak, add more meaningful)
- Reduce the amount of smallest enemies on higher difficulty to balance AoE weapons
- Make the difficulty curve better (Captain and Start Lord for the most part)
- Buff laser cannon, reload duration (18/15/2/1 -> 15/10/1/0.5), upgrades cost changed to support this buff
- Buff deathray, min attack speed (5/10 -> 10/20), attack speed growth (5%/10% -> 10%/20%)
- Slightly increase matter generator upgrades cost (upgrade 3 1 cost +1 stellarium, upgrade 3 2 cost +1 stellarium, upgrade 5 cost +1 aetherium)
- Allow resetting tutorial (with default loadout) by deselecting tutorial in settings
This will further improve pacing to give a player more room to breath in the beginning of missions.
Although 2nd ship is very strong, it is still very hard to play properly. Some buffs will help with that. Also, it should be easier to beat bosses with it (focus tower now melts bosses).
I also wrote a short guide for anyone who wants to beat higher difficulties.
v1.0.3
- Change timings for 1st waves and enemies for 3rd waves to make pacing easier
- Nerf avenger, generator, healer and stick-bug enemies
- Bring back health buff for coil 2 1 upgrade 10 -> 16
- Double the distance required to transfer coil charge so it is always transferred with generators and plasma towers
- Focus tower attack speed increases faster starting from tier 2 (10%/20%/40% -> 10%/30%/60%)
- Reduce plasma tower delivery 20 -> 15
- Increase damage of upper mortars branch 8 -> 10
- Fix colliders not recalculating in pause resulting in ability to place buildings on top of each other and even destroy station
- Small localization fixes
View on Steam
Although 2nd ship is very strong, it is still very hard to play properly. Some buffs will help with that. Also, it should be easier to beat bosses with it (focus tower now melts bosses).
I also wrote a short guide for anyone who wants to beat higher difficulties.
v1.0.3
- Change timings for 1st waves and enemies for 3rd waves to make pacing easier
- Nerf avenger, generator, healer and stick-bug enemies
- Bring back health buff for coil 2 1 upgrade 10 -> 16
- Double the distance required to transfer coil charge so it is always transferred with generators and plasma towers
- Focus tower attack speed increases faster starting from tier 2 (10%/20%/40% -> 10%/30%/60%)
- Reduce plasma tower delivery 20 -> 15
- Increase damage of upper mortars branch 8 -> 10
- Fix colliders not recalculating in pause resulting in ability to place buildings on top of each other and even destroy station
- Small localization fixes
Thank you everyone for the feedback. I continue to improve the game based on that. Now it seems more that the difficulty problem is not about the balance, but more about understanding enemies and options to overcome them. With that said I've added tooltips for every enemy on hovering.
Escape pod felt wrong because after it was used, you effectively will be one mission behind by rewards. That was changed, now missions progress is not increased so you can replay the mission you lost. Also, there are more escape pods in the game now.
Matter generator is a fun risk/reward option, but can be too easily abused on endless missions on lower difficulties. Now it won't generate anything after endless waves come.
Coils can be too easily stacked together resulting in a very straightforward strategy. They are still strong, but now they will release full charge on hit, making them much less effective when stacked.
2nd ship loadout is strong but struggles against bosses due to low range. This rebalance will help with that.
Please feel free to share any feedback!
