Codex of Victory

59%
Game Brain Score Based on 171 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Codex of Victory Game Cover
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In this sci-fi turn-based strategy with real-time base-building elements, you’ll be defending human territories against the transhuman Augments. Expand your HQ, and manufacture and upgrade an army of advanced drones to wage interplanetary war for Humanity!

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Linux
  • Mobile Platform
  • Tablet
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

59%
Audience ScoreBased on 171 reviews
story17 positive mentions
grinding15 negative mentions
  • Engaging turn-based strategy gameplay with a solid mix of tactical combat and base building mechanics.
  • Variety of units and customization options through upgrades and modules, allowing for strategic depth.
  • Visually appealing graphics and a well-designed interface that enhances the overall experience.
  • Repetitive missions and limited enemy variety can lead to a lack of engagement over time.
  • Difficulty spikes and unbalanced AI can create frustrating experiences, especially in later stages.
  • The story and character development are weak, making it feel more like a backdrop than a driving force.
  • story151 mentions

    The story in the game is generally considered weak and clichéd, lacking depth and immersion, with many players finding it uninspiring and poorly executed. While there are elements of conflict and survival against a technologically superior enemy, the narrative often feels like a backdrop to the gameplay rather than a driving force, leading to repetitive missions and a lack of meaningful character development. Overall, the story fails to engage players, making it a less compelling aspect of the game.

    • “The storyline in Codex of Victory involves subplots of treason, expansionism, transhumanism, and ultimately survival, since the main antagonist is represented by a technologically superior army of once human cyborgs, called the augments.”
    • “The story about how you're chasing down a rebel leader and ended up defending the system from augment invasion was not too bad.”
    • “I like that the focus is on the gameplay, and the story supports it by giving a reason for the conflict.”
    • “The story is very weak and terrible, that you really don’t care, and that is its fatal flaw.”
    • “The opening cutscene that drops the entire backstory to the war this game is based around is literally a single still image and three lines of non-spoken text.”
    • “The story feels more like a generic backdrop to the rest of the game.”
  • gameplay65 mentions

    The gameplay of this title is a turn-based strategy experience that incorporates elements of resource management and base building, reminiscent of XCOM, but often criticized for its execution and simplicity. While some players appreciate the strategic depth and unit customization options, many find the mechanics repetitive, clumsy, and lacking in complexity, leading to a less engaging experience overall. Despite its solid core, the game struggles with balance and innovation, leaving players wanting more from both the tactical and narrative aspects.

    • “An overall very solid yet quite simple strategy game that boasts a challenging difficulty and fast-paced, addicting gameplay.”
    • “The mechanics are not overly complicated so battles are really shaped by the player's decisions, and this makes the gameplay dynamics really interesting.”
    • “I like that the turn-based gameplay affords enough time to think about what to do next even in tricky situations, not just relying on reaction time.”
    • “This iPhone screen tapper has you tapping away at a shallow, dumbed down resource manager with a bit of ultra-lite XCOM style gameplay on a hex grid.”
    • “The graphics are nice, the sound and music are good, but the game mechanics are really, really bad.”
    • “The gameplay here is boring and clumsy.”
  • graphics45 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the cel-shaded art style and vibrant visuals, while others criticize them as simplistic and reminiscent of mobile games. Although many find the graphics satisfactory and engaging, especially in terms of unit design, there are complaints about the lack of resolution options and overall depth compared to more established titles. Overall, the visuals are described as decent but not groundbreaking, with a distinct comic-like aesthetic that may appeal to some players.

    • “The graphics are really well done and engaging - I love the tank and mech designs.”
    • “Codex of Victory has a great sci-fi/mechs/gear head kind of aesthetic, and renders it in a way that makes you want to command the units available just from looking at them.”
    • “The graphical engine is rendered in full 3D and with an aesthetically pleasing dash of cel shading, thrown in for good measure.”
    • “There's no option to change the resolution and no useful graphics tweaks.”
    • “It's far below the state of the art visuals gamers expect as a result of their decisions.”
    • “This reminds me of mobile games also just because of how mindlessly simple it is from gameplay to graphics.”
  • grinding15 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is frequently criticized, particularly in the mid-game, where players struggle to gather enough resources for upgrades, leading to a tedious experience. While some find the battles varied and engaging, the repetitive nature of the maps and the necessity to grind for resources can make gameplay feel monotonous. Overall, players suggest that those who enjoy turn-based strategies may still find value, but should be prepared for a grind-heavy experience.

