Millennia

69%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,597 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • optimization
Millennia Game Cover
Millennia is a perfectly adequate 4X strategy game that will be easy for players to pick up and play. It does not try to reinvent the wheel, for better or for worse.
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"Millennia: Premium Edition is a single-player and multiplayer 4X strategy game spanning 10,000 years of history. Create your own nation, experience different timelines, and dictate the course of history through 10 ages, from the first cities to space travel. Expect good game mechanics, lots of grinding, bugs, and replayability, along with awful graphics and great music."

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Reviews

69%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,597 reviews
gameplay184 positive mentions
graphics95 negative mentions
  • Innovative age system that allows for unique gameplay experiences and replayability.
  • Engaging resource management and production chains that add depth to city building.
  • Customization of civilizations through national spirits and government choices enhances strategic planning.
  • AI behavior is often aggressive and unbalanced, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
  • User interface is clunky and lacks clarity, making it difficult to access important information.
  • Performance issues in late game can lead to significant slowdowns, impacting overall enjoyment.
  • gameplay601 mentions

    The gameplay of "Millennia" is characterized by a complex and innovative mechanics system, particularly the age progression and resource management features, which provide a fresh take on the 4X genre. While many players appreciate the depth and replayability offered by these mechanics, they also note a steep learning curve and issues with user interface clarity, which can hinder the overall experience. Despite its rough edges and some balance concerns, the game is seen as a promising alternative to the Civilization series, with potential for future improvements through updates and expansions.

    • “The underlying mechanics of the game and its various systems make perfect sense (cultural, governmental, military, exploration, etc.) and flow together in a fairly intuitive way.”
    • “The ages mechanic is an interesting and fresh approach to technology in a 4x game that I really like and enjoy.”
    • “The game has a lot of interesting mechanics and can get a bit complex.”
    • “The nation you choose has basically no impact on gameplay beyond the appearance of your cities and their names.”
    • “However while it innovates in some aspects, it feels incredibly dated in others: diplomacy and interacting with AI is very rudimentary and barely functional, flavor for different nations is non-existent, and overall the game has a decent amount of yank caused by bizarre mechanics and mediocre UI.”
    • “The mechanics just feel... 'off' while playing and the fun element just isn't present.”
  • graphics422 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread criticism for being outdated and lacking polish, often compared unfavorably to titles from over a decade ago. Many players noted that while the visuals are functional, they detract from the overall experience, particularly in combat scenes, which are described as simplistic and reminiscent of early 2000s games. Despite these shortcomings, some players argue that the gameplay mechanics are engaging enough to overlook the graphical deficiencies, emphasizing that 4X games prioritize strategy over aesthetics.

    • “I enjoy the art style as a healthy middle ground between Civ V's realism and Civ VI's more stylized look.”
    • “The graphics, although many people seem to dislike them, are in my opinion very pretty and I find myself often just zooming into the map and immersing myself a bit in the world.”
    • “While the graphics could use a little bit of a touch up, I believe this could be a very strong competitor against the Civilization series.”
    • “The graphics are, frankly, outdated, and not in a 'invoking the nostalgia of older games' way.”
    • “Honestly, it is inexcusable for a game to have graphics this bad in 2024.”
    • “The graphics are so bad?”
  • optimization133 mentions

    The game's optimization is a significant concern, with many players reporting severe performance issues, particularly in the late game where turn times can become excessively long and gameplay can feel unplayable. Despite some promising mechanics and ideas, the overall performance is described as poor, with graphics that do not justify the lag, leading to frustration among players. While there is hope for future improvements, the current state is likened to an early access title, requiring substantial optimization work.

    • “Overall, I think it's got a lot of promise, and any game that I enjoy for 30+ hours feels like a good value to me, but it could be a really good game if they fix the performance issues and add some more interesting maps.”
    • “While there are some rough edges at launch, such as performance difficulties (not game breaking, just annoying), I am confident that with time and some updates this game will be extremely well polished and a serious rival to the Civilization series that I love.”
    • “It's still a fun game to play, don't get me wrong, but I would wait a couple of months until they fix some performance issues as half of the game is waiting for the round to resolve.”
    • “But the performance is ridiculously bad: after turn 250 the game is unplayable.”
    • “Lack of optimization is honestly the worst of them; in late game with standard game rules, the game runs incredibly slow, and at the later stages managing cities is the worst hell you can imagine.”
    • “The game currently struggles with late game performance even on a regularly sized map.”
  • replayability71 mentions

    The game boasts high replayability due to its diverse mechanics, including multiple ages and national spirits that encourage varied strategies and playstyles. While many players appreciate the depth and potential for unique experiences, some express concerns about execution and optimization, which could impact long-term engagement. Overall, the combination of features offers a compelling reason to revisit the game repeatedly.

    • “The replayability is insane; the gameplay mechanics fit neatly together, the possibilities are endless, and you are constantly struggling to find good decisions.”
    • “The combination of alternate ages and the many different national spirits really ups the replayability of the game.”
    • “The game has a ton of replayability even at launch, and it is gratifying to see the world become more complex over time as you unlock new goods and new production chains to stack bonuses based on your natural resources and choices.”
    • “I see where they were going for replayability with these features, but the execution could be better.”
    • “Starting age, features (such as religion) on/off, etc. This lack of customization options severely limits replayability and strategic depth.”
    • “The game lacks a lot of features that add replayability (once again like Vic 3 release).”
  • grinding43 mentions

    Players consistently describe the grinding aspect of the game as tedious and frustrating, particularly in the later stages where micromanagement and repetitive tasks detract from enjoyment. The age system, while initially intriguing, becomes a slog due to its slow progression and lack of meaningful customization, leading to a sense of monotony. Overall, the game suffers from performance issues and a lack of engaging gameplay elements, making it feel more like a chore than a rewarding experience.

