Aggressors: Ancient Rome
- August 29, 2018
- Kubat Software
- 40h median play time
Aggressors: Ancient Rome is a turn-based strategy game set in the ancient world. Players can choose to lead one of eighteen ancient civilizations, including Rome, Carthage, and Greece, in their quest for dominance. The game features tactical combat, diplomacy, research, and city-building, with a focus on historical accuracy and depth.
Reviews
- Aggressors: Ancient Rome offers a deep and engaging gameplay experience with complex mechanics that require strategic planning and resource management.
- The game features a well-designed AI that provides a challenging experience, making each playthrough unique and rewarding.
- The historical setting and attention to detail create an immersive atmosphere, allowing players to feel connected to the ancient world.
- The user interface can be clunky and unintuitive, leading to frustration when trying to select units or manage cities.
- Graphics and sound design are considered outdated, which may detract from the overall experience for some players.
- The steep learning curve and lack of clear tutorials can make it difficult for new players to grasp the game's mechanics quickly.
- gameplay81 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 75 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Aggressors: Ancient Rome" is characterized by a blend of simplicity and depth, reminiscent of older civilization games but with more intricate mechanics that require time to master. While some players find the resource management and strategic elements engaging, others note that certain mechanics can feel clunky or less intuitive. Overall, the game offers a rich and rewarding experience for those who appreciate historical strategy, despite some areas needing further polish and clarity.
“The developers have clearly done their research, and it shows in the authenticity and depth of the gameplay.”
“The depth and complexity of these mechanics add a layer of strategic depth that keeps you engaged throughout.”
“Despite this minor drawback, Aggressors: Ancient Rome is a game that provides hours of strategic gameplay set in one of the most influential empires in history.”
“The AI is pretty simple, as is the gameplay.”
“The resource mechanics are simplistic, then the game tries to add depth by creating a web of resources that do not entirely make sense.”
“Plan and simple, the gameplay is clunky and cumbersome, and does not leave me with that 'I gotta have one more turn' feeling.”
- graphics68 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many users noting that they are dated and reminiscent of older titles, such as Civilization IV. While some appreciate the clean and functional visuals that serve the gameplay, others criticize the lack of polish and clarity, particularly in battle and movement mechanics. Overall, the graphics are considered serviceable but not impressive, with a focus on gameplay depth over visual appeal.
“The graphics and sound design in Aggressors: Ancient Rome are solid, if not groundbreaking.”
“The visuals are clean and functional, providing a clear representation of the game world, while the soundtrack creates an immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.”
“I do like the graphics as well - where they are not on par with the latest Paradox games or even the latest Civ game, they are still very nice with lots of animations and cool things like smoke from damaged cities, blood and tattered flags on damaged units, and wild animals.”
“The graphics are terrible, the battles are unclear, and so is the movement.”
“The graphics are the weakest point, in that they are not triple-A quality.”
“The graphics are homely at best, and at worst, outdated.”
- music28 mentions
- 18 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its immersive and culturally diverse soundtracks, while others criticize it for feeling amateurish and lacking cohesion. Many players appreciate the extensive library of over 100 period-themed tracks, but some find the music distracting or inappropriate for the game's setting. Overall, while the soundtrack enhances the experience for some, it detracts from the gameplay for others, leading to a polarized reception.
“The visuals are clean and functional, providing a clear representation of the game world, while the soundtrack creates an immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.”
“Love the hand-drawn artwork, and the soundtrack is a nice mix of music that isn't getting old fast.”
“Music is colorful, with soundtracks reflecting various cultures.”
“The music is terrible, reminds me of the compositions developed by amateurs on Windows music software. If you like the war in the ancient world, this is a game for you; if not, you may spend your money on a different game.”
“There is no single composer to give unity to the music; instead, it is literally dozens of royalty-free 'clip art' tracks, none of which blend well together. One tune might have a Middle Eastern flair while another has an inexplicably Native American bent.”
“The first thing that dampened my spirits was the music and sound.”
- replayability12 mentions
- 42 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability due to its customizable maps, a variety of playable factions, and the ability to create unique scenarios with a built-in editor. Players can enjoy diverse experiences with each playthrough, making it appealing for fans of strategic war games and the ancient era. Overall, the combination of random map generation and numerous starting options ensures that players will find endless replay value.
“Game is set in the ancient world and there is no progression to later times, but with a big variety of playable nations and map generation, it surely gives endless replayability.”
“If you enjoy the ancient era and are looking for a 4X game with interesting mechanics and replayability, this game is for you.”
“Game is set in an ancient world and there is no progression to later times, but with a big variety of playable nations and map generation, it surely gives endless replayability.”
“Replayability - you can play any of the 20 factions, at least up to medium difficulty and win - you can create your own scenarios with the built-in editor.”
“In essence, the ancient Mediterranean scenario alone has a ton of replay value, let alone playing on random maps.”
- grinding8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, with a lack of engaging mechanics and limited control over resource management. While the resource mechanics are logical, the overall experience can quickly become a chore, especially with a linear tech tree and cumbersome controls. Many reviewers express that the game feels more like a grind than an enjoyable experience, particularly in longer sessions.
“Meh, it was okay for a short run but tedious and repetitive pretty quick.”
“Linear tech tree, all factions play the same, little to no control over resource management, very few improvements that become more tedious than beneficial.”
“Legendary basically turns the game into a tedious chug.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, users report a generally stable experience, with one reviewer noting an absence of bugs or technical glitches, while another mentions slight bugs. This suggests that while the game is mostly stable, there may be occasional minor issues.
“4) Slightly buggy.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized by clean and functional visuals that effectively depict the game world, complemented by an immersive soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
“The visuals are clean and functional, providing a clear representation of the game world, while the soundtrack creates an immersive atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.”
- story1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's manual is praised for its engaging narrative style, effectively combining storytelling with the explanation of game concepts, making it one of the best guides in recent memory.
“Reading the manual is like reading a good book; it tells a story while explaining game concepts. It's one of the best game guides I've read in a long time.”