8-Bit Armies
- April 22, 2016
- Petroglyph
- 7h median play time
Get on Steam"8-Bit Armies is a retro-style Real-Time Strategy game, featuring 25 offline missions, 12 co-op missions, and multiplayer/skirmish modes for up to 8 players. Construct your base, amass an army, and engage in battles with destructible environments and easy-to-understand military units. This colorful voxel art game offers classic base-building mechanics and various difficulty options for AI skirmishes."
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Great throwback to classic RTS games like Command & Conquer, with nostalgic gameplay and music.
- Simple and accessible mechanics make it easy for newcomers to pick up and play.
- Fun multiplayer and co-op modes, allowing for engaging gameplay with friends.
- Limited content with only one faction available at launch, and additional factions locked behind DLC paywalls.
- Campaign missions can feel repetitive and lack a compelling story, often relying on similar objectives.
- AI can be unbalanced, with some difficulty levels feeling either too easy or frustratingly hard.
- story272 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 83 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's story is minimal, primarily consisting of brief text descriptions before missions, with no cutscenes or character development, leading to a lack of immersion. Players find the campaign repetitive, as it mainly involves completing similar objectives across a limited number of maps, with the gameplay focused more on mechanics than narrative depth. While the unlockable rewards system encourages replayability, many reviewers express a desire for a more engaging storyline akin to classic RTS titles like Command & Conquer.
“The campaign is varied and fun, the mission types are mixed up quite a bit to provide variety.”
“The campaign has a bit of length (roughly 30 missions) and does encourage replayability via secondary objectives with rewards that can only be achieved with later playthroughs.”
“I am loving this unlocking method because it makes me want to try to get 3 stars on every mission.”
“The campaign has no story at all; there are text blurbs for each mission, but without knowing who I am and what my faction stands for, it limits opportunities for deep tactical warfare.”
“The story is nearly non-existent, and that's fine, but it makes the missions feel repetitive and uninspired.”
“There is no real story in the game, except for some short text notes explaining what is supposedly going on in each level.”
- gameplay208 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "8-Bit Armies" is heavily inspired by classic Command & Conquer titles, featuring straightforward mechanics that are easy to learn, making it accessible for newcomers to the RTS genre. While many players appreciate the nostalgic feel and fast-paced action, some criticize the gameplay for being overly simplistic and repetitive, lacking depth and variety in strategy. Overall, it offers a fun, albeit basic, experience that may appeal to fans of retro RTS games but could leave others wanting more complexity and content.
“Extraordinary fun and flawless gameplay - didn't glitch a single time in 180+ hours of gameplay.”
“The gameplay is indeed reminiscent of Command & Conquer, and the speed of the game, but otherwise it has little to do with it, because deep down it's a different game.”
“If you love the classic Command & Conquer style RTS gameplay then this is the most fun you'll have with $15.”
“The gameplay is boring.”
“The gameplay is also very basic.”
“Unfortunately, either due to the over-simplicity or lack of additional factions, it's easy to lose interest after a few days of gameplay.”
- graphics163 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 2 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming 8-bit voxel aesthetic that evokes nostalgia while offering a simplistic yet colorful visual experience. While some players appreciate the retro style and find it fitting for the gameplay, others criticize it as basic or gimmicky, suggesting it lacks depth and character. Overall, the visuals are generally well-received for their fun and accessible design, though opinions vary on their effectiveness in conveying the game's strategic elements.
“The graphics are nice, but gimmicky.”
“The visuals are bright and colorful, playing this is a blast.”
“The graphics style is quite nice; I like it.”
“It does not have the storyline with videos that Command and Conquer had, it has very few different maps and the graphics are simple.”
“The 8-bit aesthetic is honestly annoying—the game, its soundtrack, and its voice acting are good enough to deserve non-gimmick visuals.”
“My only real complaint is that I'm getting rather tired of the now very unoriginal block-based artwork that makes everything look like Lego.”
- music121 mentions
- 47 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The music in "8-Bit Armies," composed by the legendary Frank Klepacki, is widely praised for its nostalgic ties to the classic Command & Conquer series, featuring catchy and memorable tracks that enhance the gameplay experience. Many players highlight the soundtrack as a standout feature, often recommending it even if they find the game itself lacking in depth or variety. Overall, the music is considered a significant draw, with its retro aesthetic and engaging compositions resonating well with fans of the genre.
“The soundtrack is amazing; Frank Klepacki made the music for the game and it's very fitting for its style.”
“Nothing screams 'C&C' like Klepacki music.”
“Buy it for the soundtrack alone; you'll want to rock the soundtrack in your car.”
“It's fun for about 30 minutes and then you realize the AI is inexcusably stupid, the sounds are annoying and the music is repetitive.”
“Well, aside from the music, you should look elsewhere.”
“The 8-bit aesthetic is honestly annoying—the game, its soundtrack, and its voice acting are good enough to deserve non-gimmick visuals.”
- replayability24 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate the bonus objectives and unlock systems that encourage multiple playthroughs, others find it lacking in depth and variety. The campaign offers some replay value through challenges and co-op modes, but many feel it doesn't match the replayability of other titles in the genre. Ultimately, the experience can be enjoyable for those seeking to complete all objectives, but it may not sustain long-term interest for everyone.
