7 Grand Steps: What Ancients Begat

60%
Game Brain Score Based on 527 reviews
  • gameplay
  • story
  • graphics
7 Grand Steps: What Ancients Begat Game Cover
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"7 Grand Steps: What Ancients Begat" is a narrative-driven game that follows the journey of a family over generations as they survive and navigate the rise of western civilization. Gameplay involves spending tokens to traverse the wheel of life and earn tokens by taking risks, with strategies evolving over time to create a unique family story. The game explores ancient western culture through family strategy, drama, and various challenges.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

60%
Audience ScoreBased on 527 reviews
gameplay32 positive mentions
grinding22 negative mentions
  • The game offers a unique blend of board game mechanics and storytelling, allowing players to guide a family through generations in ancient times.
  • It has a compelling narrative that evolves with each generation, creating emotional investment in the characters and their struggles.
  • The gameplay is addictive, with a 'just one more turn' feel that keeps players engaged for hours.
  • The game can become repetitive and grindy, with many players feeling that the mechanics lack depth and variety over time.
  • Random events can feel unfair and often lead to frustrating outcomes, undermining the player's sense of control and strategy.
  • The game was intended to be part of a larger series, but the lack of a sequel leaves players feeling unsatisfied and the story incomplete.
  • gameplay168 mentions

    The gameplay is a mix of engaging narrative and board game mechanics, allowing players to simulate family dynamics and societal advancement over generations. However, many reviewers noted that it can become repetitive and lacks depth, with a reliance on chance and poorly explained mechanics leading to frustration. While some appreciate its unique approach and storytelling, others find it simplistic and lacking in strategic engagement, making it a polarizing experience.

    • “But the gameplay is well balanced and it has a fascinating story to tell.”
    • “I was particularly impressed with the way the game models relationships, demonstrates a person's lifetime growth, and represents interpersonal conflict through mechanics.”
    • “It's a game of chance where you build the story of your family over time and it has a few interesting mechanics.”
    • “Gameplay is boring and repetitive.”
    • “Unfortunately, the gameplay is very boring and simplistic and therefore did not make me want to continue playing.”
    • “On top of that, the gameplay quickly grows repetitive and feels overly lengthy... to the degree where the lack of actual content diversity becomes even more of an issue.”
  • story156 mentions

    The game's story is a central focus, offering a unique narrative experience that spans generations and evolves with the player's choices, though it can become repetitive and lacks clarity at times. While the storytelling is engaging and evokes a sense of ancient life, some players find the writing uninspired and the mechanics overshadow the narrative. Overall, it is recommended for those who appreciate storytelling in games, despite its occasional vagueness and abrupt endings.

    • “It is a story-focused game with a unique and well-realized flavor.”
    • “The culture does evolve over the game, so the time period actually spans from a hunter-gatherer era to agrarianism, and the in-game events, technology options, and story events change over the course of the game to match the time period.”
    • “It tells the story of a lineage, from the humble beginnings in the dawn of civilization to... whatever fate you manage to eke out of their gains, windfalls, setbacks, and tribulations.”
    • “But, bottom line, because of the writing style of the story events, the narrative isn't always clear.”
    • “Only to realize I didn't care at all about the family, their story, or even what I was doing in terms of gameplay.”
    • “For a game which is supposed to be centered on developing a story of a clan/family, I found this very annoying.”
  • graphics40 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the "animated boardgame" style and well-done art assets, while others criticize them as simplistic and uninspired. Many users note technical issues, including crashes and UI problems, which detract from the overall experience. Overall, the visuals are seen as a unique blend of tabletop aesthetics, but they may not satisfy those seeking high-quality graphics or action-oriented gameplay.

    • “The graphics are in a simple but satisfying 'animated boardgame' style, and key 'events' in the lives of family members are played out as a series of choices in a narrative.”
    • “Beautiful graphics, immersive music, and innovative gameplay!”
    • “[i]Graphics[/i]: the art assets are very well done in this game.”
    • “The game is not for those who crave action and slick graphics, obviously.”
    • “The mechanics are there but the graphics, play engine, UI, etc. are so not there.”
    • “Also, the game frequently crashes and has serious graphics and UI issues.”
  • grinding22 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious, repetitive, and slow, often relying on random events that limit player control. While the early game offers some enjoyment and innovative narrative elements, players find that the experience quickly devolves into a monotonous slog with little sense of progression or victory. Despite some charm in the interactive story events, many reviewers feel that the overall grind detracts significantly from immersion and enjoyment.

