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Ancestory

Ancestory has an interesting core idea, but the game in its current state fails to deliver enough variety or keep gamers interested in the long-run. The development team has been talking about new free content and needs to deliver more cards that have different abilities and skills, enough to change up how a match flows when they are deployed. The offered maps are solid variations on the same concept and can support a surprising amount of strategies, but it's relatively easy to learn them by heart, which takes some of the fun out of battles. I liked the time I spent with Ancestory, mainly because it is simple to pick up and play and offers plenty of surprising moments, but the development team should try to deliver more content and make the multiplayer more engaging in order to turn the title into a long-term attraction. Kajak Games is a small developer and has some cool ideas that can shake up some established genres but they need to focus more on pushing innovation and variety in their coming titles.
Ancestory Game Cover
57%Game Brain Score
story, graphics
gameplay, optimization
57% User Score Based on 42 reviews
Critic Score 73%Based on 2 reviews

Platforms

PCWindows
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Ancestory Game Cover

About

Ancestory is a single player and multiplayer turn-based strategy game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Kajak Games and was released on October 12, 2015. It received mostly positive reviews from critics and neutral reviews from players.

Summon souls of tribesmen and cast devastating spells to vanquish your foes in a mix of turn-based strategy and card game. Featuring turn-based gameplay, multiple maps, underworldly minions and mighty spells, Ancestory gives the players an opportunity to lead their tribe into 1-on-1 battle on multiple different battlefields...all set on top of a massive golem! Players get to build their own decks …

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Ancestory screenshot
Ancestory screenshot
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Ancestory screenshot
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57%
Audience ScoreBased on 42 reviews
story9 positive mentions
optimization3 negative mentions
  • The game offers a unique and ambitious experience of evolutionary survival, encouraging players to learn and adapt in a challenging environment.
  • Visually appealing with good graphics and atmospheric sound design that enhances the immersive experience.
  • Gameplay mechanics allow for deep experimentation and skill development, providing a sense of satisfaction as players progress through generations.
  • The game can be extremely challenging and initially feels unfriendly, with a steep learning curve that may deter some players.
  • Lacks clear guidance and can feel overwhelming due to its complexity and the dangers present in the environment.
  • Technical issues, such as crashes and performance problems, detract from the overall experience and can hinder enjoyment.
  • story
    36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story in "Ancestory" is widely criticized for being forgettable and lacking depth, with one-dimensional characters and a reliance on clichés that fail to engage players. Many reviewers note the absence of a single-player campaign or meaningful narrative content, which detracts from the overall experience and leaves the game feeling uninspired and shallow. Overall, the storytelling aspect is seen as a significant weakness, contributing to the game's lack of lasting appeal.

    • “In terms of storytelling, 'ancestory' also falls flat, with a forgettable plot and one-dimensional characters failing to resonate with players.”
    • “Ancestory has an interesting core idea, but the game in its current state fails to deliver enough variety or keep gamers interested in the long run.”
    • “In terms of storytelling, 'Ancestory' falls flat, with a forgettable plot and one-dimensional characters failing to resonate with players.”
    • “The game's narrative lacks depth and nuance, relying on tired tropes and clichés to drive the story forward.”
    • “From its shallow gameplay mechanics to its bland presentation and forgettable storytelling, the game ultimately feels like a forgettable entry in the genre.”
  • gameplay
    28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "ancestory" has been criticized for its shallow mechanics and lack of depth, leading to a repetitive and uninspired experience that fails to engage players over time. While some elements, like the shaman mechanic, offer slight innovation, the overall execution is marred by technical issues and a lack of content, making it feel like a missed opportunity in the genre. Despite a solid card battle foundation, the game struggles to maintain player interest due to its limited variety and absence of compelling single-player content.

