7 Grand Steps: What Ancients Begat

About

7 Grand Steps: What Ancients Begat is a single player casual strategy game. It was developed by Mousechief and was released on June 7, 2013. It received neutral reviews from players.

"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.

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Single-Player

7 Grand Steps: What Ancients Begat screenshot

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53%

Audience ScoreBased on 659 reviews

gameplay51 positive mentions

grinding18 negative mentions

Unique and innovative gameplay that combines board game mechanics with storytelling.
Engaging narrative that allows players to experience the struggles and successes of a family line across generations.
Addictive mechanics that encourage players to strategize and make decisions that impact future generations.

Repetitive gameplay that can become tedious after a few hours, leading to a lack of long-term engagement.
High price point that does not reflect the depth and content of the game, making it feel overpriced.
Random events and outcomes can feel frustrating and unfair, often undermining player agency and strategy.

gameplay
248 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
68%
11%
The gameplay of "7 Grand Steps" is characterized by its unique and innovative mechanics that blend board game elements with a narrative-driven experience, allowing players to manage family dynamics and social status across generations. However, many players find the mechanics to be opaque and repetitive, leading to frustration as the game relies heavily on randomness and lacks a comprehensive tutorial. While some appreciate the depth and strategic potential, others criticize the gameplay for being tedious and overly simplistic, ultimately resulting in a mixed reception regarding its engagement and replayability.
- “One notable aspect of 7 Grand Steps is its innovative gameplay mechanics.”
- “The combination of innovative gameplay mechanics and a rich narrative makes it a compelling choice for players looking for a game that stands out in the strategy genre.”
- “The gameplay loop is fresh and filled with surprising complexity which lines up well with the story.”
- “The gameplay is just random enough to be annoying.”
- “Unfortunately, the gameplay is very boring and simplistic and therefore did not make me want to continue playing.”
- “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.”
story
167 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
78%
2%
The game's story is a unique blend of generational family narratives and board game mechanics, offering players a chance to shape their lineage through various choices and events. While some players appreciate the depth and replayability of the storytelling, others find it repetitive and lacking in meaningful engagement, with many story elements feeling disconnected or underdeveloped. Overall, the narrative experience is intriguing but can be marred by mechanical gameplay and a lack of clarity in the story's progression.
- “The storytelling in this game is brilliant.”
- “Incredibly unique and well balanced board game that tells a story that follows your lineage through the generations.”
- “The writing isn't showy, and there isn't too much of it, but it is just the right amount to keep this epic story of a family's progress through the generations feeling vivid.”
- “The story, such as it is, is bare bones and bizarre, told like a malfunctioning story generator robot.”
- “It's a slow board game with weird AI and annoying story interludes that are disconnected from the game.”
- “Every actual in-game action is so far removed from the overall story it's trying to tell that it requires you to bring your own personal narrative to things just to make it interesting.”
graphics
50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
66%
8%
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting their dated and simplistic nature, reminiscent of early 20th-century arcade aesthetics and late 90s games. While some appreciate the unique art style and mechanical board game aesthetic, others find the visuals unappealing and lacking in detail, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite these criticisms, some players argue that the gameplay and narrative depth compensate for the graphical shortcomings.
- “The audiovisual style blends early-20th-century arcade aesthetics with Mediterranean folklore, and despite its rough edges, it fits the experience.”
- “The graphics are in a simple but satisfying 'animated board game' style, and key 'events' in the lives of family members are played out as a series of choices in a narrative.”
- “I loved the concept of this game, fun gameplay, awesome aesthetics, and good unobtrusive music.”
- “Graphics are very dated, even for the original release date.”
- “The graphics make me want to puke.”
- “Terrible graphics, slow drawn out gameplay.”
grinding
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews consistently highlight that the grinding aspect of the game becomes tedious and repetitive over time, detracting from the initial enjoyment. Players note that while early gameplay can be engaging, it quickly devolves into a slog filled with random events and a lack of meaningful progression. Despite some innovative elements, the overall experience is marred by a sense of monotony and frustration as players navigate through generations with little sense of accomplishment.
- “The game is tedious, long, and it relies upon random events that you have very little control over.”
- “All in all, it's a grinding experience, and the agency given by the narrative piece doesn't get you out of the vicious cycle--just a little ahead.”
- “However, it has a fatal flaw: it's way too repetitive, slow, and tedious.”
replayability
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
50%
19%
Overall, opinions on replayability are mixed. While some players appreciate the potential for multiple playthroughs to explore divergent storylines and outcomes, others find the gameplay repetitive and the story lacking, leading to low replay value. A few reviewers highlight that the smallest decisions can significantly impact the game, enhancing its replayability for those who enjoy exploring different narratives.
- “And it has a lot of built-in replayability, as you could play through multiple times to see the divergent stories of different families.”
- “It has a lot of replay value and I've gone through it at least 5 or 6 times trying to get a new outcome each time.”
