SunAge: Battle for Elysium
- December 15, 2014
- vertex4 entertainment GmbH
- 4h median play time
Get on SteamSunAge: Battle for Elysium is a real-time strategy game set in a post-apocalyptic world. Choose to play as one of three factions: the human-led Consortium, the mutant-led Children of the Earth, or the robotic Anomaly. Each faction has unique units, abilities, and playstyles to master as you gather resources, build your base, and conquer your enemies. The game features a single-player campaign, skirmish mode, and multiplayer for up to 8 players.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Incredible graphics and art style, reminiscent of classic RTS games.
- Unique faction designs and gameplay mechanics that offer a fresh take on the genre.
- Engaging single-player campaign with interesting story elements and voice acting.
- Clunky unit selection and control scheme that can be frustrating and unintuitive.
- Pathfinding issues that lead to units not responding correctly to commands.
- Lack of essential features in skirmish mode, such as saving, pausing, and difficulty settings.
- story116 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 71 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story is a mixed bag, with some players finding it engaging and well-executed through comic-style cutscenes, while others criticize it as bland and generic. Although the campaign is lengthy and features interesting characters, many reviewers express disappointment with the story's conclusion and its overall coherence. Despite its flaws, the narrative is seen as a significant aspect of the game, appealing to those who appreciate a story-driven experience.
“This game has a large campaign about 30 hours long which is story-driven and full of interesting characters.”
“The story and lore seem interesting, and the story draws you in, so they had at least a competent writer on the team.”
“I like that the story is told by comic cutscenes; it made the game feel even more unique. By the way, the story is good, and I liked the characters that were presented in it.”
“Yes, I finished this game... I'm very disappointed with the story's ending.”
“The story has a lot of broken parts (non-continuous, could not understand) and lore is kind of non-existent.”
“And, second, the story felt pretty bland and generic.”
- graphics80 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim, with many users praising the stunning 2D visuals and unique art style that set it apart from other titles. Reviewers highlight the high fidelity and charm of the graphics, often comparing them favorably to classic RTS games and noting their appeal even in a modern context. While some mention that the graphics may not be cutting-edge, they are described as atmospheric and well-executed, contributing significantly to the overall experience.
“I really love the graphics, one of the most beautiful 2D graphics I've seen.”
“The art style is just incredible, basically a true high fidelity 2D RTS, looks ten times better than C&C Remastered.”
“First off, I just want to give a big shoutout to the people involved in the making of this game, it's quite amazing for such a small team, the graphics, the sound, the units, it all feels professional and like a high quality indie game.”
“Graphics are well, they are the graphics of games ten years ago, only with high-def sprites and particle effects for once, which, in its weird 2.5D way, does look gorgeous during the firefights.”
“Mediocre at best non-gameplay content (story, voice acting, artworks, etc).”
“Even so, I love the graphic and art style of this game, which makes me give Sunage another chance when it comes to Steam, and I can say I'm not disappointed!”
- gameplay60 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally praised for its solid mechanics, exciting combat, and engaging unit design, reminiscent of classic RTS titles. However, many players express frustration with control schemes, pathfinding issues, and a lack of polish that detracts from the overall experience. While the campaign is fulfilling and well-structured, there are calls for additional features like a game editor and improved non-gameplay content to enhance the game's potential.
“Absolutely a fantastic RTS, has an amazing campaign, interesting units, factions, and building mechanics.”
“The combat is also very exciting; the varying units make for challenging, but not overly complex gameplay, and the multiple resources and base building mechanic make for an interesting management experience similar to Age of Empires or Starcraft.”
“The gameplay itself is exciting and fun to partake in; I also imagine that actually skirmishing in PvP would be equally exciting, if not more so.”
“Races - they tout the races to be different but besides their resource collection mechanism, the mechanics are the same; just build power pylons to extend your base, which leads me to my next problem.”
“I could never find my rhythm and felt like I was forever battling with the controls, UI, and mechanics of the game... rather than just playing the game.”
“I play this game since it's not on Steam. All I can say in that time is the game sucks since I expected old school gameplay from it, but the game ended up just being an experimental take on new basic controls rather than using traditional RTS controls, making the game nearly unplayable and the basic control scheme too busy to work with.”
- music12 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The game features a highly praised soundtrack that enhances the atmospheric experience, reminiscent of late-90s styles, despite having a limited number of tracks. While the music and sound effects are generally well-received, some players express dissatisfaction with the music fading during important audio cues, which can disrupt immersion. Overall, the soundtrack is a standout element, contributing positively to the game's ambiance.
“+ beautiful soundtrack (even though there are not many different songs)”
“Game has a great soundtrack.”
“I don't like how the music goes quiet when there's an audio cue (units being attacked, need more storage, etc.).”
“A slower-paced RTS with atmospheric music and grumpy, grizzled characters reminiscent of the late-90s style.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is described as lacking depth, with characters and setups that feel bland and drab. However, the graphics are deemed simple yet fitting, complemented by atmospheric music that evokes a nostalgic late-90s vibe, particularly in its slower-paced RTS gameplay.
“The graphics are simple but appropriate, adequate, and atmospheric.”
“A slower-paced RTS with atmospheric music and grumpy, grizzled characters reminiscent of the late-90s style.”
“The characters are too pulpy, the setup is too bland, there's little sense of atmosphere aside from 'drab.'”
- emotional6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a mixed emotional response to the game, with some missions providing intense challenges that evoke determination, while others feel tedious and disengaging, leading to a lack of emotional investment. Overall, the emotional experience is inconsistent, with highs and lows affecting player engagement.
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players generally find the grinding aspect of the game to be long and tedious rather than challenging or threatening, with no missions perceived as unfair or overly tedious.
“It's not a threat, it's not challenging, it's just long and tedious.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is perceived as a nostalgic homage to classic RTS titles; however, users report significant bugs that render it unplayable, indicating serious stability issues.
“It looked like a good throwback to the old school RTS games, but it's buggy and unplayable for me.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its nice graphics and high replayability, reminiscent of a fun RTS style from a more innocent era.
“Nice graphics, and a very replayable game, in the fun RTS style of a more innocent age.”
