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In "Those Who Rule," become a tactical commander of new recruits in a low-fantasy world, where every move counts in team-based turn combat. Recruit and train allies, each with unique skills, to level up and face increasing challenges. Make story-altering decisions in a morally complex world, where choices can sway the fate of friends and foes.

Those Who Rule screenshot
Those Who Rule screenshot
Those Who Rule screenshot
Those Who Rule screenshot
Those Who Rule screenshot
Those Who Rule screenshot
Those Who Rule screenshot
Those Who Rule screenshot
Those Who Rule screenshot
Those Who Rule screenshot
Those Who Rule screenshot

90%
Audience ScoreBased on 582 reviews
story132 positive mentions
stability28 negative mentions

  • Highly customizable characters and engaging tactical combat reminiscent of Fire Emblem.
  • The game features a compelling story with meaningful choices that impact gameplay.
  • The developer is very responsive to community feedback and actively works on bug fixes and quality of life improvements.
  • The game lacks a mid-battle save option, making it frustrating to restart long missions after a character's death.
  • There are several bugs and technical issues that can disrupt gameplay, including crashes and UI problems.
  • Character individualization is limited, with only basic class options and a linear progression.
  • story
    364 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it engaging and well-written, featuring a diverse cast of characters and meaningful choices that impact the narrative. However, some critiques highlight its linearity and predictability, particularly in the latter chapters, where pacing issues and a lack of side quests diminish the overall experience. Despite these shortcomings, the story is generally appreciated for its depth and character development, making it a solid aspect of the game.

    • “Very fun, very engaging story with very real characters.”
    • “The story is surprisingly well written; I usually skip to get to the action but found all the dialogue to make sense and characters to be battling with some real issues for the setting.”
    • “The story is great and throughout the game you will have to make some choices that do affect the story and later chapters; I love this touch!”
    • “The story/missions are extremely railroaded, meaning you will play the same game every time without change -- I was under the mistaken impression that choices mattered... they're superficial at best.”
    • “The pacing of the story progressed too rapidly in the final parts of the campaign, and I easily finished the final battle in 3 turns as opposed to other missions taking 10+.”
    • “Negatives: some of the decisions in the story don't seem to matter, and the ending seems a little unfinished, unless the game is still in progress or the side characters are not meant to be given any closure.”
  • gameplay
    162 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is a standout feature, offering a blend of tactical turn-based combat reminiscent of classic titles like Fire Emblem, with innovative mechanics such as zone of control and layered class systems that encourage strategic depth. While some players noted issues with mission length and character overlap, the overall experience is engaging, rewarding, and well-designed, making it a solid choice for fans of the genre. Despite minor bugs and a few design quirks, the game successfully combines nostalgia with fresh elements, providing a satisfying challenge for both newcomers and seasoned players.

    • “The tactical gameplay is fantastic and reminiscent of Shining Force/Ogre Battle/Fire Emblem, but the writing is excellent, the art is gorgeous, and the music is great!”
    • “Gameplay is where the game shines and excels, as there is a lot to overcome and a lot of synergistic builds you can make later in the game with the forge and advanced classes.”
    • “This indie gem offers a fresh take on the genre, combining the nostalgia of turn-based combat with a host of new mechanics that will challenge even the most seasoned players.”
    • “The missions are simply too big and long to merit that 'game over' mechanic.”
    • “Not having mechanically unique characters can put you in awkward situations where you want to use a particular character, but they overlap too much with a character you're forced to use, so they have to go to the bench.”
    • “The core gameplay is fine when it's working but there are several freezes, softlocks, characters being de-leveled randomly, gold being lost from save/loads, etc.”
  • graphics
    50 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the art style and character designs, particularly the cell-shaded aesthetics and smooth animations. However, some users find the character faces off-putting and generic, particularly the main character, which detracts from the overall visual experience. While the graphics are considered indie quality and functional, there are notable issues with UI and resolution compatibility that affect gameplay.

    • “The art style is beautiful and the sound/music fits it perfectly.”
    • “It features a great art style, both in battle and outside of it.”
    • “[*][b] graphics/art style [/b] – looks great, animations are smooth and fluid.”
    • “Somebody give this developer enough money for a sequel... with normal graphics... because my eyes are bleeding...”
    • “The level of character art fluctuates; you can tell which artworks were done first and which were done last as the quality is transparent.”
    • “Like another user mentioned, I too am having severe graphical/UI issues with 32:9 ultra wide.”
  • music
    36 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and ability to enhance the gameplay experience, featuring epic themes that complement both battle and management scenarios. Many reviewers highlight the soundtrack's fitting Celtic and medieval influences, with standout tracks like the main menu theme. Overall, the music is considered a significant asset, contributing to the game's immersive atmosphere alongside its art and gameplay.

