Victory and Glory: Napoleon
- March 17, 2016
- Electric Games
- 10h median play time
Get on Steam"Victory and Glory: Napoleon" is a strategy game that puts you in the role of Napoleon Bonaparte, tasked with dominating Europe through military conquest. Move armies, fight battles, recruit new troops, and expand your empire, while the AI controls enemy forces. With detailed graphics, various unit types, and over 100 unique event cards, re-fight the entire Napoleonic Wars and try to change history.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game has a well-designed turn system that encourages strategic decisions and engaging battles.
- It captures the essence of the Napoleonic era with colorful visuals and a good soundtrack, making it enjoyable for fans of the period.
- The event cards add an interesting layer of strategy and historical flavor, enhancing the gameplay experience.
- Combat mechanics are overly random and can lead to frustrating outcomes, making battles feel unpredictable and unfair.
- The game suffers from technical issues, including glitches and performance problems, particularly on modern rigs.
- Players can only play as France, limiting replayability and the overall experience, as there is no option to control other nations.
- gameplay33 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 52 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "Victory & Glory: Napoleon" is characterized by its smooth mechanics, ease of learning, and high replayability, making it accessible for casual players while still offering strategic depth. However, some users noted a lack of complexity in mechanics and a desire for more playable countries, as well as potential grindiness in combat resolution after repeated play. Overall, the game is praised for its engaging systems and polished visuals, though it may not satisfy those seeking deep diplomatic gameplay.
“Very impressed with the smooth mechanics and how easy it is to learn the game.”
“Smooth gameplay, easy to learn, difficult to master, lots of replayability.”
“Engaging gameplay; it was fun to figure out the systems and how to beat them.”
“There is no rule book or explanation of any of the game mechanics anywhere.”
“Not recommended if you are looking for some deep diplomacy and complicated mechanics.”
“Every time I played, it was the same thing - high price, not that deep gameplay, and very little post-release support.”
- replayability22 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
The game offers a mixed bag in terms of replayability; while some players find it has excellent replay value due to multiple campaigns and varied gameplay, others feel it can become grindy and lacks long-term engagement. Overall, it is praised for its charm and strategic depth, making it a good value for those who enjoy the Napoleonic era, though some players note limitations in replayability after initial sessions.
“The game has very good replayability with the extra campaigns (1800, 1806, 1809, 1812, 1813) apart from the main campaign (1805).”
“If you like the Napoleonic era, beautiful games, simple mechanics, and 'no two games are the same' replay value, you'll like Victory & Glory: Napoleon!”
“Overall, it is a good value for the price and there is a ton of replayability built in.”
“Don't think it has a whole lot more replayability, however, to be honest.”
“Doesn't seem to have a ton of replayability but got 9 hours out of it first session, fairly easy to learn.”
“Overall it is a good value for the price and there is a ton of replayability built in.”
- music20 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received high praise for its quality and suitability, particularly the classical selections that enhance the Napoleonic theme, with Beethoven's compositions highlighted as a standout feature. While most reviews commend the soundtrack as well-crafted and fitting, there are a few criticisms regarding the sound effects and overall music quality. Overall, the music contributes significantly to the game's immersive experience.
“The game's visual aspects are incredibly well polished, the selection of music for the soundtrack is well done, it fits the flavor of the Napoleonic period, the game mechanics are well designed, and overall it's just plain fun.”
“A lot of fun, and best of all the soundtrack while you're contemplating moves on the strategic map is Beethoven!”
“It is colorful, has a great soundtrack; the music selections (classical) are perfect for the period being dramatized.”
“Sound effects and music are not very good.”
“No cheesy generic martial music (looking at you, Paradox) but real honest-to-god Beethoven.”
“Music is surprisingly listenable.”
- graphics14 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 21 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered outdated, reminiscent of designs from at least 20 years ago, though some users appreciate the beautiful artwork by renowned artist Keith Rocco. While the graphic design is noted to be charming and atmospheric, technical issues have prevented some players from even starting the game, leading to frustration. Overall, the visuals receive mixed reviews, with some praising their aesthetic appeal while others criticize the lack of modern graphical options and functionality.
