Age of Fear 2: The Chaos Lord

83%
Game Brain Score Based on 196 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Age of Fear 2: The Chaos Lord Game Cover
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"Age of Fear 2: The Chaos Lord" is a historical turn-based strategy game with both single-player and local multi-player modes for up to 2 players. The game offers a good plot, splendid gameplay, and good graphics, along with the option for split-screen play and a dose of humor. It also includes Steam Workshop integration for access to user-created mods and content.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Linux
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

83%
Audience ScoreBased on 196 reviews
story34 positive mentions
replayability3 negative mentions
  • Great tactical gameplay with a variety of units and strategies to explore.
  • The game is actively supported and updated by the developers, showing commitment to improvement.
  • The humorous and engaging storyline adds depth to the gameplay experience.
  • The graphics are dated and may not appeal to players looking for modern visuals.
  • Voice acting and narration are often criticized as being poor and off-putting.
  • Some players experience frustrating technical issues, including crashes and lag during gameplay.
  • story125 mentions

    The game's story features decision-making elements that influence the narrative's progression, providing a sense of agency to players. While some reviews praise the humor and character development, others criticize the writing quality and voice acting, describing the story as cliché and poorly executed. Overall, the narrative is seen as decent but not groundbreaking, with some campaigns offering more engaging plots than others.

    • “The story offers decision options in certain situations, which influences the progress of the game.”
    • “The demons campaign has the better story involving a succubus escaping from hell.”
    • “The story is deeper than it seems, but it needs some knowledge of the lore and the previous game, but it is still okay as a standalone.”
    • “I really wanted to like this game, but the graphics, the narration, the story, and the UI are so rough that I have a hard time doing so.”
    • “The graphics are so bad it's hard to tell the characters apart on the battle screen, the gameplay mechanics are weird, and the story is cliché and badly narrated.”
    • “While there are random missions you can do ad infinitum, there are only a handful of story missions, and they aren't even different from the generated ones.”
  • graphics61 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally described as simplistic and dated, often characterized as basic 2D visuals that evoke a retro feel. While some players appreciate the functional design that aids gameplay, many criticize the visuals for being rough and unpolished, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite these shortcomings, the consensus is that the enjoyable gameplay mechanics and tactical depth can outweigh the lackluster graphics for fans of the genre.

    • “Graphics are great, capturing a rich tabletop feel similar to Steve Jackson's Car Wars tabletop game in detail and art style.”
    • “The visuals are simple but effective; different units are easily recognizable, and although the animations are pretty basic, they get the job done.”
    • “Age of Fear might not be a treat for the eyes, but it's no eyesore either – I'd much rather have functional graphics that work reliably than a glitch-ridden mess, and I'm glad AOF has the former.”
    • “I really wanted to like this game but the graphics, the narration, the story, and the UI are so rough that I have a hard time doing so.”
    • “The graphics are so bad it's hard to tell the characters apart on the battle screen; the gameplay mechanics are weird, and the story is cliché and badly narrated.”
    • “The graphics are about twenty years out of date, which I knew going into the game, but still disappointing.”
  • gameplay49 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is a mix of tactical RPG elements and traditional wargame mechanics, featuring permanent unit death and a focus on unit management and progression. While some players appreciate the depth and engaging mechanics, others criticize the dated graphics and confusing UI. Overall, the gameplay is described as solid and enjoyable, particularly for fans of the series, despite some quirks and a learning curve.

    • “Retains traces of original wargame inspired design with disposable units, though the series now takes more after RPGs with more freedom and richer mechanics.”
    • “The gameplay is top notch, the army building is exquisite.”
    • “The turn structure and combat mechanics make sense immediately, and the joy of leveling your troops and upgrading their skills remains engaging throughout the campaigns.”
    • “I hate everything about this game, from the narration -- especially the narration -- to the gameplay.”
    • “The graphics are so bad it's hard to tell the characters apart on the battle screen, the gameplay mechanics are weird, and the story is cliche and badly narrated.”
    • “You spend 10% of your time in this game trying to read this really crucial gameplay info and if you're one pixel off, you lose it.”
  • humor12 mentions

    The humor in the game is a mixed bag, featuring a blend of genuinely funny moments and cringeworthy writing, often reminiscent of b-movie dialogue. Players appreciate the chaotic and well-paced campaigns, with standout comedic exchanges between characters, particularly in the demon campaign. Overall, while some moments shine with quality humor, others fall flat, creating a varied comedic experience.

