Expeditions: Conquistador

77%
Game Brain Score Based on 702 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Expeditions: Conquistador Game Cover
Unique, gorgeously written, a new world to explore for RPG fans.
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Conquer the New world: In the 16th Century, Spanish explorers and soldiers reached the shores of America. The search for gold, fame, and adventure drove these travelers into a treacherous wilderness where they faced hunger, disease, and dangerous predators. In their wake, the Aztec Empires lay in ruins. Re-write the history of the Conquistadors: Forge diplomatic alliances with the natives... or c…

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Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

77%
Audience ScoreBased on 702 reviews
story103 positive mentions
grinding30 negative mentions
  • Engaging story with meaningful choices that impact the gameplay and character morale.
  • Unique setting during the Spanish conquest of the Americas, providing a fresh perspective in gaming.
  • Challenging turn-based combat that requires strategic planning and resource management.
  • Clunky interface and camera controls that can hinder exploration and combat.
  • High difficulty level, especially in the early game, which may frustrate some players.
  • Repetitive camping mechanics and resource management can become tedious over time.
  • story298 mentions

    The game's story is rich and engaging, offering a blend of historical context and character-driven narratives that allow players to make meaningful choices that impact the outcome. While some players appreciate the depth and immersive writing, others find the pacing slow and the overall narrative lacking in excitement compared to the historical events it draws from. The game excels in creating a unique atmosphere and providing a variety of character interactions, though it may require a tolerance for extensive reading and interpretation.

    • “The best part of the game without a doubt is its story, rich, diverse, and very entertaining.”
    • “The story is captivating enough to make you wonder what is coming next; the traveling mechanics, class-based party setup, and resource management were all adequately well done.”
    • “An immensely enjoyable game that makes you really care about the people and the story.”
    • “The story is dull.”
    • “The problem is – with pretty much no story and the characters who are just... nobodies, it's close to impossible to feel involved.”
    • “The storyline is not very engaging, the tactical battle is somewhat limited.”
  • gameplay167 mentions

    The gameplay of the game is a blend of turn-based tactical combat and resource management, offering a mix of engaging mechanics and repetitive elements. While some players appreciate the nostalgic simplicity and depth of the combat system, others criticize the outdated graphics, clunky mechanics, and lack of innovation, leading to a frustrating experience at times. Overall, the game provides a unique setting and interesting choices, but it suffers from inconsistencies and a steep learning curve that may deter some players.

    • “The gameplay, the story, the art, the sound - it's all done so well.”
    • “This game has a very strong gameplay, a lot of unexpected events and a very clean atmosphere.”
    • “Gameplay focuses heavily on exploration (with foraging, supply management, and random events) and on strategic combat.”
    • “Given that each character can only level up five times, with most abilities acquired upon leveling being the same among each of the classes, not much difference in gameplay will be noticed.”
    • “Unfortunately, the game gradually reveals minor flaws across the board, and gameplay becomes overwhelming and tedious early on as you attempt to cross the map whilst juggling a barrage of ambushes, party management, random party events, and much more.”
    • “But the problem is that the combat is awful, the healing mechanic is complete and utter trash, and combat encounters are designed in a way that is counterintuitive to how the combat actually plays out.”
  • graphics93 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally considered outdated and unremarkable, with many reviewers noting issues such as choppy performance and a lack of visual polish. While some appreciate the artistic style and find it functional, others feel that the visuals detract from the overall experience, suggesting a need for a remake or significant updates. Despite the graphical shortcomings, many players emphasize that the engaging gameplay and rich storytelling compensate for the visual limitations.

    • “The graphics and ambient sounds are great for a game at this price point.”
    • “The artwork for events and conversations is nice and adds to the atmosphere and feel.”
    • “The main pros of this game come in the rich story, beautiful graphics, and battles.”
    • “Graphics and most mechanics feel outdated at this point.”
    • “The graphics are dull, very dull; look here is a book on radiators dull.”
    • “Graphics aged poorly.”
  • music51 mentions

    The music in the game is generally well-composed and immersive, featuring catchy tunes that enhance the overall atmosphere and gameplay experience. However, some players note a limited variety of tracks, leading to repetitiveness over extended play sessions. While many appreciate the thematic appropriateness and quality of the soundtrack, a few find certain tracks annoying or lacking in depth.

