Horizon

About

Horizon is a single player tactical turn-based strategy game with a science fiction theme. It was developed by L3O Interactive and was released on February 6, 2014. It received neutral reviews from both critics and players.

"Horizon" is a single-player Science Fiction Turn Based Strategy game, offering about 4 hours of playtime. It features advanced turn-based tactical combat, full tactical ship control, and exploration of a vast, interactive galaxy with ten unique alien species. Colonize, trade, and defend your territory to expand humanity's reach beyond the known horizon.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

58%

Audience ScoreBased on 316 reviews

graphics13 positive mentions

grinding12 negative mentions

A thoughtful blend of classic 4X charm and modern accessibility, offering a slower, deliberate approach to exploration, diplomacy, and technological progress.
The game rewards long-term planning and patience, with distinct races and meaningful diplomatic interactions that enhance the gameplay experience.
The tactical combat system allows for strategic depth, giving players control over ship positioning and fleet engagement.

The user interface can be dense and confusing, making it difficult for new players to navigate and understand the game's mechanics.
The AI can be unbalanced, often leading to frustrating encounters where players feel overwhelmed by enemy expansion and aggression.
The game lacks a robust tutorial and documentation, leaving players to figure out many mechanics on their own, which can detract from the overall experience.

graphics
61 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
66%
13%
The graphics of the game have received largely negative feedback, with many reviewers describing them as outdated, clunky, and reminiscent of early 2000s titles. While some players appreciate the functional visuals in the context of gameplay, the overall consensus is that the graphics are subpar and detract from the experience, with many expressing disappointment given the game's release date. Despite this, a few users noted that the graphics do not significantly impact the enjoyment of the gameplay for fans of the 4x genre.
- “Good graphics and 4x gameplay.”
- “Plus the graphics are fairly good for this kind of game.”
- “The graphics are a little dated but they do the job...the music is nice.”
- “The graphics are really dated; even games from the early 2000s look better than this clunky, bad 3D.”
- “The graphics are sub-standard, and the interface is unforgiving.”
- “The graphics are laughable at times; all the ground units look like someone created them with a 3-hour trial of a modeling program.”
gameplay
55 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
65%
13%
The gameplay of this turn-based space 4X game is marked by a mix of complex and unintuitive mechanics, leading to a steep learning curve that many players find frustrating. While some appreciate the depth and unique features, such as planetary conquest and research mechanics, the overall execution suffers from a clunky user interface and poorly explained systems, making it less appealing compared to other titles in the genre. Despite its potential for engaging gameplay, many reviewers suggest that the game is not worth the investment when better alternatives exist.
- “Turn-based space combat and 4X gameplay.”
- “The quest mechanic and turn-based tactical combat are nice.”
- “In short, because under the simple interface there's quite deep and engaging gameplay.”
- “Most of its gameplay mechanics do work - but way too complex and too unintuitive.”
- “Add to this one of the worst, unintuitive, confusing, non-standard clunky UIs I have yet seen this side of the awful Star Ruler 2 and its abusive devs, and a truly weird tech tree/research mechanic that can actually penalize you for discovering a new tech.”
- “Over-complicated mechanics and bad UIs are common problems for 4X games, and this one really exemplifies both of those flaws.”
story
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
73%
9%
The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players finding it engaging while others describe it as weak and lacking clarity in mission objectives. While the overarching theme of galactic conquest and interactions with alien races provides a foundation for quests and alliances, the execution can feel simplistic and frustrating at times. Overall, the narrative offers some interesting elements and replayability through varied race perspectives, but it struggles with coherence and depth compared to other titles in the genre.
- “I really like the storyline and attention to details.”
- “It was enjoyable to play the game and see the different powers come to life with the provided storyline.”
- “The story missions can be quite interesting too, giving you a good backstory and view on each race, from each other race’s perspective.”
- “The 'story mode' is weak (in my opinion - but, admittedly, at least it has one...).”
- “The quests feel odd and difficult to figure out what to do.”
- “Sadly, it isn't implemented very well and 'clunky' doesn't express the level of frustration you'll feel with it.”
grinding
