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1[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/stardrive_cover.png]]
2''[=StarDrive=]'' is a real-time FourX SciFi StrategyGame, developed by Zero Sum Games, published by Iceberg Interactive, and released in April 2013. The 2015 sequel ''[=StarDrive=] 2'' is a turn-based 4X strategy with real-time space battles, a bit like ''VideoGame/TotalWar'' in space.
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4In 2016, the sequel also received a [[DownloadableContent DLC]] named ''Sector Zero'', which doubled the maximum galaxy size from 100 star systems to 200, along with diving the galaxy into hexagonal sectors and adding the ability to construct space stations and such to fortify the key points of those sectors, as well as the alternate ways of winning the game.
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6The original game was popular for its fun ship combat, cool alien designs and extremely in-depth ship design system. However it was criticized for being content-light and unpolished. The second game looks to add much more content and polish, while keeping the things that made the first game great, and adding some new features such as Leaders which you can hire to govern your colonies. At its core, both games are the same: Start out with one planet and some ships, and use that to build an empire. Also: Samurai Space Bears.
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8[[SimilarlyNamedWorks No relation]] to the anime ''Anime/StarDriver'', or to the [[TabletopGame/StarDrive campaign setting]] for tabletop game ''TabletopGame/{{Alternity}}''.
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10!!This game provides examples of:
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12* TwoDSpace: The way space is rendered in both games.
13* ACommanderIsYou:
14** Cordrazine are Economists with some Diplomats thrown in.
15** Draylok are Espionage faction though they are decent with diplomacy and research as well.
16** Humans are the Balanced faction - they have bonuses to production, research, and income (and a nifty spaceship to start with), with no glaring weakness.
17** Kulrathi are Elitists, with bonuses to ship HP and ground combat.
18** Opteris are Industrialists.
19** Pollops are Balanced and Economists, having bonus population growth and decreased maintenance and food consumption.
20** Ralyeh are Researchers, with a science boost and a few minor bonuses.
21** Vulfen are Spammers and Industrialists, being extremely fertile and able to build things quickly, as well as gaining bonuses from nearby friendly units. Individually though, theis ships are rather weak.
22* AFormYouAreComfortableWith: Draylok envoy appear to you as the [[GreenSkinnedSpaceBabe busty purple-skinned humanoids]] you see on the cover, similar to [[VideoGame/StarControl Sireen]] or [[Franchise/MassEffect Asari]]. Watch them long enough, however, and the hologram generated by their chair will occasionally slip, revealing something [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHBcPchwAPc quite different]].
23* APlanetNamedZok: Both averted and played straight. For example, Pollops hail from the planet Sporl.
24* AllPlanetsAreEarthLike: Averted. There are uncolonizable Gas Giants, Barren planets with no atmosphere which you need special domes to colonize, and in the second game: asteroid colonies.
25* BeamSpam: There's a large variety of beam weapons, and since you can design your own ships...
26* BeastMan: Several races, like the obviously named Vulfen or the bear-like Kulrathi.
27** BearsAreBadNews: Kulrathi are a race of bear-like warrior-poets.
28** FishPeople: Cordrazine are giant, intelligent, mind-controlling molluscs.
29** WolfMan: Vulfen are a race of aggressive, wolf (or bat) like humanoids.
30* {{BFG}}: Some weapons at the end of the TechTree are bigger then many smaller ships.
31%%* BoardingParty
32* BugWar: Opteris are a race of (usually) hostile, cybernetic insects. Chukk are a race of insectoid slaver-pirates.
33* CommandAndConquerEconomy: Usually played straight, though you can assign an AI governor to help you.
34* CoolShip: You can easily design one.
35* CripplingOverspecialization: Tweaking your ship or race design too much can result in this.
36* CrueltyIsTheOnlyOption: Averted - when you make a federation with an AI civilisation, all their units and planets come under your control.
37* {{Cthulhumanoid}}: Ralyeh.
38* DescriptivelyNamedSpecies: Owlwoks, who looks like a cross between owls and Ewoks. Also, Vulfen, who are quite wolf-like.
39* DeflectorShields: A crucial way of protecting your ships.
40* DesignItYourselfEquipment: One of the game's strongest points.
41* TheEmpire: Vulfen Empire.
42* FasterThanLightTravel: Ships can fly anywhere, but they go faster on space lanes. In the second game ships can still fly anywhere, but they will use up fuel outside your territory.
43* TheFederation: Human government is known as the 'United Federation'.
44* FourXGame: In real time, no less, which is a rarity. The second game is turn-based on the strategy/galaxy map, but has real time space battles.
45* GalacticConqueror: Obviously, you can become one. In fact, this was the only way to win the whole game until the sequel's ''Sector Zero'' [=DLC=] introduced alternatives, such as a technological victory, or winning through the combined point total.
46* GameplayAutomation: You can assign an AI governor to a planet.
