Empires in Ruins
- March 25, 2021
- Hammer and Ravens
- 84h median play time
Get on Steam"Empires in Ruins" is a challenging real-time strategy game set in a post-apocalyptic world. Command a deck of unique units, from tanks to airships, to conquer and manage territories in turn-based combat. Experience an engaging story in a richly detailed setting, where every decision matters and tactical approach can change the course of battle.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Linux
Reviews
- The game features a unique blend of tower defense and 4X strategy, providing depth and engaging gameplay.
- The writing and humor are well-received, with many players enjoying the character development and witty dialogue.
- The developer is active in the community and responsive to feedback, showing commitment to improving the game.
- The tower defense mechanics can feel underwhelming and repetitive, with many players opting for auto-resolve instead of manual combat.
- The game suffers from bugs and design flaws, particularly in the resource management and UI, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- Graphics and overall presentation are considered lacking, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- story60 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story is highly praised for its excellent dialogue and unique, adult-themed narrative that blends humor with a gritty atmosphere. Players follow Sergeant Hans Heimer and his army through a richly designed campaign, which features a mix of tower defense and grand strategy elements, while a sandbox mode allows for more freedom without a storyline. Overall, the storytelling is considered a standout aspect, with many appreciating its witty humor and artistic presentation.
“The story and dialogue are excellent.”
“There is a particular 'adult' flavor to this game's storytelling and narrative that taps into the cynical and down-to-earth nature of your innermost thoughts.”
“The story and overworld design that exists is a shocking shift in the design of the game from what I expected at first, and I have to say it leaves a rather positive impression.”
“The research is gated by chapter in the story, and while I completed all of the options for the earlier chapters often well before concluding them, the time required ballooned massively for the later ones.”
“While there's some conspiracy-oriented plot going on, the vast majority of dialog in the game is just the protagonist expressing or referencing those three traits, sometimes in combination.”
“After a while, it became repetitive with enemies attacking every few turns, but I guess they need to propel the storyline.”
- gameplay38 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, featuring engaging strategic province management and a blend of tower defense, RTS, and RPG elements that evoke nostalgia for early 2000s gaming. However, the tower defense mechanics are criticized for their lack of innovation and poor art, while some gameplay aspects feel generic, unbalanced, and occasionally frustrating. Despite these issues, many players appreciate the opportunity for creative problem-solving and find the overall experience to be compelling and enjoyable, with a strong narrative and character design enhancing the gameplay.
“The strategic province management side of things is well-written, has great art, and reasonably engaging gameplay.”
“I really, truly feel like I am afforded an opportunity to explore my own creative solution to the conflicts, within the confines of the gameplay design, and love the feeling I get as I overcome the challenges.”
“This feels like a really fascinating mix of tower defense, RTS, RPG, and kingdom manager that had to have been built by people that appreciated the early '00s gameplay experiences to bring this together.”
“The gameplay itself, on the other hand, is rather generic, bland, unbalanced, and easy.”
“Unfortunately, the game's mechanics are a bit of a jangly, stumbling mess.”
“I can't tell how much of this is intended---as the game puts an emphasis on imperfect information and incompetent, disloyal underlings---but gameplay flits back and forth between neat and engaging and janky and frustrating.”
- music36 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received high praise for its originality and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its dynamic and engaging nature that complements the gameplay. The soundtrack, described as a unique blend of folk-metal and medieval sounds, adds depth to the storytelling and character interactions, making it a standout feature. Overall, players find the music to be a significant highlight, contributing to the game's charm and immersive experience.
“I must admit the game is fantastic: intriguing plot, interesting characters and lovely game mechanics, and of course fantastic music that so well emphasizes the atmosphere.”
“Battles are complex, intense and super involving, with the dynamic music giving you the tempo, frenzied action and a bit of breath between waves to reconstruct.”
“The soundtrack is cool, folk-metal, never heard it in a strategy game.”
“The music is adding a lot to the atmosphere, but it feels repetitive and lacks variety throughout the game.”
“While the soundtrack has its moments, it often feels out of place and doesn't enhance the overall experience.”
“The music is forgettable and doesn't leave a lasting impression, which is disappointing given the game's potential.”
- humor28 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a mix of crass, juvenile jokes and witty dialogues, often eliciting genuine laughter from players. While some find the humor to be consistently funny and engaging, others criticize it for relying heavily on scatological themes rather than darker or more sophisticated comedy. Overall, the humor is described as a significant aspect of the game, with a blend of hilarity and absurdity that appeals to fans of rude and witty humor.
“This game's dialogues are hilarious and made me laugh out loud several times, which is very rare.”
“It sounds cheesy but, honestly, it's funny as hell.”
“The game is bonkers, with larger-than-life, crass and very humorous characters, well-written dialogues and a long, intense campaign of management and battles.”
- graphics26 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising its unique art style and charm, particularly for a budget title, while others note that the graphics could be improved. The overall presentation, including the user interface and still art, is appreciated, and the soundtrack enhances the atmosphere. However, some players express disappointment over the lack of graphic options and occasional bugs affecting performance.
“The game offers a beautiful art style and an awesome soundtrack.”
“Graphics are fantastic for a budget game.”
“Every aspect is a work of art – the presentation of the UI for the strategy side, the graphics in the tower defense, the still art that's used in the story, and the music.”
“The only good thing about this bugged crap is that with its 0 graphics, it does not take a lot of time to reload after it crashes.”
“Graphics aren't the best.”
“If I had any complaints, it would be that the graphics do leave a little bit to be desired, but this is easily overlooked due to the sheer depth of this game.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its intriguing plot, compelling characters, and exceptional music that enhances the overall experience. The artwork contributes to a gritty and thematically consistent environment, while the original storytelling and larger-than-life character design further immerse players in the game's world.
“The music adds a lot to the atmosphere, the storytelling is done in an original way, and the artwork is something I really love; overall, the game has a real gritty feeling.”
“Aside from gameplay, I especially love the larger-than-life characters and writing in the campaign, and the character art is atmospheric and thematically consistent as well.”
“I must admit the game is fantastic: intriguing plot, interesting characters, and lovely game mechanics, and of course, fantastic music that emphasizes the atmosphere so well.”
“The music adds a lot to the atmosphere; the storytelling is done in an original way, and the artwork is something I really love. Overall, the game has a real gritty feeling.”
“The music enhances the atmosphere significantly, creating a unique experience that complements the storytelling and artwork.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express that the emotional experience of the game is marred by a sense of pressure during challenging fights, leading to feelings of tedium and repetitive gameplay. This pressure detracts from the overall enjoyment and emotional engagement with the game.
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, users report that the game exhibits a surprising level of stability, with fewer bugs than anticipated.
“It's not as buggy as one would think.”
- character development2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The sergeant exhibits notable character development, particularly through his struggles with alcohol, which adds depth to his persona.
