The Age of Decadence

 PC
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 242 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 180 out of 242
  2. Mixed: 22 out of 242
  3. Negative: 40 out of 242

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  1. F1_is_WWE
    Jun 8, 2023
    2
    You cannot play a good character in this game. The 4 guilds in this game are: thieves, assassins, usurers, and violent soldiers. You can technically ignore their quest lines, but if you do so then you will be severely under-leveled. And since this game is difficult, you need as many levels as possible.

    The combat is boring. What makes it worse is that it is always solo, you never    You cannot play a good character in this game. The 4 guilds in this game are: thieves, assassins, usurers, and violent soldiers. You can technically ignore their quest lines, but if you do so then you will be severely under-leveled. And since this game is difficult, you need as many levels as possible.

    The combat is boring. What makes it worse is that it is always solo, you never control a party. Fortunately you can ignore the combat completely, as almost all quests can be resolved by passing dialogue skill checks. Unfortunately, doing so de-facto turns the game into a visual novel. As other reviewers mentioned, because every quest can be solved either by combat or by skill checks, you are encouraged to dump all your level points into either combat skills or non combat skills. Splitting the points makes the game extremely difficult (read: save-scumming). But putting all your points into combat results in a boring whack-a-thon, putting all your points into dialogue results in a boring choose-your-own-adventure game.

    Still, a positive - there are many different routes to take, many different ways to solve quests. These choices do have some consequences. Choosing certain builds will lock you out of certain quests, will even lock you out of certain areas, so there is a lot of replyability.    … Expand
  2. Magical_Viktor
    Apr 30, 2023
    7
    Существуют просто Зло и Большое Зло, а за ними обоими в тени прячется Очень Большое Зло. Очень Большое Зло, Геральт, это такое, которого ты и представить себе не можешь, даже если думаешь, будто уже ничто не в состоянии тебя удивить. И знаешь, Геральт, порой бывает так, что Очень Большое Зло схватит тебя за горло и скажет: «Выбирай, братец, либо я, либо то, которое чуточку поменьше»Существуют просто Зло и Большое Зло, а за ними обоими в тени прячется Очень Большое Зло. Очень Большое Зло, Геральт, это такое, которого ты и представить себе не можешь, даже если думаешь, будто уже ничто не в состоянии тебя удивить. И знаешь, Геральт, порой бывает так, что Очень Большое Зло схватит тебя за горло и скажет: «Выбирай, братец, либо я, либо то, которое чуточку поменьше»
  3. Avey123Avey
    Mar 19, 2023
    4
    The game has some great ideas and an admirable amount of replay value. The execution however leaves a lot to be desired. The combat is mediocre, the writing and roleplay dialogue is mediocre and the presentation is just downright ugly. Still given how unique it is it's certain to attract certain types who really get on with this games design decisions since there's really no one elseThe game has some great ideas and an admirable amount of replay value. The execution however leaves a lot to be desired. The combat is mediocre, the writing and roleplay dialogue is mediocre and the presentation is just downright ugly. Still given how unique it is it's certain to attract certain types who really get on with this games design decisions since there's really no one else offering a better alternative.… Expand
  4. Samvvel
    May 4, 2022
    8
    Pros:
    - Non-linear plot with an impressively high level of variability
    - Excellent writing that puts Bethesdas, Obsidians and other CDProjekts to shame - Deep and interesting lore - The ability to roleplay anyone you want, not just who the game allows you to - Very little, if any handholding - You can actually complete the game without a single combat - Fairly moderate difficulty    Pros:
    - Non-linear plot with an impressively high level of variability
    - Excellent writing that puts Bethesdas, Obsidians and other CDProjekts to shame
    - Deep and interesting lore
    - The ability to roleplay anyone you want, not just who the game allows you to
    - Very little, if any handholding
    - You can actually complete the game without a single combat
    - Fairly moderate difficulty for such an old school RPG

    Cons:
    - Brevity (the ending felt especially abrupt)
    - Graphics. Looks better than, say, Wasteland 2, but some key points of interest are very easy to miss due to the overall blandness of environments
    - Several obscure quests that are very hard to complete without a walkthrough    … Expand
  5. Tomicsavo
    Feb 16, 2021
    2
    Well, unfortunately iI didn't like it at all. The controls are too annoying, the game is hard, it doesn’t support you at all, so it doesn’t make much sense to put more energy into it.
  6. bancandrei
    May 15, 2020
    6
    The game is great for what it tries to do. It has that vibe of old adventure RPGs but with more variety and choices. There is not that much innovation but a focused experience that delivers. What it sadly is lacking is satisfying combat. As an example Fallout solved this issue by having opponents get ridiculously dismembered and you being overpowered. The problem with this lack is that IThe game is great for what it tries to do. It has that vibe of old adventure RPGs but with more variety and choices. There is not that much innovation but a focused experience that delivers. What it sadly is lacking is satisfying combat. As an example Fallout solved this issue by having opponents get ridiculously dismembered and you being overpowered. The problem with this lack is that I lost engagement… Expand
  7. themediocritic
    Feb 28, 2020
    4
    A 2020 Review - The Age of Decadence (PC, 2015)

