Darwinia

About

"Darwinia" is a single-player and multiplayer real-time strategy game with co-op mode and an intriguing Science Fiction story. The game, updated in 2022, features fast-paced action, strategic battle planning, and a unique control mechanism. With 80's retro-inspired graphics, it's a critically acclaimed indie classic, perfect for those seeking a fresh and relevant gaming experience. For more indie games, check out the latest from Introversion Software.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

83%

Audience ScoreBased on 813 reviews

story101 positive mentions

grinding18 negative mentions

Unique and creative gameplay that combines RTS elements with a charming story.
Retro graphics and sound design create a nostalgic atmosphere that enhances the experience.
Engaging mechanics that allow for various strategies and approaches to completing levels.

Poor AI and pathfinding lead to frustrating gameplay, requiring excessive micromanagement.
Lack of clear tutorials and guidance can leave players confused about objectives and controls.
Short playtime and limited replayability may leave some players wanting more content.

story
216 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
50%
4%
The story of the game is generally described as intriguing and engaging, with a unique premise centered around artificial intelligence and the digital world of the darwinians. While some players appreciate the depth and emotional resonance of the narrative, others note that it is delivered in a minimalistic manner, often feeling light on content due to the game's pacing and mission structure. Overall, the story is seen as a strong point that enhances the gameplay experience, despite some criticisms regarding its execution and brevity.
- “The story is captivating and beautifully gives life to simple pixelated shapes in such an incredible manner, making the whole thing almost believable.”
- “A fantastic game with a most enchanting storyline, a gorgeous mix of low-poly and higher-res graphics, and an enjoyable, unobtrusive soundtrack.”
- “The story is deep enough and heart-touching in some ways, making it a powerful emotional experience.”
- “The story is primarily delivered via short messages before starting each area, and given the small number of different areas and the amount of time it takes to get through one of them, the game ends up feeling a bit light on narrative.”
- “Unfortunately, it's light on story content, has awkward controls, units often get stuck on things, and everything in this game just takes too long.”
- “The plot is threadbare, featuring you as a mysterious stranger, helping an AI researcher save the green darwinians from a virus and the evil red darwinians.”
gameplay
158 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
55%
5%
The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its unique mechanics and engaging story, while others criticize it for being slow, tedious, and lacking depth. Many find the controls awkward and the AI frustrating, leading to a lack of replay value despite some enjoyable elements. Overall, while the game offers a nostalgic experience with its retro style, it struggles with pacing and complexity, making it a hit or miss for players.
- “The gameplay is awesome.”
- “Coupled with some very satisfying game mechanics, and a well-paced increase in difficulty - via the introduction of new enemies and new map styles in every game level - this story produces an overall gameplay that is captivating from start to finish.”
- “The gameplay is fun in a non-frustrating way - it's hard to get into a position where you lose, and even if you aren't employing the optimal strategy for a level, given enough time, you will be able to beat each stage in different ways.”
- “The gameplay is tedious, the controls are barebones, and there is a severe lack of quality of life features that leaves you as a player feeling starved the entire time.”
- “An interesting little RTS game but starts off quite slow and the laborious gameplay just didn't grab me after half an hour.”
- “Darwinia is a promising plot held back by flat gameplay, obscure mechanics, and lackluster AI.”
graphics
155 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
52%
5%
The graphics of the game are characterized by a unique retro aesthetic, often described as low-poly and reminiscent of classic 80s and 90s arcade games, which many players find charming and fitting for the game's theme. While some reviewers note that the visuals may appear simplistic or outdated, they appreciate how the art style enhances the overall experience and atmosphere, making it engaging and nostalgic. Overall, the graphics are seen as a significant aspect of the game's identity, contributing to its appeal despite not being cutting-edge.
- “Great tron-ish graphics and butter smooth performance.”
- “Above all else, the graphics are truly unique and unlike anything I've ever played before; it's surprisingly graphically impressive despite being an older game.”
- “The retro graphics look great, and the gameplay is fun and unique.”
- “The graphics are just meh.”
- “What I got was poor graphics, little help or tutorials, and a game that got dry and boring very quickly.”
- “Ruined by the shitty engine and graphics.”
music
61 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
54%
41%
5%
The music in the game has received largely positive feedback, with many praising its charming chiptune and retro-inspired soundtrack that enhances the overall atmosphere. However, some players noted the lack of music during gameplay, which can detract from the experience during longer battles. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature, with many recommending it even as a standalone purchase.
- “The soundtrack and presentation are also beautiful; the game doesn't hold your hand, it gives you the tools and nudges you in certain directions, but how you complete each objective is entirely up to you.”
- “The retro, polygonal graphics, (tasteful) chiptune soundtrack, and overall atmosphere are really interesting to experience.”
- “The music is just fantastic.”
- “Most of the game doesn't have music, which is a bit of an odd choice and really didn't help during those long, drawn-out battles.”
- “There's no background music either, just silence and occasional sound effects while you shoot red lines.”
- “The music is the lowest facet I can mention, so I'll start there.”
