The player will use the fleet to explore the galaxy, meeting other human and alien forces, and dealing with problems through a combination of military, diplomatic, and other strategic options.

In his concept, Meier wanted to focus on starship creation, including highly configurable ships, and space combat, while providing the player with "a universe filled with interstellar adventure, diplomacy, and exploration".

[3][4] IGN said of the same PC version, "Sid Meier's Starships produces a few good tactical battles before its AI loses steam and its strategy gets frustrating.

"[9] The Escapist gave the PC version a score of four stars out of five, saying that it "lacks the strategic depth of Civilization, but the added tactical layer, and shorter game times make it a fair substitute, especially if you're looking for bite-sized strategy.

"[18] Metro gave it a score of seven out of ten, saying, "Fast-paced and accessible are not words commonly used to describe turn-based strategy games, but Sid Meier's latest is a fun, breezy strategic time killer.