    • “The game's soundtrack is well-suited to the game's theme, with rousing music that will make you feel like you're leading your team into battle.”
    • “The music and art is what I believe put this game over the top; they work so well together with the story and gameplay mechanics that I almost feel I am there.”
    • “The soundtrack, although short, is excellent and I often find myself whistling the tunes when I'm not playing the game.”
    • “There are too few different music loops, which is a shame, and they rapidly get repetitive and slightly annoying over time.”
    • “The other is about music... a game based on conquistadors with Portuguese, Italians, Spanish, and Mexicans should have an awesome soundtrack, while this is slightly below average at most.”
    • “Sound 4/10 the music is basic and often repeated.”
  • grinding30 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and overwhelming, particularly due to the frequent camping mechanics and the need for constant party management. While the camping system offers interesting mechanics initially, it quickly becomes repetitive and interrupts the pacing of the game, making exploration and travel feel like a chore. Overall, the combination of tedious overworld navigation and click-intensive camping tasks detracts from the enjoyment of the game's story and combat.

    • “Unfortunately, the game gradually reveals minor flaws across the board, and gameplay becomes overwhelming and tedious early on as you attempt to cross the map whilst juggling a barrage of ambushes, party management, random party events, and much more.”
    • “The constant interruptions to travel slow even a beeline to an objective to a crawl, destroy the pacing of the story, and become tedious.”
    • “You have to camp periodically which involves assigning tasks and rations to your party which is interesting at first but rapidly becomes tedious and repetitive as you have to do it every 20 seconds or so when you're traveling overland.”
  • replayability27 mentions

    Overall, the game offers strong replayability due to its dialogue-heavy narrative, meaningful choices, and branching storylines that encourage multiple playthroughs. While some players note limitations in linearity and map design, many appreciate the unique content and character interactions that enhance the experience. The combination of strategic gameplay and varied outcomes makes it appealing for fans of turn-based RPGs seeking depth and replay value.

    • “It is very old school feeling, and very dialogue heavy, not for everyone but it has replayability and the dialogue is great, scenarios are great and change based on your team and actions.”
    • “I should note that choices matter in this game - big time - and this is part of the fun and replayability.”
    • “Expeditions: Conquistador is a fantastic game for its money, and will keep you playing for a very long time (the main campaign will take over 20-30 hours on average), and also has decent replayability.”
    • “In spite of that, the game is quite linear and as a result, replayability is limited.”
    • “Although the stagnant maps can seem to limit the replay value, the potential of learning more about each potential party member helps to make up for that.”
    • “The only small issue I have is that scrolling across the map is a little difficult and the game would've been even better with a bit more detail on the adventure map; having said that, it's definitely replayable and I really hope the developers make a sequel.”
  • atmosphere18 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its strong integration of music, artwork, and storytelling, effectively immersing players in a unique historical setting. Reviewers highlight the compelling narrative and the engaging depiction of pre-Columbian Mexico, which enhances the overall experience despite some graphical limitations. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's appeal.

    • “The atmosphere, the tactics, the concept, all of it has so much to like in my opinion.”
    • “The game's historical fiction setting, morally ambiguous choices, great artwork, and music make this an incredibly atmospheric game, even if the graphics can be very basic at times, and the initial learning curve a steep one.”
    • “Great atmosphere, writing and characters, lots of interesting random events.”
    • “I wanted to feel some of that atmosphere.”
    • “The story, combat, and atmosphere.”
    • “The not-so-popular age of discovery setting is great not simply because it is fresh, but the game does a lot to really engage you in the atmosphere and spirit of those days.”
  • emotional10 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its ability to create genuine connections with characters, making players feel the weight of their decisions and the consequences that follow. While some players found the narrative lacking and the gameplay technically flawed, many appreciated the emotional depth and moral dilemmas presented, leading to a compelling and sometimes challenging experience. Overall, the game evokes a range of feelings, from empathy to frustration, as players navigate complex relationships and ethical choices.

