Old World

About

"Old World" is a historical strategy game where you lead your empire through multiple generations, managing family ties and relationships with noble families to build a lasting legacy. Choose from 7 kingdoms, each with 4 noble families offering unique benefits, and make decisions that will keep them happy or risk their ire. Recruit famous warriors and interact with distinct characters to forge your kingdom and defend your borders.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Local Multi-Player Play with friends in the same physical space using split-screen or multiple screens
2-Players Play with one other player, either online or locally, in a cooperative or competitive game mode
Multi-Player Compete or cooperate with other players online
Co-Op Team up with friends to complete levels or missions together
Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo
PvP Player versus Player - Fight against other players in real-time, often in arena-style combat
Split Screen Play with multiple players on the same screen, often with divided or shared screen real estate

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 2,572 reviews

gameplay175 positive mentions

optimization20 negative mentions

Old World combines elements of Civilization and Crusader Kings, offering a unique blend of 4X strategy and character-driven gameplay.
The orders system limits actions per turn, creating meaningful decisions and preventing late-game tedium common in other 4X games.
The game features a rich event system that adds depth and replayability, with numerous historical events and character interactions.

The AI can feel overpowered, often overwhelming players with unit spam and making it difficult to recover from setbacks.
The game can suffer from performance issues, particularly in the late game, leading to slowdowns and crashes.
The character and family management system can become tedious, with constant pop-ups and events that may distract from the core gameplay.

