They Are Billions

78%
Game Brain Score Based on 35,235 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
They Are Billions Game Cover
A supremely well constructed RTS that feels right at home on PS4, They Are Billions sets a new golden bar for other genre efforts to try and match.
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They Are Billions is a strategy game set in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies. In the Campaign mode, reclaim territories for the New Empire through 48 missions with 90+ technologies to develop. Survive in randomly generated worlds in Survival mode, defending your colony against massive infected swarms. Uncover the story of the apocalypse's origins while upgrading your colony and army.

  • PC
  • Windows
  • Cloud
  • NVIDIA GeForce NOW
  • Tablet
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

78%
Audience ScoreBased on 35,235 reviews
gameplay1,398 positive mentions
story1,242 negative mentions
  • story10,304 mentions

    The story aspect of "They Are Billions" has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it lacking depth and engagement. The campaign primarily consists of repetitive missions that often require players to build a colony and survive waves of zombies, with minimal narrative progression and character development. While some players appreciate the steampunk setting and the challenge of the gameplay, the hero missions, which involve tedious item collection and lack meaningful interaction, detract from the overall experience, leading to frustration over the game's punishing mechanics and lack of save options during lengthy missions.

    • “The campaign features a variety of mission types, including base-building, hero missions, and swarm defense missions, which keeps the gameplay fresh and engaging.”
    • “The story mode adds a nice layer of depth to the game, providing context and motivation for the player's actions throughout the campaign.”
    • “Each mission is unique in its own way, offering different challenges and objectives that require players to adapt their strategies.”
    • “The game is not for everyone considering its hardcore nature (you can't save during a mission, if you die you have to start over), but the difficulty settings allow for a wide audience of RTS players.”
    • “The campaign is a bit flat, there's really no story to speak of its just a series of missions.”
    • “The hero missions are incredibly tedious and if not for the research points and gold would be better off skipped entirely.”
  • gameplay4,480 mentions

    The gameplay of "They Are Billions" is characterized by its challenging and unforgiving mechanics, where a single mistake can lead to significant setbacks, often erasing hours of progress due to the infection mechanic. Players appreciate the blend of real-time strategy, tower defense, and resource management, but many criticize the lack of save options and the steep learning curve, which can make the experience frustrating, especially for newcomers. While the core gameplay loop is engaging and addictive, the repetitive nature of missions and some poorly explained mechanics detract from the overall enjoyment, leading to mixed reviews on its accessibility and long-term replayability.

    • “The gameplay revolves around building your base, managing resources, and strategically placing defenses to survive waves of the undead.”
    • “Something that this game does really well is walking the line between being difficult in a way that is challenging and pushes you to better understand the mechanics and utilize them to the fullest, and just all out frustration.”
    • “They are billions is a top-notch foundation for those in search of a good RTS with a long range of mechanics and knowledge for both amateurs and dedicated players.”
    • “If it's on sale, or if they do a big update on this (unlikely) I'd say it's an awesome indie RTS, but as is I'd only buy it if you're into a really unique RTS with pointlessly masochistic mechanics that actively discourage learning.”
    • “You can lose after 6+ hours of gameplay because a single zombie came from an unexpected direction or you ran out of time at the very end searching for the last zombie on the map.”
    • “The core mechanics remain unforgiving and convoluted, which only reinforces the game's appeal to a niche audience rather than a wider player base.”
  • graphics1,764 mentions

    The graphics of "They Are Billions" have received mixed reviews, with many players praising the game's steampunk aesthetic and detailed visuals that create an immersive atmosphere. While some find the graphics charming and reminiscent of classic RTS games, others criticize them as basic or dated, noting that they may not appeal to everyone. Overall, the art style is generally well-received, contributing positively to the gameplay experience despite some technical limitations.

    • “The graphics, immersive music, ease of control, level of micro-management, every element hits the mark.”
    • “The art style and sound design work in tandem to create a tense and immersive atmosphere that keeps players on edge throughout their playthrough.”
    • “The graphics are gorgeous the action is intense, the resource management is nerve-wracking.”
    • “The graphics are basic, the story is pretty throwaway, and there's no multiplayer, but honestly I don't miss any of those things; the core gameplay loop is what you're here for.”
    • “Graphics straight outta 1985 minus the nostalgic charm.”
    • “I tried to get into this game a few times and it just didn't really grab me as I thought the graphics were a bit ugly and at the time of release it was a pretty bare bones experience.”
  • grinding1,122 mentions

    The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for being excessively tedious and repetitive, with many players expressing frustration over the lack of save options and the need to repeatedly complete long missions. Hero missions, in particular, are noted for their slow pace and pixel-hunting mechanics, which detract from the overall enjoyment. Overall, players feel that the game demands a significant time investment for minimal reward, leading to a sense of monotony and frustration.

