Empires in Ruins

About

Even before we mention what Empires in Ruins is and why it is so, a few words about the current state of the game build. The build available is a demo of the full release, currently only available on Steam in Early Access (it will be also release on Itch.io once the EA period is finished). The game is now halfway through our Early Access (precisely 7 months out of 12 in in 2 days), and it has see…

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

80%

Audience ScoreBased on 108 reviews

story16 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

The game features a unique blend of tower defense and 4X strategy, providing engaging gameplay with depth and complexity.
The writing and humor are well-received, with many players enjoying the character development and witty dialogue.
The game is visually appealing with great artwork and a solid soundtrack, enhancing the overall experience.

The user interface is clunky and can be frustrating, with unnecessary loading screens and a lack of clarity in mechanics.
The tower defense aspect can feel repetitive and underwhelming, especially with the option to auto-resolve battles yielding better results than manual play.
Some players find the resource management tedious and the overall gameplay lacking in innovation compared to other titles in the genre.

story
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
68%
5%
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 campaign is story-driven, and the campaign and sandbox combat's tower defense modes can be skipped by simply allowing auto resolution of battles, which you would expect if you're the 4X sort.”
- “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.”
gameplay
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
68%
8%
The gameplay is a mixed bag, featuring innovative mechanics in province management and a blend of tower defense, RTS, and RPG elements that evoke nostalgia for early 2000s gaming. While some aspects are engaging and allow for creative problem-solving, others suffer from generic design, unbalanced mechanics, and frustrating jankiness. Overall, the game offers a unique experience but may require patience to fully appreciate its depth and complexity.
- “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.”
music
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
25%
8%
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, the storytelling is done in an original way and the artwork is something I really love; overall, the game has a real gritty feeling.”
- “Then comes the writing and the soundtrack, which are absolutely bloody glorious.”
- “Not a music major, but it is very fitting with the game.”
humor
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is a mix of juvenile and scatological jokes, often relying on crude humor and curses, which some players find entertaining while others see it as lacking depth. Many reviews highlight the hilarious and well-written dialogues that elicit genuine laughter, with a consistent comedic tone throughout the gameplay. Overall, the humor is polarizing, appealing to those who enjoy witty and crass humor, but may not resonate with everyone.
- “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.”
graphics
26 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
46%
15%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising its unique art style and overall charm, particularly for a budget title, while others note that the graphics could be improved. The artwork and user interface are highlighted as strong points, contributing to the game's gritty atmosphere and immersive experience. However, some players express disappointment over the lack of graphic options and the occasional technical issues 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.”
- “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.”
- “-graphics aren't the best.”
atmosphere
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
50%
17%
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.
- “Aside from gameplay, I especially love the larger-than-life characters and writing in the campaign. 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. The fantastic music emphasizes the atmosphere beautifully.”
- “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.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be a mixed experience; while the tower defense mechanics are well-received, the resource management can feel tedious at times, though it is generally manageable.
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
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.
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, users report that the game is surprisingly stable, with fewer bugs than anticipated.
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The sergeant exhibits notable character development, particularly through his struggles with alcohol, which adds depth to his persona.