Children of a Dead Earth

About

"Children of a Dead Earth" is a challenging and realistic space-based simulation game. Players must manage resources, build and maintain spaceships, and navigate through the solar system while dealing with realistic physics and orbital mechanics. It features detailed spaceship design and combat systems, with a strong emphasis on strategy and tactics. The game allows players to engage in scientifically accurate space travel and colonization, providing a unique and immersive experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 607 reviews

story27 positive mentions

optimization9 negative mentions

Incredibly detailed simulation of realistic space combat, incorporating real physics and engineering principles.
Extensive customization options for ships and modules, allowing players to design their own weapons, reactors, and spacecraft.
Engaging campaign that gradually introduces players to complex orbital mechanics and combat strategies.

Steep learning curve that may frustrate players unfamiliar with orbital mechanics or engineering concepts.
Frequent performance issues and crashes during large battles, especially when many projectiles are involved.
Clunky user interface and controls that can make maneuver planning and combat management tedious.

story
223 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
83%
5%
The story in the game is often described as lacking depth, primarily serving as a backdrop for the gameplay rather than a compelling narrative. While some players appreciate the political intrigue and world-building, noting that it adds immersion, others criticize it for being disjointed and more akin to a series of mission briefings than a cohesive plot. Overall, the campaign is seen as a mix of engaging mechanics and frustrating mission design, with many players feeling that the story could benefit from more refinement and integration into the gameplay experience.
- “The setting is great if a bit stereotypical at times, but the author has a clear understanding of how armed conflict actually works and why it is fought, which makes the campaign story quite enjoyable.”
- “Story is in quotes because it's really more of a series of briefings and after-action reports than a story, but thanks to copious amounts of flavor text for factions, their motivation, and all the politics going on while you're doing the fighting, I found it quite immersive.”
- “The campaign has a fun backstory and helps you learn the game.”
- “The story is in quotes because it's really more of a series of briefings and after-action reports than a story, but thanks to copious amounts of flavor text for factions, their motivation, and all the politics going on while you're doing the fighting, I found it quite immersive.”
- “The big problem with this game is that it has so much unlimited potential, but instead you get a list of what are basically limited puzzle missions where you need to figure out the optimal sequence of actions, be it using specific weapons or launching things in a particular trajectory and time.”
- “That's not a campaign; rather, it's a bunch of single missions loosely tied together with a bit of flavor text.”
gameplay
197 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
79%
3%
The gameplay of "Children of a Dead Earth" is characterized by its deep and realistic simulation of orbital mechanics, offering a challenging experience that combines tactical puzzles with space combat. While the game excels in teaching players about complex physics and engineering concepts, it features a steep learning curve that may frustrate those unfamiliar with orbital mechanics. Despite some clunky controls and a need for better UI, the unique mechanics and detailed ship design provide a rewarding experience for players willing to invest the time to master them.
- “Children of a Dead Earth manages to be a gateway into a non-dumbed-down enjoyment of orbital mechanics, and also be a kind of space-combat sim that can claim some plausibility or realism, and thus be immersive and engaging.”
- “The physics simulation here puts Kerbal Space Program to shame, with n-body orbital mechanics and meticulous attention to detail in collision mechanics.”
- “The gameplay is an emergent experience, combining realistic physics with engaging mechanics that make it a fantastic simulator of near-future space combat.”
- “The gameplay is very difficult and sometimes unintuitive, and it's very easy to screw yourself with slight mistakes, but overall enjoyable.”
- “The game can be somewhat hard to learn for people unfamiliar with orbital mechanics, despite having the tutorial.”
- “The physics and gameplay are discussed in the blogs and trailers, but the actual reality of the game—an ugly UI and tedious mechanics—is left for the player to discover.”
graphics
74 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
15%
72%
14%
The graphics of the game are generally described as basic, functional, and often lacking in polish, with many reviewers noting that they resemble late 90s standards. While some appreciate the simplicity as a reflection of realism in space combat, others criticize the visuals for being underwhelming and poorly optimized, leading to performance issues. Overall, the consensus is that the graphics are not a strong selling point, and players who prioritize visual appeal may want to look elsewhere.
- “Children of a Dead Earth ditches drama and aesthetic appeal to go for realism, helping us to imagine what space combat would actually be like.”
- “Excellent simulation of what realistic near-future space combat might be like with simple yet functional graphics.”
- “The graphics very accurately depict the simplicity and form of a vehicle designed for space combat.”
- “The graphics are bad or middling at best for its time, especially compared to other indie games of its time.”
- “It's glitchy, has a poor user interface, no help for noobs, and graphics that would be low quality for an Android game.”
- “The graphics are very simple and rather bland.”
optimization
31 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
61%
29%
The game's optimization is widely criticized, with players reporting frequent bugs, poor performance, and a lack of stability even on high-end systems. While the gameplay offers deep customization and engaging mechanics, the technical issues significantly detract from the overall experience, making it frustrating for many users. Despite ongoing updates aimed at improving these aspects, the optimization remains a major concern for players.
- “Even with combat, significant emphasis is placed on whether your ships have sufficient delta-v to pursue or avoid your opponent, and whether they are optimized (in terms of armament types, fuel reserve/tankers, etc.) for that particular mission.”
