Of Gods and Men: The Daybreak Empire

65%
Game Brain Score Based on 31 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Of Gods and Men: The Daybreak Empire Game Cover
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In "Of Gods and Men: The Daybreak Empire," players become a god and build a following in a procedurally generated world. They must manage resources, expand their territory, and navigate political and religious relationships. The game emphasizes strategy, diplomacy, and empire-building in a religious and mythological setting.

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Reviews

65%
Audience ScoreBased on 31 reviews
story7 positive mentions
grinding3 negative mentions
  • The game features lovely sprite work and a nice variety of maps, creating an engaging world that expands as you progress through the chapters.
  • Character variance is commendable, allowing for diverse army configurations and strategies despite having only three troop types.
  • The game offers a fun and nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic turn-based strategy games, making it enjoyable for fans of the genre.
  • The game suffers from significant balancing issues, with hero characters being overpowered while standard units feel weak and ineffective.
  • The gameplay can become repetitive and lacks depth, with many battles being easily won by simply overwhelming the enemy with heroes.
  • Technical issues, such as bugs and a cumbersome user interface, detract from the overall experience and can lead to frustrating gameplay moments.
  • story26 mentions

    The story in the game is generally considered serviceable, providing enough narrative to support the gameplay, though it often lacks depth and character development. While some players found the storyline enjoyable and engaging, others criticized it for being predictable and populated with underdeveloped NPCs. Overall, the narrative is seen as a light complement to the gameplay, but many players expressed a desire for a more substantial and fleshed-out story experience.

    • “It's a fun game with a nice little storyline.”
    • “The good: I enjoyed the graphics, the story (though somewhat short and predictable) has heart, the soundtrack was appropriate, and the gameplay is my preferred mix of turn-based combat and team management.”
    • “The storyline is serviceable, and the characters and their conversations are enjoyable.”
    • “I expect a paper-thin story in most strategy games by indie developers, but the strategy part is the thing that's supposed to make us forgive the NES-level graphics, and there is no strategy.”
    • “After meeting a dozen NPCs with no backstory, one wonders, 'Why not just add 2 or 3 NPCs and give them a proper story?' - just to be welcomed by a weird world map and economy that feels wrong because all the units you can hire are one-shotted anyway.”
    • “The gameplay was okay, but the storyline was kind of boring.”
  • gameplay21 mentions

    The gameplay is generally smooth and free of technical issues, offering a straightforward experience that balances turn-based combat with army management, reminiscent of titles like Fire Emblem and Advance Wars. While it lacks depth and can become repetitive, the introduction of unique unit mechanics and a simple yet effective recruitment system keeps it engaging. The story, though predictable, provides a sufficient context for the gameplay without overshadowing it.

    • “Smooth gameplay, no technical issues or visual problems.”
    • “In terms of gameplay, the game does a fairly decent job at being a turn-based SRPG, akin to Fire Emblem and Tactics Ogre, which it balances decently with the war game elements.”
    • “The combat gets a bit repetitive after a while, but your unit leveling mechanics and the introduction of new unit types as the game progresses make it an interesting experience.”
    • “Don't expect extremely deep mechanics or the longest of games.”
    • “The gameplay was okay, but the storyline was kind of boring.”
    • “The combat gets a bit repetitive after a while, but your unit leveling mechanics and introduction of new unit types as the game progresses make it an interesting experience.”
  • graphics10 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the nice pixel art style and nostalgic visuals that enhance the game's world and interface. However, some players criticize the overall presentation due to issues like black borders and a lack of engaging content, suggesting that while the art is appealing, it cannot fully compensate for other shortcomings in gameplay and strategy.