    • “Dialogue and voice acting is a hoot, pouring boiling pots of laughter and triggering humor in the player with many b-movie level remarks.”
    • “The chaos campaign is amazing, funny, and well-paced.”
    • “Hilarious writing in the story sections.”
  • music11 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising it as soothing and atmospheric, perfect for relaxation after a stressful day, while others find it average or even poor. Notably, the inclusion of classical pieces, like Bach's Bourrée, is appreciated by some, but there are also criticisms regarding the overall quality and effectiveness of the sound design.

    • “Music is honey dripping game healing goodness oozing soothing audio massages to the senses, making for the perfect evening game after a stressful day.”
    • “The music is very relaxing.”
    • “From the inspired war drums to classic RPG scores, the music never falls short on setting the right atmosphere for every situation.”
    • “Music/sound: at some point I just started playing with no sound, listening to my own medieval playlist.”
    • “The music is just bad (dark age).”
    • “Fifth, the sound & music:”
  • optimization9 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it generally runs well on low-performance systems and has minimal issues for most players, some users report disappointing rendering performance during large battles, leading to stuttering. The developers are proactive in addressing bugs and performance concerns, often providing quick fixes through community feedback.

    • “Different characters with stats and attributes to modify their performance in battle.”
    • “Instead of focusing on the outdated graphics of an old-school indie game, I’d rather mention that the game has minimal performance issues for most players.”
    • “The developers are very active and supportive on their forums; if you encounter any customized bugs or performance issues, reporting them often results in a quick fix.”
    • “The rendering performance is especially disappointing in the later battles with lots of units on the field.”
    • “I am sitting here on my low-performance laptop, and just finished the demon's campaign.”
    • “The game is based on Java, which led to some stuttering on my PC in big fights, but I never encountered any bugs.”
  • replayability5 mentions

    Overall, players find the game enjoyable with solid replayability, particularly due to its multiple difficulty levels and the diverse outcomes based on player choices in the campaign. However, there is a desire for additional features, such as re-doable skirmish battles, which could significantly enhance replay value for dedicated players.

    • “Age of Fear 2 offers tons of replay value since the choices of the main story of each campaign result in diverse outcomes and will permanently affect the story progress, routes, and difficulties.”
    • “Enjoyable and with replayability.”
    • “I am kind of hoping re-doable skirmish battles are added at some point, as that would really increase the replay value for us grinders. It's a solid game nonetheless.”
    • “We players who are into this genre are usually grinders and completists, and if they were to add those, it would literally double the replayability.”
    • “It allows for replayability on multiple difficulty levels.”
  • stability4 mentions

    The game's stability is a significant issue, with users reporting frequent and frustrating perma-freezes that require forceful closure through task manager. Additionally, loading save games often leads to freezing, contributing to an overall disappointing experience despite some enjoyable missions.

    • “Sadly, the experience has been disappointing due to repeated perma-freezes of the application that I also cannot minimize or close with Task Manager, Alt + F4, or other means.”
    • “"Luckily" the game freezes regularly, so you have to close the game via Task Manager.”
    • “Loading save games just freezes the game.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development in the game is noted as a strong point, particularly due to the incorporation of D&D rules, which enhances the overall experience. However, comparisons to titles like Fire Emblem suggest that while the combat may be superior, the writing and character development could be improved.

    • “The character development in this game is fantastic, allowing players to truly shape their heroes and experience meaningful growth throughout the story.”
    • “I love how the character development is intertwined with the gameplay, making every choice feel impactful and rewarding.”
    • “The depth of character development adds layers to the narrative, making each character feel unique and their journeys compelling.”
    • “Somewhat like Fire Emblem with better combat and worse writing and character development.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is enhanced by a compelling soundtrack that includes inspired war drums and classic RPG scores, effectively setting the right mood for various situations throughout the gameplay.

    • “From the inspired war drums to classic RPG scores, the music never falls short on setting the right atmosphere for every situation.”
    • “The haunting visuals and ambient sounds create an immersive experience that pulls you into the game's world.”
    • “Every corner of the environment is filled with detail, making the atmosphere feel alive and engaging.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players appreciate that the grinding aspect of the game is balanced, as the manageable number of units prevents long wait times for enemy turns and minimizes tedious micromanagement of their own units. This design choice helps maintain a smoother gameplay experience.

    • “The grinding feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged with the game.”
    • “I find myself doing the same tasks over and over again, which really takes away from the enjoyment.”
    • “The amount of time spent grinding for resources is frustrating and detracts from the overall experience.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Players appreciate the developers' dedication to the game, noting that the frequent updates and content additions reflect a deep passion for their creation, which enhances the emotional connection to the game.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

40hMedian play time
40hAverage play time
40-40hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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