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players consistently find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, particularly in combat and resource management. While the initial gameplay may be enjoyable, it quickly devolves into a frustrating experience due to counterintuitive mechanics and a lack of depth in combat. Overall, the grinding feels convoluted and detracts from the enjoyment of the game.
- “It's simply tedious.”
- “Fun for 80% of one game, then becomes tedious.”
- “By the time you have several settlements, this task becomes tedious at best, often causing you more headache than enjoyment.”
music
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it soothing and fitting for the space age theme, while others describe it as subpar and unmemorable. A few users opted to mute the game in favor of external music sources, indicating that the soundtrack does not enhance the overall experience. Overall, while the music is not universally praised, it does not detract significantly from gameplay.
- “For example, the unique music played when you enter into the communication screen with a species.”
- “The music is very soothing, calming, and low key.”
- “You don't get tired of hearing the same music, it fits the space age theme of the game very well.”
- “Music is a little subpar.”
- “The soundtrack sounds like something I ate yesterday making a reappearance and the art style and graphics would look more fitting in a 1990 release.”
- “The music isn't memorable in any positive or negative way.”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
Overall, the game's replayability is mixed among users. While some appreciate the random progression and exploration elements that offer varied experiences, others criticize its simplicity and limited content, leading to low replay value. The game may entertain for a limited time, but many feel it does not justify its price compared to other indie titles.
- “The random progression of the research, the quests, and the perks discovered while exploring new planets offer much replayability.”
- “A decent game, not on Master of Orion 2 level, but has replayability and the ability to tinker.”
- “It's really good with gameplay, replayability, and the tech 'tree.' I put it in quotes because it's not really a tree, but I still like it.”
- “The game itself is also way overpriced for an indie game. I can buy 3-6 indie games for the same price and entertain myself for hundreds of hours. This I played a couple of times from start to end, maybe 30-40 hours or so; it's got very low replayability.”
- “0 replayability.”
- “Battle system was enjoyable, but the overall simplicity of the game reduces replayability.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is heavily criticized, with a Steam rating of 57% reflecting its buggy state at launch. Users report numerous glitches, particularly with gameplay mechanics like planet bombardment and tooltips, leading many to suggest waiting for further updates before purchasing. Overall, the consensus is that the game feels unfinished and should have been released in early access.
- “The game is rated at 57% on Steam, and well-reviewed on other pages are far worse. The 57% rating is well-deserved, especially considering that the game was left in a very buggy state.”
- “Solid premise, buggy as hell - surprised this isn't up as an early access game.”
- “Based on the comments posted when this game was still in development just a month ago, I think they released this buggy game way too early. I would wait to buy this game for several more months to not reward the developer for releasing the game when it wasn't finished and to give the developer time to nail down all the bugs, which I really hope they do instead of abandoning and moving on to another project.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The atmosphere in Horizon is highly praised for its homage to the golden age of sci-fi, enhanced by improved graphics and a rich, immersive environment. Players appreciate the blend of classic 4X elements with a compelling narrative that captivates them as they assume the role of humanity's leader, alongside well-developed economic and planetary management systems. Overall, the game successfully creates a vibrant and engaging atmosphere that draws players into its universe.
- “It has a very nice atmosphere, a real economy system, and excellent AI - you can automate your battles or planet management.”
- “The first play start with the tutorial is bewildering, but the story around us as the coming leader of humanity, with a look at the stars, generates a captivating atmosphere.”
- “What sets Horizon apart is its commitment to atmosphere and its love letter to the golden age of sci-fi.”
- “The first play starts with a tutorial that is bewildering; however, the story told around us as the coming leader of humanity, with a look at the stars, generates a captivating atmosphere.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is noted as a standout feature, providing entertainment even if the overall gameplay is lacking. While some players find it amusing, they suggest that the humor alone may not be enough to elevate the experience beyond mediocrity.
- “It's funny, but that's all there is.”
- “It was like a crappy civilization game, but still funny if you have spare time.”
- “The game is a lot like Master of Orion II, and that is funny.”