Empire

About

"Empire" is a single-player Role Playing game inspired by old-school Final Fantasy, offering 20-30 hours of gameplay and more through sidequests. Play as seven distinct characters, each with unique storylines, skills, and equipment, in a rich world full of lore and culture. Experience a complex story of war and mystery, with a fun dating sidequest reminiscent of Final Fantasy 7, hidden items, and a complete database to collect.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 32 reviews

story19 positive mentions

grinding8 negative mentions

The game features a well-crafted story with interesting characters and engaging dialogue, making it an enjoyable RPG experience.
It offers a classic turn-based JRPG gameplay style that rewards grinding, appealing to fans of the genre.
The developer has shown dedication to the game, providing a polished experience with no major bugs and a helpful community guide.

The game suffers from excessive grinding, particularly for acquiring AP to learn skills, which can lead to frustration.
Some players found the writing and dialogue to be subpar, detracting from the overall experience.
The final boss requires significant grinding to defeat, which contradicts the game's earlier claims of being playable without extensive grinding.

story
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
45%
48%
7%
The story is generally well-received, with many praising its engaging characters, solid pacing, and interesting plot twists, despite some criticisms regarding the final act and the need for deeper exploration of character motivations. While the narrative is described as somewhat generic, it effectively immerses players in a traditional RPG experience, complemented by side quests and character backstories. Overall, the game is recognized for its strong storytelling and character development, making it a worthwhile addition for fans of the genre.
- “The story is well written, the fights know how to keep the player engaged, and the story pace is in the player's control.”
- “The ambiguity around the lead character and that he sometimes does actions that are not exactly 'good' gives a very interesting drive to the story.”
- “The kingdom building, heroes recruitment, expansions, and quests are all an integrated part of this interesting RPG storyline.”
- “I wish some of the plot points had been fleshed out more, because the characters danced on some very morally grey ground, and I wish their motivations and the consequences had been explored more.”
- “It suffers all the same flaws as every other RPG Maker game: ugly retro pixel graphics, no proper wide/fullscreen support, and a godawful weeb fanfic story.”
- “You kind of started in the middle of the story, with the main character having lost his memory and not remembering anything.”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's grinding mechanics are polarizing; while some players appreciate the rewards for grinding and find it enjoyable, others feel that the game misrepresents its ability to be completed without grinding. Although there are options to manage encounters, the necessity of grinding can become apparent, leading to mixed feelings about its implementation. Overall, players who enjoy grinding may find it rewarding, but those who prefer a more streamlined experience might feel constrained.
- “The game says you can play without grinding, but that proves very false very quickly.”
- “Overall, I think the developer needs to go through the game again and play it without grinding at all to ensure it can be beaten without grinding, as they claim in chapter 1.”
- “At times, it does feel like it could get a little grindy, but that may just be me and my OCD trying to learn skills before I progress to a new area.”
gameplay
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The gameplay is generally well-received, featuring enjoyable combat mechanics and a compelling story progression. However, some players feel that the integration of game mechanics could be improved, particularly regarding the acquisition of passives. Overall, the experience is enhanced by a useful walkthrough and the ability to learn skills from equipment.
- “Very nice story and fun gameplay.”
- “Great mechanics.”
- “Levels would matter less if you could acquire passives as you go. In this respect, the game mechanics don't feel fully integrated.”
- “I very much enjoyed the story progression, the battle mechanics, and the OST (the music starts off average but gets quite a bit better as you progress through the game).”
music
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game starts off as average and somewhat stock-like, but it improves significantly as players progress, with well-chosen tunes that enhance the overall atmosphere and story experience. Overall, the soundtrack is considered good and contributes positively to the gameplay.
- “I very much enjoyed the story progression, the battle mechanics, and the OST; the music starts off average but gets quite a bit better as you progress through the game.”
- “Good soundtrack and atmosphere.”
- “The soundtrack, although nothing special and stock material, improves during the game and the tunes are well chosen for each section.”
- “The music starts off average but gets quite a bit better as you progress through the game.”
graphics
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The graphics in the game are polarizing; while some praise the new monster designs and the overall quality, others criticize the retro pixel art typical of RPG Maker games and the lack of proper fullscreen support.
- “The graphics are great, new monsters, the battle system is awesome.”
- “It suffers all the same flaws as every other RPG Maker game: ugly retro pixel graphics, no proper wide/fullscreen support, and a godawful weeb fanfic story. The list goes on.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
The atmosphere is enhanced by a strong soundtrack, contributing to an overall immersive experience.
- “The soundtrack perfectly complements the immersive atmosphere of the game.”
- “The game's atmosphere is enhanced by its hauntingly beautiful music.”
- “Every sound and note contributes to a captivating atmosphere that draws you in.”