For me is a great game!
1) Excellent sequence of events, varied, vividly described, and historically accurate.
2) An original setting: finally, not another “antiquity” Greco-Roman game.
3) Easy to learn yet still challenging. Overextension is genuinely risky, and an all-out conquering playstyle will shatter your realm into pieces through your people’s desperation. You must balance costly conquests against the stability of what you already control.
4) Character influence is strong. Your ruler’s personality has a significant impact on your reign (I’d say even more than in CK3). You’ll often find yourself adapting and trying to change or improve your character’s traits and values. It’s a slow process, and death comes relatively quickly — yet you’ll be left with the feeling that you’ve fully enjoyed each ruler’s story.
5) Actively developed.
6) Great mechanical potential.
But, keep in mind:
1) The graphics are very simple (even somewhat poor). Don’t expect too much visually for now, though I assume they’ll improve icons, scenes, etc., over time.
2) You’ll encounter bugs, it’s still in development.
3) There’s still a lot to be added for the “secondary” regions (everything outside Egypt and Mesopotamia).
4) It takes more space than expected in the PC (at least I expected it to be lighter). Check the specifications just in case. It is not a lot, but is more than I expected.
Conclusion:
I really recommend it, though ideally on sale, even a small discount helps. It’s a solid indie game; the developers seem serious and original in every aspect. If you’re a fan of ancient history (beyond the ever-present Greco-Roman world), this will be your game once it’s finished. If you’re that kind of person, you might even want to support the devs by buying it, even on sale.
