Good Luck, Captain: Action Rogue-Lite ‘Ghost Signal: A Stellaris Game’ is Out Today on Meta Quest 2
Exploring the edge of the universe isn’t for the faint of heart. While you can meet some friendly alien species and conduct valuable scientific research, you’ll also have to fight off monstrous creatures, space pirates, and other interstellar threats. As the captain of the Aurora, you’ll see all this and more in Ghost Signal: A Stellaris Game, which is out now on Meta Quest 2 + Pro for $19.99 USD.
Ghost Signal is a spin-off of Paradox Interactive’s sci-fi strategy game Stellaris. But while Stellaris is about cultivating entire civilizations in space, Ghost Signal is a more intimate affair that has you commanding your very own vessel, the Aurora. In the beginning of the game, your ship picks up the titular signal and you immediately decide to investigate it. But in doing so, you unwittingly get pulled into a vicious loop: The path to the mysterious Ghost Signal is perilous, and every time you die you just end up back at the beginning of your journey (hence the rogue-lite elements).
No two runs are the same. The map is randomized with every session, and you’ll encounter different sets of challenges and enemies. Any shield or weapon power-ups you collect are also lost when you die. However, the experience points you earn carry over into future trips, and you can use them to permanently upgrade the Aurora’s tech tree. The more powerful you are, the more likely you’ll be able to reach the Ghost Signal.
We sat down with Story Writer Kristofer Stenskog and Game Director Christopher Smith to chat about the origins of the game, how it ties back into Stellaris, and what separates Ghost Signal from other rogue-lites.
Christopher Smith: Aside from the Stellaris universe, one of the big inspirations was Hades and its fresh take on the rogue-lite genre, especially storywise. We also looked at other rogues and various space-themed games in VR, but we’re proud to say that what we’ve come up with in the end feels truly unique. The plan for the game was more elaborate at the start, and became more intimate and personal as the project progressed. Overall, it became a better experience and really “found itself.”
CS: The big task here wasn’t to find what we wanted to show, but rather what we would need to leave out. The Stellaris universe is so big, and we couldn’t possibly show it all. One of the key elements of Stellaris is that space is vast and full of wonders, so that was one of the key elements for us as well. Even though Ghost Signal is an action game, the encounters and stories hint toward a much larger universe where you can be who you want to be and perhaps make a difference.
Kristofer Stenskog: Yes, continuously through the process we discussed and tweaked at length to find the right tone and to place this game in the Stellaris universe. Some things also got explored in more depth than in the original game, so it was extra important that those things could be included in the lore. It's really awesome that we’ve been able to add to that universe.
KS: All kinds! There are a lot of battles with various enemies, all of which need to be addressed in different ways. There are also events that will leave the player with difficult choices, to risk the mission for various rewards. There are shady dealers, lost temples, people in need, and nasty pirates to deal with, and you can't solve those problems with a laser—well, except for that last one.
CS: Yes, the battles in this game are plentiful, but luckily for you, you have a small arsenal of modifiable weaponry. You have a reliable blaster cannon, a laser for removing shields, and missiles as an expensive solution to any problem. During each run, you find or buy various upgrades and modifiers for your weapons, changing their behavior and making them better—freeze rays, missiles that generate black holes, the usual stuff. There are also some hidden upgrades that are hard to come by, like the baby dragon companion.
The battles are played in real time with you as the commander, steering your ship around from a god-level view. Wits, perception, and tactics are all essential to winning battles and reaching the end.
KS: It’s hard! That's the whole point of a rogue! You play, you get knocked down, you begin again a bit smarter, and the next time you get a bit further. Experimenting and finding the right combination of power-ups is also part of the fun. Since it’s a rogue-lite, you have a tech tree that doesn’t reset—so it’ll get easier for sure. And when you complete a run, you’ll continue to progress through the story and difficulty levels with each win. There’s more to unravel even after you manage to reach the signal.
CS: Since you’re floating free in space and controlling your ship, hand tracking was a good way to channel your inner commander. You can steer your ship with gestures and direct your weaponry as if you’re a captain on the bridge. The most difficult part was to assign all the commands you can make to different gestures. We make use of all buttons and sticks on the controllers, so there’s a bit of a learning curve to mastering the gestures.
KS: I'm going to try to answer this without spoilers. I remember late during playtesting, I was battling a boss over and over, testing its strengths and weaknesses. I got a bit too brave after a few runs, and set a movement path for my ship circling the boss like a swift dogfighter in space! I was on top of the world and thought I’d broken our own system until the boss changed its mode and destroyed my ship instantly—something that could’ve been easily avoided had I been at a regular distance and not grazed the hull of the enormous enemy.
CS: A lot of love was poured into this game, from all parties involved. We really enjoy the game and think it's truly fun even after knowing all of its secrets, and we hope you’ll enjoy it as much as we do.
Take command of the Aurora and prepare yourself for a dangerous journey through the stars in Ghost Signal: A Stellaris Game for Meta Quest 2 + Pro!
