Dominions 6: Rise of the Pantokrator

About

"Dominions 6: Rise of the Pantokrator" is a turn-based 4X strategy game where you play as a powerful pretender god striving for godhood. Choose from a variety of nations and pretender gods, each with unique abilities and dominions. Build and manage your armies, research powerful magic and items, and conquer opponents in single-player or multiplayer modes to become the new Pantokrator. The game offers a vast array of units, spells, and items for a deep and engaging strategy experience.

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Dominions 6: Rise of the Pantokrator screenshot

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,968 reviews

gameplay60 positive mentions

story3 negative mentions

Dominions 6 offers an unparalleled level of control and customization, allowing players to shape their empires and armies with a staggering array of options.
The game features a rich lore based on various mythologies, providing a unique and immersive experience for players.
The addition of a new magic path, improved AI, and a more accessible multiplayer lobby enhances the overall gameplay experience.

The user interface is clunky and outdated, making it difficult for new players to navigate and understand the game mechanics.
Many players feel that the changes from Dominions 5 to 6 are minimal and do not justify the full price of the game.
The AI still struggles with complex strategies, making single-player less engaging compared to multiplayer.

gameplay
266 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
75%
2%
The gameplay of Dominions 6 is characterized by its intricate and deep mechanics, offering a rich variety of units, spells, and strategic options that encourage creative playstyles and tactical depth. While the learning curve is steep, requiring significant time to grasp the complex systems, players who invest the effort will find a rewarding experience filled with emergent narratives and engaging combat. However, the user interface has been criticized for being cumbersome, which can detract from the overall enjoyment of the gameplay.
- “Very intricate and varied gameplay.”
- “The gameplay here is ridiculously detailed and in-depth.”
- “On 70 hours of gameplay I have already realized how deep and versatile the gameplay can be; nevertheless, as I check other units, nations, or spells, the game doesn't stop to surprise me.”
- “The UI is awful, the gameplay is alien but it's so good for some reason.”
- “Every game mechanic imaginable is explained poorly, and the manual is full of errors, so the only way to learn how the game really works is to ask on the forums or in Discord.”
- “It is, for lack of better words, a complete logistical nightmare where there are so many mechanics, spells, and concepts in it that no reasonable person could remember every single one of them.”
graphics
186 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
19%
71%
10%
The graphics of the game are widely regarded as outdated and minimalistic, often reminiscent of late 90s titles, which may deter players who prioritize visual fidelity. However, many reviewers appreciate the charm and unique style of the graphics, emphasizing that the gameplay depth and engaging mechanics more than compensate for the visual shortcomings. Overall, the game is recommended for those who can overlook its low-fi aesthetics in favor of strategic depth and immersive gameplay.
- “The graphics and sound design, while not the most cutting-edge, serve their purpose well and contribute to the game's immersive atmosphere.”
- “A shining example of how even a simple and charming art style can keep you deeply engaged.”
- “I want to underline that I love the graphics as it is and I hope it always stays that way; the sprites are a pop-art masterpiece.”
- “The graphics look like something from 1994; the UI takes a good while to become something other than a jumble of weird buttons and indecipherable icons.”
- “It's clunky, the UI is unfriendly, the graphics are beyond dated even speaking as someone who prefers a strong aesthetic over high fidelity, and it's generally bad at onboarding new players.”
- “World map is very ugly (even by grand strategy standards), not just the literal map itself, but all the visuals - units, troop movement icons, etc. It's understandable that games like this will always have complex UIs and very abstract visuals, but this game takes it to another level.”
music
100 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
78%
8%
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players expressing disappointment compared to previous iterations, particularly Dominions 4 and 5. While some appreciate the European folk-inspired themes and find the soundtrack serviceable, others criticize it as generic and less memorable, with calls for the return of older tracks. Overall, the new music is seen as a downgrade by a significant portion of the player base, though it remains a minor aspect of the overall gameplay experience.
- “Finally, a word on sound and the workshop - the music is inspired by European folk music, which is charming - echoes of The Lord of the Rings, Celtic harp music, etc. There are already quite a number of user-created maps to download from the workshop, for example, a large map of the old world of Warhammer.”
- “The music, lore, and game mechanics all combine to create a unique game experience.”
- “Excellent game, a big improvement in terms of UI, music, and extra content.”
- “I'll admit, the music kind of sucks and sounds very royalty-free in contrast to Dominions 5, but nothing unpleasant to listen to and it can be muted if you wish.”
- “Icing on the cake, the music sucks; the soulful performed music of 4 and 5 was replaced with this forgettable Runescape ripoff generic synth slop, and you can't even hear any of the songs until the end and give them a chance because the music switches to the even worse more generic battle music with every tiny encounter.”
- “This is not debatable, music in Dominions peaked in Dominions 4 and the current selection is even worse than its predecessor.”
replayability
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
42%
8%
The game boasts exceptional replayability, with users highlighting its vast array of nations, customizable gods, and random maps that keep gameplay fresh and engaging. Many reviewers note the game's depth and complexity, which contribute to a nearly infinite variety of strategic choices and experiences, making it a standout title for fans of the genre. Overall, the replay value is considered one of the game's strongest features, appealing to both casual and dedicated strategy enthusiasts.
- “The random maps and replayability, along with the complexity of choices with your god and the many nations, keeps it fresh for a long time.”
- “This game has nearly infinite replayability: the amount of content, the depth of the simulation, and the ever-changing procedural worlds make every game unique and full of surprising events.”
- “The sheer amount of replayability makes this game a golden purchase for any strategy game enthusiast!”
- “The sheer amount of replayability makes this game a golden purchase for any strategy game enjoyer!”