gameplay
656 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
71%
2%
The gameplay of "Old World" is characterized by its innovative mechanics, particularly the "orders" system, which limits player actions per turn and encourages strategic decision-making. While it blends familiar 4X elements with character-driven dynamics reminiscent of "Crusader Kings," many players find the learning curve steep due to the complexity and interconnectivity of its systems. Overall, the game offers a rich and engaging experience, though some mechanics may feel underdeveloped or cumbersome, leading to mixed opinions on its execution.
- “The orders mechanic is a nice innovation, there's an interesting and original economic system, games aren't super long, and best of all the AI is decent!”
- “Old World combines the dynasty gameplay of Crusader Kings with the 4X gameplay of the Civilization series without becoming so over-complicated that it takes you a ton of time just to get a grasp on the basic mechanics.”
- “The gameplay is engaging, the events system is enthralling, and the characters are dynamic and vibrant.”
- “Unfortunately, some game design mechanics make the game feel off.”
- “I found Civ 5 offered better gameplay and more mod support with similar graphics.”
- “The gameplay negatives - it's still not clear to me how come an enemy unit will wreck me while I barely scratch them.”
story
207 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
72%
1%
The story aspect of the game is highly praised for its depth and immersion, with players enjoying the character-driven narratives and dynamic events that create unique experiences in each playthrough. Many reviewers highlight the engaging event system, which introduces significant choices and consequences, allowing for emergent storytelling that enhances the overall gameplay. While some find the story elements less compelling compared to dedicated narrative games, the blend of strategy and storytelling is seen as a refreshing evolution of the 4X genre, making it a standout alternative to traditional titles like Civilization.
- “The narrative part of the game is so amazing... you truly never play the same game twice and sometimes you get some bonkers storylines like when I started a game as Dido, had a son who dropped his studies to be a 'street philosopher' until he got so crazy the people drove him out of the town, so he just came back to my court and instantly ran away to be a sailor but got captured by pirates that tried to sell him as a slave.”
- “Every playthrough creates such an immersive story!”
- “The story progression of your lineage is also fun to follow and has its impact on what you and your family end up being good at.”
- “This is the most unfeeling, unemotional, non-immersive text I've ever seen in a game that imagines itself as one to tell a story.”
- “The storytelling in Old World does not draw a true memorable line through the game; it's more like a series of events which sometimes follow in small stories.”
- “Maybe I'm missing something, but I just couldn't get invested in any aspect of the 'story' or role-playing elements of this one.”
music
180 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
41%
3%
The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its immersive and atmospheric qualities, with many players praising its authenticity and diversity, drawing from various cultural influences. Composed by notable artists like Christopher Tin, the soundtrack is often described as a standout feature that enhances the overall gaming experience, although some players find certain tracks less appealing. Overall, the music is considered a significant asset, contributing to the game's depth and enjoyment.
- “The music is perfectly suited to the time period, and the sound effects are impeccable.”
- “The game's sound design and music are wonderfully immersive.”
- “The cherry on top is the amazing music.”
- “Blandness of music - most of the soundtrack is very amateurish, and a specific example of this is the Agni Parthene execution they have here - it's just horrible.”
- “Worst main menu music I've ever heard in my life.”
- “Musically, the game is boring with a number of pieces of music lacking flair or blending in well with one another.”
graphics
158 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
46%
10%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful artwork, immersive atmosphere, and overall visual appeal, while others criticize the graphics as outdated or lacking in detail compared to contemporary titles. Some players appreciate the art style and music, noting that they enhance the gameplay experience, but others find the visuals to be muddy or generic. Performance issues, particularly on larger maps, are also mentioned, indicating that while the graphics can be visually appealing, they may not always run smoothly.
- “The breathtaking maps, songs, and graphics, combined with the captivating dynasties and characters, create an immersive experience like no other.”
- “The graphics are beautiful, and the game runs well, only starting to slow down on giant maps and once cities get sprawling and established.”
- “The graphics are outstanding, best of any 4x land game that I've played.”
- “The graphics are simple and lack some animations; the portraits are a static image. However, the art direction makes the game look good.”
- “It shouldn't be acceptable for a game with the graphics and animation complexity of Civ IV and in-game element complexity of that scale to perform so poorly and just tell users to buy a better machine.”
- “The graphics are nice, but not beautiful in the way Civ V was and not distinct in the way Civ VI is.”
optimization
97 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
70%
21%
The game suffers from significant optimization issues, particularly in the late game where performance can drop drastically, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences. While some players report improvements following updates, many still experience lag and unresponsiveness, especially on larger maps or with numerous units. Overall, despite solid core gameplay, the optimization problems remain a major concern for potential players.
- “Performance has been very good on my five-year-old system (RTX 2060, 16GB RAM, SSD, i7-8750H), and the graphics & art style look great.”
- “Optimization then naturally follows, and it feels very rewarding as things begin to 'click'.”
- “Performance has been dramatically improved, and the new scenarios are very fun to play.”
- “However, the game's performance is a problem I cannot ignore.”
- “Optimization is awful; on a medium map and medium-low settings, starting from mid-game, I have 15-25 fps on RTX 3060.”
- “The performance on my low-end machine wasn't great at launch, but has since improved as a result of optimization updates after the game's Steam release.”
grinding
64 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
2%
95%
Overall, reviews indicate that while the game attempts to streamline micromanagement and reduce tedious elements common in 4X titles, many players still find aspects of grinding to be overwhelming and repetitive, particularly in the late game and during warfare. The order system is praised for allowing more strategic focus, yet managing large empires and numerous units can become excessively tedious, leading to a slower and less engaging experience. Ultimately, the balance between enjoyable mechanics and tedious management remains a point of contention among players.
- “Combat is the right balance of being challenging but not tedious, so it's not frustrating like some 4X games or too easy like in Civ VI.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Grinding down a nearby tribe to seize loads of them so you can expand is the vast majority of the mid game.”
- “The only thing I don't like is that if you have a really big empire, the micromanagement gets super tedious.”
