Five Nations

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Five Nations is a turn-based strategy game set in a fantasy world. Players must choose one of five nations and compete for resources, territory, and influence. The game features deep strategic gameplay, including diplomacy, technology research, and unit tacties. With beautiful hand-drawn graphics and a rich, immersive world, Five Nations offers a unique and engaging experience for strategy fans.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

Reviews

82%

Audience ScoreBased on 137 reviews

story18 positive mentions

stability2 negative mentions

The game features a lengthy single-player campaign with over 50 missions, providing a nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic RTS games like StarCraft.
Each of the five factions offers unique gameplay mechanics and units, enhancing replayability and strategic depth.
The graphics and art style are appealing, with a charming retro aesthetic that complements the gameplay.

The game lacks multiplayer functionality, which many players feel is essential for an RTS experience.
There are several technical issues, including bugs, poor pathfinding, and limited control options, which detract from the overall gameplay experience.
The voice acting and writing quality are inconsistent, with many grammatical errors and awkward dialogue that can break immersion.

story
108 mentions
17 % positive mentions
80 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally well-received, featuring a lengthy single-player campaign with over 50 missions and a variety of factions, each with distinct mechanics. While some players appreciate the engaging narrative and character development reminiscent of classic RTS titles, others criticize the writing quality and mission design, noting issues with pacing and immersion. Overall, the story is seen as a solid, if somewhat cliched, backdrop to the gameplay, with potential for improvement in execution and polish.
- “The story kept getting better and better - also it was never boring due to a lot of switching perspectives and new challenges.”
- “The campaign is long and meaty, consisting of classic proper story-driven scripted retro RTS missions with charmingly cheesy voice acting and writing just like in the old RTSs (C&C, Starcraft, Supreme Commander all had goofy hammy writing and deliveries), nice pacing and flow of pretty varied missions, building some neat intrigue in the setting.”
- “If you like story-driven RTS games like Starcraft, and don't mind older graphics, I can highly recommend this game.”
- “Well, the first of the big meaty 56 various mission campaign is some of the most boring and stilted campaign I can imagine.”
- “And to top it off, the writers are clearly not native English speakers, but at no point was I confused about the meaning they were trying to convey. However, as I kept trudging through the campaign, the wording started to irritate me as the characters are nothing but exposition blurters, and it being delivered through the dating sim style briefing room only made me dislike the story even more.”
- “The lack of soul from either the story (with its dull sounding voice actors) or the gameplay itself is what killed it for me.”
gameplay
35 mentions
14 % positive mentions
77 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is a blend of classic real-time strategy mechanics reminiscent of titles like StarCraft and Command & Conquer, featuring five distinct factions with varied mechanics and a tiered resource collection system. While the core gameplay is enjoyable and offers a solid experience with a long campaign, it suffers from some rough edges, including poor AI and occasional confusion due to hidden mechanics. Overall, players appreciate the nostalgic feel and accessibility, though some criticize its simplicity compared to modern standards.
- “The titular five factions (six with the expansion) are reasonably different in outlook and mechanics, the story is pretty decent for a video game, and the mission variety is good as well.”
- “Five factions, asymmetrical gameplay, and an enormous campaign with voiced-over mission briefings.”
- “There's a few blemishes here and there, but overall I am surprised at how polished and well-designed all the mechanics are, and the factions feel very finely tuned to fit perfectly in a competitive scene.”
- “Yes, a fundamental core of RTS gameplay does not function properly.”
- “The gameplay is way too simple for a modern game.”
- “It tries too hard to look like Starcraft without achieving a sleek look and with poorer gameplay.”
graphics
34 mentions
38 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally well-received, with many users appreciating the nostalgic, old-school aesthetic and detailed 2D art style. While some criticize the lack of modern graphical fidelity and options, others find the visuals charming and fitting for a retro RTS experience. Overall, the graphics are described as clean, visually distinct, and enjoyable, though they may not appeal to those seeking cutting-edge design.