- “The game is so massive in terms of features, combinations, and replayability that it will take nothing smaller than a book of a few hundred pages to explain it in general and then maybe another few volumes of similar sizes to deep-dive into the specifics.”
- “The previous game was the most replayable game ever, and this is a big step up from that with a home for the fantasy lore of the cultures containing the vast majority of people on the planet.”
story
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
65%
21%
The game's story is characterized by rich internal tensions and cultural cross-pollination among its clans, particularly highlighted in the narrative of Caelum. While there is no overarching plot or specific goal beyond conquest, the detailed descriptions of nations, spells, and units—rooted in real-world mythologies—create a compelling and immersive backdrop that enhances the gameplay experience. Each session unfolds a unique narrative, shaped by the player's strategic choices and interactions.
- “The graphics are simple, the combat is somewhat hands-off, the balance can be hit and miss... but each game will tell an interesting story.”
- “There is no story per se and no real goal other than 'crush everyone'; however, each nation, each spell, each creature, and each simple soldier has descriptions that can be very detailed and together form a very interesting and comprehensive picture.”
- “The nations are mostly based on real-world mythologies and histories, and while there are similar themes and a few shared units between some of them, each one feels like a unique nation, with the aforementioned similarities being an enhancement of the flavor and storytelling.”
- “Instead, Caelum is about the internal tensions and religious schisms between its clans, and the path that story charts produces offshoots like Nazca and Ragha through cross-pollination with other cultures, and it feels so much more rich and satisfying.”
grinding
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often requiring excessive clicking and micromanagement that can lead to boredom, especially in single-player mode. However, those who engage with the active multiplayer community may find the experience more enjoyable, as the game offers a mix of power and complexity that appeals to dedicated players. Overall, while the grind can be overwhelming, some players appreciate the depth it adds to the gameplay.
- “If that sounds like boring, tedious work, it is.”
- “But it's very tedious to play... a million clicks to do anything.”
- “Note that single player will become grindy and boring pretty quickly; there is a reasonably large active Discord community; join one of those Discords for multiplayer games.”
humor
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by charming, funny sprites and sound effects that contribute to its retro style and playful surprises. Reviewers appreciate the lightheartedness and comedic elements, which enhance the overall experience and make the game enjoyable for both veterans and newcomers. The humor is often highlighted in discussions about the game's graphics and unique matchups, adding to its appeal.
- “Pretty fun, retro style game with lots of little surprises—and a bit of a sense of humor.”
- “The sprites have a lot of charm and the sounds are funny.”
- “So, I saw a YouTube review which basically started as someone laughing at the graphics and price point, only to be blown away and have this as a guaranteed top 5 game for 2024.”
optimization
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
Overall, the game's optimization has seen significant improvements compared to its predecessor, particularly in UI and game mechanics. While some users report performance issues on certain hardware, particularly AMD GPUs, the game generally runs well and incorporates realistic effects from in-game injuries. However, there are still calls for further performance fixes.
- “Greatest of them strategy games and a massive improvement in UI, performance, game mechanics, balance, random map generation, and many other aspects compared to the previous iteration.”
- “Performance is also pretty good.”
- “- Performance is worse than Dom5 on the same hardware, but it doesn't arbitrarily perform poorly on AMD GPUs anymore either.”
- “Performance fix when?”
- “Performance is worse than Dom5 on the same hardware, but it doesn't arbitrarily perform poorly on AMD GPUs anymore either.”
- “If someone gets an arm chopped off in battle, that affliction remains until he dies and affects his performance in realistic ways.”
stability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game launched in a notably unstable state, plagued by numerous bugs and graphical glitches that detract from the overall experience. Users have reported issues with the interface and balance among nations, indicating a need for significant improvements to achieve a smoother gameplay experience.
- “The game released in a dreadful, buggy state.”
- “With that said, 6's launch has been very buggy with a lot of nations left behind in terms of balance.”
- “The interface is still a mess, and I get graphical glitches that flicker and twitch, all of which are very unpleasant to look at.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by effective graphics and sound design that, while not groundbreaking, successfully create an immersive experience. Reviewers appreciate the strong lore and describe the overall atmosphere as epic and rare in gaming, contributing to the series' outstanding quality.
- “The graphics and sound design, while not the most cutting-edge, serve their purpose well and contribute to the game's immersive atmosphere.”
- “Outstanding game series that provides an epic atmosphere that I personally find rare in games.”
- “Atmosphere and lore are also pretty good.”
emotional
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users express a strong emotional response to the game, comparing it to an abusive relationship and highlighting a sense of disappointment. They feel that the introduction of new content and mechanics has detracted from the game's original charm, leading to a lack of emotional fulfillment. Overall, the emotional impact is characterized by frustration and a longing for the game's former integrity.
- “But this release made me feel in an abusive relationship.”
- “But I've seen so many classic titles that were so eager to introduce new content and mechanics that they failed to achieve a new well-rounded state, lost their original wholesomeness, and broke themselves.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
The game features a straightforward monetization model with no microtransactions, loot boxes, or additional fees, but some users feel it still represents a cash grab at its $50 price point.
- “There are no microtransactions, no loot crates, no DLCs, no subscription, no Game of the Year edition for 90€, zero extra fees.”
- “Instead, they chose to cash grab for $50 their community.”

Buy Dominions 6: Rise of the Pantokrator

Dominions 6 - Rise of the Pantokrator
$44.99
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238h Median play time

275h Average play time

70-525h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 10 analyzed playthroughs

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Dominions 6: Rise of the Pantokrator

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