    • “The game is tedious, long, and relies upon random events that you have very little control over.”
    • “I was really excited when I read about this game, but after just 10 hours of play, it's become unbearably tedious.”
    • “However, it has a fatal flaw: it's way too repetitive, slow, and tedious.”
  • music16 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate its immersive quality and contribution to the overall ambience, others find it repetitive and tiresome over time. Despite the criticisms, many acknowledge that the music complements the game's aesthetics and gameplay effectively. Overall, the music is seen as a strong point for some titles, particularly "What Ancients Begat," while being a drawback in others.

    • “I loved the concept of this game, fun gameplay, awesome aesthetics, and good unobtrusive music.”
    • “Beautiful graphics, immersive music, and innovative gameplay!”
    • “The music and sounds in What Ancients Begat are superb and really add a lot to the overall ambience and immersion of the game.”
    • “The music gets tiresome and it's frustrating having to go back to previous class/age.”
    • “Graphics are bad, gameplay is confusing, and the music gets old so fast.”
    • “7 Grand Steps: What Ancients Begat is a game made essentially by one man (he outsourced music and art assets, I believe).”
  • replayability10 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability, allowing players to explore divergent storylines through different family choices, enhancing the overall experience. While some users noted a minor lack of closure with the ending, the engaging storytelling and multiple paths ensure ample replay value.

    • “I was a little annoyed by the abrupt, 'to be continued' style ending, particularly when this is specifically described as a 'complete [...] standalone game.' Still, the storytelling is lovely, and it's a game that is highly replayable.”
    • “And it has a lot of built-in replayability, as you could play through multiple times to see the divergent stories of different families.”
    • “Plenty of replay value, simply based on choices in story events.”
    • “[i]replayability[/i]: there is a bit of replayability in this game.”
  • stability8 mentions

    The game's stability is mixed, with some players reporting increasing bugs and glitches as the game progresses, particularly in the second act, which can disrupt gameplay. However, others have experienced minimal issues, finding the game engaging despite occasional technical hiccups. Overall, while there are notable stability concerns, the game remains interesting to play.

    • “It definitely loses the plot somewhere in the second act, gets increasingly buggy as the game progresses, and I'm not honestly sure if there's an actual conclusion.”
    • “Aside from a couple of glitches, I found this game to be a very engaging representation of what are essentially board game mechanics.”
    • “It definitely loses the plot somewhere in the second act, gets increasingly buggy as the game progresses, and I'm not honestly sure if there's an actual conclusion.”
  • emotional6 mentions

    Players find the emotional aspect of the game profoundly impactful, particularly through the heart-wrenching experience of losing a child and the weight of ensuring a secure future for their offspring. The narrative simplicity belies a deep emotional investment in the characters, making it a standout experience in the strategy genre.

    • “The struggle to find the best way to provide for your children's future has real emotional weight, for example.”
    • “It's deceptively simple, and it is simple, but the stories and the work it takes to raise many generations, one after the other, emotionally invests you in the characters like no other strategy game I've played.”
    • “Having your only child die is heartbreaking.”
  • humor4 mentions

    The game is noted for its clever humor, effectively masking its superficiality while providing a comedic experience that blends historical, strategic, and casual elements. Players find it amusing, especially as they discover how easy it is to manipulate the game mechanics in later stages.

    • “Funny game, a sort of historical/strategic/casual/sim game...”
    • “It hides its shallowness well, and while it’s hilariously easy to game the system at later stages, it’s not particularly obvious at first.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    The optimization aspect of the game involves selecting a child to undertake rites of passage, which directly influences their titles and attributes, thereby impacting progression to the next stage. This mechanic encourages strategic decision-making to enhance gameplay effectiveness.

  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The game features a pleasing atmospheric interface that enhances the overall experience, complemented by straightforward mouse click gameplay.

    • “The atmospheric interface really draws you in, making the gameplay feel immersive and engaging.”
    • “The game's atmosphere is captivating, with a beautifully designed interface that enhances the overall experience.”
    • “The combination of a nice atmospheric interface and simple mouse click gameplay creates a relaxing yet engaging environment.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

16hMedian play time
12hAverage play time
3-20hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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