9-Bit Armies: A Bit Too Far

About

In 9-Bit Armies: A Bit Too Far, players command military forces across diverse battlefields in this retro real-time strategy game, with enhanced features like airborne soldiers, bridge destruction, and superweapons. Team up with others in co-op campaigns or compete in online skirmishes for up to 8 players, and expand your experience with Steam Workshop integration for custom maps, mods, and more. This sequel now includes two-player co-op mode once again.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

+12

86%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,122 reviews

story48 positive mentions

grinding10 negative mentions

The game captures the nostalgic feel of classic Command & Conquer games, particularly Red Alert, with updated graphics and gameplay mechanics.
The addition of naval combat and the ability to build mega structures adds depth and variety to the gameplay.
The soundtrack by Frank Klepacki enhances the overall experience, bringing back fond memories for fans of the genre.

The campaign missions often have tight time limits for achieving gold stars, which can detract from the enjoyment and strategic planning.
There are only two factions available at launch, leading to a lack of variety and depth in gameplay.
The AI can feel unbalanced, often overwhelming players with large armies and making it difficult to enjoy a casual gaming experience.

story
298 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
16%
76%
8%
The story in the game is generally considered weak and generic, lacking depth and memorable characters, with many players feeling it fails to provide a compelling narrative. While some appreciate the campaign's structure and mission variety, the overall plot is often described as underdeveloped, with a reliance on text-based storytelling that can be easily missed during gameplay. Additionally, the presence of timed objectives in missions has been criticized for detracting from the experience, making it feel more like a challenge pack than a cohesive story-driven campaign.
- “The campaign pleasantly surprised me with its competent story, fun and varied missions and unique upgrade system that 'levels up' your units based on your performance.”
- “The story, while not groundbreaking, is charming and filled with humor.”
- “I particularly enjoyed the diverse mission objectives, which kept the gameplay from becoming repetitive.”
- “But it starts as if you are already supposed to know the premise and the backstory.”
- “This plot throws you in, without explaining anything as if you already know these factions.”
- “The story is extremely generic and boring; if you're only interested in playing campaign mode, I'd skip this for now.”
gameplay
176 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
68%
2%
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its nostalgic elements reminiscent of classic RTS titles like Command & Conquer, while others criticize it for being overly simplistic and reliant on arcade mechanics. Players appreciate the smooth controls, diverse mission objectives, and the blend of old and new mechanics, but some find the core gameplay uninspired and lacking depth, particularly due to issues like broken transport mechanics and repetitive strategies. Overall, it offers a fun experience for casual players but may not satisfy veterans seeking more complex gameplay.
- “The gameplay is where 'a bit too far' truly shines.”
- “The core mechanics of base-building, resource management, and tactical combat are well-executed.”
- “It successfully blends nostalgic elements with modern gameplay mechanics, offering an experience that’s both familiar and fresh.”
- “It's really too bad, this should have been right up my alley, except there are too many arcade mechanics in here to make it a worthy successor to the eternal classics.”
- “The core gameplay feels uninspired, with blocky graphics and a reliance on unbalanced super weapons that overshadow tactical unit management.”
- “If this game had any soul or well-written characters it might carry the generic gameplay, but it doesn't.”
graphics
128 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
59%
5%
The graphics of the game are a blend of nostalgic retro aesthetics and modern design, featuring a vibrant 9-bit style that appeals to fans of classic RTS games while maintaining a fresh look. While some players appreciate the charming pixel art and smooth performance, others find the visuals simplistic or lacking in detail compared to contemporary standards. Overall, the art style is subjective, with many praising its ability to evoke nostalgia without feeling outdated.
- “The graphics are a nostalgic nod to the golden age of gaming, but with a modern twist that takes it a bit too far – in a good way!”
- “The game’s 9-bit graphics are an absolute treat!”
- “Its vibrant, retro-inspired visuals provide a charming backdrop that enhances the overall experience.”
- “I never would have gotten this game if I'd realized it was voxels; totally abhorrent art style.”
- “I love the concept, but the graphics quality is just too low.”
- “The AI is not the fun kind (think infinite economy and super weapons), the gameplay systems haven't aged well, and the graphics are something I was willing to live with if the gameplay was there - which it is not.”
music
104 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
58%
36%
6%
The music in the game, primarily composed by the legendary Frank Klepacki, has received widespread acclaim for its nostalgic and energetic quality, reminiscent of classic Command & Conquer soundtracks. While many players praise the soundtrack as a highlight that enhances the overall experience, some note that it can feel repetitive and express a desire for more variety. Overall, the music is celebrated for its ability to evoke nostalgia while fitting seamlessly into the game's modern aesthetic.
- “The soundtrack is a wonderful mix of retro chiptunes and modern beats, perfectly complementing the game’s aesthetic.”
- “The soundtrack alone is nostalgic goodness and straight fire!”
- “Having Frank Klepacki come back for the soundtrack really helps it hit home (and is now in my music rotation).”