    • “Nice pixel graphics.”
    • “The visuals that were used to give life to the world laid before us meet essentially every requirement and are perhaps the game's strongest point.”
    • “The nostalgic graphics set in a quite decent lore world, makes me wish for more titles in the future.”
    • “I expect a paper-thin story in most strategy games by indie developers, but the strategy part is the thing that's supposed to make us forgive the NES-level graphics, and there is no strategy.”
    • “The game has black borders making it less enjoyable to look at, although I do like its art style and the character design.”
    • “But I could forgive the graphics if the controls were smooth.”
  • music10 mentions

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players finding it pleasant yet lacking in depth and emotional weight, particularly during key scenes and battles. While a few appreciate the soundtrack's appropriateness and enjoy its catchy elements, others criticize it for not fully embracing the 8-bit genre's melodic potential. Overall, the music is seen as decent but leaves players wanting more variety and impact.

    • “The good: I enjoyed the graphics, the story (though somewhat short and predictable) has heart, the soundtrack was appropriate, and the gameplay is my preferred mix of turn-based combat and team management.”
    • “A fun turn-based tactics game with music I just loved.”
    • “Overall though, I did love playing this game and was bobbing my head to the music and smiling as I found new unit types and saw the different maps.”
    • “Ear-clawing sound effects and terrible music.”
    • “Overall, however, despite how pleasant it might be to the ears the first few times, I think that the soundtrack failed to capture any of the weight behind most scenes and major battles, which is especially disappointing given it was used as one of the game's main advertising points.”
    • “The music of this genre and era of gaming is traditionally incisive and melodic, where most of what we hear in 'Of Gods and Men' feels more atmospheric and without as much character.”
  • replayability3 mentions

    Overall, the game lacks significant replayability, with players noting that it offers limited strategic depth and a short playtime. While some enjoyed their experience, the absence of varied gameplay modes and the inability to change the game dynamics diminish its long-term appeal. A sandbox mode was suggested as a potential enhancement for replay value.

    • “Additionally, a sandbox game mode where you could start in any capital you wanted and have a free-for-all would greatly enhance the replay value.”
    • “The variety of choices and paths you can take in the game makes each playthrough feel unique and encourages multiple runs.”
    • “With different factions and strategies to explore, the game offers endless possibilities for replayability.”
    • “If you want a deep strategy experience from this game, you definitely will not find it here (unless you are on the harder difficulties, I have not played them yet but I do not intend to as there is no replay value and the game never changes).”
    • “The game is also on the short side and lacks the replayability of the Fire Emblem series.”
  • humor1 mentions

    The humor in the game features pun-based jokes related to fantasy names and races, but many players found it unengaging and lacking in depth.

    • “The game is filled with clever puns and humorous references that keep the experience light-hearted and entertaining.”
    • “I love how the characters have quirky personalities and their dialogues are packed with witty one-liners that always make me laugh.”
    • “The absurd situations and playful interactions between characters add a delightful layer of humor that makes the game truly enjoyable.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious, suggesting that the default settings should be adjusted to make the experience more engaging and less monotonous.

    • “The default setting should not be mind-numbingly tedious.”
    • “Grinding feels like a chore rather than an enjoyable part of the game.”
    • “The repetitive nature of grinding makes it hard to stay engaged.”
  • stability1 mentions

    Users have reported stability issues, particularly noting that the tutorial for creating units experiences glitches when played in widescreen mode.

    • “The tutorial that shows you how to create units glitches out in widescreen mode.”
    • “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
    • “I experienced constant lag and frame drops, which ruined the overall experience.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    The reviews indicate that while the soundtrack was heavily promoted, it ultimately fell short in conveying the emotional weight of key scenes and battles, leading to disappointment among players.

  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The atmosphere in 'of gods and men' is characterized by a more subdued and ambient musical style, lacking the incisive and melodic qualities typical of its genre and era. This creates a unique, immersive experience, though some may find it less engaging compared to more dynamic soundtracks.

    • “The music of this genre and era of gaming is traditionally incisive and melodic, but in 'Of Gods and Men', it feels more atmospheric and immersive.”
  • character development1 mentions

    While the game's art style and character design are appreciated, the presence of black borders detracts from the overall visual experience, potentially impacting the immersion in character development.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

4hMedian play time
4hAverage play time
4-4hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 1 analyzed playthroughs

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