- “The campaign is pretty nice, and does teach you a lot of orbital mechanics/game skills, but the real fun part is unlocking module design and having access to endless customization and optimization of everything from your railguns/coilguns, power plants, engines, missiles, and everything else!”
- “And the level of customization available is incredible, with the performance of the custom weapon, reactor, missile, thrusters, etc. determined by equations based on real-world performance of the components and materials.”
- “The optimization is quite rough; if you click on a missile and watch it explode, the game will crash once all of the other missiles are disabled/destroyed too.”
- “The game is not optimized much and you will be having problems - the n-body simulator is CPU bound - even with a good computer.”
- “Despite the low-poly graphics and effectively sprite-based map UI, I frequently encounter performance problems while trying to get from A to B.”
music
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
30%
13%
The music in the game has received a mixed response, with many praising the soundtrack as good, atmospheric, and enhancing the overall experience. However, some users noted that it can be repetitive and occasionally headache-inducing, suggesting that it may not be on par with other notable game soundtracks. Overall, while the music is generally appreciated, its limited variety and occasional repetitiveness have drawn some criticism.
- “Killer soundtrack, it scratches that hard-sci-fi itch that I have at the moment in time.”
- “The soundtrack helps to enhance this atmosphere.”
- “The soundtrack is nice, it's relaxing enough not to distract you from the game and exciting enough not to feel boring.”
- “- music (2-3 tracks in total?) is headache-inducing at times and repetitive.”
- “Not even on par with Pokémon games from 2004; better to just mute the music altogether.”
- “- limited soundtrack.”
stability
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is a significant concern, with users reporting frequent freezes, bugs, and performance issues, despite its low system requirements. While it shows potential in the realm of realistic space warfare, many players find it unplayable due to its persistent glitches and overall lack of polish.
- “The game regularly freezes even though it could run on a Pentium II.”
- “Unfortunately it's just too buggy to play as a game, many years after release.”
- “Promising, but unplayably buggy.”
grinding
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
89%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and frustrating, often leading to breaks from gameplay. Many report that a significant portion of the content is locked behind repetitive missions and cumbersome mechanics, such as managing fleets and ship designs, which detracts from the overall experience. The repetitive nature of tasks, particularly involving missiles and drones, contributes to a sense of monotony that can diminish enjoyment.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “That became incredibly tedious and frustrating, leading me to put the game down for a week multiple times.”
- “90% of content is locked behind playing through very tedious missions.”
- “Especially tedious are missiles and drones: click the launch button, press back to return to main map, choose your fleet again, again choose appropriate ship, click the launch button, rinse and repeat several times.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
13%
38%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive qualities, enhanced by a fitting soundtrack and realistic sound design that reflects the silence of space. Players appreciate the "space commander feeling" it evokes, although some note a dry storyline that may detract from the overall experience. The unique setting, reminiscent of a more serious version of Kerbal, contributes to a compelling and engaging atmosphere.
- “The soundtrack helps to enhance this atmosphere.”
- “It creates a nice atmosphere in terms of 'space commander feeling' and its campaign does a good job of explaining the concepts and possibilities.”
- “The fact that there is no sound in space also adds to the atmosphere, with the only sounds being heard are essentially what the crew would hear, with the groans of the structure stressing from repeated impacts and decompression of the crew module by a puncture.”
- “Dry atmosphere and storyline.”
- “Imagine Kerbal but entirely outside the atmosphere, less cutesy and focused on combat, and you have a good idea of what is happening in this game.”
- “The fact that there is no sound in space also adds to the atmosphere, with the only sounds being heard essentially what the crew would hear, like the groans of the structure stressing from repeated impacts and decompression of the crew module by a puncture.”
humor
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a blend of complex mechanics and tongue-in-cheek writing, making the experience both entertaining and educational. Players find amusement in the absurdity of their creations, such as oversized cannons leading to comical failures, while the mission narratives add a layer of cynical wit. Overall, the humor enhances the gameplay, making the challenges and mishaps enjoyable rather than frustrating.
- “You'll need a PhD in aeronautics and a degree in chemical engineering (especially if you use mods), but hey, you can watch the funny ships shoot each other!”
- “Making a ship with a 20,000mm cannon and watching it get blown up by a single shot is funny.”
- “The writing for the missions is great and very tongue-in-cheek funny.”
replayability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The game boasts near-infinite replayability, particularly for players who enjoy exploring different approaches to missions and customizing their gameplay experience. As players progress, missions increase in difficulty, enhancing the challenge and encouraging repeated playthroughs. Overall, the combination of varied mission strategies and extensive customization options contributes to a highly engaging replay value.
- “The missions become more difficult the more you progress, but they also have a replay value because you can approach missions in different ways.”
- “This cycle gives the game an amazing amount of replay value.”
- “The replay value is essentially equal to the value you have in the first time playing it.”
- “The missions become more difficult the more you progress, but they also have replay value because you can approach missions in different ways.”
- “It furthermore offers customization of the modules and components themselves, allowing for an extreme amount of replayability.”