- “It literally drags on so long, and is just so tedious and miserable that there is zero point.”
replayability
62 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
37%
58%
5%
Overall, the game exhibits high replayability, with many players praising its diverse characters, events, and customizable gameplay options that lead to unique experiences in each playthrough. While some reviews mention limitations in long-term replay value and a steep learning curve, the majority highlight the game's depth, strategic complexity, and frequent updates as factors that enhance its replayability. Despite a few criticisms regarding content and mechanics, many players find themselves drawn back for multiple sessions, indicating a strong replay value.
- “Tons of replayability as every game is different.”
- “The orders mechanic breathes fresh life into the genre, and the story events and character intrigue give immense replayability.”
- “The replayability and depth is enhanced through its incredibly detailed adjustable gameplay conditions and maps.”
- “Mediocre 4x strategy game, not a lot of content with low replay value.”
- “The tech line is short, and the replayability dies out after about 4 to 5 playthroughs.”
- “Replayability is an issue, sadly.”
stability
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
83%
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many users reporting significant bugs, frequent crashes, and issues with the user interface, particularly on high-end PCs. However, some players have noted that the game runs smoothly on certain systems, like the MacBook Pro, and that recent updates have improved stability for others. Overall, while there are promising aspects, the game is still considered buggy and prone to freezing, especially during late-game scenarios.
- “Runs great on MacBook Pro 16-inch M1 Pro.”
- “I'm very happy with the game; it's stable and seems bug-free.”
- “I will end with how impressed I have been with how stable and bug-free it is since the release on GOG and Steam.”
- “Game is buggy and most of the controls don't work.”
- “Freezes and shutdowns randomly on high-end PC.”
- “Well as others have mentioned the game is super glitchy and buggy, you can expect it to crash completely within about 2 hours, and the constant saving and reloading is a pain.”
atmosphere
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
73%
14%
14%
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunning art style, immersive music, and historical depth, effectively transporting players to a richly detailed classical era. Reviewers highlight the combination of atmospheric soundtracks, realistic visuals, and engaging narrative events that enhance the overall experience, creating a cozy and captivating environment. The attention to detail and thematic consistency contribute to a sense of authenticity, making the game both visually appealing and emotionally resonant.
- “It's a good looking game that sticks to one period of history but with depth and atmosphere.”
- “Most of all, I love the realism and atmosphere of the game.”
- “The atmosphere is excellent, the music is excellent, and the portrait art looks great even when it gets repetitive, with the 'aging' of the portraits contributing to the legacy feel the game tries (and succeeds) to establish.”
- “The events are smartly written and really add to the game's atmosphere, immersing you in the classical era.”
- “From the start, I get excited by the atmosphere and the potential to combine strengths from other 4X games, but in the end - as other players have properly said - it's all about an unfair combat system.”
- “You will actually feel this cozy environment and atmosphere which the developers created.”
humor
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is a mixed bag, with players finding enjoyment in the quirky events and absurd scenarios, such as a bronze-age spearman defeating a modern tank or the antics of their in-game spouses. While some moments are genuinely funny and entertaining, particularly with the Sacred and Profane DLC, others can be both amusing and frustrating, like AI decisions that lead to unexpected outcomes. Overall, the humor adds a lighthearted touch to the gameplay, though it may not reach the outrageous levels found in similar titles like Crusader Kings.
- “Events don't always have a huge effect on the game, but they're interesting, sometimes funny, and varied enough to make them worth reading.”
- “At other times, events are quite humorous and entertaining, especially with the Sacred and Profane DLC.”
- “Amazing civ-like, the events are hilarious and fun.”
character development
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
50%
30%
Character development in the game is a standout feature, blending elements of empire building and warfare with intricate dynamics of court members and aristocratic families. Unlike other strategy games that prioritize cultural or technological advancements, this game emphasizes the importance of character interactions, marriage proposals, and the formation of dynasties, enhancing the overall gameplay experience. Players appreciate the depth and detail of character development, which adds a rich layer to the strategic elements of the game.
- “The mix of civilization-style empire building and warfare combined with the dynasty-building, character development, and events of Europa Universalis and Crusader Kings definitely keeps the game from becoming boring.”
- “Focusing on a shorter time frame and the character development of your court members is what makes this game shine.”
- “In comparison to Humankind, where cultural choices are the most important decision to make, and Civilization, where the cultural/technological card system plays a crucial role, Old World's most important tactical element is the character development of many members of your royal court and aristocratic families supporting you (or not).”
- “Old World combines the best of Civilization with what that game lacks: character development and interaction.”
- “As all the reviews stated, I expected a Civilization-type game with some character development.”
emotional
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviews highlight a stark divide in emotional engagement, with some players feeling the game lacks depth and fails to create an immersive narrative, leading to a sense of wasted time despite enjoyable moments. Conversely, others appreciate the emotional weight of RPG elements, particularly the attachment to characters and armies, which can evoke strong feelings of loss and investment. Overall, the emotional experience varies significantly among players, with some finding it lacking and others deeply resonant.
- “But while I wouldn't say the game was a waste of my time, it made me feel like I wasted my time after the official or unofficial conclusion to every game, and those were such bitter pills to swallow that they made me forget all the sweet times in between when things came together properly.”
- “This really feels like an RPG element which I love, building up your leader is awesome and also heart-wrenching when you lose them.”
- “Another example, the significant emotional investment in armies.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
Reviews indicate that while the game's diplomacy and event systems are appreciated, there are concerns about the effectiveness of advertising algorithms, suggesting potential issues with monetization strategies. Overall, the monetization approach appears to be a mixed bag, with some elements enhancing gameplay and others detracting from the experience.
- “There's definitely something wrong with the advertising algorithms.”
- “The monetization feels overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
- “It seems like every feature is locked behind a paywall, making it hard to enjoy the game without spending money.”