    • “It would be less of a problem if the game wasn't tedious for 99% of the time before everything goes to hell...”
    • “I feel it could have still been incredibly challenging, but not tedious, if they had just gone another route.”
    • “I really wanted to like this game but it's so boring and tedious.”
    • “The campaign is a boring, tedious, frustrating slog.”
    • “The hero missions are the most tedious shit ever, kiting 10000 zombies with 1 unit for an hour.”
  • replayability816 mentions

    The game exhibits high replayability, primarily due to its randomly generated maps and various gameplay modes, including a challenging survival mode that keeps players engaged. Many users appreciate the strategic depth and the ability to experiment with different strategies, although some note that the campaign may lack replay value once completed. Overall, the combination of procedural generation, modding support, and diverse difficulty settings contributes to a robust replay experience.

    • “This relentless game offers substantial replayability.”
    • “The map procedural generation is really quite spectacular in the large variation of maps it can produce, and going for achievements as sorts of pseudo self-imposed challenges adds quite a large amount of replayability to the mode.”
    • “The replayability is fantastic with survival mode constantly providing new challenges via randomly generated maps.”
    • “It's not particularly replayable, unless you like doing the same thing again, but harder.”
    • “Unfortunately, once you learn the optimized build, the game does get repetitive fast, and the newly added campaign didn't add much to replayability.”
    • “There seems to be very limited strategies in terms of how you play, which limits replayability.”
  • music627 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its immersive and atmospheric qualities that enhance the gameplay experience, particularly during intense moments like zombie waves. However, some players noted that the soundtrack can be repetitive, with only a few tracks available, leading to a sense of monotony over extended play sessions. Overall, while the music is often described as fitting and engaging, there are calls for more variety to keep it fresh and exciting.

    • “The ambiance is completed by a soundtrack that's both haunting and invigorating, perfectly capturing the 'end of the world but still time for a cup of tea' vibe.”
    • “The music is amazing, especially the music done for the final battles and the ending credits.”
    • “The music is excellent and has good dynamic effect, picking up during tense action and settling back down after a wave is crushed.”
    • “Music is a weak point, few tracks so it becomes repetitive fast.”
    • “The music of the game, while initially gives you a sense of dread and impending doom quickly becomes annoying.”
    • “The music was a disappointment too, very generic, clichéd orchestral filler which is entirely forgettable.”
  • stability311 mentions

    The game's stability is a significant concern, with numerous users reporting frequent crashes, freezes, and other bugs that disrupt gameplay. Many players have experienced severe issues, such as complete system freezes requiring hard restarts, while others noted that the game remains in a buggy state even after years of updates. Although some players found the game to run well with minimal issues, the overall consensus leans towards it being a frustrating experience plagued by instability and unpolished mechanics.

    • “The game itself is super fun and runs great, even with thousands of zombies on the screen at once.”
    • “There's a lot to recommend about this game; it plays brilliantly, looks good, and scales well on high-resolution displays. Apart from the odd pathfinding issue, it is basically bug free.”
    • “For an early access game, it runs great and there is a lot of replayability.”
    • “This game is a buggy mess, I would not recommend it until it is updated with some fixes.”
    • “Prepare to have to hard restart your computer after this game freezes you out of function.”
    • “Freezes and crashes way too frequently for a game that's supposedly a finished product.”
  • optimization240 mentions

    The game's optimization is a mixed bag, with many players praising its ability to handle large hordes of zombies smoothly on lower-end systems, while others report significant performance issues, particularly during late-game stages with numerous units on screen. Some users highlight the need for further optimization in controls and pathfinding, as well as occasional stuttering and lag, especially on older hardware. Overall, while the game shows potential with solid performance in many scenarios, it still requires improvements to address the frustrations experienced by some players.

    • “Great game with fantastic optimization that allows some seriously huge hordes to come a-knocking.”
    • “Amazing graphics with excellent optimization, solid 60fps even on a low-end PC.”
    • “The optimization is great, almost no lag at all.”
    • “Everything about this game is clunky and needs to be optimized, which I would be okay with if this game was early access, but nope, this is the experience the devs want you to have.”
    • “The game is not optimized and runs poorly.”
    • “Very good game, very addictive with very beautiful mechanics and graphics but some issues: this game has serious performance issues, when your town gets a little too big frames drop to 40fps (I'm using a GTX 1050ti laptop version) which is not good.”
  • atmosphere232 mentions

    The atmosphere of "They Are Billions" is widely praised for its immersive and tense post-apocalyptic setting, enhanced by a compelling steampunk art style and fitting soundtrack. Players appreciate the constant sense of dread and urgency, which complements the strategic gameplay and survival mechanics, making each session feel engaging and challenging. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered one of its strongest elements, effectively drawing players into its world.