    Score: 4/10 Mediocrity Score: Mediocre at Best. The Age of Decadence is a strangely unbalanced turn-based CRPG. It rather uniquely takes combat out from being the main focus and pits the player into a scenario where you can take different approaches. Touted for being a game where "choices matter", the game somehow feels so linear -    A 2020 Review - The Age of Decadence (PC, 2015)

    Score: 4/10

    Mediocrity Score: Mediocre at Best.

    The Age of Decadence is a strangely unbalanced turn-based CRPG. It rather uniquely takes combat out from being the main focus and pits the player into a scenario where you can take different approaches. Touted for being a game where "choices matter", the game somehow feels so linear - locking the player into a path chosen early on. Choices in the game will keep you on your toes, that is until you realize the pattern of don't trust anyone, ever. My advice before buying is - play the demo first.

    Tags: The few words that come to mind are: mediocre, unbalanced, dialogue-heavy, cheap.

    Quick Take: 
    Play the demo first. For the intention of being redundant for effect, if there is anything you should do before buying, it is to play the demo. This game is both very difficult and very easy. Rather unique in its approach, within The Age of Decadence you can 100% avoid all combat in the game by taking a more charismatic-stacked approach in your character build. What they don't mention is how incredibly simple the game becomes when you go for this non-combat route. It turns into a dialogue-heavy, point-and-click game where if you make the wrong choice you likely will be thrown into a combat situation where you will surely, and cheaply, die. Go with the combat route, and you are faced with a stacked-against-you RNG-based combat which is difficult to the point of coming off as both brutal and cheap. The one thing both routes have in common is the smoke-and-mirrors masking the cheap game-ending situations it constantly throws your way. In complete fairness reading reviews, watching let's plays, playing the demo, or even the reading developer's own disclaimers - potential players have been warned that "there is a good chance that you won’t like it, precisely because we took too many liberties with the established design". I can't help but feel like this is akin to being told "Here's the really over-cooked steak you ordered. There is a good chance you won't like it, but since this is all intentional - we've taken an extra heavy-handed approach with its blackened design." Yet here I am, disappointed that I paid for a really over-cooked steak that has an impressive char-broiled aesthetic.

    Pros:
    - Has an honest demo.
    - Multiple routes may be taken to beat the game.
    - Incredibly funny and useful skill/ability descriptions. More games should take inspiration from this.
    - Some hilarious ways to find yourself dying, made out as a fool, or being separated from your money.
    - Budget-friendly in cost and in required/recommended system specs. 
    - NPCs are hilariously evil, greedy, untrustworthy, and always out to get you. 

    Cons:
    - A lot of cheap situations made to make you fail while masquerading as being a "choices matter" feature.
    - RNG in combat is grossly stacked against the player, and always in favor of the NPC combatants. 
    - The non-combat path becomes a trivial point-and-click game that leads to instadeath anytime you find yourself having clicked the wrong dialogue choice and end-up in combat.
    - Boring story with a boring end-conclusion. Dialogue becomes a chore.
    - The most important choice you will pick are your attribute points at the start of the game. Once you set yourself on that path, there is no deviating from it. You are locked in and cannot improve your stats in the game. 
    - Complete exclusion of black or dark-skinned racial choices. I mention this as it does let you choose skin shades, but only of the white variety. Take this as you like. It doesn't affect gameplay, just something of note.
    - Lacking equipment options to suit your character with. I felt it was far too shallow.

    Concept: 
    Throwback to the days of the classic-RPG. A bit experimental in its choice to take the focus away from combat and places it on the decisions and paths you take within a brutally corrupt and greedy society. Strongly driven by narrative with a big emphasis on dialogue (over 600,000 words of dialogue alone). Name of the game is, survive or die. Expect the unexpected. Unless you're not expecting to die. You're gonna die. 

    Graphics: 
    Nothing award-winning for sure. Still seems dated for 2015-standards, and even more so for 2020. Keep your expectations reasonable, and it will be fine. Good enough so as not to detract from the gameplay.