    • “The full 3D isometric view and animated units are neat looking, but I don't feel like the 3D adds to the gameplay more than it gets in the way of seeing everything you might want to sometimes.”
    • “While there are more complicated card games on Steam, I liked that Ancestory decided to streamline the gameplay.”
    • “There is also absolutely no microtransactions or any free-to-play mechanics; all of the cards are available to everyone through gameplay!”
    • “From its uninspired gameplay mechanics to its bland presentation, the game struggles to leave a lasting impression and ultimately feels like a missed opportunity.”
    • “One of the major shortcomings of 'ancestory' is its shallow gameplay, which relies heavily on repetitive mechanics that quickly grow tiresome.”
    • “Whether you're engaging in turn-based battles or exploring procedurally generated maps, the gameplay lacks depth and variety, leaving players feeling bored and disinterested after just a few hours of play.”
  • graphics
    18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's graphics are characterized by a low-quality, stylized, and cartoony low poly aesthetic, which some players find entertaining but lacking in personality and charm. While the visuals include a cool neon aesthetic and decent artwork that some appreciate, others criticize them for being derivative and unoptimized. Overall, opinions are mixed, with some players enjoying the graphics while others feel they fall short of expectations for a top-tier title.

    • “Gaming is a visual medium, and to be considered one of the best games on Steam, the graphics have to be some of the best on Steam.”
    • “The game has a cool neon aesthetic that helps to differentiate teams, and the color-coded minions have their own unique flavor because of it.”
    • “The graphics are well made and pleasing to look at.”
    • “On the important subject of visuals, this features fairly low quality stylized/cartoony low poly 3D graphics.”
    • “The game's art style lacks personality and charm, feeling derivative and forgettable compared to other titles in the genre.”
    • “Unoptimized (from graphic settings to RAM consumption).”
  • optimization
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    "Ancestory" is plagued by significant optimization issues, including frequent crashes, game-breaking bugs, and sluggish performance, which severely hinder the overall experience. Even high-end hardware struggles to maintain acceptable frame rates, raising concerns about performance on lower-spec systems. Overall, the game's technical shortcomings overshadow its other aspects.

    • “It isn't well optimized, which may become a huge problem (it was running with okay FPS with a 3080 Ti, so I really don't know what would happen with lower specs).”
    • “Unoptimized (from graphic settings to RAM consumption).”
    • “Beyond its lackluster gameplay and presentation, 'Ancestory' also suffers from technical issues and performance problems that further detract from the overall experience.”
    • “From frequent crashes and game-breaking bugs to poor optimization and sluggish performance, the game's technical shortcomings make it difficult to enjoy even when its other flaws are overlooked.”
    • “It isn't well optimized, which may become a huge problem (it was running with okay FPS on a 3080 Ti, so I really don't know what would happen with lower specs).”
  • character development
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in "ancestory" is criticized for its generic character designs and uninspired environments, which detract from the overall impact and engagement with the characters.

    • “Visually, 'Ancestory' fails to impress, with its generic character designs, uninspired environments, and lackluster animations failing to make an impact.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and predictable, leaving little room for meaningful growth or transformation throughout the game.”
    • “I found the characters to be one-dimensional, lacking depth and complexity, which made it hard to connect with their journeys.”
  • atmosphere
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised by users, with many expressing a strong affection for its immersive and engaging environment.

    • “I love the atmosphere of this game!”
    • “The game's atmosphere is incredibly immersive, drawing you into its world.”
    • “Every detail contributes to a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that keeps you engaged.”
  • music
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music and sound effects are functional and serve their purpose, but they lack innovation and do not stand out as exceptional.

    • “The music and sound effects get the job done, though they aren't anything groundbreaking.”
  • replayability
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players generally find the game's replayability to be high, thanks to its diverse character options, multiple endings, and varying difficulty levels that encourage multiple playthroughs. Additionally, the inclusion of random events and unlockable content keeps the experience fresh and engaging. Overall, many users appreciate the incentives to revisit the game after completing it.

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73%Critics’ scoreBased on 2 critic reviews
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Frequently Asked Questions

Ancestory is a turn-based strategy game with fantasy theme.

Ancestory is available on PC and Windows.

Ancestory was released on October 12, 2015.

Ancestory was developed by Kajak Games.

Ancestory has received mostly positive reviews from players and mostly positive reviews from critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its gameplay.

Ancestory is a single player game with multiplayer support.

Similar games include Shardbound: Forge Your Path, Master Your Strategy, Spellweaver, Labyrinth, Mythgard, Dropzone and others.