In this 10-minute review, Even Lee highlights the Esperia Stinger’s stunning design and strong shielding but criticizes its poor combat performance due to limited capacitor capacity, sluggish handling, and lack of interior features. He rates the ship 70/100, suggesting weapon modifications for better efficiency and anticipating significant improvements before its live release.
In this 10-minute review, Even Lee introduces the brand new Esperia Stinger ship in Star Citizen, recently released during Citizen Con. Priced at $290 via War Bond or $315 through store credit, the ship is currently available only on the pledge store and not for in-game purchase yet. The Stinger will be coming to the live server soon, but in-game availability is expected to take a few months. The ship has a claim time of over 25 minutes, which is relatively high for combat ships, and an expedited claim option of just over 6 minutes.
The Esperia Stinger is praised for its stunning aesthetics, arguably the best-looking Esperia ship in the game, with a design reminiscent of Squadron 42. However, despite its impressive appearance, the ship struggles significantly in combat due to its limited capacitor capacity for its laser weapons. It features four size four light strike laser cannons and two size two laser cannons, which quickly drain the capacitor, leaving the ship vulnerable. The reviewer suggests replacing the smaller laser cannons with ballistic weapons to improve power management and combat effectiveness.
The ship is equipped with a size five Wraith plasma cannon with limited shots and slower projectile speed, adding complexity to combat due to different aiming pips for the lasers and plasma gun. It also carries a decent missile payload of sixteen size two Bullet 2 missiles and has strong shielding for a heavy fighter, with two size two shield generators providing nearly 9,500 bubble shield strength. However, losing wings drastically affects the ship’s handling, making it difficult to control and less effective in combat.
Performance-wise, the Stinger is classified as a heavy fighter with a top SCM speed of 207 and a forward boost of 440, but it feels heavy and floaty, similar to larger ships like the Constellation. Maneuverability is lacking, and the ship’s interior design wastes space with a long, elaborate entry animation but minimal usable interior. It lacks a components pass and storage access, featuring only a weapons locker and relay station, which limits customization and utility.
Overall, Even Lee rates the Esperia Stinger around 70 out of 100, noting its beautiful design and sound effects but criticizing its combat inefficiency, poor maneuverability, and lack of features. He anticipates significant changes before the ship hits live servers, especially regarding capacitor capacity and weapon loadout. The reviewer encourages players to experiment with ballistic weapons to improve performance and invites feedback from viewers on the ship, promising updates if the ship undergoes meaningful changes.