    • “The music is deceptively epic and a joy to listen to as you march your toons across the battlefield or while clicking through your management menus.”
    • “Fantastic music and a nice art style complete the package.”
    • “The soundtrack is amazing.”
    • “The music is fine, and I have ridiculously high standards as I have been spoiled by other games in the genre.”
    • “The music in this game is quality.”
    • “Neutral: the music is decent; 3D polygon models aren't my preference, but you barely notice or care when you're playing.”
  • stability
    34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability has been a significant concern, with numerous reports of crashes, freezes, and long load times, making it feel unplayable for some users. While the core gameplay is enjoyable, many players have experienced bugs that hinder their experience, although the developers are actively addressing these issues with regular patches. Overall, while the game shows promise, it remains unstable and requires further fixes to reach its full potential.

    • “Also: no bugs, no freezes, no stuttering, no clipping, nothing.”
    • “By all means, the game isn't bug free yet.”
    • “I've encountered two game crashes to desktop in the ~18 hours of playing, so it's not 100% stable and bug free, but plenty good enough.”
    • “Unfortunately, this game is currently an unplayable buggy mess.”
    • “The core gameplay is fine when it's working but there are several freezes, softlocks, characters being de-leveled randomly, gold being lost from save/loads, etc.”
    • “It constantly freezes and the load time to boot up the game goes well over 2 minutes.”
  • replayability
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag; while some players find it amazing and worth revisiting, others feel that the limited impact of choices diminishes its long-term value. Despite this, many agree that the game offers enough engaging content to warrant multiple playthroughs, especially at a reasonable price.

    • “Amazing game, with amazing replayability.”
    • “Super good game, price was very reasonable and I think there is good replayability here.”
    • “And I will be honest, the game doesn't give much replay value since your choices don't matter much, only in the final game, so that's a step back.”
    • “It adds some replayability for those interested in such things.”
    • “I say that to emphasize the replayability, and my desire to do so.”
  • grinding
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious, particularly due to the lack of optional battles for leveling up characters, which leads to frustration when facing under-leveled opponents. The absence of effective save options exacerbates the issue, as accidental deaths or miscalculations require players to restart entire scenarios, further contributing to the sense of monotony. Overall, the grinding experience is seen as a significant drawback, hindering enjoyment and progression.

    • “So you've been buffing your team as much as possible to the point where 8/13 can more or less 2-shot enemies, and in games that have no kind of quicksave or where even if you manually save it before starting the fight, the game autosaves without telling you, you end up killing the objective and go to the main menu to restart from the save you made, only for it to put you in the round right after you killed the target... so now you have to restart the whole fight again. It's tedious to say the least.”
    • “Very often, death happens on accident by not checking opponents' movement range, and having to redo the whole scenario because of it is a bit tedious.”
    • “Some of the levels can get tedious as you move your big army of units forward together.”
  • character development
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development is positively received, with players appreciating the engaging story and the ability to choose promotions every 10 levels, which adds excitement for future growth. The character designs and splash arts are also highlighted as appealing, contributing to the overall enjoyable gameplay experience.

    • “Story was good, character development was good, difficulty is challenging even on normal setting and non-perma death.”
    • “Splash arts and character designs are nice, and overall gameplay is fun.”
    • “Perhaps let people know they will be choosing promotions every 10 levels so they can get excited about future character development!”
  • humor
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players finding it mostly effective and often hilarious, particularly in the context of character customization and gameplay mechanics. However, some dialogue is criticized for feeling out of place due to the use of modern slang and real-world references. Overall, the humor contributes positively to the game's engaging narrative and character dynamics.

    • “Pre-patch enlightened, absolutely hilarious.”
    • “There are a lot of customization options for units and items; you can create some hilariously overpowered units that can solo waves of enemies even in the hardest mode.”
    • “The game features a surprisingly compelling cast and story that adds to the humor.”
  • optimization
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game is highly praised for its optimization, with users reporting a smooth experience free from bugs, freezes, stuttering, or clipping issues. Overall, it runs exceptionally well.

    • “This runs smoothly.”
    • “Also: no bugs, no freezes, no stuttering, no clipping, nothing.”
  • emotional
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players express strong emotional reactions to the game's mechanics, particularly the frustration of being forced to restart entire chapters due to random number generation (RNG) issues. This can lead to missed opportunities for side objectives, resulting in feelings of disappointment and regret. Overall, the emotional impact of gameplay decisions and RNG elements is significant, often eliciting a sense of loss or sadness.

    • “Getting RNG screwed is part of the game, but restarting the whole chapter feels a bit too much, especially when restarting can actually skip into the next chapter. I just missed the chance to do the side objectives unlocking key items, and I cried inside.”
  • monetization
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The reviews do not provide specific insights into the monetization aspect of the game, focusing instead on gameplay mechanics related to weapon management. There is no clear indication of how monetization affects player experience or choices.

Buy Those Who Rule

30h Median play time
32h Average play time
30-48h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 8 analyzed playthroughs

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