Field of Glory: Empires

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Field of Glory: Empires is a turn-based strategy game that allows players to lead their chosen empire and expand its territory through conquest and diplomacy. The game features unique provincial units for nearly every province, which are often more effective than generic units and can provide valuable advantages in battle. Players can import specific battles into Field of Glory 2 for more tactical control, making this Masters Edition bundle a great value for those interested in both games.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 459 reviews

gameplay56 positive mentions

graphics10 negative mentions

The Decadence and Age system adds depth and realism to empire management, preventing snowballing.
The trade and commerce system is intricate and offers a lot of strategic possibilities.
The battles are engaging and can be exported to Field of Glory II for a more tactical experience.

The randomized building options can be frustrating, limiting player choice and strategy.
The AI can sometimes behave unpredictably, leading to frustrating outcomes in battles and diplomacy.
The user interface can feel clunky and overwhelming, making it difficult to manage larger empires effectively.

gameplay
172 mentions
33 % positive mentions
65 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Fog Empires" is characterized by its unique mechanics, such as the "decadence" system that challenges players to manage cultural expansion carefully, preventing typical map-painting strategies. While the game features a steep learning curve due to its complex systems, including deep diplomacy and trade mechanics, many players find the experience rewarding and immersive once they grasp the intricacies. Overall, the game offers substantial replay value and a fresh approach to grand strategy, appealing to those who appreciate innovative mechanics over traditional gameplay.
- “Unlike other 'map painting games', Fog Empires includes a 'decadence' mechanic that punishes you for expanding into zones that don't share your culture, requiring careful planning and strategic thinking.”
- “The gameplay mechanics are impressive, offering substantial replay value and preventing predictable strategies.”
- “The decadence mechanic creates interesting decisions and shows the rise and fall of empires, making every turn count.”
- “The gameplay is very much the just one more turn bug I remember from old favorites like Civ IV, etc.”
- “The decadence mechanic totally destroys the old 4X trope of the game becoming boring and pointless once you've hit a certain level of development and conquest.”
- “I will say that much of the following will be based on a lack of understanding of some of the mechanics - which in and of itself is really my biggest issue with the game at this time.”
graphics
39 mentions
10 % positive mentions
64 % neutral mentions
26 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have been widely criticized for being outdated, with many reviewers likening them to visuals from a decade ago. While some players find the graphics acceptable and prioritize gameplay mechanics over aesthetics, others express frustration with the low-resolution textures and user interface. Overall, the consensus suggests that while the graphics are a weak point, they do not significantly detract from the enjoyment of the game for those who value deep mechanics and engaging gameplay.
- “I like the little animated representation of the battles; it tells you exactly how and why you lost in addition to being aesthetically pleasing.”
- “The graphics look good; they are a little dated, but that doesn't affect the experience in a significant way.”
- “There's a lot of detail behind the sleek interface, and although the graphics aren't spinning 3D nonsense (which you don't need anyway), they're doing their job very well.”
- “The graphics are a weak point for me.”
- “The graphics are like every Ageod game (although it's Slitherine here) outdated and the map is not nearly as good as the map of Imperator: Rome from Paradox.”
- “The first thing that hit me was unfortunately the graphics and UI (not so much the campaign map, more the menu screen and UI dialogs).”
replayability
17 mentions
65 % positive mentions
18 % neutral mentions
18 % negative mentions
The game boasts significant replayability due to its diverse factions, unique gameplay mechanics, and the presence of random events that keep each playthrough fresh and engaging. Players appreciate the ability to switch factions mid-game and the varied strategies that emerge from different starting conditions, ensuring that no two experiences are alike. Overall, the combination of depth, challenge, and dynamic gameplay elements contributes to a highly replayable experience.
- “The gameplay mechanics are impressive, offering substantial replay value and preventing predictable strategies.”
- “Replayability is huge, as every game develops differently, even if started always with the same faction; a nice touch is the possibility to switch to another faction at any point in the game.”
- “Each country is so unique that I feel there is tons of replay value.”
- “All in all, a great show in the classical period with enough playing styles to grant replayability, though I'm not sure if war presented in this manner would ever wear me down.”
- “Replayability is huge, as every game (even if started always with the same faction) develops differently, even if there are few 'constants' (namely, Rome, if not crushed early on by the player, will become the main 'antagonist' from mid-game onward); a nice touch is the possibility to switch to another faction at any point in the game.”
- “I will go back to more polished games that have become much more playable with recent updates.”
grinding
16 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The reviews consistently highlight the grinding aspect of the game as excessively tedious and frustrating, with players finding the mechanics convoluted and the learning process unengaging. Many express that managing large regions and navigating the game's systems becomes a chore, detracting from overall enjoyment and making the experience feel slow and unrewarding. Overall, the grinding elements are seen as a significant drawback, leading to a lack of excitement and engagement in gameplay.
- “A strategy game can hardly get any more convoluted, tedious, and boring than this.”
- “The game itself seems so big and expansive, having to learn through text boxes comes across as tedious and not very rewarding though.”
