DwarfHeim
Alrighty 500+ hours in I finally feel good about doing a proper review of this game. This new early access RTS title has a huge future in Tournaments and game play. The development team behind the game are a team of passionate individuals who love this game and are giving it their all probably at the expense of rest and vacation time. This team is incredibly active in their discord and their stream content on all the work that they are doing on this game and have been an absolute joy to discuss and play the game with. Yes the devs have so much passion for this game you can find yourself playing with them as they test and modify game settings to make the game experience better. This team even though the game is in early access have worked so hard on the functionality, latency and path finding of this game since day one that it is now in a very playable and fun state. It is still early access and many things will change over time as they develop the game fully but I cannot recommend it enough to anyone who loves RTS and wants to get a head start on this early access title which will definitely be the future of RTS gaming and Tournaments. Things to look forward to in this game the first ever fully coop RTS genre, a single player and potentially coop campaign mode, survival of waves of trolls or just simply jumping into sandbox to test game features or build a dwarven city. You can test your metal against the computer ai as you get ready to jump into conquest with your friends against many challengers with many different strategies. Take your time and play solo in skirmish vs the ai to learn the 3 roles and how they go together in a competitive match. Play as either the warrior, builder, and miner or as all three against an ai opponent or against waves of enemies as you learn the game before the campaign release. I cannot recommend this game enough for RTS lovers everywhere Hero Coop RTS the first of its genre i have ever seen. Check out the friend-pass today to see if the game is right for you! Jump in the discord and hop in with the community as they learn the game as it evolves and updates through patch notes and hot fixes; find what role fits you best is it the multitasking warrior ever vigilant, the miner ever advancing or the builder ever expanding. Or are you one of the few jack of all trades people who can do it all and fill any group with what they need. More content is on the way for this game all the time and it is all exciting! Don’t miss your chance to be a part of it. The weakest point of the game right now is the population easily fixed by more people playing!
– Real player with 987.9 hrs in game
Edit: 1.0 Dwarfheim release 27.September.2021
Issues from first playable demo are still not resolved,
-Pathfinding: Every unit feels like it’s skating, they cannot find path and are constantly getting stuck on terrain, buildings, other units.
And in general dozen and dozen other game breaking mechanics that i spot in ONE game that need fixing like:
Capturable Runes on minimap are drawn after the units hiding them on minimap.
No notification sound when your unit off camera gets attacked.
Balance is whack AF. One turret that costs like 2-3 units require dozen of units to kill it for price of a turret. Making turret spam OP, plus it costs no pop. Then add other buildings infront of the turret like walls or houses and you broke the game.
– Real player with 191.7 hrs in game
A Year Of Rain
As a Warcraft/Starcraft and Command & Conquer Kid, I was positively surprised to hear there’s someone taking a stab at a new RTS.
It’s heartwarmingly reminiscent of those games. Yeah, let me go grab my fucking Pulitzer, I bet there is a category for stating the obvious. Of course most RTS games are akin to the merciless RTS Emperor sitting on the throne made out of the bones of anyone who dares step into their domain.
Reading it was Daedalic running straight into that chainsaw, I was prepared for another mixed bag.
– Real player with 31.8 hrs in game
Read More: Best Base Building PvP Games.
A Year of Rain
A new, unique RTS that had potential, but due to lack of publisher faith, was crippled at launch and abandoned soon after
So… This game is pretty good. It’s pretty much like a Warcraft 3 spiritual successor. Better than WC3 Reforged in a lot of ways.
As much as I want to love this game however I can’t pretend I’m not disappointed. The game was released unfinished, and abandoned very quickly. I don’t think Daedalic had any faith in it, they released it before it was ready and didn’t even give it a chance to build momentum and customer faith. They were hoping for a big launch with their unfinished early access game, didn’t get it, and abandoned the game rather than wait. As a game dev I understand the circumstance, but you can’t expect an EA title to sell like a finished one. It does come with a beefy campaign, that can be played solo or coop. It has full on voice acting, in game cutscenes, etc. Plus skirmish mode, and of course Online mode. So the content is there, it was mostly finished even, but as expected needed work, which is the whole point of early access. Pathfinding can be pretty bad sometimes, which REALLY hurts the play experience in an RTS. Other than that however the game-play is pretty polished and AYOR really gives WC3 reforged a run for it’s money IMO. I do hate the Coop AI, because I prefer to play solo and I have always hated Coop RTS campaigns with AI allies (like Red Alert 3) but still the game has SO MUCH potential it makes me depressed. I’m just disappointed that Daedalic seemingly launched this game to try and make back as much of their money as possible without ever really planning to support it, they basically lied about it, but in an underhanded way so they could shrug off blame.
– Real player with 25.7 hrs in game
Hell of Men : Blood Brothers
This game is very interesting.
You will found classic mechanical (collect, build, train) but you found good new mechanicals like vehicles that you can have with the capture of strategic point, a cover system, etc… You can’t go with your army in one pack because one roquet can kill all of them!
