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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.

AI War: Fleet Command screenshot
AI War: Fleet Command screenshot
AI War: Fleet Command screenshot
AI War: Fleet Command screenshot
AI War: Fleet Command screenshot
AI War: Fleet Command screenshot
AI War: Fleet Command screenshot
AI War: Fleet Command screenshot
AI War: Fleet Command screenshot
AI War: Fleet Command screenshot
AI War: Fleet Command screenshot
+11

84%
Audience ScoreBased on 2,408 reviews
gameplay102 positive mentions
graphics74 negative mentions

  • AI War: Fleet Command offers a deeply complex and rewarding experience, with a unique asymmetrical gameplay where players must outsmart a powerful AI.
  • The game features a vast array of customization options, allowing players to tailor their experience and strategies, leading to high replayability.
  • The AI is incredibly intelligent and adapts to player actions, creating dynamic and unpredictable gameplay scenarios that keep players engaged.
  • The learning curve is steep, making it difficult for new players to grasp the mechanics without extensive tutorials or external guides.
  • The user interface is often criticized for being clunky and unintuitive, which can detract from the overall experience.
  • Graphics are dated and simplistic, which may turn off players looking for a more visually appealing game.
  • gameplay
    402 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of this game is characterized by its deep mechanics and strategic complexity, offering a unique blend of real-time strategy, tower defense, and 4X elements. While the steep learning curve and unintuitive interface can be daunting, players who invest time in mastering the mechanics find a rewarding and engaging experience, particularly with the dynamic AI and extensive customization options. However, some players feel that the graphics are underwhelming and that the gameplay can become repetitive, despite its potential for diverse strategies and cooperative play.

    • “The ability to customize your approach and develop unique strategies adds a layer of personalization that keeps the gameplay fresh and exciting.”
    • “Its engaging gameplay, massive scale, and strategic depth make it a must-play for fans of the genre.”
    • “The gameplay is solid, the AI is superb, and after the initial hump, the interface is comfortable.”
    • “I found myself relying heavily on external guides to grasp the game's mechanics, which was a bit of a letdown.”
    • “The best way to sum up the experience of this game is: shit out a million tiny units non-stop in a programmed loop; control 'micro' comes down to positioning the units that move at different speeds; rock, paper scissors to what beats what; over-complicated 'kill this structure then do this and this, now attack that,' gameplay loop.”
    • “The game looks and feels amateurish and cheap, and its mechanics are weird and dumb.”
  • graphics
    355 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of "AI War: Fleet Command" are widely regarded as outdated and simplistic, often described as utilitarian 2D visuals that lack modern polish. While some players find the minimalistic design functional for managing large-scale battles, many criticize the graphics for being visually unappealing and reminiscent of older games. Despite these shortcomings, the gameplay depth and strategic complexity are praised, suggesting that players who prioritize mechanics over aesthetics may still find the game rewarding.

    • “The graphics are simple but utilitarian, and there are so many customization options that you could easily play this game a thousand different ways.”
    • “The graphics may not be top notch, but you forget about that 10 minutes in once you realize how deep the rabbit hole goes.”
    • “While the graphics are somewhat lacking, the AI is insanely hard on the max settings.”
    • “The graphics are not something to behold anymore because of the aging, but the implementation of the GUI and other features are shoddy and have rendered the game something to avoid.”
    • “The graphics are borderline abhorrent, primarily using royalty-free recycled assets from an old game called Tyrian.”
    • “The graphics are terrible even for an indie game.”
  • music
    154 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its beauty, variety, and ability to enhance the overall experience. While some noted occasional repetitiveness, the soundtrack is often described as epic, calming, and emotionally resonant, making it a standout feature that significantly contributes to the game's atmosphere. Overall, the music is considered a major highlight, with many players expressing a desire to listen to it outside of gameplay.

    • “The game also features an excellent soundtrack which works very well setting the tone for the game.”
    • “This game is beautiful, and the soundtrack even more so.”
    • “Amazing soundtrack: in most games I find myself muting the music, but this is one of the few where the music feels right.”
    • “The game quite frequently just goes to a black screen and system cursor while music continues and the game keeps focus so alt-tab etc. don't work.”
    • “No story, no good music.”
    • “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.”
  • replayability
    102 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game boasts exceptional replayability, with players praising its customizable difficulty, diverse campaign setups, and a wealth of strategic options that lead to unique experiences in each playthrough. Many reviews highlight the game's depth, challenging AI, and the ability to support multiplayer, making it a highly recommended choice for strategy enthusiasts. Overall, the replay value is described as nearly limitless, with countless hours of engaging gameplay available.

