Gates of Horizon

About

Gates of Horizon is a multiplayer strategy game. It was developed by Hex Keep and was released on December 18, 2014. It received neutral reviews from players.

"Gates of Horizon" is a first-person shooter game set in a futuristic, dystopian world. As a member of the elite Hexkeep squad, players must fight to protect humanity from a mysterious and powerful enemy. The game features fast-paced combat, a variety of weapons and abilities, and a rich, immersive storyline.

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51%

Audience ScoreBased on 117 reviews

gameplay4 positive mentions

grinding10 negative mentions

The game has a unique concept of managing a space corporation with multiple agents, allowing for diverse gameplay.
There is a friendly and helpful community that supports new players, making it easier to learn the game.
The developers are active and responsive, continuously improving the game and adding new content.

The game suffers from a lack of content, with minimal missions and a heavy grind that can become tedious.
The user interface is confusing and not intuitive, making it difficult for new players to get started.
The game has a very small player base and dead servers, leading to a lack of multiplayer interaction and engagement.

gameplay
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
10%
83%
7%
Gameplay in this early MMO is criticized for its lack of engaging content, such as missions and quests, leading to repetitive and boring experiences. Players express frustration over simplistic ship mechanics, high costs for equipment, and inadequate PvP systems, which detract from the overall enjoyment. However, some appreciate the complexity of micromanagement and the unique feature of controlling multiple ships, suggesting that while the game has potential, significant improvements are needed for long-term viability.
- “I really enjoy the gameplay and the micromanaging and the complexity of the strategies that can be implemented.”
- “I understand that a small sandbox MMO doesn't need to have the same PvP mechanics as one of the largest, and GOH is doing a lot of things right (for example, you control a fleet of 1-7 ships instead of a single ship, which is a fun deviation from typical MMO design).”
- “This system of leveling, combined with playing multiple agents at the same time, gives you the opportunity to switch between different types of gameplay.”
- “At the rate the so-called 'updates' for in-game gameplay improvements are going, coupled with the fact that there are still no missions or quests for decent XP and currency rates, boring NPC fights, and ridiculously expensive weapon, armor, shield, and ship costs that are not worth the effort to earn the money to buy them, the gameplay is severely lacking. There is no PvP, and when I asked about creating a pirate-type PvP guild, I was told that players who tried were hunted down by the 'carebears' in the game, forcing them to log out. Honestly, I've been playing this game on and off for a few months now, and the XP rates for NPC battles are awful, as are the loot drops.”
- “PvP is trash as there are neither aggression mechanics nor warp disruption, making it impossible to catch someone who either doesn't want to fight or wants to fight until it's clear that they're losing.”
- “The ship mechanics and build strategies are extremely simplistic; the different faction ships are carbon copies mechanically with only cosmetic differences, and there is simply not enough to do to make this even a sandbox.”
graphics
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
68%
11%
The graphics of the game are generally described as simplistic and sub-par, with many reviewers noting that they are not particularly impressive but are adequate for gameplay, especially on various devices including mobile. While some appreciate the simplicity and find it charming, others criticize the lack of depth and effects, suggesting that the graphics do not enhance the overall experience. Overall, the consensus is that while the graphics may not be the game's strong suit, they are functional and accessible across a wide range of systems.
- “Good graphics that any laptop or PC can run.”
- “Simple yet lovely graphics.”
- “A lot of people are complaining about the graphics... well, the graphics are Far Cry 4-like for sure, but I don't think this is a drawback as you can play it on every device possible (PC, tablet, or even phone).”
- “How is it possible to invest so many hours into testing, graphics, design and completely forget about gameplay?”
- “- sub-par graphics and graphical effects”
- “The graphics are very simplistic.”
story
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The game's story aspect is criticized for its lack of structured missions and quests, leaving players feeling lost and unengaged after the tutorial. While some appreciate the freedom to create their own narrative, many find the absence of guidance and meaningful content, particularly for new players, detracts from the overall experience. The gameplay is described as more akin to an RTS than a traditional simulator, which may not appeal to those seeking a deeper narrative experience.
- “While I enjoy the 'make your own story' approach to gameplay, a little bit of handholding as far as where to get blueprints, how to explore, and where to look for new ships would have been nice.”
- “You hire agents, select their abilities, send them on missions, level them up, change their loadouts, etc. It plays more like an RTS than any sort of simulator, so don't expect careful maneuvering.”
- “I like the idea of a free-to-play EVE-style game, but come on, we all know you can step up your game and start adding some real in-game content, add missions, better loot drops, maybe shields, armor, and currency instead of just ore.”
- “At the rate the so-called 'updates' are going for in-game/gameplay improvements, coupled with the fact there are still no missions or quests for decent XP and dollar rates, boring NPC fights, and ridiculously expensive weapon, armor, shield, and ship costs that are way under the effort needed to earn the money to buy them, there is no PvP. I've actually asked in-game about creating a pirate-type PvP corporation or guild like in EVE and was told that some players have tried that, but all the 'carebears' in the game hunted them down and ganked them repeatedly, forcing them to log out. Honestly, I've been playing this game on and off (mostly off) for a few months now, and the XP rates for NPC battles are awful, as are the loot drops.”
- “I like the idea of a free-to-play EVE-style game, but come on, we all know you can step up your game and start adding some real in-game content. Add missions, better loot drops, maybe shields, armor, and currency instead of just ore. Yes, there is probably some of this in the endgame/high-level encounters, but there is none for new players.”
- “After you finish the tutorial, the complex GUI and the lack of missions just leave you alone. Some people might like that, but I don't.”
grinding
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game heavily revolves around grinding, with players often feeling that the experience is primarily focused on leveling up and acquiring new agents. Many reviews highlight a lack of engaging activities outside of grinding, leading to a repetitive experience where players must grind for resources, especially after losing ships. Overall, the grinding aspect is seen as excessive and somewhat tedious, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- “One of the pitfalls of this game is that there's not much to do outside of grinding levels and experience for new agents.”
- “There seems to be lots of grind just for the sake of grinding.”
- “Since combat grinding doesn't net any considerable amount of money, if a ship dies, you have to go mining to earn the money to buy another combat hull.”
music
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
40%
40%
The music in the game is generally considered good but becomes repetitive quickly, leading many players to mute it early on. Some users noted that the sound effects detract from the overall experience, comparing them to low-quality Casio sounds. Overall, while the initial tracks may be enjoyable, they fail to maintain player interest over time.
- “The music is all pretty good, but then I fired a laser at someone and thought I had just cruised into a disco.”
- “The music is very repetitive and the sound effects are like a Casio keyboard... I shut both of them off in the first 5 hours just to save my sanity.”
- “The music gets played out quickly.”
- “Horrible sound quality and lack of depth in the music.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with users reporting significant bugs that hinder gameplay and communication features. Overall, the experience is described as frustratingly unstable.
- “The game is incredibly buggy.”
- “The chat feature is filled with bugs.”
- “Overall, the game is just too buggy.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is noted as both funny and promising, particularly resonating with veteran players who appreciate the satire of familiar complaints within the community. Overall, it effectively captures the essence of player frustrations in a humorous light.
- “Funny and very promising.”
- “At first, I thought it was funny, being an EVE veteran, and had heard much of the same whining from the EVE player base.”
- “Funny and very promising.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The game is considered a good value at ten dollars, particularly because it does not include any microtransactions, enhancing the overall player experience.
- “The game is worth ten dollars, especially seeing as how it doesn't have any microtransactions.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users feel that the emotional aspect of the game requires further refinement to enhance its impact and resonance.