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Diplomacy is Not an Option

84%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
grinding, stability
84% User Score Based on 4,020 reviews

Platforms

PCPCWinWindowsEGEpic Games

About

In "Diplomacy Is Not An Option," players step into the role of a minor lord forced to fight overwhelming odds to survive, with over 25,000 enemies attacking their castle walls. The player must master engineering, economy, and even magic to have a chance at survival, while dealing with a demanding king and rebellious peasants. This intense strategy game offers a unique and challenging warfare experience.

Diplomacy is Not an Option screenshot
Diplomacy is Not an Option screenshot
Diplomacy is Not an Option screenshot
Diplomacy is Not an Option screenshot
Diplomacy is Not an Option screenshot
Diplomacy is Not an Option screenshot
Diplomacy is Not an Option screenshot
Diplomacy is Not an Option screenshot
Diplomacy is Not an Option screenshot
Diplomacy is Not an Option screenshot
Diplomacy is Not an Option screenshot
+17

84%
Audience ScoreBased on 4,020 reviews
story143 positive mentions
grinding42 negative mentions

  • Engaging gameplay that combines city building, resource management, and tower defense mechanics.
  • Challenging difficulty that encourages strategic thinking and planning.
  • Humorous cutscenes and a lighthearted story that add charm to the game.
  • Steep difficulty spikes, especially in the campaign, can lead to frustration for players.
  • Limited campaign content with only two missions available at launch.
  • AI pathfinding issues can lead to frustrating gameplay experiences.
  • story
    767 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is characterized by its humorous and lighthearted tone, featuring quirky cutscenes and engaging dialogue that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the branching narrative paths and the variety of missions, although many express frustration with the sharp difficulty spikes, particularly in later missions. While the campaign currently offers only a limited number of missions, the potential for future content and the replayability of different storylines keep players invested.

    • “The story is funny, choices matter, missions are diverse.”
    • “The story has a lot of different quests and very funny and comical dialogs between games.”
    • “The campaign is enjoyable, has some twists and turns and a variety of paths with different missions depending on your decisions.”
    • “The campaign failed to catch my attention, as the main cast is both forgettable and the story is mediocre.”
    • “The story can be kind of vague with its cut scenes.”
    • “The campaign has cute cutscenes, but the pacing is awkward and the story is very shallow.”
  • gameplay
    417 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of the game is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its engaging mechanics, humor, and strategic depth. However, some critiques highlight issues with repetitiveness, difficulty spikes, and a lack of variety in troop types and tech trees, which can lead to a monotonous experience over time. Overall, while the game offers a solid foundation and enjoyable gameplay loop, it still requires further refinement and content expansion to enhance player engagement.

    • “The mechanics are easy to learn and the game is fun to play.”
    • “The gameplay strikes a great balance between challenge and engagement, staying hard enough to keep things interesting without becoming too monotonous.”
    • “Gameplay is fun and addictive, graphics are perfect for this genre with some neat attention to detail everywhere.”
    • “The gameplay loop is far too static, because the troop types don't change and the tech trees don't change when they kind of do.”
    • “Definitely fun but it gets burnt out pretty quick because there is nothing new mechanically worth mentioning after a dozen or so hours.”
    • “The actual gameplay is okay but leaves a lot to be desired.”
  • graphics
    206 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game are characterized by a simple, low-poly art style that many players find charming and fitting for the gameplay, allowing for large-scale battles without overwhelming system requirements. While some users appreciate the aesthetic and humor in the visuals, others feel that the graphics could be a turnoff for those seeking high-resolution experiences. Overall, the art style is generally well-received, contributing positively to the game's unique identity and engaging mechanics.

    • “The art style is amazing and I love how it looks; it's good on the eyes.”
    • “The graphics are top-notch, with detailed units and environments that truly bring the world to life.”
    • “The visuals are clean, functional, and cute.”
    • “The graphics are not the best, but that allows for armies that are very epic in size.”
    • “This game doesn't deliver high resolution 3D graphics, or god rays or whatever.”
    • “The only major complaint I have is not having roads, even if only aesthetic ones.”
  • humor
    188 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its charm and wit, particularly in the cutscenes and dialogue, which many players find hilarious and engaging. While some reviews note that the comedic timing can be hit or miss, with certain jokes feeling overextended or repetitive, the overall lighthearted tone and quirky storytelling contribute positively to the gameplay experience. Players appreciate the blend of humor with strategic elements, making the campaign enjoyable despite its challenges.

    • “The cutscenes are hilarious.”
    • “Loved the hilarious cutscenes giving personality to your character, advisor, and everyone you meet to give some background to what and why things are happening.”
    • “The campaign is funny and keeps you on your toes.”
    • “They are supposed to be funny *cough*, and they are at least twice as long as they should be, which is not a great combo.”
  • replayability
    54 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game offers substantial replayability due to its branching campaign paths, random map generation, and various gameplay modes, which keep players engaged for extended periods. While many users appreciate the challenge and diversity of choices, some express a desire for more streamlined options to revisit different storylines without repetitive early missions. Despite a few criticisms regarding limited content in certain areas, the game's replay value is generally regarded as high, especially with ongoing updates and potential future enhancements.

