TFM: The First Men
- November 2, 2022
- Gathering Tree
- 1h median play time
Get on Steam"TFM: The First Men" is a strategy simulation game with character-driven base building, party-based exploration, and tactical real-time combat. Inspired by creation stories, Knights and Merchants, and Rimworld, the game offers a modern take on old-school base building and features complex character progression with varied traits and skills. Players can lead multiple parties, manage settlement needs, and make important character decisions to shape their legacy.
Reviews
- The game features a unique blend of colony simulation, RPG elements, and real-time strategy, providing a fresh experience for fans of the genre.
- The art style is distinct and atmospheric, enhancing the overall immersion and appeal of the game.
- The developers are actively engaging with the community, providing regular updates and showing a commitment to improving the game based on player feedback.
- The user interface is unintuitive and can be overwhelming for new players, making it difficult to navigate and understand game mechanics.
- The game is currently plagued by bugs and performance issues, which can significantly hinder gameplay and enjoyment.
- Many players feel that the game is not worth its current price due to its incomplete state and lack of content, suggesting it needs more time in development.
- gameplay43 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 79 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "TFM: The First Men" is characterized by its strategic simulation elements, combining character-driven base building, exploration, and real-time tactical combat, with a focus on player choice that shapes civilization history. While the game offers significant replayability through procedural generation and open-ended gameplay, it features a steep learning curve and complex mechanics that may initially confuse players, though many find the unique gameplay rewarding and engaging once mastered. The art style and innovative mechanics are praised, but some players note that the slow pacing and trial-and-error nature can be tedious at times.
“A few puzzling mechanics and some micromanagement that I'm trying to navigate, but otherwise it's an utter joy from art style to gameplay progression.”
“I'm enjoying the experimentation with the mechanics; there's even a sandbox campaign to experiment with the complex tech tree.”
“The story-driven gameplay allows players to shape their civilization's history through their decisions.”
“The slow progression of gameplay can be tedious, even with the option to accelerate time.”
“Gameplay feels way too boring after the first few hours.”
“Game is workable but there are game-breaking mechanics with little tutorial.”
- graphics30 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely praised for their distinct and atmospheric comic book-style aesthetic, which effectively blends fantasy and historical elements. While many players find the art style beautiful and unique, some note that it doesn't introduce anything particularly new to the genre. Overall, the visuals are considered a strong point, enhancing the gameplay experience despite some mixed feelings about the mechanics.
“Distinct and atmospheric, with a comic book-style aesthetic that blends fantasy elements with historical visuals.”
“The game features fully two-dimensional graphics with a comic book-inspired aesthetic, enhancing the mythological and historical themes.”
“The artwork is just fantastic; I am really excited to see where the development of this game will lead us.”
“The graphics are okay and the game's engine seems to run pretty smoothly; there's a base for a great game here.”
“Graphics are okay and adequate for this style of game.”
“The art style, however, isn't for me, but that's a personal thing.”
- story14 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The game's story is set in a rich fantasy world where players guide Adam and Eve through a narrative filled with mythical creatures and diverse cultures, emphasizing character-driven storytelling that evolves based on player choices. While the initial campaigns are engaging, some players feel the progression becomes repetitive, and the story concludes too quickly, leaving a desire for more content. Overall, the game offers a unique and varied storytelling experience, though it may not appeal to those seeking a straightforward narrative.
“Epic story and exploration: set in a fantasy world, you guide the first humans, Adam and Eve, as they navigate a world filled with mythical creatures, diverse cultures, and ancient secrets.”
“The story unfolds through the lives of your characters, each with their own attributes, skills, and destiny.”
“The game emphasizes character-driven storytelling, where your choices shape the narrative and influence the world around you.”
“For now, it's only 3 interesting campaigns with mostly the same progression (and due to slow village development, it's not such great playing them one by one). After you finish them - end of the story.”
“My society's story: everything was going fine, then everyone died because they didn't have a bonfire to sit at.”
“If you like understanding all things from the beginning, this game is not for you; here you develop your story, and the story is different every time.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability due to its open-ended gameplay and procedural generation, allowing for approximately 30-60 hours of play. However, some users note that limited content variation and a lack of diverse events could further enhance the replay value. Overall, while the complexity of the systems provides replayability from save to save, there is room for improvement in content diversity.
“Approximately 30 to 60 hours of gameplay, with open-ended gameplay and procedural generation adding significant replayability.”
“👎 [b]limited content variation:[/b] adding more diverse events and scenarios could enhance replayability.”
“The current systems in the game are quite complex, with a lot of replay value from save to save.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly due to slow progression and challenging combat. While micromanagement can be overwhelming, some feel that the effort is ultimately rewarded by the game's unique blend of colony building and RPG elements.
“The slow progression of gameplay can be tedious, even with the option to accelerate time.”
“As it stands, combat is way too frustrating, difficult, and tedious to hold my attention.”
“The micromanagement gets tedious and there are a lot of things you need to keep in mind.”
- stability3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game suffers from severe stability issues, with numerous bugs rendering it nearly unplayable. Players have reported instances of save game corruption, leading to significant frustration and wasted progress. Overall, the game's stability problems have significantly detracted from the experience, prompting calls for a delayed release to address these issues.
“The game is extremely buggy to the level of being unplayable. Sometimes bugs corrupt your save game, and when that happens, say goodbye to your wasted hours because there is no going back.”
“Unfortunately, at this time, the game is so buggy that it is unplayable, and I almost wish the release date had been postponed a little more.”
“Sadly, it's let down by being extremely buggy and broken.”
- music3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -67 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised, with comparisons to renowned soundtracks by composers like Hans Zimmer. Players find the combination of engaging gameplay and impressive music to be a relaxing and enjoyable experience.
“I've seen soundtracks in games at Hans Zimmer levels, such as Gothic, Diablo, Kenshi, or WoW, so I spare my 10 for those games.”
“Watching your people doing different things with awesome music is very relaxing.”
“I've seen soundtracks in games at Hans Zimmer levels, such as Gothic, Diablo, Kenshi, or WoW, so I reserve my 10 for those games.”
“The music in this game feels repetitive and lacks the depth that I expected.”
“I was disappointed by the soundtrack; it doesn't match the game's atmosphere and feels out of place.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is currently in early access and has received mixed feedback regarding optimization, with users reporting bugs and performance issues. However, regular updates are being implemented to enhance stability and improve the overall experience.
“Currently in early access, with some reports of bugs and performance issues, but regular updates are improving stability.”
“Optimization.”
- character development2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
"TFM: The First Men" is praised for its ambitious and engaging character development, which stands out in the colony simulation genre. The game effectively integrates deep character progression with intricate base-building mechanics, enhancing the overall gameplay experience.
“The game 'TFM: The First Men' is an ambitious and engaging strategy game that combines deep character development with complex base-building mechanics.”
“It has the essence of any other colony sim, but features a greater character development system.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere is characterized as distinct and immersive, featuring a unique comic book-style aesthetic that effectively combines fantasy elements with historical visuals, creating a captivating experience for players.
“Distinct and atmospheric, with a comic book-style aesthetic that blends fantasy elements with historical visuals.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the humor in the game to be consistently entertaining, with one user noting that their extensive playtime of over 1000 hours has only enhanced their appreciation for its comedic elements.
“The humor in this game is absolutely top-notch, keeping me entertained for hours.”
“I can't stop laughing at the witty dialogue and hilarious situations throughout the game.”
“The comedic timing of the characters is perfect, making every moment a joy to experience.”
