ICBM

About

"ICBM" is a real-time strategy game of nuclear destruction where players command a continent and prepare for global nuclear conflict. The goal is to destroy enemies while protecting your own peace-loving citizens. Research and build a nuclear arsenal, utilizing ships, planes, and missiles to strike at opponents' cities. The game allows for various strategies, whether it be mass-producing existing weapons or developing new technologies.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,148 reviews

gameplay34 positive mentions

story8 negative mentions

ICBM is a fun and addictive game that offers a deep strategic experience, especially for fans of nuclear warfare simulations.
The game features a robust tech tree and various strategies, allowing players to customize their approach to warfare and engage in intense multiplayer matches.
The modding community enhances replayability, providing additional content and options that keep the gameplay fresh and exciting.

The game has a steep learning curve, which can be overwhelming for new players, and the interface is often criticized for being clunky and unintuitive.
Multiplayer lobbies are often empty, making it difficult to find games, and the AI can be inconsistent, leading to frustrating experiences.
Some players feel the game lacks depth and content, leading to repetitive gameplay after several hours, especially in single-player mode.

gameplay
136 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
68%
7%
The gameplay of ICBM is characterized by its fast-paced, real-time strategy mechanics that challenge players to adapt quickly to evolving situations. While the game is easy to learn and offers a variety of strategic options, some players find the depth overwhelming, particularly newcomers to the genre. Despite its straightforward mechanics and occasional lack of content, the active modding community enhances the experience, making it a compelling choice for fans of nuclear strategy games.
- “The multiplayer experience is enhanced by the game’s fast-paced gameplay, which forces players to think on their feet and adapt to rapidly changing situations.”
- “Overall, ICBM is a noteworthy entry in the strategy genre that is well-suited for players who enjoy high-stakes, real-time strategic gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is quite easy to learn, and the AI players are fair, even on hard difficulty.”
- “While ICBM offers a tutorial to introduce basic mechanics, the depth and complexity of the game can be overwhelming for newcomers to the strategy genre.”
- “Any kind of ground game would have been interesting, say spec-ops or powerful tanks to take down missile silos, or pilots or units that gained experience, but such things are simply not part of the gameplay.”
- “Not a bad game, but the UI needs a lot of work and the mechanics of how the game works are obscured.”
graphics
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
79%
7%
The graphics of the game are generally described as simple and refined, with some reviewers noting a stylish and smooth presentation. While some players appreciate the improvements over previous titles like Defcon, others criticize the graphics as lacking depth and resembling a flash game. Overall, the visuals are seen as functional but not particularly immersive or groundbreaking, with a mix of opinions on their quality and impact on gameplay.
- “The graphics were simple, refined, stylish, and smooth.”
- “Beautiful graphics, incredible presentation and a big mod scene.”
- “Great graphics, great gameplay, a very enjoyable game.”
- “Poor graphics - looks and plays like a flash game.”
- “Graphically, very simple, won't stress any GPUs.”
- “The graphics are solid, but dull, and fail to communicate any of the game's themes.”
story
36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
11%
67%
22%
The game's story aspect is largely criticized for its absence, with many users noting that there is no traditional narrative or campaign mode. While some players appreciate the humorous premise of nuclear war as a game, they express disappointment over the lack of depth and single-player missions. Overall, the consensus is that the game feels incomplete without a structured story.
- “You heard me right folks, they made nuclear war into a game and I love it, see funny story below.”
- “As a Machiavellian commander, your mission is simple and straightforward: obliterate your enemies down to the last speck of radioactive dust!”
- “I don't know why, but I expected a story mode.”
- “Average game, missing campaign, story, etc.”
- “No story.”
replayability
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
42%
46%
13%
The game's replayability is significantly enhanced by its multiplayer mode, which introduces competitive elements and extensive customization options, appealing to strategy enthusiasts. However, some players note a lack of single-player replayability and express a desire for more depth in the tech tree and additional gameplay features. Overall, while the game offers solid replay value, particularly in multiplayer settings, there are mixed feelings about its long-term replay potential.
- “The inclusion of multiplayer adds replayability and a competitive edge, making it a compelling choice for strategy enthusiasts.”
- “Great strategy game, strikes a balance between complexity and fun. It's very replayable, I like the mod support and the great deal of customization the game allows you to do; overall a solid 9/10.”
- “This game feels like the successor to Defcon (with research and production) and has the perfect amount of replayability. It is best played with a full game of players with diplomacy, and I highly recommend it.”