v1.0.2
- Added enemy tooltips in the mission on hovering mouse
- Escape pod now does not increase the amount of missions completed
- Escape pod now can be restored after missions 5 (first boss), 7 and 9
- Coils now release full charge when attacked by enemies (before it max capped by enemy max health)
- Matter generator now disables when endless waves come (like Development or Research missions)
- Laser cannon price 40 -> 30, delivery duration 30 -> 25
- Coil 2 1 upgrade now longer buffs health
- Plasma towers reload faster when hitting enemies standing on top of them (will help against bosses)
- Buff focus tower attack speed growth (7%/15%/30% -> 10%/20%/40%)
- Buff focus tower max upgrades, 3 1 max attack speed 10 -> 15, 3 2 price 70 -> 60
- Advanced tactics artifact required distance 8 -> 7
- Aftershocks artifact damage 1 -> 2
- Reserve battery artifact common -> uncommon, min required level to appear 0 -> 2
- High-pressure synthesis artifact wall tier 1 -> 2
- Power beaming energy 20 -> 15
View on Steam
Escape pod felt wrong because after it was used, you effectively will be one mission behind by rewards. That was changed, now missions progress is not increased so you can replay the mission you lost. Also, there are more escape pods in the game now.
Matter generator is a fun risk/reward option, but can be too easily abused on endless missions on lower difficulties. Now it won't generate anything after endless waves come.
Coils can be too easily stacked together resulting in a very straightforward strategy. They are still strong, but now they will release full charge on hit, making them much less effective when stacked.
2nd ship loadout is strong but struggles against bosses due to low range. This rebalance will help with that.
Please feel free to share any feedback!
v1.0.2
- Added enemy tooltips in the mission on hovering mouse
- Escape pod now does not increase the amount of missions completed
- Escape pod now can be restored after missions 5 (first boss), 7 and 9
- Coils now release full charge when attacked by enemies (before it max capped by enemy max health)
- Matter generator now disables when endless waves come (like Development or Research missions)
- Laser cannon price 40 -> 30, delivery duration 30 -> 25
- Coil 2 1 upgrade now longer buffs health
- Plasma towers reload faster when hitting enemies standing on top of them (will help against bosses)
- Buff focus tower attack speed growth (7%/15%/30% -> 10%/20%/40%)
- Buff focus tower max upgrades, 3 1 max attack speed 10 -> 15, 3 2 price 70 -> 60
- Advanced tactics artifact required distance 8 -> 7
- Aftershocks artifact damage 1 -> 2
- Reserve battery artifact common -> uncommon, min required level to appear 0 -> 2
- High-pressure synthesis artifact wall tier 1 -> 2
- Power beaming energy 20 -> 15
Thanks everyone for playing the full game and for the feedback!
I understand that the game's difficulty now feels too high. In this small update, I changed the overall pacing and some enemies to give a player more room to breathe.
Also, this update includes a couple of QoL features highly requested by the community.
v1.0.1
- Added pause button
- Added hotkey to upgrade building (press U when selected or hovered)
- Increase enemy spawn delay for the second part of the game on difficulties 1, 2, 3
- First waves in missions are now easier
- Immortal enemy now less resistant to pushback and stun, scales attack slower, and can only appear on the last wave on hard difficulties
- Tanks are less resistant to pushback and stun
- Reduced the difficulty of endless waves
- Cryozone mission modifier damage 2 -> 1
- Bosses are now easier on lower difficulties
- Buff Capacitors artifact energy 60 -> 65
- Buff Modernization program artifact energy requirement 80 -> 70 and do not trigger it if there are no buildings to upgrade
- Buff Shaped charge artifact 25% -> 40%
- Delayed resources event gives more resources
View on Steam
I understand that the game's difficulty now feels too high. In this small update, I changed the overall pacing and some enemies to give a player more room to breathe.
Also, this update includes a couple of QoL features highly requested by the community.
v1.0.1
- Added pause button
- Added hotkey to upgrade building (press U when selected or hovered)
- Increase enemy spawn delay for the second part of the game on difficulties 1, 2, 3
- First waves in missions are now easier
- Immortal enemy now less resistant to pushback and stun, scales attack slower, and can only appear on the last wave on hard difficulties
- Tanks are less resistant to pushback and stun
- Reduced the difficulty of endless waves
- Cryozone mission modifier damage 2 -> 1
- Bosses are now easier on lower difficulties
- Buff Capacitors artifact energy 60 -> 65
- Buff Modernization program artifact energy requirement 80 -> 70 and do not trigger it if there are no buildings to upgrade
- Buff Shaped charge artifact 25% -> 40%
- Delayed resources event gives more resources
Armour on T4 walls was planned as a strong late-game upgrade, but ended up being too accessible and made the player immune to small enemies too easily. This strategy is too strong and does not require any planning or artifacts. Now there will only be throns on T4 wall.
