Ancient Frontier: Steel Shadows

About

"Ancient Frontier: Steel Shadows" is a single-player turn-based strategy game set in space. Assemble and command a fleet of ships, utilizing different skills and strengths to overcome enemies. Engage in intense space combat, managing resources and making strategic decisions to emerge victorious in the ancient frontier.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

Ancient Frontier: Steel Shadows screenshot

67%

Audience ScoreBased on 49 reviews

story10 positive mentions

grinding6 negative mentions

The game offers a nice variety of ships across three classes, allowing for strategic customization and deployment.
The turn-based combat is engaging, with a solid blend of RPG elements and tactical decision-making.
The game has a moody atmosphere and a well-written story that keeps players interested throughout the campaign.

Later battles can become tedious due to the high number of enemy ships and slow AI movement, leading to long wait times.
The game suffers from bugs and balance issues, making some missions feel unreasonably difficult and frustrating.
Character development and crew interactions are minimal, lacking depth and immersion that could enhance the gameplay experience.

story
78 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
83%
4%
The story is described as a cheesy pirate narrative that, while not groundbreaking, effectively maintains engagement between battles. Players appreciate the well-written plot and character development, though some find the linear progression and repetitive missions tedious as the game progresses. Overall, the story serves as a decent backdrop for the gameplay, with moments of intrigue that keep players invested.
- “The story is surprisingly well written, and you find yourself wondering what will come next as the plot intensifies through the game.”
- “Steel Shadows is a fun game with a nice pace and a decent story.”
- “The story lines are interesting, the graphics are detailed, and the gameplay is enhanced by the music and sound effects.”
- “The story is 100% linear so far with mostly battles and once in a while a multiple choice random event where you have to guess the right answer.”
- “The missions have become an absolute drag; 7 of my ships vs 30+ enemy ships has become the standard. It's not actually difficult, just takes forever for the AI to move and for you to clean up that many ships.”
- “However, at the core, the game is defined by boring and brainless cookie-cutter missions that are best dealt with in small increments of playing.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The music in the game is highly praised, featuring an enjoyable rock soundtrack that enhances the overall gameplay experience. While the voice acting is a mixed bag, with some standout performances and others that feel less polished, it contributes to the game's immersive atmosphere. Overall, the combination of great music and sound effects adds to the polished feel and engaging storylines.
- “The game has a nice polished feel to it with smooth animations, a rotatable playing map, options for varying difficulties, and an enjoyable rock soundtrack.”
- “The storylines are interesting, the graphics are detailed, and the gameplay is enhanced by the music and sound effects.”
- “Good soundtrack.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The graphics are consistently praised for their high quality and detailed 3D modeling, with users particularly enjoying the random zoom feature that highlights intricate details. Overall, the visuals significantly enhance the gameplay experience, complemented by strong voice acting and engaging sound effects.
- “The graphics and 3D modeling are top notch, and I really enjoy the random zoom-ins that allow you to see the detail in action!”
- “The graphics are very nice, and the voice acting is great.”
- “The storylines are interesting, the graphics are detailed, and the gameplay is enhanced by the music and sound effects.”
grinding
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and lacking in a sense of progression, leading to a disengaging experience where they often multitask with other activities. While the early-game combat is enjoyable, it quickly becomes repetitive and detracts from the overall immersion.
- “It was too tedious, lacks a feeling of advancement, and I got into the habit of watching TV while waiting for the enemy ships to move.”
- “Too grindy and not immersive enough.”
- “The story is reasonably interesting and the early-game combat is fun, but it quickly becomes tedious.”
gameplay
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
17%
50%
The gameplay is a turn-based strategy experience reminiscent of titles like XCOM and Fire Emblem, where players command a variety of ships, from nimble fighters to massive battle cruisers with unique features. The game is praised for its engaging storylines, detailed graphics, and immersive audio, which collectively enhance the strategic gameplay.
- “It's a turn-based strategy game very similar in gameplay mechanics to games like XCOM, Fire Emblem, and other turn-based fare. Instead of commanding characters, you command ships, ranging from quick but deadly little fighters to huge battle cruisers/carriers that come with disposable 'bodyguard ships' as well as a few other surprises that were quite pleasing.”
- “The storylines are interesting, the graphics are detailed, and the gameplay is enhanced by the music and sound effects.”
- “The gameplay is repetitive and lacks depth, making it feel more like a chore than an engaging experience.”
- “While the graphics are impressive, the gameplay mechanics feel clunky and unrefined, detracting from the overall enjoyment.”
- “The turn-based strategy elements are poorly executed, leading to frustrating encounters that don't feel rewarding.”
character development
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Character development in the game is generally well-executed, with thoughtful design in both personality and leveling aspects. However, some players feel that additional writing could have elevated the experience to a more epic level, as the story occasionally leans towards cheesiness. Overall, while the character development is solid, there is a sense that it could have been even more impactful with further refinement.
- “The RPG is well done, though the story itself is pretty cheesy sometimes; character development is well thought out.”
- “It's a good game and definitely worth the money they ask, but it could have been incredible and a grand epic with just a bit more writing and character development, both in terms of personality and level-up.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game effectively captures a "dirty space" atmosphere reminiscent of classic sci-fi films like Alien and the original Star Wars trilogy, which enhances the overall experience for players.
- “The game has a 'dirty space' atmosphere that reminds me of Alien and the Millennium Falcon from the old movies, which is definitely a plus.”
- “The game has a 'dirty space' atmosphere that reminds me of Alien or the Millennium Falcon (the old movies, not those Ryan Johnson atrocities), and that's a plus.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game often stems from the character's over-the-top religious devotion to a machine god, which is described as amusing and entertaining at times.
- “His religious devotion to a machine god can be kind of funny at times.”