The learning curve is my gripe with this game. In a 4-5 hour session, I learnt very little of how to actually play the game.

A second 4-5 hour session yielded the same result.

I bought it on sale to play with my SO, and we are both avid gamers, but this was rough. I doubt we'll manage to get into it one day.

Stellaris on the other hand was a lot "simpler" to pick up.