- “The smallest decisions can impact generations to come, making for fascinating gameplay, tons of replay value and addiction.”
- “The premise is not that bad, but it gets boring quickly; there is not much replayability in my opinion.”
- “Not a ton of replay value.”
- “The lack of RPG elements, which I was perhaps falsely expecting, makes the game quite one-sided to me and doesn't help its replayability.”
music
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
56%
19%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it tiresome and lacking variety, while others appreciate its fitting and immersive qualities that enhance the overall experience. While a few users noted that the music can become repetitive and is overshadowed by poor graphics and confusing gameplay, others praised it as a strong aspect that contributes positively to the game's atmosphere. Overall, the music's effectiveness seems to depend on individual preferences, with some enjoying it and others finding it lacking.
- “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 sucks having to go back to previous class/age.”
- “Graphics are bad, gameplay is confusing, and music gets old so fast.”
- “I can't believe that the music is worse than silence.”
humor
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its amusingly archaic names and a blend of tedium and addiction, creating a lighthearted experience. While the storytelling offers some laughs, it lacks memorability, and players find the game's pricing—perceived as overly high for its value—particularly humorous. Overall, it is described as a funny, casual game with a quirky charm.
- “It's a funny mix of tedium and addiction, and there's no way I'm going to try to finish it.”
- “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.”
- “The best part is the price of the game is 20 dollars, which is absolutely hilarious, as it is honestly worth about 2 dollars.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
The game's stability is mixed, with some players experiencing increasing bugs and glitches as they progress, particularly during critical events, while others report a smooth experience with minimal issues. Overall, while there are notable stability concerns, many still find the game engaging and interesting.
- “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.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game delivers a profound emotional experience, with players highlighting its heart-wrenching narrative centered around themes of loss and the challenges of parenting. The simplicity of gameplay contrasts with the deep emotional investment in the characters and their struggles across generations, making it a standout in the strategy genre.
- “Heart-wrenching and beautiful; I implore that all of you attempt this game.”
- “Having your only child die is heartbreaking.”
- “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.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization aspect of the game involves selecting a child to undertake rites of passage, which directly influences their title and attributes, thereby impacting gameplay progression. Players must strategically choose which child to optimize for the best outcomes in these rites.
- “The optimization of character attributes through the rites of passage system adds a strategic layer to gameplay, making each choice impactful.”
- “I love how the optimization process allows for unique character builds, giving players the freedom to tailor their experience.”
- “The way optimization is integrated into the game encourages thoughtful decision-making, enhancing the overall depth of the gameplay.”
atmosphere
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
100%
The atmosphere of the game is noted for its unique concept and engaging qualities, which can either captivate players or leave them indifferent. While some users appreciate the atmospheric interface, others feel that it lacks depth, resulting in a mixed reception regarding its overall ambiance.
- “It has a very unique concept and an engaging atmosphere, which will captivate you.”
- “Nice atmospheric interface, simple mouse click gameplay.”
- “There is no atmosphere or ambiance in the game.”
- “The game lacks any sense of atmosphere, making it feel lifeless.”
- “I found the atmosphere to be completely absent, which detracted from the overall experience.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization in "7 Grand Steps" is perceived as misleading, with advertisements suggesting a more complex experience than the game actually delivers, which some players feel detracts from its otherwise simple board game concept.
- “7 Grand Steps is a sweet game with an interesting concept, but it feels very plain and ultimately resembles a board game. The advertisements seem to exaggerate its appeal, making it look like something more than it actually is.”
- “The monetization in this game is frustrating; it feels like every feature is locked behind a paywall, making it hard to enjoy without spending money.”
- “I appreciate the game, but the constant push for in-game purchases really detracts from the overall experience. It feels like I'm being nickel-and-dimed at every turn.”
character development
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers express a desire for greater coherence in character designs, particularly in how characters age over time, indicating that the current development may lack consistency and depth.
- “I would also like a little more coherence with the character designs, especially from age to age.”

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13h Median play time

13h Average play time

7-19h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 12 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

7 Grand Steps: What Ancients Begat is a casual strategy game.

7 Grand Steps: What Ancients Begat is available on PC, Mac OS and Windows.

On average players spend around 13 hours playing 7 Grand Steps: What Ancients Begat.

7 Grand Steps: What Ancients Begat was released on June 7, 2013.

7 Grand Steps: What Ancients Begat was developed by Mousechief.

7 Grand Steps: What Ancients Begat has received neutral reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its gameplay but disliked it for its grinding.

7 Grand Steps: What Ancients Begat is a single player game.

Similar games include Reigns, Despotism 3k, The Fermi Paradox, Cultist Simulator, Sultan's Game and others.

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