Oriental Empires

73%
Game Brain Score Based on 775 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • music
Oriental Empires Game Cover
A perfectly good 4X game with an innovative combat system that feels a bit bland when framed against the richness of its setting.
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"Oriental Empires" is a turn-based strategy game set in ancient China, allowing players to build and expand their own dynasty through conquest and diplomacy. Choose from various factions, each with unique strengths and weaknesses, and manage your empire's resources, technology, and culture. Experience epic battles, engage in strategic warfare, and navigate the complex political landscape of ancient China in this immersive historical simulation.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

73%
Audience ScoreBased on 775 reviews
gameplay49 positive mentions
grinding32 negative mentions
  • Unique blend of Civilization and Total War mechanics, providing a fresh take on the 4X genre.
  • Rich historical setting with detailed graphics and immersive atmosphere, enhancing the gameplay experience.
  • Engaging economic and city management systems that require strategic planning and decision-making.
  • Combat AI is often unresponsive and can lead to frustrating battles where units do not follow orders effectively.
  • Lack of a comprehensive tutorial or clear explanations for game mechanics, making it difficult for new players to understand the game.
  • Frequent bugs and performance issues, particularly during late-game, which can disrupt gameplay and diminish enjoyment.
  • gameplay204 mentions

    The gameplay of this title is a complex blend of familiar 4X mechanics reminiscent of Civilization and Total War, featuring unique elements like a labor system and court mechanics that add depth. However, many players find the lack of tutorials and unclear mechanics frustrating, leading to a steep learning curve. While the game offers engaging strategic opportunities and a rich historical setting, it suffers from issues such as poorly executed combat mechanics and a confusing user interface, which detracts from the overall experience.

    • “Simple mechanics create complex choices.”
    • “It has a very large amount of historically based content with a very well executed gameplay loop that doesn't get boring.”
    • “The game combines the building and tile system of Civilization with the epicness of battles from Total War, providing a unique gameplay experience.”
    • “The most annoying mechanic in the game is the stupid repeated noble rebellions.”
    • “Lack of tutorial: the game is very complex for new players without proper explanation of some of the mechanics, units, palace system, and edicts.”
    • “The 'authority' system completely spoils the gameplay.”
  • graphics90 mentions

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the art design and atmospheric visuals despite acknowledging that the overall graphical quality is not groundbreaking. While some describe the graphics as "mediocre" or "muddy," others highlight the beautiful landscapes and detailed environments that enhance immersion. Overall, the visuals are considered functional and aesthetically pleasing, particularly when zoomed in, but there is a consensus that improvements could be made, especially in character and combat graphics.

    • “The graphics are great, especially if you like zooming in and are in theme for the world location, which has also been done justice.”
    • “The atmosphere of the game is really dripping, oozing, bleeding richly with gorgeous artwork and cultural background.”
    • “The graphics are beautiful, as is the music.”
    • “The graphics are muddy and very ugly, and the AI is broken, especially when it comes to diplomacy.”
    • “Graphics are terrible.”
    • “What developers need to improve on is graphics, artwork (generals and king portraits look terrible) and diplomacy.”
  • music69 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its tranquil and atmospheric qualities, effectively enhancing the immersive experience of ancient China. However, many players note that the soundtrack can become repetitive over time, leading to a desire for more variety in the tracks. Overall, while the music is well-designed and fits the setting, its limited range may detract from long-term enjoyment.

    • “The music is good and fits the setting.”
    • “The graphics and music combine to give the game a really wonderful atmosphere.”
    • “Very nice music, relaxing traditional Chinese music you can enjoy listening to all day, making the game feel relaxing to play.”
    • “The soundtrack is repetitive.”
    • “I did not like the music and muted it and played my own.”
    • “The music gets repetitive after a few hours.”
  • grinding32 mentions

    Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly in the mid to late game where city management and army control become cumbersome. Many recommend utilizing auto-farming and tech options to alleviate some of the micromanagement, but frustrations with the UI and slow siege mechanics persist. Overall, while the game offers enjoyable elements for fans of farming simulators, the repetitive nature of city expansion and resource management can detract from the overall experience.

    • “Update: after playing it for over 150+ hours, I can confirm that mid-late playthrough becomes increasingly tedious due to a limit cap on how many cities you can control and not anymore than that.”
    • “The UI is also very frustrating and clunky as the information/building panel keeps defaulting to the farming screen - so when you want to check which settlements have finished building, you have to keep changing the panel view, which becomes very time-consuming and breaks the playing experience, destroying any immersion that you may have in this game.”
    • “It takes the 4X genre and boils it down to its most tedious micromanagement form, so devoid of flesh that it can barely be passably called a strategy game.”
  • atmosphere16 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its rich and immersive qualities, particularly appealing to fans of Far East history. Players appreciate the detailed graphics, atmospheric music, and cultural elements that create a calming and engaging experience, reminiscent of ancient East Asia. While it may lack the tactical depth of other strategy games, its overall ambiance and artistic design stand out as a significant strength.