    • “One of the standout features of 'They Are Billions' is its atmospheric post-apocalyptic setting.”
    • “The art style and sound design work in tandem to create a tense and immersive atmosphere that keeps players on edge throughout their playthrough.”
    • “The game creates a stunning atmosphere that gets me tightly wound up in the hopelessness, the desperation and the overwhelming (yet fleeting) feeling of triumph when that last gap in the timber wall is plugged up.”
    • “I know that creators want to make a dark atmosphere in this game, but I can hardly see my units and buildings... how can I play a game while I can't see something?”
    • “What I mean is that it just makes the atmosphere of your city feel empty.”
    • “They Are Billions blends the best aspects of tower defense and real-time strategy to create a tense and oppressive atmosphere where one mistake can lead to the downfall of your entire colony.”
  • humor196 mentions

    The humor in the game is a standout feature, with players frequently noting its hilarious mechanics, witty banter, and amusing voice acting. Many reviews highlight the game's ability to turn frustrating moments into comedic experiences, often likening it to a playful prank by the developers. While some find the humor crude or jarring, the overall consensus is that it adds a unique charm to the gameplay, making even the most challenging scenarios entertaining.

    • “Hilarious and witty banter.”
    • “The game is hilarious, I highly recommend it.”
    • “Spent many hours constructing my first base and laughing at the pathetic attempts the zombies made against my fortress.”
    • “Not funny, nor challenging, just boring.”
    • “Not difficult per se, just annoying, not funny.”
    • “Any small fault would cause your one hour effort to be useless, while the mission of the campaign is not funny at all.”
  • emotional84 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is characterized by a rollercoaster of intense feelings, ranging from heartbreak and frustration to exhilaration and satisfaction. Players often experience deep emotional investment as they face the consequences of small mistakes that can lead to significant setbacks, making victories feel even more rewarding. Despite the emotional toll, many find themselves drawn back to the game, highlighting its addictive nature and the lessons learned from each defeat.

    • “It can be absolutely heartbreaking to get to the end of a mission you have spent 2 hours on and lose right at the end thanks to one mistake.”
    • “Never has a game stressed me out and made me want to cry when everything comes crashing down around me after hours of setting up what I assume to be the perfect defense.”
    • “It can be a heartbreaking game sometimes, it is true, but that just makes it more satisfying when you finally succeed.”
    • “The campaign was promised to be a 40-50 hour experience, but after 2 hours into it and 35% done, I can see that the campaign is just the survival mode in the alpha strung out across a very boring story, bad gameplay mechanics, and poor rip-offs of other games (the hero missions are directly pulled from Starcraft 1 but not done even close to as well).”
    • “Terrible campaign that didn't learn from Starcraft 2: Wings of Liberty. Permanent, unchangeable upgrades can softlock you on missions, hero-only missions that have no interactivity beyond kiting endlessly to kill 600 zombies with a single unit, a general lack of unique missions, and an incredibly linear, boring story about how you're cool and the emperor likes you more and more over time make this difficult to recommend.”
  • monetization48 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed feedback, with some praising the absence of microtransactions and the straightforward pricing model that offers all content for a single purchase. However, others criticize it as a potential cash grab, likening it to mobile games that often rely on in-game purchases, despite the developers' efforts to provide ongoing support and updates. Overall, the game is seen as a refreshing alternative to the prevalent microtransaction-heavy market, though concerns about its long-term sustainability remain.

    • “With ongoing support and updates, they are billions could have continued to generate income through sales, expansions, and in-game purchases.”
    • “It runs great, one price buys me all of the content with limitless replay value, no microtransactions, no bull****.”
    • “0 microtransactions; this shouldn't be something worth mentioning, but sadly that is the state of the games market today.”
    • “This is basically a cash grab at this stage of development.”
    • “Ridiculous - just another POS cash grab.”
    • “Oh well they got their cash grab when this went viral and I'm guessing it's tapped out now.”
  • character development6 mentions

    Character development in the game is highlighted by its charming character design and distinct personalities, which enhance the overall narrative and setting. Reviewers appreciate the depth of the main character's development, contributing to a rich and engaging story experience.

    • “The character design and even the personalities of each unit have a nice little charm to them.”
    • “Main character development is engaging and well-crafted.”
    • “Awesome art design, story, setting, and character design.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

75% average critic score

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Play time

38hMedian play time
97hAverage play time
7-100hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 452 analyzed playthroughs

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