Hexarchy
- October 19, 2023
- Main Tank Software
- 9h median play time
Get on Steam"Hexarchy" is a historical turn-based strategy game for 2 players, playable in single-player, multiplayer, co-op, and PvP modes. It combines deckbuilders, 4X strategy, and hex-based board games, allowing players to build their own deck and construct their empire. The game features easy-to-learn mechanics and deep strategy, with a variety of single-player game modes and multiplayer options.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Hexarchy offers a dynamic and fast-paced take on the 4X genre, allowing players to complete games in under an hour.
- The deckbuilding mechanics add a unique twist to traditional 4X gameplay, providing strategic depth and variety in each match.
- The game is accessible for both new players and veterans of the genre, with simple mechanics that are easy to learn but offer room for skill development.
- The AI can be unbalanced, often relying on cheating rather than strategic gameplay, which can detract from the experience.
- The game lacks a save feature for single-player modes, making it difficult for players to pause and return to their progress.
- After a few hours of play, the game can feel repetitive due to limited faction diversity and a static tech tree.
- gameplay107 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its fast-paced, engaging mechanics that blend deck-building with traditional 4X strategy, allowing for quick matches typically lasting 30-60 minutes. Players appreciate the simplicity and balance of the mechanics, which are easy to learn yet offer depth and variety through different game modes and civilizations. However, some users note issues with turn times and the need for clearer explanations of certain mechanics, suggesting room for improvement in the game's presentation and tutorial.
“The blend of card mechanics, combat that is easy to understand, production that feels more appropriate than something like Civilization, and co-op multiplayer is a hard-to-beat combination.”
“Fantastic combination of deck builder and civilization gameplay bundled in a short playtime that makes jumping into games very fast and fun.”
“Great deck-building mechanics that translate really well to 4x gameplay.”
“Extremely unintuitive gameplay decisions that only hinder the experience, and there is no clear indication that that's how the cards work until you run into such a situation.”
“I should love this game, but the problem is that in the effort to use deckbuilding mechanics to streamline the 4x experience, they just kind of forgot what makes either genre interesting.”
“The only real bad parts of the game are the card design not matching the board design and the lack of explanation for some of the intricate mechanics.”
- graphics25 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 16 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the simple and straightforward design, which avoids unnecessary complexity. However, several users criticize the visuals as lacking polish and feeling outdated, reminiscent of early 2000s games, and some express a desire for more elaborate or low-poly aesthetics. Overall, while the graphics are not the standout feature, they are deemed functional and contribute to the game's engaging mechanics.
“Good UI, good music, good graphics, and quite engaging gameplay.”
“This is a refreshing mix-up of Civilization 5/6 and Old World in low poly graphics.”
“Graphics are fine, no bugs, overall a great game.”
“The graphics are poor.”
“Graphics look 2000ish...”
“The visuals, sound design, VFX, and UI all feel like they were developed for a phone game and they really suffer on a PC.”
- optimization18 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has received significant criticism, with many players reporting performance issues such as long loading times, lag during gameplay, and slow processing between turns. While some users have not experienced major problems, the consensus is that the game requires substantial improvements in optimization and user interface design to enhance the overall experience. Many hope that future updates will address these concerns, especially given the game's potential.
“I do agree that it takes an unusually long time to load a game than you would expect, but no longer than 10 seconds at most, and during the game, I do not have any performance issues or lag whatsoever.”
“I have not run into any performance issues others have mentioned.”
“Performance seems a bit slow compared to what I can see onscreen, but maybe that can be improved over time.”
“Absolutely needs to improve optimization, otherwise it's unplayable.”
“The game appears to be very poorly optimized - even closing the game requires a loading screen of about 20-30 seconds.”
“Even with turn limit it goes out of control: turn takes a lot of time to process, if you click on something the click doesn't go through and overall the game doesn't feel smooth at all performance-wise.”