    • “It also has a very good replay value because you have different paths in the campaign.”
    • “Honestly impressed at the replayability; 50 hours in, I haven't finished a single storyline because I keep playing other storylines. Cool and the battles are insane.”
    • “The procedurally generated maps add a lot of replay value, along with the endless mode.”
    • “It does support replayability, but I have gone through three runs, and I would now like to go back and try other routes without having to do a bunch of easy early missions again that just waste my time.”
    • “Replayability shuts down after 10ish hours since you can't do much to customize your games.”
    • “There isn't really any mission variety or replayability at this time.”
  • grinding
    49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The reviews overwhelmingly describe the grinding aspect of the game as tedious and overly repetitive, with players expressing frustration over the constant need to manage resources and restart missions. Many found the gameplay to become a chore, particularly in later levels where micromanagement and resource farming felt excessive and unfun. While some players enjoyed the initial challenge, the overall sentiment is that the grind detracts significantly from the game's enjoyment.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “So it's just so incredibly tedious to complete even restarting the map several times that I think being the 2nd difficulty kind of ruined the game for me.”
    • “The last mission might be one of the most tedious, boring experiences I've ever had gaming.”
    • “My main issue with this game is the constant need for grinding resources.”
  • optimization
    47 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's optimization is generally praised for its performance, especially during large battles with numerous units, where it maintains a smooth experience for most players. However, some users report significant performance drops and crashes during later waves, particularly on high-end systems, indicating that further optimization is needed. While the game runs well for many, issues such as high GPU temperatures and occasional freezes suggest that optimization could be improved, especially for players using less powerful hardware.

    • “Loads of fun, a lot of strategy, optimizations, and efficiencies one can enjoy as a player.”
    • “The game is very well made, performance is incredible, especially given the number of enemies/assets that were on screen charging towards my castle.”
    • “The game engine is well optimized, with game speed remaining consistent no matter how many units are on screen, and neither frame-rate nor simulation seem to be affected by basically anything that you can do.”
    • “The game profiles could also be better optimized so players do not need to create multiple profiles just to reach all campaign branches.”
    • “However, once your city grows large, the framerate can drop significantly, sometimes dipping into the high tens, which seems to be a limitation of the Unity engine’s optimization capabilities.”
    • “My biggest wish-list item right now is optimizing performance so my GPU doesn't catch fire.”
  • music
    28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising its heavy metal tracks and atmospheric soundscapes that enhance the gameplay experience, while others find it forgettable or overly simplistic. Many players appreciate the soundtrack's ability to complement the game's themes, though some prefer to mute it in favor of their own music. Overall, the music is described as pleasant and fitting, but there are calls for greater variety and improvement.

    • “Just finished another ending, the undead ending... best ending ever... like the heavy metal music.”
    • “The game will please us with unhurried but thoughtful gameplay, pleasant visual style, and relaxing soundtrack.”
    • “I really didn't think I'd be talking about the soundtrack mainly in the review, but good grief it makes you yearn for the springtime.”
    • “All the while you have a varied but - honestly - not varied enough soundtrack acting as a white noise to your struggles.”
    • “Music wise, though, I'll say that it's one of the few games that I'll mute it and put on my own music and vibe.”
    • “The audio (both music and sound) are completely forgettable.”
  • stability
    27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's stability is a mixed bag; while many players report smooth performance and minimal bugs, issues such as random freezes, crashes, and visual glitches persist, particularly during late-game scenarios or on specific hardware configurations. Despite these problems, most users find the game enjoyable and consider it relatively stable for an early access title, with some noting improvements in recent updates.

    • “So far, the technical side (AI pathing, performance with large numbers) runs great.”
    • “This is a promising game, and for an EA title, it's not that buggy at all.”
    • “Almost bug free outside of some visual bugs and minor gripes.”
    • “But... it randomly freezes and text bubbles don't load.”
    • “Going to have to give it a negative review, simply because of the constant crashing/freezes; once they're fixed, I'll update to support it.”
    • “Entire computer freezes and game crashes.”
  • monetization
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game has received negative feedback, with users expressing frustration over intrusive ads for other games and labeling it a cash grab. Despite the game's appealing visuals, players feel misled by advertisements that do not accurately represent the gameplay, leading to disappointment. Overall, the monetization strategy has detracted from the gaming experience.

    • “I bought this game, but it has ads in it for other games.”
    • “Awful cash grab.”
    • “The game was abandoned as a cash grab.”
  • atmosphere
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's atmosphere is characterized by a simplistic art style that enhances its large-scale design, creating a lighthearted and enjoyable experience. Players appreciate the relaxing ambiance, complemented by atmospheric music and a humorous storyline, making it ideal for casual play. Overall, the atmosphere is described as pleasant and engaging, perfect for unwinding.

    • “The art uses a simplistic style that allows it to show a large scale and unique design to convey an interesting, lighthearted atmosphere.”
    • “This game is Age of Empires and They Are Billions put together in a beautiful atmosphere.”
    • “Music - atmospheric and fits perfectly with the setting.”
  • emotional
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players report that the game evokes strong emotional responses, with some expressing that it brought them to tears, particularly during the undead campaign. The narrative is described as an emotional rollercoaster, leaving a lasting impact and deep connection to the game's story and characters. Overall, the emotional depth of the game is highly praised, contributing significantly to its appeal.

    • “Just shed a tear and go play that again.”
    • “I just finished the undead campaign and I'm not even lying, I shed a tear.”
    • “This game took me on an emotional rollercoaster that ended in not so good thoughts and is a time machine 10/10.”

Buy Diplomacy is Not an Option

11h Median play time
19h Average play time
8-25h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 21 analyzed playthroughs

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