Field of Glory: Empires

84%
Game Brain Score Based on 549 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • replayability
Field of Glory: Empires Game Cover
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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.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

84%
Audience ScoreBased on 549 reviews
gameplay69 positive mentions
graphics13 negative mentions
  • The game features a unique decadence mechanic that prevents players from expanding too quickly, adding depth to the gameplay.
  • There is a wide variety of factions to play, each with distinct characteristics and strategies, enhancing replayability.
  • The integration with Field of Glory II allows for tactical battles, providing an additional layer of strategy and engagement.
  • The user interface can be clunky and unintuitive, making it difficult to manage regions and understand certain mechanics.
  • The game relies heavily on RNG for building options and battle outcomes, which can lead to frustrating and unpredictable results.
  • Diplomacy is underdeveloped, with limited options for meaningful interactions between factions.
  • gameplay204 mentions

    The gameplay of "fog:e" is characterized by its complex yet rewarding mechanics, particularly the unique "decadence" system that challenges players to balance expansion with cultural cohesion. While the learning curve can be steep, many players find the core gameplay loop intuitive and engaging, with substantial replay value stemming from diverse factions and strategic depth. Overall, the game offers a fresh take on grand strategy, blending familiar elements with innovative features that encourage thoughtful decision-making and prevent predictable strategies.

    • “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.”
    • “Although comparisons to Total War or Imperator Rome are bound to happen, this game accomplishes its own goals in its own way, offering a unique blend of mechanics with a large amount of complexity concealed under a deceptively simple presentation.”
    • “The gameplay is rather simple, but I’ve read the 214-page manual, and I believe it is a missed opportunity to attract Total War and Paradox players.”
    • “The decadence mechanic can be really annoying; the trick is not to expand quickly and focus on building culture buildings early on.”
    • “My first 4 hours of gameplay had me thinking this game sucked and I had no idea what was going on.”
  • graphics51 mentions

    Overall, the graphics of the game are widely regarded as outdated, often compared to titles from a decade ago, with many users noting that they resemble early video game visuals. While some players find the graphics acceptable and prioritize gameplay mechanics over aesthetics, others express frustration with the low-resolution textures and user interface. Despite these criticisms, many agree that the game's fun mechanics and engaging gameplay can outweigh the graphical shortcomings.

    • “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.”
    • “This game is janky, badly documented, and the graphics look like they should be 20 years old, but it's immense fun.”
    • “The main issue I have with this game is the graphics; it looks really outdated, like from 2010, but grand strategy games don't need good graphics anyway.”
    • “The graphics are a weak point for me.”
  • replayability22 mentions

    The game boasts exceptional replayability, driven by a dynamic diplomacy system, diverse factions with unique attributes, and random events that enhance each playthrough. Players can switch factions mid-game, ensuring varied experiences even when starting with the same faction. Overall, the combination of strategic depth and different gameplay styles 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 with the same faction; a nice touch is the possibility to switch to another faction at any point in the game.”
    • “This game is exactly what I've been waiting for, a truly fleshed out classical era grand strategy with great mechanics, replayability, depth, and challenge.”
    • “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.”
    • “One of the easiest and most efficient UI mechanics I have played while offering a plethora of replayability, even while using the same civilizations over and over.”
    • “I will go back to more polished games that have become much more playable with recent updates.”
  • grinding18 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being excessively tedious and boring, with many players finding the mechanics convoluted and unengaging. The need to manage numerous regions and navigate through lengthy text boxes adds to the frustration, making the gameplay feel slow and unrewarding. Overall, players express a strong desire for a more streamlined and less monotonous experience.

    • “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.”
  • music17 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with many players noting that while the initial soundtrack is beautiful and engaging, it quickly becomes repetitive and lacks variety. Several users express disappointment over the limited number of tracks, suggesting that the game would benefit from a more diverse and epic soundtrack to enhance the overall experience. Overall, while the music is appreciated, its repetitiveness detracts from the game's enjoyment.

    • “This game has a beautiful soundtrack.”
    • “Music is great, lots of options on the campaign map.”
    • “Really good game with interesting original mechanics and good enough visuals/music.”
    • “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.”
  • optimization10 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it runs smoothly on lower settings and features some automated trade and management systems, players report issues with micromanagement and performance at higher graphics settings. The auto management can lead to rebellions and inefficiencies, indicating a need for better balancing and optimization. Despite these flaws, initial impressions suggest a polished experience with satisfactory turn times.

    • “Paradox, for all their many flaws, brings some nice polish, UX, and optimization to their games.”
    • “The trade all happens automatically and is optimized, so if a required or bonus good is available both locally and internationally, the region will always import locally, giving you a bonus instead of a penalty.”
    • “As far as first impressions go, this game appears to be great; there are no technical issues, it runs smoothly, and turn times are satisfactory considering the 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.”
  • stability9 mentions

    The game's stability is a mixed bag; while some players report it as relatively stable and bug-free compared to other recent releases, many others highlight significant issues such as bugs, poor user interface, and clunky mechanics. The lack of a comprehensive tutorial and frustrating pathfinding further detract from the experience, leading to a perception of the game as needing more polish. Overall, opinions vary widely, with some players finding it runs well on lower-end systems, while others express frustration with its numerous glitches.

    • “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.”
  • story8 mentions

    The game's storytelling is praised for its immersive and tactical approach, particularly in depicting the rise and fall of civilizations, though it lacks depth in faction-specific narratives and missions. Players appreciate the unique settlement builds and the potential for multiplayer storytelling, but note the repetitiveness of random events. Overall, while the individual stories can be captivating, the game could benefit from more structured historical events and decisions.

    • “The story-telling is immaculate, with the particular build-trees of the individual settlements being relatively bespoke and leads to local specialty goods or products becoming available.”
    • “Fog:e is refreshingly light on modifier stacking and heavier on tactics and telling a story of the rise and fall of civilizations in the classical world, with endless potential for generating great stories in multiplayer if you have a few friends that are into it.”
    • “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 good part is really the gameplay, where you can take your chosen nation, develop it, and play its story.”
    • “The story of Antigonus and Demetrius utterly captivated me, so taking control of their kingdom was a must-do.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization strategy is criticized as ineffective and overly aggressive, with many users viewing it as a blatant cash grab rather than a meaningful addition to the game experience.

    • “They're useless, as they are just extended advertisements for the game.”
    • “In truth and practice, it's total primitive cash-grabbing trash.”
  • atmosphere2 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 enhancing the immersive experience.

    • “A 4X game that has immense flavor, atmosphere, and great depth.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    Players report a deep emotional connection to the game, likening their experience to a haunting presence that influences the narrative, suggesting that the game's storytelling and character development evoke strong feelings and a sense of immersion.

    • “The emotional depth of the story left me in tears, as I connected with the characters on a personal level.”
    • “Every choice I made felt significant, and the weight of those decisions truly impacted my experience.”
    • “The soundtrack perfectly complemented the narrative, enhancing the emotional moments and making them unforgettable.”
  • humor1 mentions

    Users find the humor in the game primarily through its unexpected and amusing combat mechanics, noting that the integration of battle elements creates a lighthearted and entertaining experience that feels distinct from traditional gameplay.

    • “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!”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

40hMedian play time
48hAverage play time
25-90hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 12 analyzed playthroughs

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