    • “It can be a little technically jank at times, and the departures from historical realism where the Spanish Empire appears to be more gender egalitarian than any modern society are a bit... confusing to say the least, but if you can suspend your disbelief a little bit and let yourself care about the characters, it's a game that's genuinely emotionally affecting and tactically fraught.”
    • “Wether it be the racist doctor with a complete inability to shoot a rifle (until it literally all rested on him during one tense battle), the open-minded scout who seemed appalled at every one of my less than noble decisions (and made me feel terrible), or the unbelievably aggressive and greedy soldier who I had a love-hate relationship with (hated me, I loved that he was an absolute tank on the field).”
    • “A really emotional game that will challenge you at every turn while you try to keep your companions alive during your expedition in the New World!”
    • “In the end, we are left with only ten poor and boring story missions, about sixteen side missions that feel even more lackluster, and... that's pretty much it.”
    • “The emotional depth of the game is severely lacking, making it hard to connect with the characters or their struggles.”
    • “I expected a rich emotional experience, but instead, I found the narrative to be shallow and unengaging.”
  • stability10 mentions

    The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting various bugs and glitches that can disrupt gameplay, particularly when switching between screens. However, some users noted that despite these issues, the game remains enjoyable and relatively smooth for an indie title, with only minor bugs that do not significantly detract from the overall experience.

    • “For an indie game, this is amazingly smooth and bug-free. It's also incredibly flexible; there is a storyline, but the pace and the outcome all depend upon player choices - your actions have consequences!”
    • “The game runs flawlessly without any crashes or glitches, providing a seamless experience that keeps you immersed in the gameplay.”
    • “I was pleasantly surprised by the stability of the game. It maintained a consistent frame rate throughout, allowing for an enjoyable and uninterrupted gaming experience.”
    • “If you alt+tab to another screen, half the time when you come back the graphics and text are all buggy.”
    • “This game is too buggy to bother with.”
    • “While it has a few shortcomings like the buggy interactions between missions or the replacement of the 'fog of war' by an annoying camera movement restriction, I was surprised to hear it is an indie game.”
  • optimization6 mentions

    The optimization of "Expeditions: Conquistador" is a mixed bag; while some players find the game surprisingly well-balanced and optimized for tactical combat and exploration, others report severe performance issues that hinder gameplay, leading to frustration and multiple restarts. Overall, the game's optimization appears inconsistent, with significant room for improvement.

    • “The game is surprisingly well balanced and optimized.”
    • “I had owned this game for a while but rage-quit the first time I played it because I realized early on that I hadn't optimized my character and early-game decisions for the type of game I wanted to play.”
    • “Plus, the game is horribly optimized.”
    • “I've restarted the game from scratch 4 times, turned all the options to lowest performance, it simply does not work.”
  • humor5 mentions

    The humor in the game is well-received, with players noting its clever writing and the integration of comedic elements into gameplay, such as decision-making that can lead to humorous outcomes. The game's ambiance, supported by its music and combat, enhances the overall comedic experience, making it enjoyable and engaging. However, players are advised to manage their team dynamics carefully, as contrasting personalities can lead to humorous yet detrimental consequences.

    • “The writing was actually pretty funny at times, and the entire game from the music to the combat to the exploration all meshed well and supported the story and ambiance.”
    • “This game has a great premise; I haven't seen other games in this time period, and I love the way you can make your own, sometimes truly humorously written decisions in this RPG.”
    • “Very funny game, a little bit like Heroes of Might & Magic.”
  • character development2 mentions

    Character development in the game is multifaceted, focusing on combat skills (ranged, melee, defense), outdoor survival abilities, and unique talents akin to RPG feats, allowing players to enhance their characters through more powerful equipment and specialized advantages.

    • “Individual character development occurs on different axes - combat skills (ranged, melee, defense) which translate into the use of new, more powerful equipment, outdoor skills to help your party survive, and specific talents (think RPG feats) that provide unique advantages.”
    • “Individual character development occurs on different axes - combat skills (ranged, melee, defense) which translate as new, more powerful equipment use, outdoor skills to help your party survive, and specific talents (think RPG feats) that provide unique advantages.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The game is praised as a hidden gem, but its lack of advertising has contributed to its underexposure, suggesting that monetization strategies may not be effectively reaching potential players.

    • “The monetization model feels exploitative, pushing players to spend money to enjoy the game fully.”
    • “It's frustrating that essential features are locked behind paywalls, making it hard to progress without spending real money.”
    • “The constant prompts to purchase in-game currency ruin the overall experience and make it feel more like a cash grab.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

80% average critic score

Buy Expeditions: Conquistador

Play time

38hMedian play time
31hAverage play time
30-50hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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