“These challenges give each level some replayability, since most of the time it is impossible to achieve the gold or even the silver challenge on the first try.”
“The campaign has tons of replayability since it offers bonus objectives and cross-mission advancement in the form of starting resources.”
“I had a blast running through the solo campaign, plan to complete the co-op campaign with a friend, and see a lot of replayability in terms of skirmish and multiplayer online.”
“Too repetitive and too easy with low replayability.”
“This would have been fine if more factions and replay value was added, but what you see now is probably what you're going to get.”
“The game does lack depth though, which is something I think would add to the replayability.”
- humor15 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its funny pixel art, silly gameplay, and a variety of amusing details and references that players find entertaining. While some players feel the jokes may not always land, the overall lightheartedness and colorful graphics contribute to a fun experience, especially when playing with friends. The game includes humorous elements like quirky environmental details and easter eggs that enhance its comedic appeal.
“With casual gameplay, cute visuals, and funny references.”
“Each level has some funny details to watch out for, such as animals hanging around or random skeletons.”
“That game is fun, silly, and hilarious.”
- grinding14 mentions
- 7 % positive mentions
- 7 % neutral mentions
- 86 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and lacking in variety, often requiring excessive repetition and minimal strategic depth. Many reviews highlight the monotony of using the same troops in battles, the difficulty of certain quests, and the slow unit and building creation processes, which detract from the overall enjoyment. While some players appreciate the nostalgic elements of classic RTS games, they feel the grinding mechanics could have been improved to enhance gameplay.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“I don't even know why they bothered to do what they did; it was the minimum effort possible and pretty tedious.”
“Now for campaigns, they are pretty grindy and boring. Too many gold stars are timer-based, and the renegades campaign, due to being longer but lacking content to acquire, means it's pretty boring. Grinding those stars for so little stuff isn't all that good either; the guardians campaign is even worse. It's way too hard; it's the only time out of the four campaigns of armies & hordes that I failed a mission. Also, there are too many crate-gathering missions.”
“While it pays homage to the RTS of days of old, it also failed to take note of where those games did poorly and even shrugs off some of the innovations that would've made this game less tedious.”
- stability9 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 56 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while some players report it as "pretty much bug free" and running smoothly, others experience significant bugs, frame drops, and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, particularly in the lobby. Despite these issues, many find that the glitches do not severely impact their overall enjoyment.
“The game runs great and is fun to play.”
“It runs great.”
“Pretty much bug free.”
“It can drop frames, have weird shadow glitches, and I even had a time where it deselected half my units when I scrolled the map too fast.”
“I've encountered a number of glitches and slowdown as well.”
“I can't get past the buggy lobby.”
- optimization8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while many players report smooth performance even on mid-spec computers, there are notable areas for improvement, such as lobby functionality and graphical expectations. The graphics are generally considered acceptable for a budget title, but some users feel that the game could achieve better optimization given its relatively simple visual style.
“Graphics are okay if you like the style; everything runs smoothly.”
“Personally, I'm just a fan of how the old Command and Conquer games play, and this is a more up-to-date, optimized, stylized version of that, with a few tweaks.”
“This game not only provides all these aspects fully, its graphics are great as well as the music; it runs smoothly and does not require a $1000 PC to run it.”
“It shows a lack of optimization.”
“You would expect top performance from Minecraft-level graphics.”
“It could be optimized.”
- emotional6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game resonates deeply with players, evoking nostalgia and a sense of childhood joy reminiscent of classic titles like Command & Conquer. While the gameplay and long campaign are appreciated, the repetitive story detracts from the overall emotional engagement.
“This game made me feel like how I felt when I was a little kid playing the Command & Conquer titles, like Red Alert 2, Yuri's Revenge, and Tiberian Sun.”
“That also made me feel like I felt when I played the great old Command & Conquer games.”
“My first 8-player free-for-all online made me feel like I was 15 again, skirting responsibilities to stay up later to play.”
“Heartbreaking.”
“Nice gameplay, long campaign, but the campaign has a very boring story and is repetitive.”
- monetization5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the microtransactions for a good cause, while others criticize it as a rushed cash grab that prioritizes profit over quality. Overall, there are concerns about the game's sustainability and the developers' commitment to improving it.
“The game features microtransactions that contribute to a good cause.”
“I appreciate that the monetization model is fair and doesn't feel exploitative.”
“In-game purchases are optional and don't hinder the overall experience.”
“Truth is, this whole game was rushed and is nothing more than a half-assed cash grab.”
“Developers decided to go for the cash grab and abandon this broken game to release a re-skinned version.”
“Does this game use real money for in-game purchases?”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its competitive vibe, complemented by fitting music and effective sound effects that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the immersive qualities that contribute to a strong sense of engagement right from the start.
“The music is great and fits like a glove; the sound effects provide excellent feedback and enhance the atmosphere.”
“I've only started, but from what I've played, I really like what I see and feel from the atmosphere of the game.”
“It is a great game that allows for a competitive type of atmosphere.”