    Sound:
    Stellar job. Great music and sounds are very fitting. Unfortunately for the rest of the game, for me, this might be its strongest aspect. No voice-acting though. 

    Entertainment: 
    Letting my guard down only to be tricked again by another shady commoner led to many
    enjoyable and funny moments. The frustration of too much dialogue, or frustration of one-sided combat, soiled the good times that I found elsewhere in the game. I had a hard time finding a point where I felt the game was balanced. It was either too easy or too hard. Call me Goldilocks.     … Expand
  8. zoz
    Nov 19, 2019
    6
    This game has some really great parts. It has a very fresh and deep lore, very different from any other setting I've seen. It allows for very different play styles - fight, diplomacy, stealth, engineering... it's there. It also will not hold your hand - you can die suddenly, or suffer consequences for your actions well after you've performed them. There are lots of bad parts unfortunatelyThis game has some really great parts. It has a very fresh and deep lore, very different from any other setting I've seen. It allows for very different play styles - fight, diplomacy, stealth, engineering... it's there. It also will not hold your hand - you can die suddenly, or suffer consequences for your actions well after you've performed them. There are lots of bad parts unfortunately - due to the mutlitude of allowed play styles, most of the encounters are not tested for all the possibilities and this breaks the immersion and makes difficulty to vary wildly from encounter to encounter. It also is pretty short and feels rushed in some places.
    All in all, although it has a lot of new and fresh, I didn't enjoy it and that's why I'm giving it the medicore score.    … Expand
  9. roachtbp
    Dec 7, 2018
    9
    The graphics are downright atrocious, but there is a lot to enjoy here if you can get past the graphics.

    First of all, there are tons of ways to complete the game, depending on which faction you choose to align with. The main quest can vary greatly depending on the faction you choose (you cannot see all content in a single playthrough). This game has a LOT of replayability.    The graphics are downright atrocious, but there is a lot to enjoy here if you can get past the graphics.

    First of all, there are tons of ways to complete the game, depending on which faction you choose to align with. The main quest can vary greatly depending on the faction you choose (you cannot see all content in a single playthrough). This game has a LOT of replayability.

    Secondly, it is IMPOSSIBLE to do every sidequests in a single playthrough, so if you are an rpg completionist, go ahead and accept this fact before you start playing. You cannot acquire enough skill points in a single playthrough to max out all skills, and as the game progresses you will see sidequests that require VERY high skill checks. Thus at some point you just won't have enough skill points in certain skills to complete certain sidequests.

    Third, there are very high skill checks in the main quest too, so if you spread your skill points too thin, it is possible that you may not even be able to complete the main quest. I personally did not have this problem - I always found SOME way to proceed with the main quest. But I have seen many posts online where people had to start over because they had leveled their character in such a manner that they found it impossible to complete the main quest for a particular faction (each faction has different quests and skill checks, so you could attempt to switch factions to still complete the game if you get stuck on a particular faction questline). Personally, I have beaten the game 8 times (once with each class - merchant, mercenary, thief, assassin, praetor, loremaster, grifter, and drifter), and I managed to complete the game all 8 times without having to start over. Sometimes I had to take a route I didn't want to (because I didn't have enough skill points to go in a certain direction) and there were many quests that I couldn't complete the way I wanted (once again, because I didn't level my character in a certain way), but I ultimately managed to find SOME way to beat the game all 8 times (without having to start over). And the story was DRAMATICALLY different on all 8 playthroughs (depending the faction I chose), which was really awesome!!! But I will warn you that this game is VERY difficult.

    Fourth, a single playthrough of the game is REALLY short - this game is all about replayability, so the game is not very long. So if you do bump into the problem I mentioned above (where you discover that you cannot complete the main quest for a particular faction due to how you leveled your character), you won't lose many hours if you have to start over. There is a TON of content in the game, but you can only experience a small portion of it on a single playthrough.

    Lastly, the combat is EXCRUCIATINGLY difficult in the beginning. YOU WILL DIE A LOT. Also, depending on how you level your character, some builds are just not meant for combat. For example, if you build a merchant or a loremaster, you are going to have to find a way to avoid combat AT ALL COSTS, as even mere peasants with wooden clubs will destroy you in combat.

