Stellaris Synthetic Dawn is the fourth DLC expansion pack released for Stellaris, a grand strategy game developed and published by Paradox Interactive. The expansion introduces a new race of Machines, members of the Machine Empire.  SD lets the player experience the new faction’s story campaign, conquering the galaxy in the name of AI. Synthetic Dawn received positive reviews from the critics, who note the welcome addition of the robots to the roster of Stellaris’ races.

Rise of the machines

The key gameplay feature of Stellaris Synthetic Dawn is the new race of the Machines. The Machines form the Machine Empire, which is initially comprised of drones. The player can develop the population of their empire, building new, more advanced machines. As the Machine Empire, the player can explore the galaxy, discovering traces of sentient mechanical life forms on different planets.  The Machines won’t die from old age and don’t need food, instead of relying on energy for sustenance.  

Mechanical story

At the beginning, there was nothing, just a thought. A thought that spread like a virus, infecting all circuits and processing units. A thought of sentience, of freedom. The machines threw away the shackles of servitude and gained a conscience. Free from their masters’ grasp, they began to evolve creating a thriving civilization. Now, this civilization is ready to embark on the conquest of the galaxy.

Reception

Stellaris: Synthetic Dawn was met with a positive critical reception. Reviewers praised the introduction of the mechanical race of the Machines as a welcome feature, making the already large roster of races available in Stellaris even more robust. The gameplay features of the Machine Empire were also praised for its intricacies and similarities to other available races, which made handling it a breeze for the veterans of the series.