grinding
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
95%
The reviews consistently highlight grinding in the game as tedious and frustrating, with many players feeling that the slow-paced gameplay and micromanagement detract from the overall experience. While some appreciate the unique art style and innovative elements, the overwhelming sentiment is that the game can be excessively boring and inconvenient, making it difficult to stay engaged.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Honestly one of the most tedious games I have ever played in my life.”
- “The gameplay is tedious, the controls are barebones, and there is a severe lack of quality of life features that leaves you as a player feeling starved the entire time.”
- “The biggest problem with this game is that the micromanagement required can feel very tedious, and the game doesn't offer much to make it easier to handle.”
emotional
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highly praised, with players noting its beautiful sound and deeply resonant storytelling that evokes strong feelings, even leading some to tears over simple stick figures. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to create profound emotional connections through its well-written narrative and intense moments, demonstrating that impactful storytelling doesn't require complex graphics or gameplay. Overall, the game is recognized for its extraordinary emotional depth and heartwarming themes.
- “It is well written and has a strange emotional pull for a video game.”
- “This is an amazing game that made me cry; this doesn't normally happen...”
- “Losing some to an avoidable mistake is heartbreaking, and you’ll want to protect them from harm, even though they are easily replaced.”
atmosphere
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its effective combination of quirky sound effects, chiptune music, and retro-futuristic visuals, creating a compelling and immersive experience. Reviewers highlight the nostalgic 1980s technology setting and the game's ability to evoke strong emotions through its sound design and low-res graphics. Overall, the atmosphere is described as magical and engaging, enhancing the storytelling and gameplay.
- “The sfx and soundtrack match the atmosphere with quirky noises and some great chiptune and tracker music.”
- “A timeless favorite with spectacular atmosphere, magical sounds, and low-res 3D graphics which is actually 100% justified by the story.”
- “The setting and atmosphere are perfect, the difficulty is perfect, and the story manages to be interesting and compelling despite being given almost no time for exposition of any kind.”
- “The lack of music is intended to enhance the atmosphere of the 1980s technology setting.”
- “I like the world-building, the mechanics, and the atmosphere of the game.”
- “Great retro-futuristic style, gameplay, and atmosphere... if it only had more missions!”
replayability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
30%
30%
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players find it enjoyable enough to revisit multiple times, others note a lack of inherent replay value and suggest that external mods or campaigns are necessary to enhance the experience. Despite its simplicity and relatively short length, certain aspects like the score and aesthetic contribute positively to its replayability for some users.
- “Unchanging, but endlessly replayable.”
- “Great replay value.”
- “The excellent score and sound effects coupled with the game's relaxingly retro aesthetic have proven great for replayability, making Darwinia a world I'm happy to revisit often.”
- “The gameplay itself is quite simple; there isn't much of a replay value, but fortunately there are a few mods (including full singleplayer campaigns) found on the internet to extend the fun.”
- “I'm not sure how to get the replay value out of it once you complete the game (you know, to go back through and replay anything).”
- “I do recommend this game, but I should warn you that its replay value is pretty low in modern days.”
stability
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
78%
Overall, the game's stability is a mixed bag; while it runs smoothly on modern PCs and Linux, users report several annoying glitches and bugs, particularly with unit selection and placement. Despite these issues, the game is generally well-polished with minimal major problems, allowing for an enjoyable experience. However, some players find the recurring glitches frustrating enough to impact their gameplay.
- “People often talk about timeless design, and this is definitely a game with one; the graphics were simple and blocky even almost 20 years ago, but the retro visuals still look great. The game itself runs smoothly even on modern PCs, thanks to developer support.”
- “Runs great on Linux, and has a pretty good premise.”
- “Even though Introversion's other games are good, they are still really buggy.”
- “There are a few little annoying glitches and bugs, like when selecting a unit to build, often I would not always get the one I chose, and so had to dismiss the unit just built and give the build order again. It's annoying the first time, but by the tenth time I was actually getting into the habit of automatically holding down the unit menu [tab] in order to cancel what it was going to build... that's not a good thing.”
- “There are also some placement glitches that mysteriously do not allow you to deploy units.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of self-deprecating moments, amusing sound effects, and quirky interactions that contribute to an overall enjoyable experience. Players find the game's challenges and frustrations often lead to hilariously unexpected situations, enhancing the fun factor.
- “Hilariously bad.”
- “There are challenging moments, frustrating events, hilarious little quirks, and of course, beautiful digital environments, but all in all, the game is really genuinely fun to play.”
- “I thought the sound effects were funny.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game features impressive tron-like graphics and delivers exceptionally smooth performance, with users expressing satisfaction over its optimization for modern systems.
- “Great Tron-like graphics and butter-smooth performance.”
- “Genuinely happy to see it updated to run smoothly on modern systems.”