They Came From a Communist Planet

About

In "They Came From a Communist Planet," the Earth is invaded by aliens from a communist planet, spreading their ideology and sparking a global conflict. As the player, you must lead a resistance movement, using strategy and military tactics to combat the alien threat and protect democracy. The game features turn-based combat and base-building mechanics, along with a focus on diplomacy and resource management, making it a challenging and engaging experience for fans of strategy games.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

They Came From a Communist Planet screenshot

92%

Audience ScoreBased on 147 reviews

music10 positive mentions

grinding1 negative mentions

The game delivers a fun and cathartic experience, allowing players to engage in riotous activities against a capitalist backdrop.
It features a strong political message that resonates with those disillusioned by capitalism, making it an interesting piece of interactive art.
The music and atmosphere are well-crafted, enhancing the overall experience and emotional impact of the game.

The gameplay is simplistic and can feel repetitive, lacking depth and variety in mechanics.
The political messaging is heavy-handed and may alienate players who do not share the same ideological views.
The game is very short, with some players feeling unsatisfied due to its limited content and lack of substantial narrative.

gameplay
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
58%
21%
The gameplay is centered around simple mechanics like kicking and throwing objects, primarily focused on creating destruction to progress through levels. While some players find the core gameplay fun and engaging, many criticize it for being overly simplistic and repetitive, lacking depth and variety. Overall, the experience is described as short and somewhat enjoyable, but ultimately mediocre, with a confusing political message overshadowing the gameplay.
- “The gameplay involves kicking, the ability to throw blunt objects, and throwing Molotov cocktails, which can destroy private property. This serves as a sort of 'point' system that helps to progress the story.”
- “There are a lot of possibilities in the premise, and the core gameplay is fun.”
- “Fun little experience with simple mechanics; you can finish it within 20 to 40 minutes, depending on how much time you spend looking for secret graffiti spots and just enjoying setting police cars on fire.”
- “The gameplay is very simple.”
- “Gameplay-wise, it's very boring after the first few throws because it just boils down to destroying stuff, not even in a satisfying way.”
- “Final verdict: a badly veiled political game that is encouraging violence in the real world, and has dull gameplay; if you're bored, it's worth a play, but otherwise avoid.”
music
17 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
59%
24%
18%
The music in the game is generally praised for its quality and ability to enhance the overall experience, with a unique blend of soothing, surreal, and wild west themes that surprisingly fit the game's setting. While some players note the potential for repetitiveness, the soundtrack is often described as enjoyable and impactful, complementing the game's narrative and social commentary effectively. Overall, the music stands out as a highlight, contributing significantly to the game's atmosphere.
- “The music, so soothing and yet surreal and sad, somehow manages to convey a sense of regret that it might have to come to this, and this is corroborated by a line or two from the 'aliens'.”
- “Good fun game; nice premise and really good soundtrack.”
- “Excellent music in particular, here, but also an enjoyable way to experience a social and political message.”
- “The music is less about communism than it is about how to make monotonous music that will quickly get tiresome.”
- “Even though the game is centered around capitalism, rioting, and an overall depressing concept, the game is filled with southern-style wild west music and sound effects.”
- “Throughout my entire playthrough, the music that was playing sounded like I was taking a horse ride through the wild west in a desert.”
story
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
54%
23%
The game's story is a mixed bag, featuring a compelling start that effectively conveys its narrative without dialogue, but ultimately faltering in depth and coherence. While it attempts to tackle themes of political organization and rebellion against capitalism, many players find the execution confusing and the political message lacking. Despite some engaging moments, the overall storytelling feels mediocre, with a desire for a more profound narrative and character development.
- “The first part inside the apartment was really well done, telling a story well without words!”
- “The story is an intentional subversion of the pulpy sounding title that seems like it would be on some old movie poster; in this game, the aliens are cosmic liberators who want to help Earth and the people on it by freeing them from the capitalist system, or rather giving them the push they need to free themselves.”
