Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation

 PC
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 54 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 41 out of 54
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 54
  3. Negative: 9 out of 54

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  1. SchnitzelPoof
    Jan 17, 2017
    6
    Note: I'm writing only from a single-player perspective.
    Technically, it might be an impressive game, but in my opinion simply putting a lot of objects on screen is not sufficient to create an enjoyable experience.
    The combat is slow enough that you might want to spend some time base buildings. However, that part of the game is not engaging. Then, you might want to return to combat and    Note: I'm writing only from a single-player perspective.
    Technically, it might be an impressive game, but in my opinion simply putting a lot of objects on screen is not sufficient to create an enjoyable experience.
    The combat is slow enough that you might want to spend some time base buildings. However, that part of the game is not engaging. Then, you might want to return to combat and play with your set of toys, but that part isn't very engaging either.
    Even the dreadnoughts are not particularly fun to use, or look at. Weapons, in general, like a satisfying "oomph," so Instead of looking forward to them unleashing their terrible power - like the experimental units of Supreme Commander - I find myself passing the time until they finally reach their destination, and then hoping they won't fail to destroy an already beaten enemy, because then I'd have to wait again.
    Add some annoying issues, like unarmed medic units rushing to their doom at the head of your forces, and the game not responding to mouse clicks sometimes - which is somehow related to the common attack-move command - and I have to rate the entire experience as average.

    P.S all the anti-human sentiment in the new campaigns is very off-putting. Well, unless you're a xenocidal AI, I guess.    … Expand
  2. Renovatia
    Jun 24, 2022
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. VERY MINOR SPOILER INCLUDED:

    This update is for 2022.

    Th RTS game is about conquering regions and when done so, you can mine for either metal and radioactives, which you will need to build your buildings, vehicles and static defenses.

    I just played out four campaigns, including Escalation and Genesis. And it's all the same. The campaign tries to force you into expanding. You can't turtle your way towards victory.

    Unit-development and whatnot is what you've seen before as well: short range units to tank and low-armor long range units to deal damage. Furthermore some units are only useful against very big ships, others are not at all. Later updates and expansions brought in more units.

    I didn't like is the lack of micro; I.e. you still have to combine into a blob and then send them forward to attack. This game isn't suitable for micro somehow and the campaign maps feel cramped. You're also often fighting on two fronts because - again - the game forces you to keep expanding.

    You can improve your armor, weapons and building-strength infinitely - theoretically. At each step you'll pay more for it though. Over time you'll save something called Quanta. This will be invested to upgrade your units and buildings.

    The game also has the usual "one-clicks", a message from "above", such as sending a reign of bombardments into an area. This too requires Quanta.

    All in all, from a single player perspective, it's still about good old macro-management, being all over the map fast and I'm a little bit done with that. Though the game offers an air of freshness, it's only a minor breeze. Would I pay €50 for the gold edition (includes all the add-ons)? No. The game is too boring for me though I gave it a good shot by playing all these campaigns.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 5 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 5 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 5
  3. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. 4P.de
    Nov 18, 2016
    78
    While the staging and the characterization of the fractions still is sub-par, this is better than Ashes of the Singularity in every aspect, especially in terms of the large scale skirmishes that give you an optimal strategic viewpoint.
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  2. SpazioGames
    Nov 16, 2016
    75
    Escalation manages to improve many aspects of the past Ashes of the Singularity, it brings two new campaigns that deserve to be played this time, many new units and the strategic zoom. Unfortunately there are still many problems with the path-finding, that cause a lot of frustration.
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  3. GameWatcher
    Nov 11, 2016
    85
    Between the new aircraft, cool new orbitals, and fantastic design of the Strategic Zoom function, there’s a lot here to love for any fan of the mass real-time strategy. It’s a shame that the story still can’t always keep up with the stellar additions to the gameplay and that some of the new ground units get swept up in the sheer way that the game is built, but Ashes of the Singularity: Escalation is still one of the coolest, most smooth, and vast real-time strategies out there.
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