Empires Shall Fall
- February 19, 2024
- Weird Penguin Games
Get on SteamIn "Empires Shall Fall" , command your troops in a dieselpunk world embroiled in the Great War between the Black Empire and Blue League. Utilize terrain and strategy to outmaneuver opponents in turn-based combat with various unit types and boss fights. Engage in local hotseat multiplayer to test your tactical prowess against friends. Non-random combat and grid-based maps hearken back to classic strategy games.
PC
Steam Deck
Windows
Reviews
- Engaging gameplay with a good balance of unit types and enjoyable animations and visuals.
- Successfully captures the essence of Advance Wars while introducing unique perks and customization options for units.
- Runs smoothly on the Steam Deck and offers a fun, casual experience for fans of turn-based strategy games.
- The game is relatively short and lacks depth in terms of story, character development, and variety of factions.
- Difficulty levels are low, making it easy for experienced players to dominate the AI, which can lead to repetitive gameplay.
- Art style and character designs are criticized, with some characters detracting from the overall visual appeal of the game.
- story20 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The story in the game is generally considered weak and forgettable, with many reviewers noting a lack of depth, interesting characters, and engaging dialogue. While some players appreciate the gameplay mechanics and find the campaign enjoyable, they express a desire for more content, such as additional missions and unique commanders. Overall, the narrative aspect does not significantly enhance the gaming experience, making it less of a draw for potential players.
“I could only wish there was more to this game, perhaps more campaign missions or more battle maps with higher difficulty, maybe more unique commanders with their own superpowers and benefits or even a new playable faction like the one we fight in the last campaign mission.”
“The story and characters are very weak, but the dialogue sections are so short that those elements only come across as forgettable, rather than annoying.”
“It doesn't have much else in the way of single player content (there's always the opportunity to replay missions for better ranks), and I don't see its PvP scene taking off (especially without online), but I've enjoyed my time with the campaign.”
“The writing and overall story is utter trash.”
“Do not buy this game for the story, because there more-or-less isn’t one.”
“No interesting characters, voice acting, cutscenes, dramatic story or influential choices.”
- graphics14 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the vibrant pixel art and smooth animations that evoke nostalgia for classic titles like Advance Wars, while others criticize the limited graphical options and unengaging art style. Overall, the visuals are described as appealing by some, but not universally appreciated, leading to a polarized reception.
“Interesting gameplay, great balance in terms of different types of units, plus animations and visuals are super good.”
“The graphics pop, the battle animations are great.”
“The game has good looking graphics (despite being pixelated).”
“Not for me, while the graphics are half decent, there isn't anything especially engaging about this game.”
“Options are severely limited with the only graphical option being windowed mode.”
“Art style: I didn’t like the art style here.”
- gameplay10 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 40 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its interesting mechanics and balance among unit types, with smooth animations and visuals enhancing the experience. Players appreciate the quick and intuitive gameplay loop, reminiscent of classic titles like Advance Wars, though some express concerns about the handling of character powers and specializations. Overall, the game offers a solid campaign experience with customizable speed settings for a more tailored play.
“Interesting gameplay, great balance in terms of different types of units, plus animations and visuals are super good.”
“The artwork in the game looks great, the gameplay is quick and smooth, and it does a great job scratching that Advance Wars itch.”
“It has a really fun, intuitive, and interesting gameplay loop with lots of fun stuff to explore and experience.”
“My main gripe comes from how the game handles COs: CO powers are determined by faction, not character, and characters themselves have no gameplay specializations.”
“Mechanics: each map you have an objective and most of the time it's kill all troops or take the HQ.”
“Map speed, AI speed, and battle speed can all be individually controlled, along with an invaluable option to skip some of the 'confirm' menus to speed up gameplay.”
- music4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally well-received, with some users praising the soundtrack as engaging and fitting for the gameplay, while others find it decent but not exceptional. Sound effects contribute to an immersive experience, enhancing the overall atmosphere during battles.
“The soundtrack is fantastic and really enhances the story.”
“The music adds a lot of energy and excitement to the gameplay.”
“The music kept things going, and the sound effects were immersive enough to 'feel' the battle.”
“Audio (sound effects/music/voice acting/ambient) – 5/10”
“Music: decent.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game received mixed reviews, with users noting that while there are no performance issues on desktop systems, the overall graphics and performance quality are lacking, scoring a low 3/10. However, the game performs well on the Steam Deck, particularly in multiplayer scenarios, though it still falls short of the standards set by its predecessor.
“No performance issues on my desktop.”
“Perhaps the largest positive I can give ESF is the Steam Deck performance while mimicking the ability to hot-swap with multiplayer like in War Room.”
“The graphics quality and performance are lacking, earning a score of 3 out of 10.”
“While I experienced no performance issues on my desktop, the optimization could still use significant improvement.”
“The Steam Deck performance is a highlight, especially with the ability to hot-swap in multiplayer, but it still falls short compared to what was achieved in previous titles.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Character development in this game has been criticized for lacking depth and charisma, with reviewers noting that it feels like a stripped-down version of its predecessor, resulting in overly edgy and pandering character designs that detract from the overall experience.
“You take a franchise like Advance Wars, strip it of its commanders, suck it dry of its charisma, make it edgy, and then pander to the point where I started feeling the character designs hitting me in the face.”
“The character development feels shallow and uninspired, leaving me disconnected from the story and the characters.”
“I expected rich backstories and growth, but instead, the characters are one-dimensional and forgettable.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its stability, being free from bugs or incomplete features, which contributes to a smooth and enjoyable experience. Additionally, its fast-paced gameplay and great sound design enhance its overall quality, especially considering the affordable price.
