Old World

 PC
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 9
  3. Negative: 0 out of 9
  1. PC Gamer
    Jul 5, 2021
    87
    A clever spiritual successor to Civilization full of both novelties and big ideas.
  2. GameStar
    Jul 15, 2021
    85
    A thoroughly integrated and refreshing mix of classic 4X turn-based strategy, role-playing elements and varied events.
  3. AusGamers
    Jul 14, 2021
    85
    There's a lot more to Old World than the glib description of "Civ meets Crusader Kings" can convey. Yet it succeeds because it feels like a genuine meeting between the two, a deeply considered merger that applies the strengths of both games to cover their weaknesses. It doesn't feel like you're playing Civ, but with some Crusader Kings characters butting in every now and again with some silly tale or grievance. It feels like you're playing Civ, but with some Crusader Kings characters who grow alongside you, whose relationships to you and each other actually matter, and who prove that the great stories of empires aren't about production rates per turn--they're about the people who lived through them. And their pet monkeys.
  5. Multiplayer.it
    Jul 12, 2021
    85
    Old World is a successful hybridization experiment, which lacks only in the interface, sometimes very unclear, and in explaining its main mechanics to the player, due to a really lacking tutorial.
  6. IGN
    Jul 14, 2021
    80
    Old World is a smaller-scale 4X game than its Civilization forbearers but its new ideas add both interesting depth and intimidating complexity.
  7. PCGamesN
    Jul 5, 2021
    80
    Old World adds dimension and complexity to the 4X style, but its slow pace and intricate resource management hinder it from reaching its full potential.
  8. COGconnected
    Jul 12, 2021
    79
    Old World clearly shows its origins, coming from a small team of developers intimately connected with 4x strategy games. It adds several new mechanics to an established genre, some of which are clearly brilliant and others that seem less significant. Old World succeeds in giving genre fans a clear alternative to their favorite games, but it seems unconcerned with welcoming the uninitiated, thanks to a fussy interface, lack of patient tutorials, and a focus on a fairly narrow slice of history and culture. Fundamentally, Old World both honors a tradition and gently pushes it forward.
  9. Worth Playing
    Nov 30, 2021
    68
    Old World has its moments, but it's a very niche offering. I wouldn't recommend it to someone who isn't hardcore about 4X games because the learning curve is brutal. However, if you've played the rest and you're looking for something new, and especially if the overload of stats is something you find compelling, check out Old World. At the very least, you get to enjoy Christopher Tin's majestic soundtrack.
  10. Cultured Vultures
    Jul 5, 2021
    65
    While the game has interesting concepts and ideas, some odd design choices and an atrocious tutorial hamper Old World’s ambition.

Awards & Rankings

78
#78 Best PC Game of 2021
75
#75 Most Discussed PC Game of 2021

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 76 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 53 out of 76
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 76
  3. Negative: 15 out of 76
  1. Cyclonepride
    May 11, 2020
    8
    It's early, as I am only in my first game, but this one has all sorts of innovations to the Civ-type 4x game. Orders make you prioritize whatIt's early, as I am only in my first game, but this one has all sorts of innovations to the Civ-type 4x game. Orders make you prioritize what you want to do each turn. Events really add some interesting decisions regularly, and having a line of succession really is a game changer. I feel like it freshens the game periodically, and really adds to how you plan. Overall, it just feels like you have a real civilization interacting with other real civilizations. It sounds like they are going to add a ton more events to the game (it's early access), so that should help with replayability. I'm starting with an 8 since I'm early, but I think the final score will almost certainly be higher.… Full Review »
  2. Questern
    Jul 24, 2021
    10
    One of the best strategies out there (not just 4x, but in general). That's coming from a man who spent 1000+ hrs in games from civ franchiseOne of the best strategies out there (not just 4x, but in general). That's coming from a man who spent 1000+ hrs in games from civ franchise (from 1 to 6), 1000+ hrs in paradox strategies like EU4, Stellaris, CK 2/3 and HoI IV, 100+ hrs in Total War games, and countless hours in other strategies like Endless franchise, HoMM III and others. If you like a 4k or strategy games in general you most definitely will like it, as it brings numerous improvements and innovations for 4X genre. Its main systems (events, characters, families, orders, trading, production) are quite robust and well-thought-out and fundamentals are strong.
    The game kept my attention for the entirety of my runs (I'm well over 150 hrs of playing time currently) - the thing I can not say about some other strategy games. Some of them are too long (EU4), in some (like in the Total War series) you get to snowball very fast getting a decisive advantage pretty early, and then the game becomes a chore (because you already "won", but you need to keep playing for a long time to actually claim it) and Old World has none of it - 200 max turns, perfect victory conditions and overall balance of early-mid-late game are all just in the right spot for me. It focuses on one era and does it well, providing a tight, well-tuned experience. Game systems have a lot of depth - so you will learn many new things even after hundreds of hours. Good things are to be said about the overall balance of the game - compared to ...some... (YES, I'M POINTING AT YOU CIV VI), where devs release new civilizations or features without any after-thought of actually balancing it. All things I said apply even to the highest difficulty and I'm really glad it does, as difficulty can really skew perception, alter your playing style and limit things that can work - here it actually remains about the same - just more challenging (however, I have to say, for most players, even veterans, this game will be much more difficult than Civ - AI is not amazing but better (especially combat AI) and, while getting more advantages from the start, it doesn't "cheat" afterwards like in Civ, just gets a head start. There are a lot of options, so you can adjust it for yourself just fine. Replayability is pretty much endless, you already most certainly can sink hundreds and thousands of hours into it.
    The game soundtrack is awesome, and the overall graphic design of the game has a coherent, theme-fitting style to it.
    The main criticism for me would be performance issues (the game is so good I actually don't mind, but they are real - it runs worse than any other strategy game out there I've played, tho graphics are nothing special, some would even call it "outdated") and overall "scope" so to say. It is just an initial release and the dev team is quite small (but very passionate and actively engaging with the community), so there are not what many different civs or overall content in terms of raw numbers (only 7 civs, 5 tribes, the overall number of systems/units e.t.c.), however, to me it is not a downside, because it makes the game tighter, civs balanced, each system having a meaningful place, tho some people may have a different opinion.
    The tutorial is quite bare-bones as of July 2021, but I definitely got hang of its systems just fine, and the learning curve was quite smooth, but my perception on this subject is definitely skewed.
    Overall, I will without hesitation say that Old World is one of my favourites now and the best strategy game I've played in a while, so despite not being perfect in every aspect, it gets 10/10 personally for me. It is awesome and you should try it too.    … Full Review »
  3. JohnMalcolm
    Jun 14, 2020
    9
    I've been playing on easy difficulty as leader of Babylonia, and am currently 150 years into my 200-year stint with a comfortable lead. I'veI've been playing on easy difficulty as leader of Babylonia, and am currently 150 years into my 200-year stint with a comfortable lead. I've built a dozen cities and conquered a half-dozen more. I've found this game diverting and without major flaws. It's as enjoyable as any strategy game I've played (and I've done at least a half-dozen).… Full Review »
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