AI War: Fleet Command

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In AI War: Fleet Command, you lead a small human resistance force against an AI overlord that has defeated humanity in a brutal war. With faster ships and automated defenses, your mission is to outsmart and defeat the AI subcommanders, avoiding detection by central processing until it's too late. This challenging real-time strategy game demands strategic thinking and careful resource management to overcome overwhelming odds.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

72%

Audience ScoreBased on 845 reviews

gameplay36 positive mentions

graphics28 negative mentions

The game features great mechanics that encourage strategic thinking and planning.
There is a high level of replayability due to the variety of options and customizable settings.
The AI is challenging and adapts to player actions, providing a unique experience each time.

The user interface is clunky and can be overwhelming for new players.
The graphics are dated and may not appeal to everyone.
The steep learning curve can be discouraging, making it difficult for casual players to enjoy.

gameplay
140 mentions
26 % positive mentions
70 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this game is characterized by its deep and intricate mechanics, offering a unique blend of RTS and 4X elements that can be both rewarding and challenging. While the graphics may be underwhelming, the strategic variety and asymmetrical gameplay keep players engaged, though the steep learning curve and complex mechanics can be daunting for newcomers. Overall, it provides a rich and immersive experience for those willing to invest the time to master its systems.
- “The gameplay is highly rewarding, and even the most hardcore players are constantly learning new things in every round they play.”
- “Once you get past the intimidating complexity, you find an incredible depth and variety of gameplay.”
- “It has a cunning and difficult AI to play against, a huge amount of strategic variety, some great mechanics, and is also very atmospheric, with a cool, mechanical feel.”
- “On first play, it's a graphically underwhelming, but mechanically overwhelming mess.”
- “Where the game is weak is the game mechanics are poorly explained when you start out, the interface design is highly unintuitive and rather ugly, and the overall graphics just passable.”
- “The graphics are horrid and the gameplay is overly complicated for what it is.”
graphics
124 mentions
15 % positive mentions
62 % neutral mentions
23 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have been widely criticized for being outdated and simplistic, often described as utilitarian or reminiscent of pre-2000 titles. Many players noted that while the visuals are not impressive, they do not detract from the gameplay experience, which is praised for its depth and complexity. Overall, the consensus is that the graphics are functional but lack the polish and modernity expected in contemporary games, making them a potential turn-off for those prioritizing visual appeal.
- “The minimalistic graphical style and UI allows for an absolutely staggering amount of units, buildings, rules, and concepts.”
- “Don't let the graphics fool you; this game is one of the deepest rock-paper-scissors games you will ever play.”
- “The graphics may not be top-notch, but you forget about that 10 minutes in once you realize how deep the rabbit hole goes.”
- “On first play, it's a graphically underwhelming, but mechanically overwhelming mess.”
- “The graphics are terrible even for an indie game.”
- “The graphics are dated but it really doesn't detract from the game's playability.”
music
53 mentions
57 % positive mentions
38 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its epic and calming qualities, as well as its ability to enhance the overall gameplay experience. The soundtrack is described as diverse, inspiring, and emotionally impactful, often making players feel deeply connected to the game. Overall, it is considered one of the standout features, with some even suggesting that the music alone is worth the price of admission.
- “The music is surprisingly calming, the graphics are simple but utilitarian, and there are so many customization options that you could easily play this game a thousand different ways.”
- “This game is beautiful, and the soundtrack even more so.”
- “But that feeling you get, as your forces shred the AI's final defenses, working in seamless tandem with your friends', listening as the superb soundtrack reaches its crescendo - little compares.”
- “Music was good but effects were bad.”
- “I felt like the graphics lacked style and were uninteresting, the controls too cumbersome, the text-based non-interactive tutorial too tedious to follow, the music grating.”
- “Where AIW1 feels menacing and foreboding, AIW2's interface elements and even many of its new music tracks feel a bit more pop and bubble-gummy.”
replayability
38 mentions
55 % positive mentions
37 % neutral mentions
8 % negative mentions
The game boasts exceptional replayability, with players highlighting its customizable difficulty, diverse strategic options, and rich content that ensures unique experiences in each playthrough. Many reviews emphasize the steep learning curve and emergent complexity, which contribute to a game that can keep players engaged for hundreds or even thousands of hours. Overall, it is regarded as one of the most replayable strategy games available, offering near-infinite variations and challenges.
- “A great many 'oh that's what I should have done' moments mean the learning never stops, and the number of setup options gives you near infinite replayability.”
- “The game has incredible replayability and customization value even before the additional content; each map is not only a different experience in the technical sense, but unique in its feel.”
- “Given the crazy amount of options in the game as well as all of its expansions, it has almost unlimited replayability.”
- “This game is stupendously configurable in its setup, which can be somewhat overwhelming when you first start, but makes for an extraordinarily replayable game, even more so with the expansions, rich in choices, threats, and options.”
- “Even after years it's still changing in big ways, so it's got replayability that other games don't have.”