    • “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.”
    • “Chock-full of emergent complexity and replayability, this is a game designed to keep people like me happily occupied for many hours and many playthroughs.”
    • “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 still consider myself a beginner barely scratching the surface at AI War even after having invested that much time - just in case you needed another pointer on how much depth and replayability can be found here.”
  • story
    90 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is minimal and often described as lacking depth, with many players noting that it serves more as a backdrop than a central element. Despite this, the emotional impact of gameplay and the overarching theme of humanity's struggle against AI resonate strongly, creating memorable experiences even without traditional narrative elements. While some expansions offer additional quests and context, the core gameplay focuses more on strategy and tactics than on storytelling.

    • “The inspirational music and background story.”
    • “It is rare for a game with a story that is merely in the background quietly there, but not really required for you to understand the game to be such an emotional rollercoaster, nor for it to instill in you love of the faction you play and hatred of the faceless AI, simply off the way the game plays out.”
    • “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.”
    • “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.”
    • “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.”
  • grinding
    28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The grinding aspect of the game is frequently described as tedious, particularly in the later stages where players must manage extensive territories and engage in repetitive tasks to build forces. Many reviewers noted that the need for strategic planning can be overshadowed by the monotony of resource management and menu navigation, leading to a feeling of grinding rather than engaging gameplay. While some appreciate the depth and complexity, the overall sentiment leans towards frustration with the game's repetitive nature and the steep learning curve.

    • “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 to half or a quarter with each win, replace, wait, next system... over and over.”
    • “One of those games where it doesn't feel like you're fighting battles so much as grinding economies against your opponent.”
    • “More tedious than anything else, this game might appeal to some who love micro-management.”
  • emotional
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find this RTS game to be surprisingly emotional, despite its minimal story, likening it to a brutal chess match that evokes strong feelings of love and hatred through gameplay alone. The emotional impact is heightened by the game's mechanics and player experiences, leading to intense moments that resonate deeply, earning it high praise and a memorable emotional journey.

    • “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.”
    • “It is rare for a game with a story that is merely in the background, quietly there, but not really required for you to understand the game to be such an emotional rollercoaster, nor for it to instill in you love of the faction you play and hatred of the faceless AI, simply off the way the game plays out.”
    • “10/10 would cry again.”
  • optimization
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization is generally praised, with a well-designed UI and customization options that enhance the experience. However, there are notable performance issues, particularly in cooperative play, including bugs and network problems. While the graphics may be simplistic at times, they strike a balance between performance and visual appeal, especially during intense battles.

    • “The brilliantly optimized UI and customizations brought to its current state by years of improvements is the best there is in any strategy game.”
    • “The graphics are sometimes a bit simplistic, but you can get some beautiful visuals during intense fleet battles, and its performance footprint can get pretty small.”
    • “RTS with no performance issues to worry about.”
    • “But the creators lacked the vision to make this game great in coop (lots of bugs, bad network performance), an official localization for the most common languages is missing and the campaign length is way too long for the usual LAN party.”
    • “The graphics are not excellent, but it's a compromise between performance and graphics.”
    • “Overall a very pleasurable experience, with the only downside being performance at times.”
  • atmosphere
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its mechanical feel and effective music that enhances the experience, while others criticize the graphics and gameplay for lacking depth and failing to create a compelling atmosphere. Overall, it seems to strike a balance, earning a moderate rating of 3/5, but many feel it still lacks a unique or immersive quality.

    • “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.”
    • “Atmosphere: 3/5”
    • “Terrible graphics, blob-like tactics, and somewhat boring spaces of time building things up; the twitch-like gameplay doesn't really build the intended atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere fails to engage, leaving players feeling disconnected from the game world.”
    • “The overall atmosphere is lacking, making it difficult to immerse oneself in the experience.”
  • humor
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is characterized by witty AI dialogue, such as playful jabs at the player's tactical skills, which adds a lighthearted touch. However, some players find the humor insufficient to keep them engaged, leading to moments of boredom. Additionally, the ease of obtaining achievements is noted as a source of amusement.

    • “You must have missed that day in tactical school," says the AI, chuckling to itself.”
    • “However, the achievements are hilariously easy to cheese.”
  • stability
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is a mixed bag; while it runs well on older systems and handles large-scale battles without significant glitches, users report persistent bugs and an unbalanced experience that detracts from overall satisfaction. The user interface is particularly criticized for being glitchy and distracting.

    • “This game will work on older systems, there are no glitches, it doesn't require high-end cards, yet it works even during battles with thousands of ships.”
    • “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.”
    • “The game is plagued by constant bugs that hinder the overall experience.”

Buy AI War: Fleet Command

99h Median play time
185h Average play time
20-220h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 30 analyzed playthroughs

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