Airships: Conquer the Skies
- August 16, 2018
- David Stark
- 14h median play time
Get on Steam"Airships: Conquer the Skies" allows you to design and build elaborate airships and land vehicles, using a wide range of modules and weapons for creative customization. Engage in intense aerial battles with destructible environments and various tactical options, while managing your fleet with high-level commands. The detailed vehicles and engaging gameplay offer a unique and immersive experience.
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Reviews
- The game offers a great premise with extensive ship customization and design options.
- Engaging combat mechanics that allow for strategic planning and execution.
- The developer is actively updating the game, adding new features and content regularly.
- Controlling airships can be unintuitive and frustrating, especially with collision issues.
- The UI is clunky and can be difficult to navigate, making ship building cumbersome.
- The campaign mode lacks depth and can feel repetitive, with AI often spamming ships.
- gameplay375 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of this game is characterized by a unique blend of ship design, strategic combat, and resource management, offering players a rich and engaging experience. While the building mechanics are praised for their depth and creativity, some players find the combat and campaign modes lacking in complexity and variety, with issues such as a linear research tree and shallow mechanics in certain areas. Overall, the game is enjoyable and has potential for further development, especially with ongoing updates and mod support enhancing replayability.
“The gameplay is skill-based, yet easy to learn, and the incredible amount of detail that goes into game mechanics and ship building allows for an engaging and completely customizable experience with a variety of viable strategies.”
“The mechanics are interesting and intuitive after a few false starts.”
“The building mechanics are fun and the combat is satisfying.”
“It's such a shame because this game has a great premise and is well-made for the most part, but it doesn't matter since one of the core gameplay elements is fighting airships, and that system is very underdeveloped as of now.”
“The gameplay is punishing while you're learning, but so satisfying to learn.”
“The sideways combat and ship design keep giving me headaches because of how unintuitive they are; the campaign mechanics are overall fairly shallow.”
- graphics259 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a charming pixel art style that complements its steampunk aesthetic, offering a unique and nostalgic visual experience. While some players find the graphics simplistic, many appreciate their detail and the creative freedom they allow in ship design. Overall, the visuals are seen as fitting for the gameplay, with a focus on fun and customization rather than cutting-edge realism.
“The design and art aesthetic of this game is much like that you'd find in a classic Jules Verne novel, while the gameplay all plays out in pseudo-realtime, though you can pause.”
“The graphics are charmingly old-world, but it works well enough.”
“The graphics, while simple, show great detail and give some character to the game that I don't think fancier graphics could achieve.”
“While technically impressive for a game released by a single developer, the graphics are muted, the gameplay was unexciting, and the game is priced significantly higher than it is worth.”
“The only negative I have is if you're looking for top graphics, this isn't it.”
“What that money goes into is beyond me as the graphics are basic and past the development of the diplomacy update very little has been done to the game for the last 2 years.”
- replayability108 mentions
- 53 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The game is widely praised for its exceptional replayability, attributed to its extensive customization options, procedural generation, and a vibrant modding community that significantly enhances gameplay variety. Players appreciate the freedom to design unique units and engage in diverse combat scenarios, ensuring that each playthrough feels fresh and engaging. Overall, the combination of a solid base game and the potential for endless modifications makes it a highly replayable experience.
“The vanilla game itself is infinitely replayable, but when you get into the modding scene, it opens up an even more vast realm of possibilities.”
“The sheer amount of customization both functionally and aesthetically allows for a ton of replayability, and unlike a lot of other games of this type, you are not punished for trying something new.”
“This game is phenomenal; it has near endless replayability, and the conquest mode is one of the best casual strategy campaigns I have ever played.”
“This game is okay with an interesting concept but very limited content and poor replayability.”
“This unfortunately kills any replayability of the campaign for me - it's just a generic sandbox.”
“If I had to gripe, the game needs more replayability in the offline campaign but the developer is currently working on overhauling it, so I'm all for it.”
- music80 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its quality and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many praising the compositions by Curtis Schweitzer. While some players noted that the soundtrack can be repetitive and occasionally too loud, the majority found it to be a perfect fit for the gameplay, contributing to an immersive experience during battles and exploration. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, adding significant value to the game.