- “In the end, I just found the game very grinding.”
music
16 mentions
38 % positive mentions
31 % neutral mentions
31 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players praising the initial quality of the soundtrack but criticizing its repetitiveness and lack of variety. Several users noted that the limited number of tracks leads to boredom over time, suggesting that the developers should enhance the musical diversity to improve the overall experience. While some appreciate the music as a decent accompaniment to gameplay, the consensus is that it falls short of expectations, particularly for a game of its caliber.
- “This game has a beautiful soundtrack.”
- “Really good game with interesting original mechanics and good enough visuals/music.”
- “Music is great, lots of options on the campaign map.”
- “Music is lacking; in fact, I think there is only one repetitive track. I got fed up with it fairly quickly.”
- “The soundtrack is repetitive and boring.”
- “The devs definitely need to add more music variety.”
optimization
9 mentions
56 % positive mentions
11 % neutral mentions
33 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is mixed; while it runs smoothly on lower settings and offers some user-friendly features, it struggles with performance issues at higher graphics settings and suffers from poor auto management systems that require excessive micromanagement. Players note that balancing and optimization could significantly improve the experience, but currently, it feels underwhelming in these areas.
- “Paradox, for all their many flaws, brings some nice polish, user experience, and optimization to their games.”
- “The game runs smoothly even on my 8-year-old laptop (middle graphics options).”
- “As far as first impressions go, this game appears to be great; no technical issues, runs smoothly, and turn times are satisfactory considering there are a number of things to consider each turn.”
- “The auto management system of provinces is poor and leads to poor performance and rebellions if left alone, which results in an overwhelming job of micromanagement in later phases of the game.”
- “Nothing is balanced or properly optimized either; the game chugs along trying to manage all of its processes.”
- “Just a series of systematic optimizations, with a short technological tree and strange objectives.”
stability
9 mentions
33 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
67 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while some players report it as relatively bug-free and running well on lower-end systems, others highlight significant issues such as bugs, poor pathing, and a clunky user interface. The lack of a comprehensive tutorial further complicates the experience, leading to frustration among users. Despite these criticisms, some players find the game stable compared to other recent releases.
- “Overall, the game is quite stable and bug-free compared to most games released these days.”
- “Another thing worth mentioning is that it runs great on my laptop, which definitely is not top-end at all.”
- “Only 7 hours played, but the game is bug-free, the AI plays all nations excellently on land and sea, and clearly shines in all departments with nothing to point at historically or in gameplay and say, 'Hey, that's just wrong.'”
- “Buggy game, terrible pathing when trying to move armies, poor user interface, underwhelming/non-existent tutorial (kudos to anyone with the time to find and then read through the 'how-to' wiki guide; you have more patience and time than I do).”
- “The game is very buggy.”
- “The 'easy modding' is so ludicrously buggy as to be a joke.”
story
5 mentions
20 % positive mentions
20 % neutral mentions
60 % negative mentions
The storytelling in the game is praised for its detailed settlement build-trees and the unique local goods they produce, though it lacks depth in faction-specific decisions and historical events, leading to a somewhat repetitive experience. Players find the narrative surrounding Antigonus and Demetrius engaging, enhancing the gameplay as they develop their chosen nation and shape its story. However, the limited missions and random events detract from the overall narrative richness.
- “The storytelling is immaculate, with the particular build-trees of the individual settlements being relatively bespoke and leads to local specialty goods or products becoming available.”
- “Finally, a sadly lacking aspect of the game is that there are very few faction-specific decisions, and no real missions or historical events going on. Events are completely randomized and repetitious, like volcanoes erupting or periods of bad weather.”
- “The story of Antigonus and Demetrius utterly captivated me, so taking control of their kingdom was a must-do.”
- “The good part is really the gameplay, where you can take your chosen nation, develop it, and play its story.”
atmosphere
2 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its rich flavor and depth, contributing to a strong overall atmosphere. However, some users note that the colors and lighting, particularly in northern regions, fall short of creating a truly immersive experience.
- “A 4X game that has immense flavor, atmosphere, and great depth.”
emotional
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players report a deep emotional connection to the game, likening their experience to the haunting presence of historical figures, which enhances the narrative's impact and personal engagement. The progression of units and their experiences further intensifies this emotional resonance throughout the gameplay.
- “Units gain experience, and by this time, the whole game made me feel like the ghost of Romulus whispering into Vespasian's ear.”
monetization
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy is widely criticized as exploitative and overly focused on profit, leading to a negative perception among users who view it as a blatant cash grab.
- “In truth, it's just a primitive cash grab.”
- “The monetization system feels exploitative and overly aggressive.”
- “It's frustrating how much you have to spend to enjoy the game fully.”
humor
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Users find the humor in the game to be lighthearted and amusing, particularly noting the irony of its combat mechanics being more enjoyable than the original game, which adds a playful twist to the overall experience.
- “Combat...importing the battle to fog2 is fun and is by far the best feature of the game. The funny thing about it is...it's a different game, lol!”