- replayability15 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
Overall, the game exhibits a mixed reception regarding replayability. While many players appreciate its bite-sized format, daily and weekly challenges, and unique gameplay that encourages multiple playthroughs, some express concerns about a lack of content and variety in win conditions, which may limit long-term replay value, especially for solo players. Despite these criticisms, the game is generally regarded as fun and worth revisiting, particularly in multiplayer settings.
“This is a great little game that scratches the 4x itch in a bite-sized and highly replayable format.”
“Easily the most surprisingly unique and timelessly replayable tabletop game I have ever seen.”
“Replayability is definitely there; whether on single player or multiplayer, with multiple game modes and weekly challenge campaigns, this is definitely worth its current price tag.”
“It slaps but it doesn't have enough content yet to have strong replayability, and I would actually prefer a slightly longer game.”
“As a 4X game, it lacks variety in win conditions and thus lacks replayability.”
“This game suffers from a lack of content and replayability.”
- grinding9 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often exacerbated by a laggy user interface and basic enemy AI. Many reviews highlight that the mid to late game involves excessive unit movement and orders, leading to a lack of engaging content beyond grinding challenges. While some appreciate the card system for offering meaningful decisions, the overall experience is marred by the monotony of gameplay.
“At some point, it gets pretty tedious, and it's a lot of clicking next turn.”
“I tried to enjoy it, but other than grinding the challenges, there is not a lot to really do...”
“You have to get over the fact that you won't be winning via domination victory, but that isn't really that fun in this game anyway (because it becomes very tedious due to the nature of the game).”
- music4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for effectively setting the mood and enhancing the overall experience, with users noting its quality and engagement. It complements the game's art and intuitive design, contributing to a fun and fast-paced gameplay atmosphere.
“On top of that, the background music sets the mood very well.”
“Good UI, good music, good graphics, and quite engaging gameplay.”
“Fun and fast-paced gameplay where every decision matters, various single-player modes and challenges, multiplayer is good and has a lot of potential, surprisingly good music.”
- stability3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Overall, stability in the game appears to be mixed; while some players report a smooth experience with no bugs during gameplay, others experience significant performance issues, particularly in multiplayer modes, including freezes.
“The deckbuilding aspect runs great, and burning cards feels like a meaningful choice.”
“My 8 hours have been fully bug-free.”
“Unfortunately, right now I'm experiencing bad performance in multiplayer, with frequent freezes.”
“The game crashes unexpectedly, making it nearly unplayable at times.”
“I've encountered numerous bugs that disrupt gameplay and affect overall stability.”
- humor2 mentions
- 150 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is highlighted by its clever blend of classic 4X gameplay reminiscent of Civilization with the strategic elements of board games like Dominion, resulting in amusing scenarios and entertaining easter eggs that enhance the overall experience.
“A funny combination between a classic 4X game like Civilization and board games like Dominion.”
“Hilarious Easter eggs that keep you laughing throughout the game.”
“The humor in the dialogue adds a delightful twist to the gameplay experience.”
- story2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is criticized for its lack of depth, featuring only a brief campaign consisting of three tutorial missions, while the skirmish mode offers limited narrative options. Players feel that the randomness of events detracts from the ability to plan a cohesive storyline, making the overall experience feel disjointed.
“The campaign consists of just three tutorial missions, and beyond that, the only option is skirmish mode, which offers extremely limited choices.”
“You can't exactly plot out your entire future like you can in Civilization, because the cards come at you randomly.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is praised for its complexity and charm, contributing significantly to its overall value and making it a worthwhile investment for players.
“The complexity of the game combined with its lovely atmosphere makes it worth every penny.”
“The immersive atmosphere draws you in and keeps you engaged throughout the entire experience.”
“The game's atmosphere is beautifully crafted, creating a captivating world that feels alive.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of Hexarchy is not explicitly detailed in the user's feedback, but there is an implied expectation that the game should deliver a satisfying 4X experience within a reasonable time frame, suggesting that players hope for fair pricing and value for their investment.