- “This is a story about late-stage capitalism and loneliness in the midst of our dystopia.”
- “We end up with a mediocre gameplay and storytelling that does its trick, and a political message that’s confusing and poor at best, and negative and harmful at worst.”
- “What failed to grab my interest was the story and the purpose behind the game.”
- “If it's about the political story, putting desperate people under another kind of control and driving them into ridiculous violent demonstration, what an insurrection of revolution.”
graphics
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
25%
38%
The graphics are characterized by a simplistic art style that some players feel resembles placeholder art, yet it is deemed effective for the game's narrative. While there are no adjustable graphic settings, the visuals are considered adequate for the overall experience, with some players appreciating the alien designs despite the overall aesthetic being described as unremarkable. The combination of simple graphics and strong audio elements contributes to a charming, albeit basic, presentation.
- “There is just something adorable about a game that gives credit for the designer of the cracked glass graphic.”
- “Simple graphics, important message; it is short, the music is great, and the writing made me kind of teary-eyed.”
- “The simple graphics are fine, the audio is decent enough, and the controls are smooth.”
- “The art style is simple to the point where it feels like placeholder art, but I think it works all right.”
- “Not very interesting aesthetically or mechanically.”
- “Short, narrative game, great music, I like the alien designs, though the rest of the visuals are very 'fucking around in Unity.'”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The game's atmosphere is characterized by a mix of eerie tension and a sense of hopelessness, effectively conveying a bleak yet thought-provoking experience. While some players appreciate the vibe and the underlying hopeful message, others feel that the environment could benefit from more interactivity and detail to enhance immersion. Overall, the atmosphere is a double-edged sword, eliciting both admiration and critique.
- “Great little game this is, it has a certain feeling of hopelessness attached to it, one I very much know, but it somehow manages to turn this bleak and oppressive atmosphere into an activating and, in a way, hopeful message.”
- “The awkward controls, eerie atmosphere, same-y map, and anarchic rioting create a unique experience that some may find off-putting, but it adds to the overall ambiance of the game.”
- “I liked the vibe of it; I just wish it was a bit more interactive with slightly more atmosphere and details.”
- “The awkward controls, eerie atmosphere, same-y map, anarchic rioting, and the net pro-communism sentiment give an understandable reason to pass on this one.”
- “Shame, I liked the vibe of it; I just wish it was a bit more interactive with slightly more atmosphere and details.”
- “It has a certain feeling of hopelessness attached to it, which turns this bleak and oppressive atmosphere into an activating and, in a way, hopeful message.”
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by a satirical take on aliens perceiving humans as foolish, leading to comedic situations where they attempt to enlighten us about our own shortcomings. This clever commentary is enhanced by escalating tension, making for an engaging and amusing experience.
- “There's something funny about aliens thinking we're such dumb idiots that they land just to explain that we're dumb idiots.”
- “This is quite a funny satire, with escalating tension.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game resonates deeply with players, evoking strong feelings that can lead to tears, while moments like throwing bricks at cops are described as both impactful and poignant.
- “Honestly made me cry.”
- “Throwing bricks at cops is emotionally touching in the best way.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
Reviewers feel that the game's replayability is limited, suggesting that the addition of more NPCs and abilities could significantly enhance the experience and encourage players to revisit the game.
- “The variety of choices and outcomes in the game makes it incredibly replayable.”
- “Each playthrough feels fresh due to the dynamic storylines and character interactions.”
- “The different character builds and strategies encourage multiple runs to fully experience the game.”
- “Just adding more NPCs to the scenes and more abilities would have easily given this title a lot more replayability.”
- “Once you complete the game, there's little incentive to go back and play it again.”
- “The lack of meaningful choices and consequences makes replaying the game feel pointless.”
grinding
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews suggest that the game's grinding mechanics evoke a strong sense of oppression and struggle, drawing parallels to real-world social and political issues. Players may find the experience both resonant and challenging, reflecting the weight of systemic conflict.