Circle Empires
- August 8, 2018
- Luminous
- 18h median play time
Get on Steam"Circle Empires is a fast-paced RTS where you expand your empire across interconnected circles, each with distinct enemies and resources. With each playthrough offering a unique world, test your skills in large-scale battles and grow various crops, including pumpkins. Originally a beloved demo, this full game now offers even more strategic depth."
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Gog Com
Linux
Reviews
- gameplay215 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is characterized by its simplicity and straightforward mechanics, making it accessible for casual players. However, many reviewers find it lacking in depth and variety, leading to a repetitive experience after a few hours. While some enjoy the fun and addictive nature of the gameplay, others criticize it for being too shallow and not offering enough strategic complexity or content to keep players engaged long-term.
“The gameplay is fun and addicting.”
“The core gameplay is very fun and addictive, and if a major content update adding new units were to be added to the game I would recommend it in a heartbeat.”
“With simple mechanics and shorter matches than bigger RTS games, Circle Empires is a fun way to scratch the RTS itch without having to commit much time to it.”
“Gameplay-wise, I feel like the game took the completely wrong direction.”
“The main problem is there isn't much to explore in the game - the gameplay got old very quickly and was generally underwhelming.”
“But there just isn't much there - I played this with DLC apex monsters, but even then the gameplay itself is uber shallow, not enough depth by far.”
- graphics111 mentions
- 35 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are characterized by a cute and colorful art style that aligns well with the browser game aesthetic, making it visually appealing despite its simplicity. While some players appreciate the charming and clear visuals, others note that the graphics resemble those of flash games, which may not impress everyone. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the gameplay experience, enhancing its fun and engaging nature.
“The graphics are cute and very in keeping with the browser game aesthetic.”
“The graphics are cool and the overall gameplay is super fun.”
“When it comes to graphics, it is colorful, bright, and quite appealing.”
“Circle Empires is a real-time strategy game with simple 2D flash graphics.”
“The graphics are similar to those in flash games.”
“I would have been fine with new graphics on the old game, but this one changes around too many things and it feels like a poorer quality sequel.”
- story56 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its lack of depth and immersion, with many reviewers noting that there is no substantial narrative or lore to engage with. While there are various game modes and missions available, including a basic story mode, players seeking a rich storyline or character development will be disappointed, as the focus is primarily on gameplay mechanics rather than storytelling. Overall, the game is described as more of a sandbox or skirmish experience, lacking a compelling narrative.
“This isn't a game where after you win, you sit there and watch the credits and feel overwhelmed at how deep the story was and how relatable the characters were.”
“Story mode was nice even though I have not finished it.”
“You can scavenge for resources, recruit dragons and goblins, go on monster hunting missions, and save the world.”
“No matter your skill level, either beginner or expert, there is something for everyone here, but if you are looking for an in-depth story or lore, there is nothing here for that.”
“It's like they put all the work into making a charming, feature-complete strategy game, and then when all they had left to do was to put in some kind of token campaign or story mode, they just decided to quit instead.”
“However, this is more of a skirmish or sandbox style of RTS - there's no story here.”
- replayability42 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 38 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is praised for its high replayability, attributed to variable map sizes, factions, win conditions, and difficulty levels, which keep gameplay fresh and engaging. Many players appreciate the depth and variety, noting that metagame unlocks and achievements further enhance replay value. However, some reviewers mention that after several hours, the gameplay can start to feel repetitive, and higher difficulty modes may not offer significant replay incentives once completed.
“This game has a lot of replayability, since the size of the map, the number of factions, the win conditions, and the difficulty are all variable.”
“It has endless replayability in my opinion and it is at the perfect price point for the amount of content and fun you get out of it.”
“Currently there is no multiplayer, but the replayability of this game is insane so every game is different.”
“The higher difficulties offer a challenge but once you beat it on nightmare mode there is not much replay value.”
“It's fun for one or two runs, but there is virtually no complexity and no replayability.”
“Not much replayability.”
- grinding26 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 15 % neutral mentions
- 85 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be quite extensive, often requiring significant time investment akin to that of a farming simulator. While some appreciate the depth and unlockable content, others criticize the tediousness of leveling units and the lack of efficient gameplay mechanics, leading to a mixed experience that can feel overly grindy at times. Overall, the grind is seen as a defining feature, with some wishing for a more balanced approach.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Eventually you learn it's really a farming sim with expansion wars.”
“You have to tediously wait for them to attack you/antagonize them but leave the circle controlled by the enemy, so that you have a constant weak army attacking you to level units off of.”
- music26 mentions
- 65 % positive mentions
- 23 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the beautiful background tracks and solid sound effects, enhancing the overall experience. However, some users note a lack of variety in the soundtrack, suggesting that it could be improved. Overall, the music complements the game's colorful graphics and engaging gameplay, making it enjoyable for casual play.
“Great artwork and music.”
“Beautiful background music.”
“I like the gameplay and the soundtrack is bloody amazing!!!!!!!!!!”
“I do not like the music.”
“Not much variety in the soundtrack.”
“Great game to brainlessly play while listening to the music/podcast and relax.”
- humor18 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely appreciated, with many users finding it entertaining and a good way to pass the time. Players enjoy the comedic elements, such as acquiring dragons and engaging in chaotic gameplay, though some note that the humor can feel shallow due to the game's overall simplicity. Overall, the game is described as funny, with requests for more humorous content in future updates.
“Such a funny game if you want to kill your time.”
“Funny short game that has plenty of unexpected features.”
“Funny, simple, challenging.”
- optimization14 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing significant performance issues, particularly on older Mac models, while others report solid performance and a bug-free experience. The handling of numerous in-game items during matches appears to strain the system, suggesting that further optimization is needed, especially for end-game scenarios and multiplayer modes. Despite these concerns, the game's graphics and audio have been positively noted.
“Just some optimization for Mac is needed, at least MacBook Pro 2015.”
“When the game came out, I played it and had no problems with performance.”
“I hope the end-game performance is getting better and I would love to play this in cooperative multiplayer.”
“Performance is really horrible, even without spawning lots of units.”
“Just some optimization for Mac is needed, at least for MacBook Pro 2015.”
“I hope the end-game performance is getting better, and I would love to play this in cooperative multiplayer.”
- stability8 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game experiences significant stability issues, particularly when managing multiple units on the map, leading to near-freezes and occasional crashes upon exiting. Additionally, users report bugs related to the treasury and clunky unit selection and movement, although these do not severely affect overall gameplay.
“If you have a few more units on the map, the game almost freezes.”
“Lastly, I don't know if it's just me, but sometimes it freezes and crashes when I try to exit the game.”
“Choosing and moving units is clunky and buggy.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy has been criticized as a potential 'cash grab,' although it notably lacks microtransactions.
“No microtransactions.”
“No microtransactions.”
“No microtransactions.”
“The situation definitely reeks of 'cash grab' to me...”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is characterized as relaxing and chill, making it a suitable choice for players who enjoy real-time strategy titles without the intense pressure often associated with the genre.
“The game is enjoyable and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys RTS titles but with a more relaxed and chill atmosphere.”