    • “The realm expansion feels rewarding, as the natural borders grow in a way that isn't too tedious, allowing for strategic manipulation.”
    • “Grinding in this game is satisfying because it offers a sense of progression without becoming overly repetitive.”
    • “I appreciate how the grinding mechanics are designed to feel engaging, making each step towards improvement enjoyable.”
    • “It's simply tedious.”
    • “The game becomes tedious as it prevents players from significantly advancing or customizing their starting age, forcing a slow and repetitive progression through the ages.”
    • “Overall it is tedious and painful, and the more turns the worst performance.”
  • stability24 mentions

    The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous reports of glitches, freezing, and performance issues, particularly in late-game scenarios. While some players note that it runs well on certain systems, many others describe it as a "buggy mess" that requires significant polishing and fixes before it can be considered fully playable. Overall, the game shows potential but suffers from unrefined mechanics and frequent technical problems.

    • “Also runs great on the deck.”
    • “From what I've heard online, the game is also rather bug-free.”
    • “Game has several freezing bugs and upgrade glitches that need to be worked out before the game is playable in full.”
    • “Late-game performance issues are inevitable, with long turn times and freezes.”
    • “Well it is buggy as hell right now; the letter 'i' shows as a box, I cannot load my saves (especially in plague age), and there is always a plague age chain that happens and game bugs.”
  • music21 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising the quality and variety, particularly noting standout tracks from specific eras, while others find it repetitive and lacking in standout moments. There are calls for more customization options, such as a music player and the ability to toggle music linked to game ages. Overall, while some enjoy the relaxing and immersive qualities of the soundtrack, others feel it falls short compared to previous titles in the genre.

    • “The music is good and the overall idea is just great.”
    • “Some of the music is just fantastic, especially the Age of Revolutions and Age of Heroes, but it does get repetitive if you are in one age for a while, and some of the music isn't as good as others.”
    • “High-quality sound and music.”
    • “The soundtrack is also terrible.”
    • “But this is unbelievably rough, and the immersion is the worst I've seen in a 4X in some time: no voiced narrator, no leader screen, and unique music upon meeting someone.”
    • “- Weak soundtrack: no good standout tracks and I found the music starting to get quite repetitive after only 4 hours of play.”
  • story13 mentions

    The game's story is enhanced by unique mechanics that allow for age progression and engaging sub-quests, creating a dynamic narrative experience. However, some players feel that the overall storytelling lacks depth and variety, with certain factions feeling too similar and interactions being limited. While the age-based features add flavor, the narrative can sometimes feel generic and reliant on familiar tropes.

    • “Fun game, I like how the age progression shapes the story and gameplay.”
    • “The age of heroes sending people on quests and the age of discovery going on expeditions added so much flavor!”
    • “Not only does it have strong storytelling through those systems, but it makes city building and management more interesting than any other 4X I've seen with Anno-esque production chains.”
    • “China and Germany don't look or feel different; it's difficult to have an emergent story when everything looks the same.”
    • “The game sells it as a new mechanic (calling it a new 'need' for your population and new 'domain' or 'spirit' or something else), but it is basically the same old story, just another resource you need to farm.”
    • “Even in other games like the Warhammer 4X games, there were ample bits of text for things like quests and interactions, while here things feel bland and generic.”
  • humor10 mentions

    The humor in the game is highlighted by its clever alternative history scenarios and absurd situations, such as leading an army of tanks with Icarus, which elicits genuine laughter from players. While some aspects, like the low-quality graphics and combat animations, are described as "hilariously bad," they contribute to the overall comedic experience, making the game enjoyable despite its flaws. Players appreciate the blend of humor with strategic gameplay, finding it both entertaining and engaging.

    • “I really enjoyed the more modern ages; for example, if you kept your religious aspect around, you could advance into a fundamentalist faction and then coerce other nations to convert and then denounce the heathens. Hahaha, that was hilarious and awesome.”
    • “Let Icarus survive from the Age of Heroes and lead an army of tanks—it's quite a hilarious scenario, and it also makes me want to explore the ages I haven't set foot into.”
    • “Very interesting idea with alternative ages, where history can go differently from the standard path, including funny alternative history events.”
  • monetization3 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a cash grab, overshadowing the passion and creativity behind it. While the game's unique appeal lies in its diverse eras, it is perceived as falling into the trap of repetitive, profit-driven models typical of annual sports titles.

    • “It's such a shame to see something that has passion behind it be crushed in what feels like another cash grab.”
    • “It's the opposite of minimalist incremental EA Sports year-over-year cash grabs.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its immersive sound effects and nostalgic graphics, creating a compelling and evocative environment that resonates with players.

    • “The sound effects are extremely atmospheric.”
    • “I personally like the graphics; they create a reminiscent atmosphere.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, highlighting its unique and innovative approach to the 4x genre, which has captivated even seasoned fans of similar titles like Civilization. However, there are concerns about the high costs of certain actions, which may detract from the overall enjoyment and emotional engagement.

    • “The game has a completely unique take on the 4X genre and innovates it in so many ways that I, a veteran and enjoyer of Civ, sincerely doubt that I will be touching Civ any time soon.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

66% average critic score

Buy Millennia

Play time

28hMedian play time
166hAverage play time
4-100hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 24 analyzed playthroughs

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