Generator upgrades do feel less valuable compared to others. Now Rocket launcher tree and battle upgrades are a little more expensive, but generator upgrades are cheaper.
v0.2.6
- Remove armour from T4 wall upgrade but reduce cost (45->40)
- Defense missions now are slightly harder (0.75->0.7 delay modificator)
- Rocket launcher technologies and battle upgrades now are slightly more expensive
- Generator upgrades now are cheaper
- Buff infinite generator upgrades (cost 5->3 per level)
- Increase Subject A boss health (1000->1200) and speed (0.16->0.17)
- Add exploding enemy to boss wave
- Buff stringer (scorpion) enemy health and attack speed
- Nerf power beaming 25->20
- Small UI improvements
- Fix small errors
View on Steam
Generator upgrades do feel less valuable compared to others. Now Rocket launcher tree and battle upgrades are a little more expensive, but generator upgrades are cheaper.
v0.2.6
- Remove armour from T4 wall upgrade but reduce cost (45->40)
- Defense missions now are slightly harder (0.75->0.7 delay modificator)
- Rocket launcher technologies and battle upgrades now are slightly more expensive
- Generator upgrades now are cheaper
- Buff infinite generator upgrades (cost 5->3 per level)
- Increase Subject A boss health (1000->1200) and speed (0.16->0.17)
- Add exploding enemy to boss wave
- Buff stringer (scorpion) enemy health and attack speed
- Nerf power beaming 25->20
- Small UI improvements
- Fix small errors
Many players found out that difficulty difference between Officer and Captain is too high. This was reworked. Star lord difficulty is now available in the demo and Captain is now a little easier.
Also Deathrains (flying Mortars) felt a little underwhelming and did not achieve what they were designed for. Now they are reworked and open completely new strategy of putting them forward.
And often requested quality of life feature - now time missions will speed up in the end when all waves were cleared.
v0.2.5
- Captain difficulty is now slightly easier with 10% longer wave delays and 20 more health
- Star lord difficulty is now available in the demo and is equal to Captain before this update
- Add an option to unlock all difficulties in the settings
- Rework Deathrain III upgrade - now it slows down enemies but costs more (35->45)
- Flying buildings (Deathrain) can now be placed outside of the signal range
- Boss now does not destroy flying buildings
- Speed up 8x in the end of time missions when all enemies are dead
- Small UI improvements
- Fix small errors
v0.2.4
- Fix stats tooltip error
View on Steam
Also Deathrains (flying Mortars) felt a little underwhelming and did not achieve what they were designed for. Now they are reworked and open completely new strategy of putting them forward.
And often requested quality of life feature - now time missions will speed up in the end when all waves were cleared.
v0.2.5
- Captain difficulty is now slightly easier with 10% longer wave delays and 20 more health
- Star lord difficulty is now available in the demo and is equal to Captain before this update
- Add an option to unlock all difficulties in the settings
- Rework Deathrain III upgrade - now it slows down enemies but costs more (35->45)
- Flying buildings (Deathrain) can now be placed outside of the signal range
- Boss now does not destroy flying buildings
- Speed up 8x in the end of time missions when all enemies are dead
- Small UI improvements
- Fix small errors
v0.2.4
- Fix stats tooltip error
This update will improve the demo based on the latest feedback and add 1 new artifact for everyone having trouble with mining missions!
Rocket launcher vs mortar balance can feel unfair, even though enemy density on higher difficulties is higher. Now mortars will deal much more damage.
