Oriental Empires

 PC
Metascore
74

Mixed or average reviews - based on 16 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 16
  3. Negative: 0 out of 16
  1. PC Gamer
    Oct 26, 2017
    72
    A perfectly good 4X game with an innovative combat system that feels a bit bland when framed against the richness of its setting.
  2. Impulsegamer
    Nov 27, 2017
    70
    The game does have strengths. The visuals are quite pleasing. The historical elements are interesting and the overall setting is quite refreshing. There’s a lot of depth here for people willing to put in the work to understand the controls and the dynamics. Hero units can help inspire your troops and if they die their heir can take up their cause (at a slight cost to status quo). For the casual gamer I would probably give it a miss though as it’s not interested in holding your hand while you find your feet.
  3. Areajugones
    Nov 24, 2017
    70
    Oriental Empires is a title that is worthy of being called 4X. Yes, it has a good amount of flaws that pushes it away from the greatness, but it still can give to the fans of strategic adventures a great experience.
  5. GamingTrend
    Oct 18, 2017
    70
    Oriental Empires is a solid, detailed first effort from Shining Pixel Studios that fans of the 4X strategy genre will enjoy. Unfortunately, newcomers and veterans alike might be disappointed by the unwieldy UI, unpredictable systems and lack of in-game tutorials or explanations.
  6. SpazioGames
    Sep 15, 2017
    70
    Oriental Empires is a solid 4X, but with a lack of innovations.
  7. PlayGround.ru
    Nov 21, 2017
    65
    Oriental Empires combines the ideas from Civilization, Europa Universalis and Total War, making a very interesting game based on Chinese history. Unfortunately, its balance is not great, but the game definitely has some potential.
  8. Wccftech
    Sep 15, 2017
    65
    Oriental Empires offers more than enough to keep long time strategy fans happy. It looks great and does try one or two new things that don't turn out as well as they could, lacking the depth and variety to push it into being a great game.
  9. Game Debate
    Oct 9, 2017
    60
    We've played games like this before, many of them really excellent and with depth and character. Oriental Empires certainly looks nice and has a classical Chinese feel that helps it along its way, but once you're through the surface, it's a lacklustre 4X without a great deal to set it apart from the pack. Much of the time, Oriental Empires feels like playing a game of Total War where you auto-conclude all of the battles, but with a penchant for very slightly unfair and unavoidable disasters.
  10. Games.cz
    Oct 3, 2017
    60
    A solid 4X strategy for fans of Chinese history, which, despite the decent craftsmanship, sometimes its mechanics and content stay behind the competition. However, the poor combat system is what drags the game down – and you can´t avoid it.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 26 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 26
  3. Negative: 4 out of 26
  1. lightstrike46
    Mar 28, 2023
    0
    I'm a long time strategy gamer starting way back with the Avalon Hill board games on up to Civ 6 and the Total War series. This game worksI'm a long time strategy gamer starting way back with the Avalon Hill board games on up to Civ 6 and the Total War series. This game works very well on several levels, both as a historical military conquest game and equally as a diplomatic/economic game or even a little of both. I had over 100 hours into Orient Empires (on medium hard settings) before earning a win. In short, it's not easy… Expand… Full Review »
  2. Spartan91
    Oct 10, 2018
    0
    This game is just bad... The trade system as an important revenue source and settlement building are kind of good i guess. But this wholeThis game is just bad... The trade system as an important revenue source and settlement building are kind of good i guess. But this whole thing can be summarized as good ideas, horrible execution. The game runs badly, it's buggy and the UI is just horrible.
    The worst thing that makes this pretty much unplayable for me is the confusing, weird, and just all around failure of a battle system. Calling it "raw" and "counter-intuitive" is a serious understatement. I really can't stress enough how bad and just game breaking it is.
    Diplomacy is the same as pretty much every other game, very few options and the bots make hilariously high demands even as they're losing one city after the other.
    Calling this game challenging is just a joke. I'm not going to try any higher difficulty, or even playing it again anytime soon(or ever), but on normal and hard there isn't any challenge there.
    Edit: Gave it another shot, aaaaaaand now it's 0.    … Full Review »
  3. Wiseus
    Jun 28, 2018
    10
    This game is a little fresh pleasure. Especially with multiplayer with friends.

    Some new (old forgotten) mechanics. All logical, all    This game is a little fresh pleasure. Especially with multiplayer with friends.

    Some new (old forgotten) mechanics. All logical, all needed.

    Nothing flashy, just pure 4x fun.

    Recommended!    … Full Review »
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