It’s a challenge and I really like it. If you like RTS you can go !
– Real player with 35.2 hrs in game
Read More: Best Base Building Modern Games.
Very simple… so it’s a blast to play!
– Real player with 8.4 hrs in game
Age of Darkness: Final Stand
This game is simply a amazing and addictive game for RTS and tactical RTS gamers. By default, there is a pause feature allows you to queue unit actions, building construction, and tech research. You start with a small group of units and a hero. From there, you need to explore, expand, and exploit the land in order to survive waves of nightmares that attack from large dark crystals during death night at which you will suffer a malice during the night. If you survive, you may choose a blessing that will be with you the rest of the match. There are five death nights, and a final stand. The final stand on the highest difficulty is 80k enemies that attack from all the dark crystals. You have ranged, melee, and siege units at your disposal, as well as ballista towers, and flame bellow towers. Your economy management consists of farms to produce food for villagers, which in turn are used for housing income, and resource collection building, as well as units. Your units have a tech tree you can utilize to offers advancement as well. A green fog encroaches the land on death nights, which cannot be removed without building vision, or you survive the death night. Enemies vary from crawlers, slow, weak, but can be a challenge in number, to giant hulking crushers with massive hp and damage.
– Real player with 336.9 hrs in game
The Gameplay
Picture this scenario:
The days go by while you’re out exploring the map and expanding your base while those blue dots turn into red dots… one… by… one… And on the last day now with only 4 minutes on the clock you realize that the enemies are attacking from the worst possible spot.
You scramble together some defenses and you’re happy with the towers, their placement but you’re a bit short on the wall department but you’ve got 15 units guarding in front so it’s gonna be fine… Right?
– Real player with 72.8 hrs in game
Annihilate The Spance
Annihilate The Spance is a real-time autonomous army, base builder. Construct your base, and provide your autonomous armada with the means to annihilate the enemy. Through calculated unit compositions, and rapid on-the-fly adjustments to your base.
ATS is set in a far future, with a unique phenomenon unseen in all history. The Spance.
Follow three factions across five campaigns into this glowing, writhing, and dark place.
A nebula ( or as close as we have a name for it ) that has roamed the galaxy, consuming hundreds of solar systems into its depths. It is undeniably rich in resources. Extreme and unexplained pseudo-physical phenomena. And creatures seemingly formed from burning energy.
A linear set of story missions across four interlinked campaigns will take you through the depths of the Spance. Fight with and against each of the major factions in conflict while gaining access to new units and technology. Learn the unique doctrines needed to command the military might of The Kontaalen Armada, the united fleets of The Vaalkorei Coalition mercantile guilds, and the experimental technologies of Emar’s Tychon Division.
Delve ever deeper into the impenetrable abyss of the Spance and unlock its secrets.
Alternatively, jump directly into the fray by versing AI in custom skirmishes and player-created custom levels. You can even create your own for others to play using the level editor.
Begin each mission from your command station and gather resources from the stuff of the rich nebula itself to construct your autonomous base. The interference of the Spance prevents you from directly controlling your units. Each ship is autonomous. Relying on its AI core, moving, targeting, and attacking on its own.
You, Strategist, are left to your base.
Plan your army composition carefully. Calculate build cycles. Make tactical positioning decisions. There is no singular vessel that can take you to victory. This war will not be decided by who holds the bigger stick, but instead who wields the more versatile one.
Earth 2160
Earth 2160 is a somewhat unappreciated RTS with a number of nice features mixed in with a truckload of bland. It will provide some decent entertainment in the here and now but it will never be remembered for anything.
Earth 2160 sets you in the future, corporations fight for control over the Solar System’s dwindling resources as a new discovery rocks the power structure and sets the game’s events in motion. As you start out you get to play as either a generic male dominated corporation or the curiously female dominated Mars corporation. They both, not surprisingly, turn out to be evil rather quickly into the campaign and you eventually get to play as the “good” faction, a generic robot corporation that really has no personality and eventually, a menacing alien horde.
– Real player with 67.0 hrs in game
I finally got down and finished the game all the way through, after nearly completing it some 12 years ago, and then not-even-close to finishing it some 5 years ago, so I’m naturally biased with nostalgia, but I think it’s an overall great rts, but sadly with a few shortcomings that can ruin the experience if you can’t or can’t be arsed to learn to avoid them.
The graphics in the game are often complimented, and at times they’re really amazing for 2005, but it kinda depends where you look. What I’m most impressed with though, is that each of the four factions has a COMPLETELY different gameplay. Literally every mechanic is altered: completely different vehicles with completely different types weapons, different ways to harvest resources (which require very different planning and sometimes microcontrol), different ways to set up bases and interconnect buildings, different defence systems (which require completely different base layout), etc. It’s literally a different game depending on what faction you play with, which is incredibly enjoyable. Crucially, the factions are all really well balanced, so that every faction has a fair chance against every other. Together with expansive unit customisation and cool base expansion options, it makes for tremendously fun gameplay once you get a hold of the basic faction mechanics. On top of that, the soundtrack is wicked!
