BC Kings
- June 16, 2009
- Mascot Entertainment
"BC Kings" is a strategy game with story-driven campaign, featuring adventure elements and a brave hero named Mradin. The game offers 63 unique units, 32 buildings, 84 technologies to research, and 8 devastating magic spells. Completing main objectives and side quests earns Shell-coins for character upgrades, exploring mysteries like Stonehenge and the Yeti.
Reviews
- BC Kings offers a nostalgic experience for players who enjoyed RTS games in the late 90s and early 2000s, with charming art direction and atmosphere.
- The game features unique mechanics, such as side quests and the ability to unlock new weapons and abilities, which add depth to the gameplay.
- Despite its flaws, many players find the game enjoyable and worth the low price, especially for fans of classic RTS titles.
- The game suffers from numerous technical issues, including crashes, bugs, and a lack of modern display support, making it unplayable for many users.
- Graphics and sound design are outdated and poorly executed, leading to a lack of immersion and enjoyment compared to contemporary games.
- BC Kings is often criticized for being a derivative and unoriginal title, heavily borrowing from better-known games like Warcraft III and Age of Empires without offering anything new.
- story28 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The game's story is described as engaging and entertaining, with a mix of serious and comedic elements that appeal to fans of RTS games. However, it suffers from dated graphics and mechanics, with some players finding the narrative convoluted and requiring extensive reading to understand. While the campaign features interesting side quests and exploration, the overall execution can feel repetitive and frustrating due to technical issues and mission design.
“For what it is, it's a pretty good game, an interesting story and I would definitely recommend it to people who enjoy RTS games.”
“If you like basic RTS gameplay and some serious/comedic campaign story-line, I guarantee you will have a good time with BC Kings!”
“These points aside, it's a pretty interesting theme for an RTS, with a fairly entertaining story; it was engaging enough that I stuck through the campaign to the end.”
“The whole story of this game is that one guy really wanted to make his own Warcraft.”
“It looks dated, it feels dated, it has literally nothing new in it, it comes with a lot of copy/pasted concepts from popular RTS titles (at some points it feels exactly like a poor man's Warcraft III), while the story is just stupid and not really fun.”
“To understand the story, all you have to do is just read, read, and read.”
- graphics22 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 23 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely regarded as dated and technically subpar, often compared to older titles like Warcraft 3. While some players find them serviceable and readable, many express disappointment with their overall quality, suggesting that a graphical revamp could enhance the game's appeal. Despite these criticisms, some players still enjoy the gameplay experience, indicating that the graphics do not significantly detract from their enjoyment.
“Awesome game, fun graphics, great controls.”
“Graphically, the game feels dated but it's okay as long as it is able to entertain you.”
“I'd whine about the dated graphics, but hell, I still love to load up Age of Empires and have a damn good time, so it doesn't bother me at all!”
“The graphics are definitely Warcraft 3 inspired and not really the best on a technical level, but they're serviceable and easily readable.”
“I really wish this game had better graphics.”
“The biggest drawback is the graphics.”
- gameplay16 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by standard RTS mechanics reminiscent of classic titles like Warcraft and Command & Conquer, featuring unlockable weapons and abilities through optional side quests rather than traditional leveling. While the graphics are dated and the multiplayer experience is limited, the game offers a fun experience for fans of the genre, especially those who appreciate its comedic campaign storyline and old-school feel. Overall, it provides a solid, if not groundbreaking, gameplay experience that may appeal to strategy enthusiasts looking for nostalgia.
“There are some additional mechanics, such as being able to unlock new weapons and abilities for your heroes, not by an experience-based leveling system, but rather by getting points from finishing optional side quests in the game, which usually aren't a hassle and revolve mostly around exploration.”
“If you like basic RTS gameplay and a serious/comedic campaign storyline, I guarantee you will have a good time with BC Kings!”
“Despite looking like cheesy CGI from way back when, this game has simple mechanics that also take some thinking to work with.”
“The game mechanics are nothing special, just the standard RTS formula.”
“If you don't mind dated graphics, generic gameplay, and poor humor, you can enjoy it for what it is.”
“Adding to the patience requirement is the speed of your units vs the size of the map vs the amount of back-and-forth required for some missions; basically, some of the game's mechanics result in artificially inflated playtime.”
- stability7 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from significant stability issues, with numerous bugs causing frequent freezes and unresponsive controls, leading many users to deem it unplayable and frustrating. Overall, the consensus is that the game's technical problems overshadow its potential, making it a poor investment.
“And yet, it is unplayable, ugly beyond your imagination, and intolerably buggy.”
“As for the game per se, the mouse doesn't always respond and everything freezes every ten seconds.”
“Looks like a decent game but it's just buggy as hell!”
- music3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its fitting and engaging quality, enhancing the gameplay experience, particularly in relation to the game's historical setting. However, some players find the music tracks less appealing, indicating a mixed reception among users.
“The music is spot on; it fits the whole BC times era gameplay!”
“Also, the music slaps.”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is praised for its nostalgic art direction, evoking the feel of late 90s and early 2000s RTS games, despite the graphics being considered subpar. Overall, the ambiance contributes positively to the gaming experience.
“I love the art direction and atmosphere; it took me back to the late 90s and early 2000s RTS times.”
“Graphics are not good, but the atmosphere is nice here.”
“Love the art direction and atmosphere; it took me back to the late 90's/early 2000's RTS times.”
- humor2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is often criticized as being outdated and lacking in quality, with references to clichéd jokes and a reliance on silly gags that may not resonate with all players. While some may overlook these shortcomings, many find the humor to detract from the overall experience.
“The humor is a delightful mix of clever puns and absurd situations that kept me laughing throughout the game.”
“I loved the quirky characters and their hilarious dialogue; it added so much charm to the overall experience.”
“The game’s humor is spot-on, with witty references and laugh-out-loud moments that make it truly enjoyable.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game suffers from poor optimization, lacking support for modern display resolutions and widescreen monitors, which results in subpar performance on contemporary gaming PCs.
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a cash grab, with users feeling it exploits nostalgia rather than offering genuine value, suggesting it capitalizes on abandoned titles for profit.
“This seems to have been put on Steam as a nostalgia gouge, or just a cash grab to try to profit from abandonware.”
“The monetization strategy feels exploitative, as it prioritizes profit over player experience.”
“It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, making it hard to enjoy the game fully without spending extra money.”
- replayability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players highlight the game's strong replayability, noting that it remains enjoyable even after multiple playthroughs.
“Still a great game overall, with a lot of replayability!”
“The variety of choices and outcomes keeps me coming back for more.”
“Each playthrough feels fresh and exciting, making it hard to put down.”