Terminator: Dark Fate - Defiance
- February 21, 2024
- Slitherine Ltd.
- 35h median play time
Terminator: Dark Fate - Defiance isn’t without its issues, but its unique setting and gameplay mechanics set it apart from other strategy titles.
Get on Steam"Terminator: Dark Fate - Defiance" is a real-time strategy game set in the Terminator universe, where you command the human resistance, the Founders, in their fight against Legion's machine network. With a single-player campaign and skirmish/multiplayer modes, players can control three distinct factions and make strategic decisions about unit placement and abilities on large battle maps. The game features dynamic battlefields with realistic tactics and consequences.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Engaging and challenging gameplay that requires strategic thinking and careful resource management.
- Unique mechanics with persistent units that carry over between missions, allowing for customization and development.
- Immersive atmosphere and solid voice acting that captures the essence of the Terminator universe.
- Unforgiving difficulty that can lead to frustration, often requiring save scumming to progress.
- Technical issues such as poor pathfinding, AI behavior, and performance drops, especially in urban environments.
- Limited skirmish maps and lack of replayability, with the campaign feeling short and linear.
- story933 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 79 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story of "Terminator: Dark Fate - Defiance" is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its deep narrative that ties into the larger Terminator universe, featuring familiar characters and engaging plot twists. However, the campaign is criticized for its pacing, with long missions often filled with tedious dialogue and fetch quests, leading to frustration. While the game offers meaningful choices that impact the storyline and character development, some players feel that the mission design can be overly punishing and convoluted, detracting from the overall experience.
“One of the best things about the game is the deep, immersive story that ties into the larger Terminator universe.”
“The voice acting is top-notch and adds much depth to the compelling storyline.”
“The story is unique, has unexpected turns, and is engaging with impactful branching.”
“Most campaign missions are overdrawn cycles of long dialogs and fetch quests.”
“The story/dialogue is extremely tedious, with a lot of poorly timed dialogue interruptions (suddenly pauses the gameplay).”
“The story is very weak, forcing me to fight some human rebels for an appalling amount of missions where we paid to kill the machines.”
- gameplay273 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Terminator: Dark Fate - Defiance" is a mixed bag, featuring engaging mechanics that blend strategy and action, but marred by frustrating bugs, clunky controls, and a punishing supply system that can detract from the overall experience. Players appreciate the depth of tactical decision-making and unit customization, yet many express dissatisfaction with the game's reliance on save scumming and the lack of intuitive mechanics, which can lead to repetitive and frustrating gameplay loops. While the game shows potential with its unique mechanics and immersive atmosphere, it requires significant polishing and balancing to fully realize its capabilities.
“The gameplay is a perfect mix of strategy and action.”
“The game captures the Terminator world's essence while bringing fresh, exciting gameplay that keeps you hooked.”
“The gameplay offers many choices and strategies on how to fight, and it's honestly very refreshing and addicting.”
“Clunky combat, annoying camera limitations, and really annoying gameplay.”
“The supply mechanic gate keeps this and is weird about it.”
“The campaign supply mechanic is frustrating; having to scrap or sell off 1/3 of your army after every mission just feels really bad.”
- graphics87 mentions
- 52 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many players praising the stunning visuals, detailed environments, and impressive special effects, particularly during cinematic moments. However, some users criticize the graphics as outdated or lacking polish, suggesting that they do not meet the expectations for a 2024 title. Overall, while the graphics are generally well-received, there are notable concerns regarding optimization and consistency across different hardware setups.
“As soon as you start playing, you'll be blown away by the stunning graphics.”
“The graphics are well-made and allow for many cinematic moments and crazy situations (like entire buildings exploding into debris as artillery hits them).”
“Visuals: the game boasts visually captivating environments, featuring detailed landscapes, realistic character models, and impressive special effects.”
“Visuals leave a lot to be desired for a 2024 game made in UE5.”
“The graphics are not the best and the engine is outdated; sometimes you get really cinematic fights.”
“Bad graphics, bad translations, and so poorly optimized it went from totally fine to a slideshow and then locking up my entire system requiring a hard reboot in less than 20 minutes.”