- “This is partially what sold me on the game initially, the art and visuals looked very professional. The designs are visually nice and relatively distinct aside from some units which look too close to one another.”
- “The graphics are gorgeous and stylish for an isometric 2D RTS, and the soundtrack hits that classic nostalgia spot.”
- “The game itself looks and feels great, the art style is clear and neat, the units look lovely, music, effects, levels, everything fits and feels really nostalgic while still looking beautiful.”
- “The graphics are somehow worse than the 90s games that apparently inspire it.”
- “Its missing tons of simple things like hotkeys found in the majority of RTS games and while the graphics aren't that bad, they're just really really dull. The explosions look like they were hand drawn and not in a good way.”
- “Also the UI does not scale at all so, even at the higher graphical setting, the UI was blurry and looked like something from the 90s.”
music
15 mentions
40 % positive mentions
40 % neutral mentions
20 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the nostalgic and fitting soundtrack that enhances the gaming atmosphere, while others find it repetitive and not particularly memorable. Overall, the audio quality is deemed decent, with a few standout tracks, but it lacks the polish of AAA titles. The sound design complements the visuals well, creating a charming and immersive experience despite some criticisms regarding the cutscenes and looping music.
- “The soundtrack is really amazing and wonderfully fits the setting; I wish it could be possible to get it as MP3.”
- “Music fits in perfectly with the setting, creating a stress-free gaming mindset that is not distracting.”
- “The game itself looks and feels great; the art style is clear and neat, the units look lovely, and everything fits and feels really nostalgic while still looking beautiful.”
- “The cutscenes aren't even the modern, poorly done After Effects cutscenes; they are just still pictures with no background music or even a narrator.”
- “The sounds in-game are serviceable, and the music is... okay, I would say. It really didn't grab me much aside from a track or two.”
- “The music loops every 3 minutes and drives me nuts!”
optimization
2 mentions
150 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
150 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed feedback, with some users noting that certain units lack the ability to be micro-managed effectively, hindering performance. While the inclusion of full voice acting is appreciated, some performances are considered subpar, suggesting room for improvement in overall execution.
- “The optimization in this game allows for smooth gameplay even with a large number of units on screen.”
- “I appreciate how the game balances performance and graphics, making it accessible for various hardware setups.”
- “The developers have done a fantastic job optimizing the game, ensuring minimal lag and a seamless experience.”
- “Some of the units can't even be micro'd (individually controlled for better performance).”
- “The game suffers from severe optimization issues, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering.”
- “Even on high-end hardware, the performance is inconsistent and often disappointing.”
stability
2 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
Users report stability issues with unit control, noting that units often behave erratically and fail to remain stationary. Additionally, minor sprite glitches occur, such as engines appearing active when vehicles are stationary, and a significant limitation is the inability to set a "follow" order for units.
- “The unit control is a bit buggy; many units just do whatever they want and cannot sit still.”
- “Beyond minor sprite glitches that show engines on when the vehicle isn't moving, the worst issue is not being able to set a 'follow' order.”
character development
1 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Character development is noted for its emphasis on traditional archetypes, featuring strong, masculine male characters and visually appealing female characters, which may appeal to fans of classic character design but could lack depth and diversity.
grinding
1 mentions
0 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
300 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly criticizing the resource gathering process as overly time-consuming and monotonous.
- “Resource gathering is tedious.”
- “The grinding feels endless and repetitive.”
- “Leveling up requires an excessive amount of time and effort.”
atmosphere
1 mentions
300 % positive mentions
-200 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The soundtrack is highly praised for its ability to complement and enhance the game's atmosphere, effectively immersing players in the overall experience.
- “The soundtrack perfectly complements the game's atmosphere, enhancing every moment.”
- “The immersive atmosphere created by the visuals and sound design draws you into the game world.”
- “Every element of the game contributes to a rich atmosphere that keeps you engaged and invested.”