“Fantastic gameplay in a 4x style, as well as absolutely wonderful music.”
“The music is amazing, and sets a perfect atmosphere for the game.”
“The soundtrack complements the game very nicely, especially during battles.”
“The music is too much in certain menus and you can't change the volume without exiting everything you're currently doing.”
“The music is repetitive, but there's a music expansion mod that complements it.”
“The sound design combines well with the graphic style also, even if the music can sometimes get tedious - there aren't too many tracks.”
- story75 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 76 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its lack of a traditional narrative, with many users noting that there is no significant story mode or character development. While some players appreciate the lore and the ability to create their own narratives through gameplay, the overall consensus is that the game focuses more on sandbox mechanics and conquest modes rather than a structured storyline. Users express a desire for more engaging missions and a deeper narrative experience, suggesting that the current offerings feel simplistic and unpolished.
“Unbelievably deep and fun gameplay, detailed simulation, interesting world and story, lots to discover.”
“Amazing game, there are no limits to what you can create, even though this game has no plot it still feels like you're part of a story.”
“The missions are a lot of fun and the 'campaign' plays similar to a galactic conquest or Mount & Blade style overworld that sees real-time battles when engaging enemies.”
“There is no story mode or missions that make sense.”
“There are a few story type missions in vanilla and more in the workshop, but the main focus of this game is the conquest mode, so if you're looking for some big story you may want to take a pass.”
“If you are looking for great graphics, full control of the game, and a story... this game is not for you.”
- humor43 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a standout feature, with players enjoying the comedic mishaps that arise from their ship designs and battles. The combination of absurd ship mechanics, hilarious AI interactions, and the joy of creating impractical yet entertaining builds contributes to a lighthearted and fun gaming experience. Overall, the game is described as a delightful mix of creativity and humor, making it a joy to play solo or with friends.
“Everything coheres so well that it's just a ton of fun to keep playing, trying out new builds and tactics that are by turns practical and wildly, hilariously impractical.”
“The combat itself is fun and satisfying, and the physics can lead to some really funny moments.”
“Watching the ship you just spent 30 minutes designing explode 15 seconds into combat is hilarious.”
- optimization33 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it runs smoothly on lower-end systems and offers a rewarding building and combat experience, players report significant performance issues during large battles, leading to lag and stuttering. Despite ongoing improvements and a generally well-developed gameplay system, there are still areas needing optimization, particularly in terms of AI and GUI, which could enhance overall performance and user experience. Overall, while the game is enjoyable and creative, it struggles with optimization, especially in late-game scenarios.
“Meanwhile with airships, you have to take into account the aerodynamics of your ship if you want to keep its speed up, placement of modules like water points to suppress fires or ammo storage to increase efficiency or safety of crew and ship, and keeping an eye on weight as to not adversely affect your ship's performance.”
“This game tickles the engineer part of your brain, trying to build the most optimized, most efficient ships, and the combat is rewarding and challenging at times as well.”
“The building system is good, the campaign is well-paced, and the game runs smoothly.”
“The game isn't totally optimized and will lag on huge maps.”
“Only issue I have is in terms of performance; late game battles can become a literal slideshow due to so much happening on screen as massive fleets clash and blow each other into smithereens, but to be fair, my rig is on the weak side, so it might just be a me problem.”
“However, I cannot give this a full 10/10 because this game is not optimized for all systems.”
- stability28 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- -7 % neutral mentions
- 96 % negative mentions
The game's stability is a mixed bag, with many users reporting significant bugs and glitches that affect gameplay, particularly in multiplayer modes. While some players find it mostly playable and enjoyable despite these issues, others describe it as a "barely playable mess." Overall, the game shows promise but requires further polish and optimization to enhance stability.
“It's incredibly fun, almost bug-free for being in early access, and with swift development that introduces lots of cool features.”
“The game runs smoothly with minimal glitches, making for a stable and enjoyable experience.”
“I appreciate how the developers are committed to maintaining stability, ensuring a seamless gameplay experience.”
