Millennia

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.

Starting at $28.63Buy now

Get on Steam

"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."

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

60%

Audience ScoreBased on 3,199 reviews

gameplay368 positive mentions

graphics190 negative mentions

Innovative age system that allows for unique gameplay experiences and alternate histories.
Engaging resource management and production chains that encourage strategic planning.
Customization of civilizations through national spirits and government choices adds depth and replayability.

Poor AI behavior leading to unbalanced gameplay, with AI often declaring war and spamming cities on player borders.
Lack of polish in UI and graphics, making it feel unfinished and less visually appealing compared to competitors.
Performance issues in late game, causing significant slowdowns and making the game less enjoyable.

gameplay
1,203 mentions
31 % positive mentions
64 % neutral mentions
5 % negative 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 a lack of clarity in the user interface, which can hinder the overall experience. Despite its rough edges and balance issues, the game shows promise and potential for future improvements, making it an engaging option for fans of strategy games.
- “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 age system and economy mechanics create a 4x experience that provokes thought and action on every turn - it will be fairly rare that players spam the 'end turn' button in this one.”
- “The ages mechanic is really cool and can provide for some very different experiences every game.”
- “The nation you choose has basically no impact on gameplay beyond the appearance of your cities and their names.”
- “It's not fun, over complicated from the get-go, too many mechanics, resource bars are hard to spot and how to connect with the functionality.”
- “Sadly I can't recommend this game, because I don't like the approach to the game ... I don't think this can be easily fixed by additional updates (over-bloated with mechanics for no obvious reason).”
graphics
845 mentions
12 % positive mentions
66 % neutral mentions
22 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received significant criticism, with many reviewers describing them as outdated and lacking polish, often comparing them unfavorably to titles from over a decade ago. While some players appreciate the simplicity and readability of the visuals, others find them disappointing, particularly in combat scenes, which are described as reminiscent of early 2000s games. Overall, while the graphics may not meet modern standards, many players emphasize that the gameplay mechanics and innovative ideas are what truly matter in a 4X strategy game.
- “I also quite like the graphics; good gameplay makes the graphics look better, whereas good graphics can't improve dull gameplay.”
- “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.”
- “I enjoy the art style as a healthy middle ground between Civ V's realism and Civ VI's more stylized look.”
- “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 low quality, the sound design is average, the replayability is pretty badly thought out since you can't adjust or edit the world you want to play in.”
optimization
266 mentions
11 % positive mentions
69 % neutral mentions
20 % negative 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 early game stability, the performance degrades notably as the game progresses, leading to frustration with lag and bugs, especially on larger maps. Overall, while the game has potential, it is currently hindered by poor optimization and graphical performance that detracts from the overall experience.
- “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.”
- “Performance is probably my single greatest concern at this point, but mid-/late-game optimization already seems to have improved a bit.”
- “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.”
- “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.”
replayability
142 mentions
45 % positive mentions
49 % neutral mentions
6 % negative mentions
The game boasts high replayability, driven by its innovative age system and diverse national spirits, which encourage players to explore various strategies and combinations. While many reviewers appreciate the depth and variety offered, some express concerns about execution and optimization, suggesting that improvements could enhance the overall experience. Overall, players find the game engaging and dynamic, with significant potential for multiple playthroughs.
- “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.”
- “I am concerned about the trend where games are released in basically a pre-alpha state and people have to spend hundreds of hours playing a game with very limited replayability and pre-order a bunch of DLCs only to have the game be somewhat playable a couple of years and hundreds of dollars later, or else the game will be abandoned by the developers.”
grinding
86 mentions
2 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
98 % negative 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 of Plague" is frequently cited as a particularly low point, leading to a slog that hampers progression and fun. Overall, while some mechanics show promise, the execution often results in a laborious experience that many hope will be improved in future updates.
- “Realm expansion: natural border growth that is not too tedious and you can actually manipulate.”
- “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.”
- “It's fun till about mid-game then tedious... really needs workshop/modding, balance tweaking.”
- “Overall it is tedious and painful, and the more turns, the worse the performance.”
stability
48 mentions
13 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
88 % negative mentions
The game currently suffers from numerous stability issues, including frequent bugs, freezing, and performance slowdowns, particularly in late-game scenarios. While some players find it playable with minor glitches, many report significant problems that hinder the overall experience, suggesting that the game is unpolished and requires substantial fixes before it can be fully enjoyed. Despite its potential, the game's stability issues are a major concern for players, especially for those seeking a smooth multiplayer experience.
- “Also runs great on the deck.”
- “From what I've heard online, the game is also rather bug-free.”
- “The game maintains a stable performance throughout most of the experience.”
- “Game has several freezing bugs and upgrade glitches that need to be worked out before the game is playable in full.”
- “No auto explore, moving units is buggy, war is a mess, and the game freezes and hitches constantly.”
- “Late-game performance issues are inevitable, with long turn times and freezes.”
music
42 mentions
33 % positive mentions
52 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players praising the quality and variety, particularly noting standout tracks from specific ages, while others find it repetitive and lacking memorable pieces. Many users express a desire for more control over the music, such as options to toggle age-linked tracks or a dedicated music player. Overall, while some enjoy the relaxing and immersive aspects 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.”
story
26 mentions
15 % positive mentions
73 % neutral mentions
12 % negative mentions
The game's story is shaped by age progression and unique mechanics that allow for engaging sub-quests and emergent narratives, although some players feel that the overall storytelling can be generic and lacks distinctiveness between cultures. While the Age of Heroes and Age of Discovery introduce exciting quests and features, the interactions with other nations are often seen as limited and frustrating. Overall, the combination of storytelling elements enhances city-building and management, making it a compelling experience despite some criticisms of repetitiveness.
- “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.”
humor
20 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its clever alternative history scenarios and absurd situations, such as leading an army of tanks in a modern age or advancing to a fundamentalist faction. Players find the low-quality graphics and combat animations amusingly bad, contributing to a lighthearted and meme-worthy experience. Overall, the game successfully elicits laughter through its unique and often ridiculous gameplay elements.
- “I was so positively surprised by the effect, that I caught myself laughing happily.”
- “Let Icarus survive from the Age of Heroes and lead an army of tanks is quite a hilarious scenario, and it also makes me want to explore the ages I haven't set my foot into.”
- “The combat animation is so bad it becomes hilarious, well meme-worthy.”
monetization
6 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a cash grab, overshadowing the passion and creativity behind its development. Players feel that the game's unique appeal, particularly its diverse eras, is compromised by a focus on profit rather than genuine engagement.
- “It's such a shame to see something that has passion behind it be crushed in what feels like another paradox cash grab.”
- “It's the opposite of minimalist incremental EA Sports year-over-year cash grabs.”
- “It's such a shame to see something that has passion behind it be crushed in what feels like another paradox cash grab.”
atmosphere
4 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its immersive sound effects and appealing graphics, which together create a nostalgic and engaging environment. Reviewers appreciate the combination of these elements, enhancing the overall experience.
- “The graphics, to me personally, I like it; there is a reminiscent atmosphere to it.”
- “Extremely atmospheric sound effects.”
emotional
4 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative 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 frustrations regarding the high costs of certain actions, suggesting that while the game is engaging, it could benefit from adjustments to enhance the overall experience.