“Absolutely gorgeous artwork by the internationally renowned artist, Keith Rocco.”
“The graphic design is very good but the gameplay seemed very simplistic compared to other games I've played of the same genre.”
“The game has a good replay value, charming visuals and a lot of chrome that adds atmosphere and Napoleonic flair to the whole.”
“I can't even start the game, so I can't review it. I've tried everything, looking in forums, changing resolution in Windows. The game is so smart you can't even change graphics settings from the start menu. Another bad thing is that I'm only getting a black screen. I tried to verify file integrity and even changed the game to run as administrator, but nothing is helping. I just want to warn other customers to buy a game and not be able to play it no matter what you do. That is a very bad product. Slitherine, stay away is my recommendation to other Steam users.”
- optimization8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 38 % negative mentions
The optimization aspect of the game is criticized for its lack of clarity regarding the impact of commander and unit rankings on battle performance, leaving players uncertain about strategic decisions like rallying troops. The ambiguous mechanics surrounding rankings and their effects create confusion, detracting from the overall gameplay experience.
“This becomes important when you're deciding to rally troops who fled their flanks, because rallying lowers your commander's rank for the next battle phase, which impacts your overall troops' performance. However, you never know what that impact really is, so you can't tell if it's worth rallying a unit or keeping the rank high.”
“Units have this weird level/rank number that somehow impacts their battle strength, and depending on their performance in a battle, they can rank up (in the board game, no such rule exists).”
“Again, it's unclear what a commander ranked 12 vs. a commander ranked 3 will actually do to your troops' battle performance.”
“It's unclear what a commander ranked 12 vs a commander ranked 3 will actually do to your troops' battle performance.”
“This becomes important when you're deciding to rally troops who fled their flanks, because rallying lowers your commander's rank for the next battle phase, which impacts your overall troops' performance. But you never know what that impact really is, so you can't tell if it's worth rallying a unit or keeping the rank high.”
“Units have this weird level/rank number that somehow impacts their battle strength, and depending on their performance in a battle, they can rank up. In the board game, no such rule exists.”
- stability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, users report mixed experiences regarding stability; while some find the game largely bug-free and effective in conveying its rules, others experience frequent crashes to desktop (CTD) that require ongoing troubleshooting.
“The game seems bug-free and does a reasonable job of conveying the rules to this complex board game.”
“I got the game on sale and have 10 hours put into it, but I experience annoying crashes to desktop (CTD) often while constantly troubleshooting issues.”
“I got the game on sale and have 10 hours put into it, but I experience annoying crashes to desktop (CTD) often while constantly troubleshooting issues.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, particularly due to the repetitive nature of clicking to manage leaders and the combat resolution process, especially after multiple playthroughs. Despite this, the game is praised for its solid strategic elements, replay value, and engaging atmosphere, making it a worthwhile experience overall.
“Clicking on everybody to see who has a leader for moving gets a bit tedious.”
“The gameplay (combat resolution) can get a bit grindy after repeated play and the AI can be quite challenging as France will be at war on multiple fronts for much of the game.”
“Clicking on everybody to see who has a leader for moving gets a bit tedious.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is enhanced by charming visuals and a distinct Napoleonic flair, providing a flavorful experience that prioritizes thematic elements over hardcore mechanics. Players appreciate the replay value and the tension of strategic gameplay, though some note that combat can become repetitive and the AI presents a significant challenge. Overall, the atmosphere effectively captures the period's essence, making it an engaging strategic title.
“The game has charming visuals and a lot of chrome that adds atmosphere and Napoleonic flair to the whole.”
“It has good appeal and flavor for the period, emphasizing atmosphere over hardcore mechanics.”
“The game offers nail-biting moments and close calls, creating a captivating atmosphere throughout.”
- story2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The story revolves around the conflict between France and England, highlighting France's military strength and victories, while England persistently seeks to form coalitions to counter France's dominance. This ongoing struggle adds a layer of tension and rivalry to the narrative.
