Stellar Interface Review (Megalodon)
Just based on reading some of the older reviews, Stellar Interface has apparently come a long way in terms of balance, content, and fun. If you enjoy Rogue-lites like The Binding of Isaac, or shmups like R-Type, then you will probably love this. This is an addictive sidescrolling space shooter that has dynamically generated level pathing (think FTL, if you've played that) and enemy patterns. After every stage on a playthrough, you get to choose a single ship upgrade that can range anywhere from orbitals to stat boosts or even more creative upgrades, like gaining double/triple/quad/quint shot or the ability to shoot from both sides of your ship simultaneously, just to name a few (this is where the Isaac comparison comes in; some truly outrageous builds can occur).
As Stellar Interface is a Rogue-lite, there is permadeath, but as you play you will unlock more ships and optional consumables for use on future runs. Gameplay isn't complicated, but there is a very brief and efficient tutorial on the main menu that I would highly recommend checking before your first run as well. Difficulty-wise, I've found the normal mode to be fairly balanced. Obviously some runs have been harder than others based on upgrade reward choices, but overall I never felt the game was being unfair or overwhelming. First encounters with bosses can be brutal, but all of the ones I've fought (about 6 or so) have had recognizable patterns and/or weaknesses. There are also higher difficulties available for those that want more of a challenge.
My one real complaint is that, as of now, if you close the game or quit to the main menu, you apparently lose all progress instead of having the option to continue later. My longest playthroughs so far have taken around 45 minutes to an hour, which isn't exhaustively long, but the fact that I'm forced to commit to a run in one sitting remains off-putting.
Pros
Highly addictive gameplay loop
Diverse bosses and enemy types
Classic retro-style shmup graphics
Excellent sound and music
Balanced difficulty
Runs well on low-end PCs.
Cons
Menu navigation could use some touching up
Seemingly no way to suspend progress on a run
Overall, I feel this is an extrememly underplayed gem of a game, and I definitely think it is worth a purchase if you have even a passing interest in shmups or Rogue-lites.