47* GlamourFailure: This happens to Draylok envoys if you watch them for long enough, as their holo-chair occasionally hiccups. See AFormYouAreComfortableWith above.
48* GlassCannon: If you 'forget' to add armor and shields to your ship.
49* GuideDangIt: The "tutorial" is pretty much nonexistent, forcing players to learn as they go. It's designed to be easy to learn, but it still throws you straight into it without much help. The second game looks to improve on this by adding a tutorial / help feature and a metric ton of tooltips.
50* GreenSkinnedSpaceBabe: Subverted with Drayloks - a combination of mind-reading and holo-chairs help them look like this for humans, but their real form is that of [[spoiler: an emaciated lizard-like humanoid]].
51* HiveMind: The Opteris are linked into one.
52* HumansAreAverage: At least, they have no glaring weaknesses.
53* HumansAreDiplomats: Averted, along with HumansAreWarriors - if anything, Star Drive's humans are production-oriented race, with bonuses to industry, income and research.
54* HumanoidAliens: Draylok, who have the appearance of ''[[VideoGame/StarControl Sireen]] clones, much like ''Franchise/MassEffect'''s asari. Unlike those two, however, that appearance isn't their true form, but merely AFormYouAreComfortableWith, determined through mind-reading and created via holo-chairs.
55* InsectoidAliens: : Opteris, race of intelligent, cybernetic insects.
56%%* IntelligentGerbil: Owlwoks.
57%%* LawOfAlienNames
58%%* LensmanArmsRace
59* MacrossMissileMassacre: A wide variety including Rocket Launchers, Missile Turrets and Torpedo Tubes. Since you design the ships, you could have a ship that lays down massacre after massacre.
60* MechanicalLifeforms: Opteris, race of intelligent, cybernetic insects.
61* MoreDakka: You've a nice variety of guns, ranging from your simple point defense cannon all the way up to your triple barreled BFG. With being able to design your own ships, this can occur.
62* MoreTeethThanTheOsmondFamily: [[spoiler: Drayloks']] true forms. Also, Vulfen.
63* NamedAfterTheirPlanet: Played straight with Cordrazine, Kulrathi, Opteris and Vulfen. Averted with Pollops, Ralyeh and Humans. Possibly played straight with Drayloks (who hail from Drellok).
64* {{Narcissist}}: Cordrazine are obsessed with beauty, and consider themselves the epitome of it.
65%%* PlantAliens: Pollops.
66* PointBuildSystem: You can build your own race in such a manner.
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68* {{Precursors}}: Aptly-named Remnants are the robotic remainders of an ancient alien race.
69* ProudWarriorRace: Kulrathi. Also Vulfen, though they aren't really that proud - just warlike.
70* RandomEvent: Another staple of 4X games.
71* RubberForeheadAliens: Thoroughly averted.
72* {{Samurai}}: Kulrathi are heavily inspired by HollywoodMedievalJapan.
73* ScaryDogmaticAliens: Ralyeh, of the fundamentalist variety.
74* SettlingTheFrontier: It's only the beginning, though.
75* ShoutOut: Numerous.
76** There are Owlwoks, who look like cross between owls and [[Franchise/StarWars Ewoks]].
77** There's also a race of {{Cthulhumanoid}}s going by the name [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%27lyeh Rayleh]], and worshiping [[Franchise/CthulhuMythos 'the Elder god']].
78** There are some Shout Outs to the VideoGame/MasterOfOrion series as well. The Kulrathi are a pretty obvious one to the Bulrathi, for example.
79*** Doubles as a shout-out to the [[VideoGame/WingCommander Kilrathi]] as well.
80** One of the Steam achievements for the game is a reference to the ''Literature/HonorHarrington'' series. Rather fittingly [[note]](the series is known for the ever-increasing size of its {{Macross Missile Massacre}}s)]][[/note]], it is awarded for launching a salvo of 100 or more missiles in combat.
81** Most of the heros are shouts outs to some pop culture character, examples include Franchise/{{Rambo}}wl, [[WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}} Zapp Groening]], and [[Film/MadMaxBeyondThunderdome Blaster, Master Engineer]]
82* SingleBiomePlanet: Aptly-named desert and ice worlds.
83* SlaveRace: Owlwoks to Cordrazine.
84* SpaceMarine: The generic land trooper of United Federation.
85* StarfishAliens: Cordrazine. They look like big, betentacled one-eyed... things, hanging from the ceiling.
86* TechTree: Divided into 6 subcategories.
87* {{Terraform}}: Every colonisable planet can be terraformed.
88** Although actual terraforming is a very late game invention.
89* UrsineAliens: Kulrathi are an archetypal example. Notably, their culture, while blatantly styled after Samurai-era Japan, to the point their form of government is "Shogunate", is far more advanced than associated with the trope. In particular, their lore states that their cities are built vertically so that they wouldn't disturb the surrounding wildlife.
90* WorkerUnit: Freighters act as this.

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