Galactic Lords

About

"Galactic Lords" is an experimental indie strategy game, where players lead a group of Galactic Lords through 7 levels with elemental themes to uncover a universal threat. The game features a unique combination of turn-based map and real-time units combat, as well as an elemental weakness system and 6 playable lords, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Save and load options are also available for a more flexible gaming experience.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

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

70%

Audience ScoreBased on 40 reviews

humor6 positive mentions

gameplay6 negative mentions

The game has a fun and simple gameplay that is easy to understand and master.
The unique blend of turn-based strategy and real-time combat offers an interesting concept.
The poorly translated dialogue adds a humorous element that some players find entertaining.

The gameplay is repetitive and lacks depth, leading to a monotonous experience.
Graphics and audio quality are subpar, with visuals reminiscent of outdated games and generic music.
The game suffers from poor balance and predictable AI, making it too easy and lacking in strategic challenge.

gameplay
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
67%
20%
The gameplay features a unique blend of turn-based strategy and real-time combat, but suffers from significant issues such as blandness, repetitiveness, and clunky mechanics. While some players appreciate the underlying concepts and simple mechanics, many criticize the overall experience as monotonous and poorly executed, leading to a lack of engagement over time. Overall, the game is seen as an amateur effort that may only appeal to those looking for a brief, inexpensive diversion.
- “I really like the system and simple mechanics. If this stays the same, then I would like to see much more of this, albeit slightly more polished.”
- “Balanced gameplay - fair and equal.”
- “The gameplay is actually quite unique because it initially plays like a turn-based strategy RPG using squads (wherein 10 generic soldiers form one individual unit similar to Advance Wars), but then combat between these squads is resolved using a real-time horizontal shoot 'em up system.”
- “Overall, I don't recommend it because the gameplay is extremely bland and repetitive despite employing a unique concept. The graphics are mediocre except for the battles, which look like they're straight from the 8-bit era, and the music is very generic.”
- “And this monotonous combat is further compounded by the fact that each faction will join you after you beat them, but each successive army that you face will also increase in size to surpass yours, which leads to battles becoming longer and longer while the core gameplay loop stays the same and becomes stale.”
- “The game offers no mechanics that build upon the strong blended foundation of SRPG and real-time combat. It doesn't respect your time as it just gets larger and larger in scope with each passing level, and it's clearly an amateur experiment which was probably never meant to be taken seriously but was seemingly monetized for the sake of it.”
music
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
58%
25%
The music in the game is described as repetitive and generic, primarily featuring sci-fi adventure tracks that fail to enhance the experience or fit the game's theme. Reviewers found the overall audio experience bland, contributing to the game's lackluster appeal.
- “Overall, I don't recommend it because the gameplay is extremely bland and repetitive despite employing a unique concept, the graphics are mediocre except for the battles which look like they're straight from the 8-bit era, and the music is very generic.”
- “The music is composed primarily of sci-fi adventure songs which are neither good nor even particularly fitting.”
- “It has repetitive music, a short game with bonus achievable Steam achievements.”
story
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
33%
50%
The game's story is described as a compelling and surprisingly deep narrative, exploring themes of ontology, but it suffers from a poorly executed translation that renders much of the dialogue nonsensical. While some players find the awkward translation amusing, it ultimately detracts from the overall experience, leading to mixed feelings about the story's quality. Despite its flaws, the narrative is considered the game's only redeeming quality, with some recommending it only at a significantly reduced price.
- “The story is the only redeeming quality of the game and is actually quite a bit deeper than one might initially suspect because it revolves around ontology; however, it's unfortunately marred by a horrendously nonsensical translation which simultaneously makes some of the dialogue and banter between characters very entertaining.”
- “That being said, the game does have one positive: the story and dialogue is translated so poorly that it ends up coming full circle and being good in a comical fashion, but this isn't nearly enough to salvage it by any means.”
- “If you really want to experience the story and its horrible translation for yourself, then I recommend waiting until it goes on sale for $0.50, which has been its average sale price since release (although recently it went on sale for $0.27).”
graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
58%
25%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some praising the stunning visual aesthetics and unique art style, while others criticize the inconsistency, noting that the in-combat sprites resemble outdated 8-bit graphics. Overall, the visuals are described as nostalgic but uneven, with some elements appearing passable and others feeling out of place.
- “Visual aesthetics - stunning graphics.”
- “The art style is unique, and the game itself is short (I beat it in about an hour...).”
- “Overall, I don't recommend it because the gameplay is extremely bland and repetitive despite employing a unique concept. The graphics are mediocre except for the battles, which look like they're straight from the 8-bit era, and the music is very generic.”
- “The graphics are all over the place: while the maps and sprites look passable, the in-combat sprites look like they're from the 8-bit era and look very out of place.”
- “Graphics - nostalgic of early 00s freeware games.”
humor
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in "Galactic Lords" primarily stems from its hilariously poor translation, which some players find amusing despite it being the game's only redeeming quality. Additionally, the absurd pricing of the game's soundtrack, which costs nearly twice as much as the game itself, adds to the overall comedic experience, though many agree that these elements do not compensate for the game's shortcomings.
- “Galactic Lords is an experimental sci-fi blend of turn-based strategy RPG using squads and real-time horizontal shoot 'em up, which also has a hilariously atrocious translation that is easily the only redeemable part of the game.”
- “Furthermore, the OST costs nearly twice as much as the game, which is hilarious and ridiculous.”
- “Despite having a hilariously awful translation that is intriguing to read, that alone unfortunately doesn't redeem the game.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game primarily revolves around microtransactions, with players frequently mentioning in-game purchases as a key feature.
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
25%
The reviews consistently highlight that the game offers strong replay value, emphasizing its longevity and the ability to engage players in multiple playthroughs. This suggests that players find enough variety and content to warrant returning to the game after completing it.
- “The replay value is impressive, offering both longevity and a fresh experience each time.”
- “I love the replayability; it keeps the game feeling new and exciting with every playthrough.”
- “The game has incredible replay value, ensuring that I can enjoy it for a long time.”
optimization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization of the game is widely criticized, with users reporting that performance and gameplay are notably subpar, failing to meet acceptable standards.
- “Performance or gameplay falls significantly below the passing mark.”
- “Performance or gameplay falls significantly below the passing mark.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere of the game is consistently described as immersive and captivating, creating an engaging environment that draws players in.
- “Immersive atmosphere - captivating environment.”
- “Immersive atmosphere - captivating environment.”