– Real player with 39.6 hrs in game
Iron Harvest
Reminds me a lot of Company of Heros except not as many unit options or customizable skills.
– Real player with 61.7 hrs in game
I would recommend Iron Harvest. the campaign is good for an RTS (not starcraft 2 level of story) but compared with more recent RTS' it’s up there and not just a tutorial for multiplayer. gameplay is similar to the Company of Heroes if you like that style, there are four factions (1 dlc faction) to play as, with the mechs I think being a game highlight with unique designs, styles and gameplay for their factions. voice work is good with an option for a ‘native’ language rather than overriding polish, russian and german characters under one language.
– Real player with 49.7 hrs in game
Rusted Warfare - RTS
OVERALL: Excellent simple game presenting solid RTS fundamentals with a non-threatening interface. Limited balance issues (but nothing super OP) and occasionally awkward pathfinding occur, but the simplicity and variety of gameplay through such simple mechanics plus a reliable lobby system makes the game a ton of fun.
NICE BITS:
- Units and economy are simple. At time of writing, there’s only one resource to track (though the dev does plan to add more forms of economy later), and units don’t have “special activated abilities”, they just shoot stuff. Some shoot up, some can’t; some shoot long, some short. Dev’s done a really good job of balancing basic play styles so most games are pretty fun.
– Real player with 483.1 hrs in game
What can I say. I love RTS games, and this fits into the catagory of what I love IN a RTS game. It has amazing diversity, the AI keeps you on your toes, custom maps, mods, and the multiplayer is very easy to set up. This is a gem of a game, im excited to see what it will hold in the future.
Pros:
+Cheap
+Many maps + custom maps makes good replay value
+Multiplayer is very easy to use, and setting up a game with friends is quick
+Unit diversity is ever expanding, from many types of aircraft to mech
– Real player with 149.7 hrs in game
Age of Empires® III (2007)
Age of Empires III. How can one possibly begin to review a game of such magnitude and prevalence that this game holds on the gaming world? A game that, even though it has been out for over 10 years, has a large active online community? It isn’t possible, but I shall nevertheless try.
This game has a rich story, which is full of interesting historical points. Even though it is fictional, it pleasantly covers the conquests of the new world. In the vanilla version and “The War Chiefs” expansion, the player can endeavour to fight against various European civilisations in order to achieve glory and fame throughout the Americas. In “The Asian Dynasties” expansion, it spans centuries of Asian colonialization by the British as well as the Japanese and the Chinese Dynasties.
– Real player with 944.2 hrs in game
A fine installation in the Age of Empires series that has a greater emphasis on combat as well as teaching you about things other than human resource management and medieval history lessons. Instead, you will gain a deep knowledge of zoology and learn how to beat up people and steal their stuff.
General:
Zoology Lessons – Some things you will learn: Capybaras and tapirs live in Central and South America, Ibex, Saigas, and Marco Polo sheeps live in central Asia, Serows live in Japan and the rest of Asia.
– Real player with 746.9 hrs in game
Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition
Age of Empires 3: Politically Correct Edition
A change in names so as not to offend people which I personally find absolutely pathetic. For example, changing plantation to estate, colonial age to commerce age and changing mission units from native indians to ‘‘oppressive colonialist’’ units. The game is literally set in the colonial age. I wont be buying anymore age of empires products because they clearly have an agenda to keep history fanatics like myself away from their games
– Real player with 353.3 hrs in game
The game itself is great, it plays almost identically to CC. I loved CC and got this the moment I got my new computer that could actually run it (and run it really well, I’ve played plenty of more demanding games with no problems). The gameplay itself is actually really good, using good unit comp to obliterate your enemy never gets old and being able to outboom is always fun. However, with DE I’ve had so many frustrations that I didn’t nearly have with CC.
The problem is that it arguably has more issues, both performance and in balancing. I have had significantly more disconnects, out of syncs and random resigns here than in CC. I have had posts about it on the official forums, people say they are looking into it and nothing. I reported back in June that you can’t use shift commands properly on hunts when you’re using more than 8 vills and it still hasn’t been fixed. And now that the Mexico civ is here there is plenty of broken bullshit to go around. Who thought that a 7.5 min fast industrial is balanced? Like really, when most civs can only do a 6-6.5 min fast fortress? The new civs are so overloaded with mechanics and features, meanwhile old civs like Russia and the Aztecs are still boring to play, with the Inca doing everything the Aztecs do but better. Meaning, apart from meme strats (like invis coyote runners) there’s no reason to play Aztecs when Incas are flat out better. Not only that, but they got rid of key things from CC, such as a working ranked system to let you know who was and wasn’t good (Stars + chevrons don’t count) as well as a lag indicator in the pre game lobby.
– Real player with 308.0 hrs in game