- “It's an obvious no (even frank's music can't save it).”
- “Music got a bit repetitive; I love what Frank Klepacki did with C&C, but here it doesn't feel super impactful somehow. Hopefully, whatever he composes for the future factions will have more variety.”
- “I would love for a more expanded soundtrack, even if it's a DLC.”
optimization
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
46%
11%
Overall, the game's optimization receives mixed feedback; while many players report smooth performance even on lower-end hardware, some experience significant frame rate issues that hinder gameplay. The game is praised for running well with high settings on capable systems, but there are also mentions of occasional performance problems that need addressing. Despite these inconsistencies, the general consensus leans towards a well-optimized experience, especially in comparison to other titles in the genre.
- “Even with 8 insane AI players on the map and large armies battling on screen, the performance stays superb!”
- “The game is also really well optimized; playing on a 10-year-old laptop, I locked the game to 30 fps and had zero frame drops in a 4-player FFA skirmish.”
- “The performance of this game is great compared to others in the genre.”
- “Poor fps performance makes the game unplayable.”
- “Good game with bad performance compared to the graphics it has.”
- “There are occasional performance issues and so on.”
humor
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
86%
14%
The humor in the game is a highlight, featuring witty dialogue and quirky characters that elicit genuine laughter, even amidst challenging gameplay. While the story may not be groundbreaking, it is charming and filled with amusing elements, including goofy enemies and humorous situations. However, some players find the mission timers frustrating, detracting from the overall comedic experience.
- “The witty dialogue and quirky characters will have you laughing out loud, even when your carefully laid plans go a bit too far awry.”
- “It’s a bit too far-fetched, a bit too challenging, and a bit too funny – and that’s exactly why it’s a must-play.”
- “The story, while not groundbreaking, is charming and filled with humor.”
- “You won't even find a casual break on easy mode; it's not funny at all, everything is on a stupid timer.”
stability
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with users noting it is generally well-performing for an early access title, particularly on the Steam Deck. However, several bugs and clunky mechanics, such as pathfinding issues and unresponsive controls, detract from the experience, suggesting that the game feels rushed and lacks polish. Overall, while it runs well, the presence of bugs and design flaws indicates that stability remains a concern.
- “Also for an early access title, it runs great!”
- “It runs great on Steam Deck; the only downside is the lack of controls mapped to more than just the triggers and the right pad.”
- “The overall quality of this game is good (it's not very buggy for an early access game, things like art and pathfinding are also good).”
- “The game is still poorly made and is clunky as heck, with many bugs. For instance, in one of the missions, I was unable to build a certain structure because the corresponding button was bugged.”
- “It's buggy sometimes; once it loaded, I couldn't move units, and another time I couldn't kill a final enemy unit.”
- “9ba is still a fun game overall, but version 1.0 was rushed with a slapped-together second campaign. Many obvious features that were present in RTS games from 30 years ago are still missing, along with several bugs and the same pathfinding glitches when loading units onto transports that were present in RA1 from 1996.”
grinding
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly due to the repetitive nature of missions and the need to grind for kills to progress in the veterancy system. While some enjoy the overall gameplay, many express frustration with the current grind-heavy experience, calling for improvements to make it less monotonous.
- “At the current stage, the game feels tedious to play.”
- “This is very tedious and should be changed ASAP.”
- “The player can obtain these through their veterancy system, but it requires grinding kills, aka, grinding previous missions to level it up like an MMO.”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The game offers strong replayability through its enjoyable game modes, including missions and survival mode, which feature varied enemies that enhance the experience. Additionally, the inclusion of a map editor allows players to create and share custom scenarios, further increasing the game's longevity and community engagement.
- “All game modes are very enjoyable, and the game overall has a good deal of replayability.”
- “The unique aspect is that in missions and the survival mode (which I was looking forward to the most), there are different enemies that enhance the missions and improve replayability.”
- “Additionally, the game features a map editor, which adds a significant amount of replayability as you can create and share custom scenarios with the community.”
- “The unique aspect is that in missions and the survival mode (which is what I was looking forward to the most) there are different enemies that enhance the missions and improve replayability.”

Buy 9-Bit Armies: A Bit Too Far

10h Median play time

15h Average play time

5-30h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

80%2.3kreviews

8-Bit Armies

2016

Strategy

53%678reviews

Forged Battalion

2018

Real-time Strategy

73%5.8kreviews

Grey Goo

2015

Real-time Strategy

63%465reviews

Crossfire: Legion

2022

Strategy

67%2.8kreviews

Act of Aggression

2015

Casual Real-time Strategy

97%2.6kreviews

Crusade

2023

Real-time Strategy

81%10.7kreviews

Songs of Conquest

2024

Role Playing

+11

74%15kreviews

Iron Harvest

2020

Casual Real-time Strategy

74%299reviews

8-Bit Hordes

2016

Real-time Strategy

84%29.1kreviews

Age of Empires IV

2021

Real-time Strategy

9-Bit Armies: A Bit Too Far Tweets

9-Bit Armies: A Bit Too Far

Platforms

About

Buy 9-Bit Armies: A Bit Too Far