“This game is a barely playable mess of bugs, glitches, and bad mechanics.”
“Given that it came out in 2018 and its current clunky/buggy state, I can't recommend it unfortunately.”
“Update: after the full release, this game is so buggy for me, wtf.”
- grinding25 mentions
- 8 % positive mentions
- 12 % neutral mentions
- 80 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and time-consuming, often requiring excessive repetition and management of fleets, which can detract from the enjoyment. While some appreciate the potential for modding to alleviate this grind, many express frustration with the user interface and design flaws that contribute to a cumbersome experience. Despite these issues, some players still find the core gameplay engaging, particularly in combat scenarios.
“If the game was simply a battle simulator, I'm not sure I would play it, but the conquest mode offers the most bare-bones of continuous gameplay, and it can be very challenging (if not grindy on large maps).”
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“This was once a very fun game, but now it's just tedious and there are much better versions of what this is trying to become.”
“If you are not the type to maintain several fleets or to spam defenses, this quickly becomes tedious.”
“Menus will frequently still be accessible behind other menus, several clicks on the UI just didn't register, I couldn't find any way to delete old ship designs, inconsistencies in how left/right click functions in ship design, etc. it's all a bit tedious in the campaign, for example building defenses requires: selecting the province, clicking defenses, opening the build menu, selecting a design from all designs ever created, placing it, repeating for every building, then closing the defenses to go back to the campaign map.”
- atmosphere14 mentions
- 86 % positive mentions
- -7 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its superb sound design, engaging music, and visually appealing graphics that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the strong world-building elements and the unique steampunk aesthetic, which contribute to a captivating and immersive environment. Despite some criticisms regarding gameplay mechanics, the atmospheric elements consistently receive high marks, making it a standout feature of the game.
“It's really a great game, surprisingly well balanced and with a lot of cool world building and atmosphere, can recommend.”
“The atmosphere is superb, nice sound effects and soundtrack too.”
“Fantastic atmosphere with a brutal combat system and complex ship designer.”
“The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking the depth needed to immerse players.”
“Despite the game's potential, the atmosphere is hindered by repetitive sound design and dull visuals.”
“The world feels lifeless, making it hard to connect with the environment or feel any sense of urgency.”
- monetization6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate a mixed sentiment regarding monetization, with some players frustrated by intrusive ads and perceiving certain games as cash grabs, particularly in the context of early access titles. However, others appreciate specific games for avoiding exploitative practices and providing value without excessive monetization tactics. Overall, the community seems to desire a balance between fair monetization and enjoyable gameplay experiences.
“At the time of writing, the dismal cash grab Fallout 76 has come out, and Nvidia's absurdly overpriced RTX range is out.”
“Stop spamming my library with ads, please.”
“If you're into steampunk, pixel art, an active game community, naval battles, humor, retro futurism, light strategy, designing things, an active game developer, etc., but familiar with the gamble that comes with buying an early access title, you might be surprised to learn that Airships: Conquer the Skies is a very pleasant mix of all of the above minus the part where you flush your money down the toilet on yet another lousy early access developer cash grab that festers and dies in the EA quagmire.”
- emotional5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, particularly through its conquest mode, which evokes feelings of nostalgia and enthusiasm for gaming after a period of disillusionment. The engaging mechanics and the challenge of designing airships foster a sense of investment in the fate of the characters, enhancing the overall emotional experience. Overall, the game is praised for its ability to rekindle joy and excitement in players.
“This game made me feel sincere engaging fun for the first time over a long period of general apathy towards digital entertainment.”
“Airships: Conquer the Skies is enormous, evocative fun and, having been ground down by overpriced games like Civ 5 and Total War DLC, endless Dwarf Fortress clones and rude, terrible World of Tanks teammates, this gem has made me feel really enthusiastic about gaming again.”
“The wide choice of modules makes designing an airship an interesting challenge, and mine can go through several revisions before it's time to get overly emotionally involved in the plight of your poor air sailors, who run back and forth through the ship trying to stem the damage being wreaked on them by the other side's grenadiers, rockets, cannons, and marines, until eventually one ship or another explodes and carves a chunk out of the landscape.”
