This DLC was over-hyped. Paradox is literally charging us to use the same game assets, but as the Crisis! Really nothing new was added, other than game breaking "fixes." Introducing: Use the mega structures and colossal ships to destroy the universe. I'm sorry Paradox, I could already do that, I could already break intergalactic law.

The biggest thing was Paradox's attempted fix to late game. Population now is fixed to a hidden empire cap and a new crap formula. Now you can struggle through the game with dozens of empty buildings just because the population on your planets just can't have another kid because another pop spawned like 300 years ago. If they want to limit pop growth, at least don't put an empire wide ban on growth. I want my buildings filled and my citizens productive, but with this DLC and latest patch that is an impossible dream.

The only strat left is playing tall, steal pops from rival empires, buy slaves, and being a marauder empire. That's the sad part, Paradox is clearly favoring one singular type of play because their devs only like that play style. Paradox can't comprehend that I, and many of their other players, like playing creatively with a sandbox game...not being pinned into a corner because only one single style is acceptable to the devs.

I hope this review was helpful to you, the players. If we don't stand up, Paradox will keep cramming crap down our throats and calling it gourmet food.

Update: I have 227 hours in Stellaris before Nemesis came out, so it's not like I hate the base game. Secondly, with the Stellaris 3.03 patch the devs give us the freedom at galaxy setup to choose how quickly or slowly the new formula halts pop growth with new sliders. I still can't recommend this DLC because being the Crisis or the Empire is a one-off high and the Espionage system is supremely underdeveloped, but I recommend Stellaris as a game.