For me, it was the genuine story-telling of the series that I enjoyed more than most of the literature that is produced on this website. Everything about it had an expert and distinct feel to it that I quite enjoyed, and I look forward to further episodes of this excellent series.

What did you guys enjoy about this?

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Sci Fis and badasses attract me like moths to a light.

Certainly the expert storytelling, but I think that what stands out for me is (a) characterization, (b) excellent action sequences, and (c) continuity... like Discord/Lana's discussion about "souls" being backreferenced by Discord in the Discord/Matt deal.

WRT (b) I'm certainly envious -- I can't do good action at all. (Though I do hope to improve on that.)

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I actually grew up reading RA Salvatore's Drizzt series books (yes, I know, boo, hiss), which if nothing else had excellent action sequences in them. Although, there's two kinds of action writing in my mind. Cinematic and realistic.

Cinematic involves the ebb and flow between two opposing forces. This is the crazy fight scenes you see in action movies.

Realistic fight scenes are a bit like XCOM's first encounter with EXALT in Stardust: Wildly unbalanced and death strikes quickly and without warning. And the winner is usually the guy with the guns he and his friends can use.

But I digress. I'm glad you've liked it so far!

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I actually grew up reading RA Salvatore's Drizzt series books (yes, I know, boo, hiss), which if nothing else had excellent action sequences in them. Although, there's two kinds of action writing in my mind. Cinematic and realistic.

I've not actually read them; I had a friend who mentioned (and liked) them but at that point I was [IIRC] just getting out of Star Trek novels and into Saberhagan's Berserker series.

Wildly unbalanced and death strikes quickly and without warning. And the winner is usually the guy with the guns he and his friends can use.

LOL -- That is how life goes. (I was in a Field Artillery unit, then Infantry... so, I know this.)

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LOL -- That is how life goes. (I was in a Field Artillery unit, then Infantry... so, I know this.)

Believe it or not, when Matt got ambushed in the chapter I mentioned, his trains of thought were inspired by what I vaguely remember as the three steps of CQC for Army Rangers. 1.) step out of CQC and shoot the SOB, 2.) use secondary weapons to gain the advantage, or 3.) advance and gain control. And always remember the golden rule: The winner is usually the guy who has friends with guns.

Probably the unique detail and creative ideas set for the story; things like having EXALT do more, and certain points really.

I'm going to say that what really sold Stardust for me was the character development and interaction. I found XCOM the game to be relatively light on story and character development compared to its gameplay, so when you see characters like Bradford, Shen and Vahlen become characters worth cheering for and caring about, it really brightens the experience. Add that to original characters like Matt and Lana, as well as Arad's excellent rendition of a Twilight thrust into a far darker and sinister world than (current-day) Equestria, and you get an amazing, memorable story.

I pretty much have to repeat Sypher's post as he covered it all.
Turning Shen and Vhallen into such deep characters that were still true to their characterisations from the game and getting Twilight spot on really make this one of my favorite stories ever on this site.

I have been greatly enjoying the Stardust universe due to:

-World building from both universes that to me seems internally consistent
-Excellent quality of writing
-The care factor, I actually want to know what happens next