- “I don't think anyone could exhaust the replayability that the game has.”
story
29 mentions
17 % positive mentions
72 % neutral mentions
10 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally considered minimal and lacks significant narrative depth, with many players noting the absence of traditional storyline missions and cutscenes. While the background premise involves humanity's struggle against a dominant AI, the focus is primarily on gameplay mechanics rather than immersive storytelling. Some players appreciate the optional minor faction quests, which add a layer of engagement, but overall, the story is seen as secondary to the strategic elements of the game.
- “The inspirational music and background story.”
- “The 'story' behind this fighting is that AI populations have taken the world we know (or better, the universe) and the human species has to recover and fight back.”
- “Story: the war for humanity is over, we lost... the AI has all but wiped humans off the face of the galaxy, leaving only pockets left in the abyss before turning their attention to more pressing concerns.”
- “As for the campaign, the base game does not include storyline missions.”
- “They put so much effort into building the strategy side of things that there literally is no plot or immersion.”
- “Storyline = no big storyline 2/10”
grinding
8 mentions
13 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
88 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often requiring extensive resource management and strategic planning to progress. The need to repeatedly build defenses and manage systems can lead to a sense of monotony, especially as the pace of expansion slows down. While some appreciate the strategic depth, many feel that the overall experience is marred by the grind-heavy mechanics.
- “No tedious micro-management, clever and devious AI opponents, engaging storyline, and epic games that can last well over a week.”
- “You need about 60 to 80 systems in a playthrough to enable you to do what you need to win. By the 15th system, it's rinse and repeat, grinding your forces down to half or a quarter with each win. Replace, wait, next system... over and over. At least 'Sins' had the steamrolling mechanic, so it didn't take even longer.”
- “One annoyance that remains even after getting used to how the game plays is that you'll need to place a ton of turrets. Defending the first few new worlds you capture is very tedious, and you're likely to apply the same pattern of turrets without any tool to copy your setup.”
- “One of those games where it doesn't feel like you're fighting battles so much as grinding economies against your opponent.”
atmosphere
4 mentions
50 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is polarizing; while some players appreciate its strategic depth and mechanical feel enhanced by music, others criticize the graphics and gameplay for failing to create an engaging environment. Many feel that the game lacks a unique atmosphere, with some describing it as boring and not effectively building the intended ambiance. Overall, the atmosphere is seen as a mixed bag, with both commendable elements and significant shortcomings.
- “It has a cunning and difficult AI to play against, a huge amount of strategic variety, some great mechanics (like AI progress - so the more you conquer, the more resources you have - but the more vicious the AI's response) and is also very atmospheric, with a cool, mechanical feel.”
- “Also have to add, the music and atmosphere really bring this game together.”
- “Terrible graphics, blob-like tactics, and somewhat boring spaces of time building things up; the gameplay doesn't really build the intended atmosphere.”
- “The music and atmosphere really bring this game together.”
emotional
4 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players find the game to evoke strong emotional responses, likening it to a challenging chess match that inflicts emotional pain. Despite its minimal narrative, it stands out as one of the most emotionally impactful real-time strategy games, engaging players deeply through its mechanics and atmosphere. However, the overwhelming amount of text in the user interface can detract from the experience.
- “Think of it as a brutal game of chess, played against a sadist bent on causing you the highest amount of emotional pain.”
- “It manages to be one of the most emotional RTS games I've ever played, despite not really having much of a story at all.”
- “I have recently started to play this game, after not touching it in around a decade.”
humor
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mixed bag; while some players find the AI's witty remarks amusing, others feel the overall experience lacks engagement, leading to boredom. Additionally, the ease of obtaining achievements adds a layer of comedic relief, though it may not be enough to keep players entertained.
- “You must have missed that day in tactical school," says the AI, chuckling to itself.”
- “However, the achievements are hilariously easy to cheese.”
stability
3 mentions
100 % positive mentions
-100 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The game's stability is mixed; while it runs well on older systems without significant glitches, users report persistent bugs and balance issues that detract from the overall experience. These problems can make gameplay frustrating, especially during complex battles.
- “This game runs smoothly on older systems, with no glitches, and doesn't require high-end graphics cards, even during battles with thousands of ships.”
- “The stability of this game is impressive; I haven't encountered any crashes or performance issues.”
- “I appreciate how stable the game is, allowing for seamless gameplay without interruptions.”
- “The UI is full of glitches and annoying details that distract me from learning the game.”
- “But it's always buggy, always unbalanced, and therefore always a bit unsatisfying.”
- “This game will work on older systems, but it's always buggy.”
optimization
2 mentions
50 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization strikes a balance between performance and graphics, with users noting that while the visuals may not be top-tier, there are no significant performance issues to contend with.
- “RTS with no performance issues to worry about.”
- “The graphics are not excellent, but it's a compromise between performance and graphics.”