Idle Civilization
- November 23, 2015
- Very Simple Idea Studios
- 227h median play time
Get on Steam"Idle Civilization" is a game that combines elements of idle and civilization-building genres. Starting with a pair of villagers, players build and grow their village, eventually turning it into a kingdom and then an empire. The game offers depth and complexity with features such as trading, raiding, and hero missions. While it started as an idle game, it has evolved into a full-fledged civilization builder with much to offer.
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Reviews
- The game has a unique timing mechanism that portrays real-time, which some players found to be a brilliant idea.
- It can be a fun and addictive idle game for those who enjoy the genre, providing a decent amount of content for the price.
- Some players appreciate the complexity and strategic elements compared to other idle games, making it engaging for a short period.
- The game has been abandoned by the developers, with no updates or fixes for bugs reported in years, leading to a broken experience.
- Many players found the user interface to be clunky and difficult to navigate, detracting from the overall enjoyment of the game.
- The gameplay can become repetitive and grindy, with a lack of meaningful progression or end-game content, making it feel uninspired.
- graphics11 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 45 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many users criticizing them as outdated and reminiscent of the 1980s, citing numerous bugs and oversights. However, some players appreciate the nostalgic charm of the style, suggesting it enhances the overall experience, while others look forward to upcoming graphical improvements in the game's early access phase.
“But the new graphics are great!”
“Many people pointed out the 'bad' graphics of this game, but I have to say I like the style of it very much.”
“I'm a little undecided on the graphics, but there is a somewhat charming early-90s / late 80s style to them.”
“Graphics are state-of-the-art, right out of the 1980s (more than Pong).”
“This shows in the countless little bugs, oversights, mistakes, missing button graphics, and wrong numbers that would be easy to see and easy to fix.”
“Graphics are pretty bad.”
- gameplay7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The gameplay has been criticized for being unplayable due to a broken core mechanic related to the idle system, which undermines the game's intended experience. Players report a lack of depth and endgame content, with clunky menu navigation and repetitive mechanics leading to a frustrating experience. While there are choices between focusing on war or economy, the overall execution feels incomplete and fails to engage players over the long term.
“You can, however, decide if you want to focus more on war or economy per colony, which might affect some of the gameplay.”
“It's a different take on the genre, while employing essentially all of the same old mechanics.”
“I wouldn’t mind that much that this game is abandoned or incomplete (even though it’s a pity, because there was potential) but compared to the fact that one of the most important core mechanics and in-game upgrading system that is based around the whole idea - it’s even in the freaking title: idle - does not work, it’s unacceptable and makes the game unplayable, at least in the way that it was actually intended and supposed to.”
“I tried, I really, really tried. 300 hours I tried, this game just isn't worth playing. There is no end game; you conquer the war game in less than 3 hours of gameplay, and then you're just upgrading things in an increasingly ridiculous prestige system. The menuing sucks, and the game just doesn't flow; it's clunky.”
“Sadly, each building uses only up to two different resources - more depth would have been good here, even if it wouldn't change the gameplay much.”
- music7 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed feedback; while some players find the soundtrack fantastic and reminiscent of old school RuneScape, others criticize the repetitive looping of tracks and express a desire for new music and updates. Overall, the music is appreciated but could benefit from more variety.
“I love the music too.”
“Edit: btw the soundtrack is fantastic.”
“I can't even play the game because every time I launch it, it immediately goes into a white screen, but I can hear the music.”
“Edit: the music also sounds like old school RuneScape, that's just my opinion.”
“Also listening to the same music track loop over and over gets tedious.”
- monetization4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization of the game has been criticized as a "cash grab," with users expressing disappointment over its prolonged "early access" status and perceived lack of ongoing development after initial release. Despite these concerns, some players still find the game enjoyable and recommend it, indicating a mixed reception regarding its financial practices.
“8 years of 'early access' aka steam cash grab and stop development after 1 year after release.”
“I see other reviews mentioning it was a cash grab.”
“Could have been a great game; it's fun, a good little idle game, but the dev just made a quick cash grab.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessive, particularly due to the exploration reset not functioning offline, which adds to the tedium. While some appreciate the ability to restart every 30 minutes with sufficient culture points, the repetitive music and overall grindiness detract from the experience for many.
“It's way too grindy.”
“Exploration reset doesn't work when you're offline, making the game even more tedious.”
“Also listening to the same music track loop over and over gets tedious.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with users reporting significant bugs and issues that render it nearly unplayable. Many reviewers strongly advise potential players to avoid the game due to its broken state.
“I don't mean a little buggy; I mean broken.”
“If I don't have anything good to say, I just tend to shut up, but in this case, I'm just trying to warn people away from a buggy and broken game.”
- story2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The story features engaging hero quests and unique encounters, although the protagonist cannot die, leading to potential mission failures that may feel like a waste of time.
“The hero quests are engaging and offer unique experiences, with rare sightings that add depth to the story.”
“While the hero can't die, the possibility of failing a mission adds an interesting layer of challenge and narrative tension.”
“The hero can't die, but he can fail the mission, resulting in just wasting time.”
“The plot twists are predictable and lack any real impact.”
“The character development is shallow, making it hard to care about their journeys.”