    • “It's only let down by the grinding at about mid-game onwards where you just don't get enough resources to upgrade your base/units.”
    • “This game is about grinding unit builds until you have a massive army, then you deploy said army in the field and they are slaughtered by your opponent until you wear them down, or run out of deployable units.”
    • “Rebuilding units in between battles each time gets tedious fast.”
  • replayability12 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it infinitely replayable due to features like achievements and online multiplayer, others note limitations, particularly in mobile versions. Randomly generated missions contribute to high replay value for some, but concerns about the game's completeness and overall engagement suggest that replayability may vary significantly among players.

    • “Infinitely replayable.”
    • “Add in the online multiplayer battles with detailed army customization options, and you've got lots of replay value to enjoy.”
    • “High replay value ensured by randomly generated missions.”
    • “Mobile game, limited replayability.”
    • “Overall, I was engaged playing, but not sure about the replayability.”
    • “Due to this, the replayability of the game also suffers quite badly.”
  • music8 mentions

    The music in the game is generally well-crafted and complements the theme, though it can become repetitive and lacks standout qualities. While the sound effects are decent, they do not elevate the experience significantly, and the absence of voice acting is noted as a drawback. Overall, the audio elements are functional but average, with some users finding the ambient music overly complex and certain sound effects too loud.

    • “The music and the atmosphere are not things that stand out, but they are very well made and have merit.”
    • “There is more here to discuss such as music, amount of content/innovation, and replay value, but as the game still isn't quite finished yet, time will tell on some of those.”
    • “The soundtrack matches the theme of the game, but it can be repetitive.”
    • “Average soundtrack and standard sound effects really make you feel the lack of proper voice acting in the game.”
    • “Sound effects are decent, but they are still nothing out of the ordinary, much like the soundtrack itself.”
  • stability5 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is commendable, with users reporting smooth performance and no significant bugs or crashes, particularly on newer systems. While the multiplayer mode functions well, it appears to be less polished compared to the main campaign.

    • “The game is 2 or 3 years old, but still runs great on my new Windows 10 computer; no glitches, crashes, or any problems at all.”
    • “The game is buggy and often crashes unexpectedly.”
    • “Multiplayer mode seemed to work without glitches, but it feels like an afterthought compared to the main campaign.”
    • “I won several times at the first turn with a light buggy, which indicates a lack of balance.”
  • optimization4 mentions

    The game is praised for its smooth technical performance, running flawlessly despite its unique visuals. However, some players feel that the lack of voice acting detracts from the overall experience, particularly in the story-driven campaign.

    • “The game runs smoothly without hiccups.”
    • “Other than its peculiar visuals, the game ran flawlessly, performance-wise.”
    • “The game's technical performance is severely lacking, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.”
    • “A story-driven experience, such as the title’s campaign, could have surely benefited from the presence of even a meager voice acting performance.”
    • “The optimization issues make it difficult to fully enjoy the game's potential.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The monetization of "Codex of Victory" has been criticized as a cash grab, with users expressing disappointment that it feels more like a mobile app than a legitimate PC game. This has led to negative perceptions of the developers' intentions, highlighting a lack of value for players.

    • “Codex of Victory is a mobile app that's been dumped on Steam as if it were a real PC game. It's a cash grab from greedy mobile developers. This mobile app is another great reason to never judge a book by its cover.”
    • “The monetization in this game is outrageous, with constant prompts to spend money on features that should be included in the base game.”
    • “It's frustrating to see a game that could be enjoyable turned into a money-making scheme, where every little thing feels like it requires an additional purchase.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Character development in the game is criticized for its inconsistent designs, with characters from vastly different cultural inspirations and styles appearing together, leading to a lack of cohesion and depth in their portrayal. The disparity in detail among characters further detracts from their development, making it difficult for players to connect with them.

    • “Character designs don't mesh well; in one scene, you have an Indian-inspired marine alongside a burly Russian man with a clearly more detailed face than the guy next to him, and then a clearly anime-inspired petite engineer who has makeup on and bright purple hair.”
    • “The character development feels disjointed, with characters lacking depth and consistency in their backgrounds and motivations.”
    • “I found the character arcs to be predictable and uninspired, making it hard to connect with any of them throughout the game.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The atmosphere in the game is characterized by well-crafted music and environmental elements that, while not particularly standout, contribute positively to the overall experience.

    • “The music and the atmosphere may not stand out, but they are very well crafted and deserve recognition.”
    • “The immersive atmosphere draws you in, making every moment feel alive and engaging.”
    • “The combination of sound design and visual elements creates a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that lingers long after playing.”
    • “The music and the atmosphere are not things that stand out, but they are very well made and have merit for this.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

21hMedian play time
17hAverage play time
9-25hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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