- “It really sucks, and there is a total lack of singleplayer replayability because of it.”
- “But for me, I was looking for a little more replay value going forward, and I couldn't see it.”
- “Replayability is limited, but worth it at a low price.”
humor
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a dark and sarcastic tone, effectively turning the serious theme of nuclear war into a source of entertainment. Players appreciate the absurdity and comedic elements, such as simplified geopolitical maps and the chaotic nature of the gameplay, which contribute to its overall hilarity. The game is recommended for those who enjoy a blend of strategic play and dark humor.
- “Welcome to ICBM: the most hilarious and sarcastic nuclear destruction game!”
- “Get ready to dive into unrestrained nuclear chaos while indulging in our dark humor and explosive sarcasm.”
- “ICBM: hilarious and sarcastic nuclear destruction is the game that allows you to enjoy the dark side of the apocalypse with a touch of sarcasm and dark humor!”
grinding
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
86%
14%
The grinding aspect of the game is heavily criticized, with multiple users expressing that it requires an excessive time commitment, likening it to needing a "second life" to manage the tedious tasks involved. This sentiment is particularly strong among players who enjoy strategy games but find the level of detail and management overwhelming.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “For people who like strategy games but do not like tediously managing every little tiny aspect of your units to a nauseating degree.”
music
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
50%
21%
The music in the game receives mixed reviews; while some players appreciate the intense soundtrack that enhances the experience during nuclear war scenarios, others find the repetitive nature of the music annoying. Comparisons to the soundtrack of Defcon highlight a desire for a more ominous tone to better fit the apocalyptic theme. Overall, the music is deemed suitable but could benefit from more variety and depth.
- “Lastly, the soundtrack is amazing.”
- “Defcon has an ominous and dreadful soundtrack that is appropriate for a nuclear doomsday game.”
- “Some nice little flourishes like the little photos of cities that pop up when you hover over them, setting paths for your satellites, etc. The pacing is spot on, the UI is straightforward and well thought out, music is suitable, and AI seems capable.”
- “Annoying repeating music - over and over.”
- “The only thing Defcon has over this game is the background soundtrack.”
- “If I were to change anything, maybe add in some depressing music like Defcon for those apocalypse feels.”
optimization
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The game suffers from significant optimization issues, including frequent crashes and stuttering, particularly when downloading content from the workshop. While it offers a compelling gameplay experience, players feel that substantial performance improvements are necessary to enhance overall stability and user experience.
- “Has its rough edges; changing weapons on each airfield is annoying, and there definitely needs to be some performance improvements, yet overall the game achieves a strong balance of depth in a nuke game without losing sight of that eventual goal of total annihilation of everyone.”
- “I was contacted by a developer on this comment about sending a save with low performance.”
- “Your performance is gauged by how successful your attacks were in total devastation and tonnage delivered.”
- “It does have some stuttering issues, and it does crash pretty frequently when you download certain things from the workshop.”
- “Has its rough edges; changing weapons on each airfield is annoying, and there definitely needs to be some performance improvements.”
- “I was contacted by a developer on this comment on sending a save with low performance.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game suffers from various bugs and glitches, particularly with achievements and unit behavior, which detracts from the overall enjoyment. Players have reported issues such as instant destruction of enemy installations and erratic unit actions, indicating a need for stability improvements.
- “The game is also buggy at some points (enemy installations getting destroyed instantly with my armies not even managing to shoot yet after setting targets, units starting to move instead of shooting and similar weird behavior).”
- “That and other glitches have made this a little tough to enjoy.”
- “The achievements are a bit buggy, but it's to be expected.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
75%
The atmosphere in Defcon is characterized by a chilling Cold War ambiance, enhanced by ominous and resonant explosions that immerse players in a tense strategic environment. This setting effectively evokes a sense of urgency and foreboding, encouraging players to devise their best strategies for victory.
- “Come here to feel the Cold War atmosphere and build the best strategy you have to defeat your enemies!”
- “The explosions in Defcon were ominous and resonated, creating a powerful atmosphere.”
- “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking any real tension or immersion.”
- “Despite the game's setting, the atmosphere fails to evoke any sense of dread or excitement.”
- “The world feels lifeless, and the atmosphere does nothing to draw you into the experience.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers feel that the emotional impact of this game falls short compared to other titles, specifically citing Defcon as a more emotionally resonant experience.