- optimization52 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing decent performance on mid-range systems, while others report severe issues such as low frame rates and crashes, particularly due to single-threaded CPU usage. Although a recent patch has improved performance for some, many still find the game unplayable on lower-end hardware and express hope for further optimizations. Overall, while the game shows potential, significant performance improvements are needed to enhance the experience for a broader audience.
“Edit: they finally optimized the game; it looks like I can finally play past mission 3 after all the file verifications and help guides online. All it took was a patch.”
“The game is pretty decently optimized and runs perfectly fine in 4K with an RTX 4070 Ti on ultra settings.”
“As a gamer from the 90s, I'm used to 30 fps, so I wasn't bothered for most of the campaign except for some serious lag in the final mission, but I know that younger gamers have this weird obsession with 60 or even 144 fps, so be warned that you're unlikely to get this kind of performance from this game no matter what hardware you're rocking.”
“The game's engine struggles to deliver smooth performance even on top-tier systems, with sub-15 fps making it unplayable.”
“Unfortunately, this game is amazing but has really terrible performance right now. It has really bad resource management and single-core usage, so performance is really bad. Other than that, I love this game, but I cannot recommend it to anyone in its current state unless you have a solid CPU. I will change my review if they fix it.”
“Bad graphics, bad translations, and so poorly optimized it went from totally fine to a slideshow and then locking up my entire system requiring a hard reboot in less than 20 minutes.”
- music26 mentions
- 62 % positive mentions
- 27 % neutral mentions
- 12 % negative mentions
The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some praising it as amazing and fitting the game's atmosphere, while others find it generic and repetitive. Many players appreciate the sound effects and how the music enhances the overall experience, particularly in capturing the essence of the game's themes. Overall, the soundtrack is seen as a highlight by some, but others feel it lacks variety and depth.
“Music is amazing and the art-style is gritty war-torn feel.”
“The atmosphere and soundtrack effectively capture the essence of the Terminator franchise, enhancing the overall experience.”
“Audio and music are fantastic, fitting the apocalyptic doomsday character of the game world.”
“The audio effects are adequate, but the soundtrack gets really old really fast.”
“Music is generic and boring.”
“Now on the surface, this game is a very hard sell: the graphics are a bit 2010's, the music is ok, but just ok, the multiplayer features are basic, and the lobbies themselves are quite empty.”
- stability22 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 91 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting frequent bugs, crashes, and performance issues, particularly during intense action sequences. While some users noted that the game is mostly playable and enjoyable despite its flaws, others described it as a "buggy mess" that hampers the overall experience. Overall, stability remains a significant concern, with calls for optimization and bug fixes to improve gameplay.
“The game is made with extreme passion and care; it is mostly bug-free and overall feels like a game of an older time where people made games for others to simply enjoy and also to create what they wanted.”
“Pretty much no glitches; units run smoothly with pathing, but not 100% smooth like the aforementioned Blizzard games.”
“I really wanted to like this game, but it's very buggy.”
“This game freezes and crashes all the time.”
“Another buggy unfinished game on the market.”
- replayability17 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 18 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag, with some players praising its engaging storyline and variety of options that encourage multiple playthroughs, while others criticize its linear campaign and lack of additional content or modes. Many users express a desire for mod support and more factions to enhance replay value, suggesting that the game has potential for longevity if these features are implemented. Despite some players finding it enjoyable for a few runs, others feel it currently lacks sufficient replayability to keep them coming back.
“Interesting characters, a multitude of units and equipment to use, and the sheer variety of options presented to you make this game something that should be highly replayable and enjoyable for hundreds of hours.”
“An amazing experience with an outstanding campaign that changes massively based on your choices and performance in battle, as well as offering massive replayability with an efficient economy on the world map.”
“Just give us a replayable game with mod support and people will play this for years just like XCOM 2, which is probably more frustrating than anything, but I always still come crawling back.”
“To me, the current state of the game just has no replayability.”
“Feels rushed, unpolished, and missing replayability.”
“Open strategic layer design also pairs very poorly with a linear, heavily scripted campaign, providing plenty of opportunities to soft-lock but little depth or replay value.”
- atmosphere16 mentions
- 81 % positive mentions
- 6 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its realistic and immersive qualities, effectively capturing the gritty essence of the Terminator franchise and a bleak post-apocalyptic world. Players appreciate the detailed graphics, atmospheric soundtrack, and the unique management system that enhances the overall experience. Overall, the game excels in creating a tense and engaging environment that complements its tactical gameplay.
