Sumerians
- October 17, 2023
- Decumanus Games
- 3h median play time
Get on Steam"Sumerians" is a single-player strategy game with stellar gameplay and ingenious visuals. Assemble a thriving Sumerian city in Mesopotamia, focusing on urban planning, economics, and resource management. Construct temples, hire priests, grow crops, establish markets, and maintain a balance between farmers, artisans, and vendors to expand and protect your city.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a unique and engaging take on city building set in ancient Mesopotamia, with a focus on economic management and historical authenticity.
- Players appreciate the depth of mechanics, including the private and state labor systems, which add a layer of complexity to the gameplay.
- The game is visually appealing and has a relaxing atmosphere, making it enjoyable for casual play while still providing challenges.
- The game suffers from a steep learning curve and lacks a comprehensive tutorial, leaving players feeling lost about mechanics and strategies.
- Performance issues arise at higher population counts, leading to lag and unresponsive gameplay, which detracts from the overall experience.
- Many players feel the game is currently shallow in content, with limited objectives and features, making it less engaging over time.
- gameplay45 mentions
- 27 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the city-building game is characterized by a mix of innovative mechanics and some frustrating elements, such as the localized resources system that can slow down progress. While the game offers a satisfying depth and immersive experience, players note that the mechanics can be unclear and require trial and error to master. Despite its early access status and limited content, the game shows potential for growth and improvement, particularly with the addition of more complex challenges and clearer tutorials.
“The game mechanics have a satisfying depth.”
“The attention to detail, the immersive environment, and the overall gameplay experience are proof of the passion behind this project.”
“In terms of gameplay, all the key features of a good city builder/manager are included, from zoning to ensuring water access (through wells) to reducing crime (through guard posts) to trading (through a port).”
“I've played plenty of city builders, but few have left me so in the dark about game mechanics while still showering me in (too much) data and metrics.”
“This mechanic is obtuse and significantly slows down gameplay, and is far inferior to the 'global resources' method of resource management.”
“The documentation is sparse and many mechanics still need to be learned by trial and error or by asking the community.”
- graphics28 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 46 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players praising the art style and overall aesthetic as "amazing" and "pleasing," while others criticize the graphics as dull, laggy, and inferior to older titles. Many users note performance issues, particularly with larger populations, but some find that adjusting settings can alleviate these problems. Overall, the game features a simple yet appealing visual design that some players appreciate, despite its technical shortcomings.
“The art style and just the overall aesthetic is absolutely amazing; it's easy to get the hang of it and works very well.”
“The graphic design is very nice, and the way cities develop is truly fascinating.”
“The game has a lovely aesthetic throughout -- even the loading screen uses cuneiform!”
“The dynamics and graphics are worse than Children of the Nile, and that is a 15-year-old game that is still better than this one for building and managing your settlement.”
“Super lagging for a low graphics game (and I have a pretty decent computer), and it constantly bugs out or freezes.”
“To be honest, no positives really; the graphics are dull and boring to look at, with no sense of progression or achievement. It's just another city builder stripped to the bare bones and re-skinned.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players express frustration with the grinding aspect of the game, particularly in managing resource chains and farming logistics. The initial setup requires careful planning to avoid running out of essential resources, and many find the farming system confusing and inefficient, leading to challenges in balancing manpower and task completion. Overall, the complexity of managing agricultural and logistical tasks can detract from the gameplay experience.
“My biggest gripe is that at the start of any game you have to pause the time and set up the state farming ASAP because any little mistake in this and you will run out of grain before year 2 is over.”
“The farming system seems a bit confusing to me; it doesn't seem to matter how many transporters or farmers I have, they never seem to harvest everything.”
“Determining the proper amount of government workers (e.g. farmers for state-owned grain fields, transporters, etc.) can take a little bit of getting used to, but the workload seems to reflect the amount of manpower required for tasks like farming and hauling in the era of this game.”
- music6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its authenticity and ability to enhance the historical setting, particularly with a Middle Eastern ambiance. While some players appreciate the soundtrack, there are suggestions for incorporating more environmental sounds to create a richer auditory experience. Overall, the music contributes positively to the game's atmosphere.
“I can't even figure out where to begin rambling about all the great things I have experienced about this game, including its music, historical settings, and absolutely crazy city customization!”
“I also like the Middle Eastern ambiance and music.”
“The music is awesome and feels very authentic.”
“The graphics are simple, the soundtrack is getting there, and I just can't wait to see how this game evolves.”
“I would like some street noise and sound coming from the city, rather than placement noise and music.”
- optimization6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game has a promising concept but suffers significantly from optimization issues, particularly as player populations increase, leading to drastic drops in frame rates. Many users express hope for improvements with future updates, as current performance limitations hinder overall enjoyment.
“Right now, the biggest drawback to fully enjoying the game is probably the optimization.”
“So far, I've found that performance drops off at around the 3000+ population mark, with my FPS dropping to about 8 FPS compared to the 50+ FPS I get when I start a new game.”
“Great concept, though it still needs a ton of optimization work.”
“As I said, the concept is great and I hope that with enough backing from EA buyers, the game will continue to grow and get the optimizations it desperately needs.”
“So far I've found that performance drops off at around the 3000+ population mark, with my FPS dropping to about 8 FPS compared to the 50+ FPS I get when I start a new game.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game offers high replayability, with players enjoying its relaxing city-building mechanics and frequent updates that introduce new content. However, some users note a lack of depth and character, which may limit long-term engagement for certain players. Overall, it remains a more enjoyable experience than many polished titles despite its rough edges.
“It's a neat little city builder that's relaxing to play with high replayability.”
“The replayability factor is high, and even when I take a break for a few months, I return to an updated game with new content, renewing the fun.”
“Do not expect much depth, replayability, or character that would get you attached and involved.”
“Taken as is, the game is a little rough in places but is still more playable than some finished games.”
- story2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is largely lacking, with players expressing disappointment over the absence of a narrative or meaningful goals, and noting that there are currently no missions to engage with.
“I was hoping there might be some sort of story with it, even just a little bit of narrative or some goals influenced by outside factors.”
“No missions yet but it seems empty.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game currently experiences significant stability issues, including lagging and frequent bugs, even on capable hardware. While being in alpha allows for regular updates that enhance gameplay, it also leads to persistent freezing problems, particularly when loading old saves.
“Super lagging for a low graphics game (and I have a pretty decent computer), and it constantly bugs out or freezes.”
“It's still in alpha, which has its pros (updates add a lot to the game) and cons (can be a little bit buggy; specifically, loading an old save might freeze it for me. I try not to get too attached to any one save.)”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised as fantastic and highly immersive, contributing significantly to the overall experience.
“Fantastic, really atmospheric.”
