Ages of Conflict: World War Simulator
- February 17, 2023
- JokuPelle
- 40h median play time
Get on Steam
Get on itch.io Store"Ages of Conflict: World War Simulator" is a game that lets players observe and influence AI-controlled nations as they compete for world domination. With multiple pre-made maps, customizable settings, and a map painter, players can create and simulate various scenarios. The game also includes a "God Mode" for directly impacting nations and a world-building tool to track and compare ancient nations. This game is not a strategy game, but rather a simulation of global political dynamics.
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Reviews
- The game offers a fun and engaging way to simulate wars and create custom scenarios, making it enjoyable for fans of geography and history.
- Regular updates and a supportive community enhance the gameplay experience, providing new maps and features.
- The ability to control nations or let the AI handle conflicts allows for a flexible gameplay style, catering to different player preferences.
- The combat mechanics can feel random and unbalanced, leading to unrealistic outcomes where smaller nations can defeat larger ones.
- Some players find the game becomes repetitive and lacks depth after a short period, with limited strategic options.
- The graphics and audio are simplistic, which may not appeal to everyone, and some features from earlier versions are missing.
- gameplay82 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 82 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is characterized by its simplicity and ease of understanding, making it accessible for players who prefer less complex mechanics. However, many users feel that the game lacks depth and variety, with some mechanics, like the gold system and combat strength, being criticized for their limitations. While the customization and sandbox features are praised, players express a desire for more advanced mechanics and engaging content to enhance the overall experience.
“The gameplay is diverse and dynamic, with plenty of activities to keep you entertained.”
“Even in its early access stage, Ages of Conflict shines bright with its engaging gameplay mechanics.”
“The customization, community, and sandbox mechanics are magnificent.”
“Not worth the price, considering how few gameplay differences there are between this and the free version.”
“This is not a game; I expected some easy strategy game and bought it, but you'd rather just watch the trailer, because you'd have the same experience as in-game. The closest thing this game has for gameplay is rigging the odds as god mode.”
“I would have thought there'd be things like bombings or events or something, but no, it's like watching Creeper World goo fighting with itself with no gameplay.”
- graphics38 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 82 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally described as simple and pixelated, which some players find charming and conducive to imagination, while others feel they lack depth and detail. Despite the simplicity, the art style is considered immersive and effective for gameplay, with some users appreciating the geographical features and customization options. Overall, the graphics are functional and serve the game's purpose, though they may not satisfy those seeking high-end visuals.
“The art style is not just eye-catching; it's a portal to an immersive world where every decision feels monumental.”
“The pixelated graphics enable smooth border movement and an enjoyable map painting experience.”
“Overall all features are useful, the mechanics are simple, the graphics simplistic but well made, the concept incredible.”
“The graphics are delivered in a pixelated format.”
“The graphics are very simple, but this isn't a problem since it's meant to be read like a map. One piece of feedback: I feel that the font size for text is way too small at times, making it difficult to read on larger maps.”
“Graphics are bad, but it has tons of cool features like terrain.”
- story37 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 35 % negative mentions
The game lacks a traditional narrative, with many users noting that it has "no story" or minimal storytelling elements. However, players are encouraged to create their own conflicts and storylines, making it appealing for those who enjoy imaginative gameplay. Overall, the experience is described as fun and engaging, particularly for those who prefer to craft their own narratives.
“The moving pixels tell such a complex story.”
“Very fun game, especially with creating your own conflicts and storyline.”
“Do as you please, the story is yours!”
“The game doesn't really have much of a story; instead, you are given several maps, including Europe, the United States, Pangea (the name of the world before all the continents moved to where they are today), and Japan. A few original maps such as 'Skull Island' (not to be confused with the 'Skull Island' from the King Kong franchise) are also included.”
“To those who can make their own stories in their heads, this game is just for you.”
“While it might be lacking if you want something that tells the story for you, if you're like me and you play Dwarf Fortress using the original graphics because 'it's better for imagination', this game is brilliant.”
- music18 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players enjoying its fitting pixel style and relaxing qualities, while others find it repetitive and lacking in variety. While a few appreciate the soundtrack for enhancing gameplay intensity, many express frustration over the limited selection and the tendency for it to become tiresome. Overall, the music is seen as a notable aspect that could benefit from improvement.
“That's why Ages of Conflict comes equipped with a soundtrack that amplifies the intensity of every battle.”
“While not groundbreaking, the music sets the perfect tone for your conquests.”
“Overall this is a really great game, music is *chef's kiss*, it doesn't take much of a computer to run and can be really fun.”
“The music is only alright.”
“This is one of the downsides to this game; I grew tired of the music quickly and turned it off. I also think the event sounds are too loud and play way too often.”
“The game gets boring really quickly and the same music plays endlessly, making it really tedious to listen to.”
- humor15 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with players enjoying its goofy AI antics, silly alliances, and the absurdity of colorful simulations. Many find the game to be a source of laughter, highlighting its potential for creating humorous scenarios and memes, although some critique the lack of logical gameplay in favor of comedic elements. Overall, the game is celebrated for its lighthearted and entertaining approach to strategy.
“It's a good mapping game and really goofy and funny to watch the AI be silly and make silly alliances and lose to their smallest neighbor... overall great game!”
“It gives a lot of freedom for funny simulations and memes.”
“I wasn't expecting a strategy game on the same level that HOI4 is, but at the same time, colors doing funny things on a map without logic isn't fun.”
- grinding13 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 92 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
Players overwhelmingly agree that the grinding in the game is excessively time-consuming, often requiring an unrealistic commitment akin to having a "second life" to keep up with the demands.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- replayability11 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is considered to have strong replayability, particularly when experimenting with AI settings and community-created maps. While some users note a lack of basic maps, the potential for varied scenarios, such as large-scale conflicts, enhances the game's replay value significantly.
“Honestly, a really fun and replayable game.”
“The game is very replayable, especially if you set up huge maps with many nations, all trying to control it.”
“Not extremely replayable.”
“If you are not as interested in map creation and just want to watch AI world wars, I would recommend experimenting with the AI settings or trying some community-created maps to increase the replayability of your simulations.”
“I did a mock civil war for the United States or what one could possibly look like in the future; lots of possibilities and replay value for this game.”
- stability5 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game experiences significant stability issues, particularly during late-game scenarios, where it frequently freezes for several seconds or crashes entirely when larger areas are conquered or multiple events occur simultaneously. While players find the gameplay enjoyable, these stability problems detract from the overall experience.
“While pop-ups appear, the game process freezes.”
“Pretty fun, although right now, whenever a bigger area is conquered or multiple revolts happen, the game freezes for several seconds or even crashes.”
“The game is good, but it freezes in the late game.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Users have reported significant performance issues during large-scale wars and on bigger maps, leading to lag and decreased optimization. While some improvements have been noted, there is a consensus that further optimization is needed to enhance gameplay during intense scenarios.
“Some optimization from the big wars would be great to make it less laggy, but other than that, no problems.”
“Some noted performance problems on larger maps.”
“Jesus Christ, what happened to the optimization?”
“Whenever there are multiple wars going on, it might take a big hit on performance!”
“Some users noted performance problems on larger maps.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
Reviews on monetization indicate a divide among players: some feel the game should be free with ads due to its current value, while others appreciate the absence of ads and recommend it for its enjoyable gameplay.
“This game is so much fun; it has no ads like mobile games, so I would definitely recommend this to others.”
“It's still fun, just not enough to recommend buying it at this point; it should at best be free with ads.”
“The monetization model feels exploitative, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending a lot of money.”
“I feel like I'm being pushed to spend money to progress, which really ruins the experience.”