    • “The atmosphere is deep and rich, and a decision as small as opening a second barracks can tilt your economy in predictable, challenging ways.”
    • “The atmosphere of the game is really dripping, oozing, bleeding richly with gorgeous artwork and cultural background.”
    • “The graphics and music combine to give the game a really wonderful atmosphere.”
    • “It’s certainly not a triple-A title, but it manages to bring a sense of atmosphere to the world of the Orient.”
    • “Some similarities to Civ for sure, but also noticeably different in terms of atmosphere and scale.”
    • “It brings you the calming atmosphere of ancient East Asia, and at the same time gives you a sense of being a grand strategist ordering your units around and telling them how to act.”
  • stability15 mentions

    The game's stability is a mixed bag, with users reporting minor glitches, particularly with trade routes and UI features, leading to occasional freezes rather than hard crashes. While some players experience smooth graphics and enjoyable gameplay, many note that the game can become increasingly buggy over time, especially in its early access state. Frequent saving is recommended to mitigate potential issues.

    • “It looks lovely, with no glitches, crashes, or lock-ups.”
    • “The game runs smoothly without any interruptions.”
    • “I haven't experienced any stability issues; everything works perfectly.”
    • “It just freezes.”
    • “It's not a hard crash, though, it just freezes, stops working, and closes.”
    • “Very buggy, but it has a solid concept and a very entertaining battle system.”
  • replayability14 mentions

    The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players praising its infinite variety and immersive familiarity due to diverse campaigns influenced by religion, technology, and location. However, others find it lacking in long-term replay value, particularly after reaching certain milestones, leading to a sense of monotony. Overall, while many appreciate the potential for replayability, opinions vary significantly, with ratings ranging from low to high.

    • “The replayability is seemingly infinite; no two campaigns are too similar, but nor are they too different that it breaks the feeling of familiarity, which gives a sense of comfort and immersion.”
    • “However, the scale of the maps combined with the well-thought-out tech trees (yes, there are more than one) and some other features lend the game plenty of fun and replay value.”
    • “High replayability.”
    • “It's like mini civ games that focus on the China Three Kingdoms era. As a strategy game enthusiast, this game is relatively simple to me; the replayability is low. After you manage to upgrade all of your cities, there is not much you can do, but it's still worth the money and your time if you really like slow-paced games.”
    • “But it has no replay value and gets boring quickly.”
    • “Although I don't think there's a whole lot of replayability at the moment.”
  • optimization14 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising its excellent performance relative to its size and graphics, while others report frequent crashes and problematic optimization issues. Although the game runs smoothly for some, there are concerns about stability and the need for further optimization, particularly regarding user interface elements and combat mechanics. Overall, while there are moments of great performance, the inconsistency in stability detracts from the experience for many players.

    • “Great performance for the amount of space it takes up.”
    • “Combat feels good, game performance is excellent for the graphics you get, music is nice, and it's one of those games I can leave sitting installed on my computer without thinking about it since it's only 1.5 gigs.”
    • “No stability issues of note, no performance issues.”
    • “I noticed someone mentioning the very poor performance, so I figured I'd leave this one to counteract it.”
    • “Poor performance.”
    • “Some tactics can be added, because fighting in ancient China mostly involves the use of tactics, and fighting can be optimized.”
  • story13 mentions

    The game's storytelling is primarily driven by its strategic combat mechanics, allowing players to plan battles and witness their outcomes, reminiscent of combat mission games. However, some users express disappointment with the lack of a cohesive narrative or campaign structure, feeling that it resembles a series of skirmishes rather than a grand story. Despite this, the game's oriental design and simplified graphics contribute to an engaging experience, with choices that enrich the development of one's nation.

    • “It's a natural engine for storytelling.”
    • “With simplified graphics reminiscent of This War of Mine, Oriental Empires makes the story come alive on a map in an imaginative way that can be intensely pleasing for many people.”
    • “The techs are limited, but provide story-rich choices to the way you will develop your nation.”
    • “There is no story or plot.”
    • “If there is one thing I don't like so far, it is the supposed grand campaign for single player. There is no story or anything that shows the player it's a campaign; so far it seems like just one big skirmish match against the AI factions. Hopefully, the dev team changes that as the game development continues.”
    • “The game itself and the story are very oriental in design.”
  • humor6 mentions

    The humor in the game is noted for its clever design and unexpected moments, blending cultural references and language quirks that resonate with players familiar with Chinese history. Users find the comedic elements, such as the absurdity of town populations and linguistic combinations, to be both entertaining and a refreshing departure from traditional strategy games. Overall, the humor adds a unique charm that enhances the gaming experience.

    • “If this isn't a bug, it's both horrible and hilarious by design.”
    • “In all, I think TW and Civ missed a trick by staying with tried and tested, and these guys have come up with a great, in-depth, and yeah, funny strategy game.”
    • “Settlers, when popping a town down, show a population of 2... that's funny, really.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    Reviews indicate that the monetization strategy is perceived as a cash grab, with criticism directed at the company's poor advertising and promotion efforts, leading to disappointment among users regarding the game's value.

    • “If this was an alpha, and not a game that will soon be released, I would understand, but this feels like a cash grab.”
    • “I blame the company for doing a bad job at advertising and promotion.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    Players report a deeply emotional experience, with moments that evoke strong feelings such as joy and frustration. The combination of intense gameplay and narrative elements leads to a powerful connection, making them feel both triumphant and overwhelmed, akin to a general in the chaos of battle.

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

Critic Reviews

63% average critic score

Buy Oriental Empires

Play time

13hMedian play time
43hAverage play time
8-75hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 20 analyzed playthroughs

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