Also, missions with rewards in resources feel more appealing later in the game compared to artifacts. Now this difference will be less noticeable.
v0.2.3
- Significantly increase damage of mortars (3->5)
- Give 1 more resource with artifact in mission rewards
- Nerf kinetic burst, but buff final turret upgrade allowing turrets to heal on crit
- New artifact: Matter displacement - double mining speed
- Buff energy wall upgrades making them cheaper
- Wave generator is now a little better at tier 1
- Particle collider now only gives uncommon or rare artifacts
- Start bonus health cost is now relative to max health
- Enemies now correctly find new target after knock back
- Fix defense (from Stellarium coating artifact) becoming 0 after Station upgrade
- Display signal range in buildings' stats
- Disable snapping for drills
- Small artifacts descriptions improvements
- Add tutorial for upgrades
- Different tutorial improvements
- Small UI improvements
- Reduce volume of boss and laser effect
- Fix small errors
View on Steam
Rocket launcher vs mortar balance can feel unfair, even though enemy density on higher difficulties is higher. Now mortars will deal much more damage.
Also, missions with rewards in resources feel more appealing later in the game compared to artifacts. Now this difference will be less noticeable.
v0.2.3
- Significantly increase damage of mortars (3->5)
- Give 1 more resource with artifact in mission rewards
- Nerf kinetic burst, but buff final turret upgrade allowing turrets to heal on crit
- New artifact: Matter displacement - double mining speed
- Buff energy wall upgrades making them cheaper
- Wave generator is now a little better at tier 1
- Particle collider now only gives uncommon or rare artifacts
- Start bonus health cost is now relative to max health
- Enemies now correctly find new target after knock back
- Fix defense (from Stellarium coating artifact) becoming 0 after Station upgrade
- Display signal range in buildings' stats
- Disable snapping for drills
- Small artifacts descriptions improvements
- Add tutorial for upgrades
- Different tutorial improvements
- Small UI improvements
- Reduce volume of boss and laser effect
- Fix small errors
I noticed that many players are facing difficulties on Development and Research type of missions the first time they encounter them, as they are not familiar with game mechanics.
Now first and second missions of this type will be much easier in their special goals (development cost, research time).
v0.2.2
- First two Development and Research missions are now much easier on Adventurer and Officer
- Default difficulty is now Adventurer if player never completed any run
- Event after 3rd mission now restores more health (50->100)
View on Steam
Now first and second missions of this type will be much easier in their special goals (development cost, research time).
v0.2.2
- First two Development and Research missions are now much easier on Adventurer and Officer
- Default difficulty is now Adventurer if player never completed any run
- Event after 3rd mission now restores more health (50->100)
This small update will improve new players' experience by fixing difficulty curve.
v0.2.1
- Adventurer difficulty is now better balanced for new players (less enemies, more station health)
- Endless waves for difficult missions now slightly easier
- Runners enemies attack slower but there are more of them
- Mining take a little more time (40->45, 60->70)
- Small balance fixes for Adaptive polymers, Strong interaction, Isolator, Shock waves, Energy modules and range rocket launcher upgrade
View on Steam
v0.2.1
- Adventurer difficulty is now better balanced for new players (less enemies, more station health)
- Endless waves for difficult missions now slightly easier
- Runners enemies attack slower but there are more of them
- Mining take a little more time (40->45, 60->70)
- Small balance fixes for Adaptive polymers, Strong interaction, Isolator, Shock waves, Energy modules and range rocket launcher upgrade
Current Release
18503155
Uploaded May 17, 2025
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System Requirements
OS
N/A
CPU
2.5Ghz or better
RAM
2 GB RAM
GPU
Support for OpenGL 3.3
How to Install
1
Download all files
2
Extract the .RAR file to a folder (use WinRAR or 7-Zip)
3
Run Stellar Initiative.exe to play
Troubleshooting tips
• Run Redist/_CommonRedist installers if game won't start
• Add folder to Windows Defender exclusions
• Run as administrator
Download
Direct link available
Size
85 MB
Build
18503155
Password: cracked-games.org or 123
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