“You'll feel immersed in the gritty atmosphere that fans adore.”
“This game is very well executed, polished, and has a highly immersive atmosphere.”
“The atmosphere and soundtrack effectively capture the essence of the Terminator franchise, enhancing the overall experience.”
“+ great graphics with an awesome level of detail and a well-crafted, depressing Terminator atmosphere.”
- grinding11 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 91 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively tedious and frustrating, often requiring repetitive mission replaying and micromanagement of units. While some appreciate the persistent army concept and squad growth, the overall experience is marred by poorly designed resource management and mission structures that lead to hours of monotonous gameplay. Many reviewers express that the game could have been enjoyable if not for the overwhelming grind and lack of balance.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The resource management system is a huge pain in the ass but adds an interesting layer to the game; late game it is tedious though.”
“The concept of a persistent army that persists through the campaign was fun, but the missions are so boring I refuse to waste my time on tedious 'go here, now go here, now go here' rubbish in the hope that the next one will be fun.”
“While it could be a good game as it has everything it needs, it is messy and unbalanced after the first few missions, as it becomes tedious micromanaging 20+ units every 5 seconds, and it is very buggy, causing you to lose a mission to nothing, or have half your units killed due to bad pathfinding.”
- humor5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its likable main characters and a blend of frustration and amusement that keeps players engaged, often leading to moments of self-deprecating laughter. Reviewers highlight the quirky and "weird" elements, describing the experience as both interesting and entertaining, particularly with its humorous portrayal of characters like "big bob" and hillbillies wielding plasma guns.
“The main characters are likable and occasionally funny.”
“Beautifully crafted, frustratingly and yet wonderfully dynamic, multi-level strategy game that will absolutely get you thinking and cursing yourself out so much your wife will look over with concern and humor as she sees you struggle to maintain your sanity!”
“I saw more than one YouTube reviewer call this game 'weird.' A funny way of saying it's an interesting new experience.”
- emotional5 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players express a strong emotional connection to the game, particularly through the experience of loss and the attachment to their units, which enhances immersion and personal investment in the gameplay. While the main story is engaging and challenging, some players feel it lacks depth and length, leaving them desiring more content and replayability. Overall, the emotional impact of the game is a significant highlight, making it a memorable experience despite some gameplay frustrations.
“This game implements old school RTS rules of zoom and pan, but introduces an emotional attachment between the player and their units on the front line.”
“It was challenging, fun, frustrating, and impressively for an RTS game, it actually had me immersed. I loved how it made me feel like I was writing my own story and saving the world my way.”
“I was hooked so much that the moment the demo ended, I immediately bought Syrian Warfare just to scratch the itch that waiting for this game made me feel.”
- character development3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is highlighted as a standout feature, praised for its depth and engaging storytelling, reminiscent of earlier titles in the series. However, some users noted a lack of character development, suggesting inconsistency in this aspect across different experiences. Overall, while many appreciate the character arcs, opinions vary significantly.
“This is a masterclass in story, character development (even if they are a tad cheesy) and fun gameplay mechanics.”
“The character development was actually present in a way I don't think I've seen since Company of Heroes 1.”
“No character development.”
“The character development was actually present in a way I don't think I've seen since COH 1.”
Critic Reviews
Terminator: Dark Fate - Defiance Review
Terminator: Dark Fate - Defiance may look the part, but the obnoxious mission design and confused campaign structure of this RTS just aren't worth your time.
50%Terminator: Dark Fate - Defiance Review (PC)
Terminator: Dark Fate – Defiance has a good real-time strategy core that is augmented by the mission design and the army management elements. The campaign features interesting situations and complex battles. The tactical pause makes it all accessible even for players who aren’t long-term fans of the RTS genre. The story and presentation do not match the game’s mechanics. Some secondary objectives and narrative choices are unclear until players actually interact with them. But Terminator: Dark Fate - Defiance uses the franchise well and delivers engaging battles. Review key provided by the publisher.
85%Terminator: Dark Fate - Defiance Review
Terminator: Dark Fate - Defiance isn’t without its issues, but its unique setting and gameplay mechanics set it apart from other strategy titles.
80%