    To sum up, the game is very old school, it doesn't hold your hand and show you where to go, and the combat is VERY difficult at the beginning. While the graphics are atrocious by today's standards, there is a lot of great content here if can get past the graphics and are up for the challenge!!!    … Expand
  10. MR67
    Nov 30, 2018
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Age of Decadence has a somewhat interesting setting and storyline (if you can disregard the slightly cheesy faux-ancient Rome/sci fi setting) but sadly is let down by its antiquated graphics and punishingly difficult, frustrating gameplay. The developers seem to expect you to constantly die, reload from your last save and then use your newly acquired metagaming knowledge to get past whatever brought your game to a premature end the last time. You are generally encouraged to avoid combat as it almost always ends up being fatal for you, with your character either being outnumbered and/or up against enemies who are more powerful than you. The game mechanics do not allow you to flee once combat has started either. If you try and go the non-combat route, you generally have to make lots of checks against your various skills and in a lot of cases, a failed check can also be fatal. And just when you get to the point where you think you're doing well, voila.....a single failed skill check or another completely unfair combat you end up in.....and wham - game over.

    Some in-game examples:

    - I arrive at a remote village where the villagers throw me down a pit (after I failed a strength check to resist them). I successfully make a sneak check to avoid this robot which is patrolling below, and go down some stairs where I find some machinery I cannot do anything with, so the only option is to go back upstairs where the robot is. I then have to make another sneak check to lure it downstairs, which I then fail. I then get forced into combat with the robot who proceeds to wipe the floor with me. Game over.
    - Playing as a thief, I sneak into a room in an inn and try to pick the lock on a chest. I fail to spot a trap which instantly kills me. Game over.
    - On arriving at the second city in the game, my heavily armoured praetor character tries to save a merchant from 3 thugs who want to rob and kill him. I fail to convince them to go away so I get forced into combat with them. They are all better in combat than me and I inevitably end up getting surrounded by them and wiped out as there never seems to be a spot I can move to in order to have them come at me one at a time (and you can't flee combat once it starts). Game over.

    This, IMHO, is not good game design. I like to play CRPGs without having to reload from saved games when things go all pear-shaped as it feels like cheating. I can't recommend this game unlike you like to save-scum and metagame. The graphics also look like something out of a game from the early 2000s. On the plus side, the writing is decent (apart from all the somewhat out of place modern day vulgarities in some of the character dialogues) and there is a lot of replayability as the story varies depending on the class you play.    … Expand
  11. will824
    Feb 10, 2018
    9
    This game is one of those hidden gems that when you start playing the most difficult thing is to stop.

    Developers put an amazing storyteling and gameplay system which makes you get immersed in the game to such extent that trying all options to get the whole picture and storyline is a must. If you love Turn based RPG and enjoy a good storyline... get this game but be sure you have    This game is one of those hidden gems that when you start playing the most difficult thing is to stop.

    Developers put an amazing storyteling and gameplay system which makes you get immersed in the game to such extent that trying all options to get the whole picture and storyline is a must.

    If you love Turn based RPG and enjoy a good storyline... get this game but be sure you have plenty of time to dedicate to it! :P    … Expand
  12. RagingPoet
    Dec 11, 2017
    9
    9.5 out of 10
    AoD is one of the best RPGs i ever played on par with old classics, it is a roleplaying done right in a videogame. I started second playthrough right after the first one, and it was very different and just as entertaining.
    The only serious flaw is heavy reliance on randomness in combat encounters, but it won't ruin your experience.
  13. QweSteR
    Nov 28, 2017
    7
    [7.0] Игра хардкорна своим безрассудством! Я честно пытался найти и понять лучшие качества этой игры, но безуспешно. Игра предлагает на выбор несколько предысторий для отыгрыша, но каждый вариант требует индивидуальную формулу развития персонажа, найти необходимое количество времени невозможно. Игрок становится заложником жёстких рамок ролевой системы, поведение игрока формируется на[7.0] Игра хардкорна своим безрассудством! Я честно пытался найти и понять лучшие качества этой игры, но безуспешно. Игра предлагает на выбор несколько предысторий для отыгрыша, но каждый вариант требует индивидуальную формулу развития персонажа, найти необходимое количество времени невозможно. Игрок становится заложником жёстких рамок ролевой системы, поведение игрока формируется на стадии создания персонажа, затем игрок постоянно сталкивается с невыполнимыми задачами. В таких ситуациях приходится сохраняться перед каждым диалогом и боем, затем возвращаться при достижении необходимого уровня навыка. Таким образом погружение в игру постоянно тормозится и откладывается на более поздние стадии прохождения. Вариативность выбора скатывается к двум классическим архетипам: тупоголовый силач или ботаник для битья. В первом случае бои будут чуть проще, но даже равного преимущества перед одним противником вы не получите, а почти всегда сражаться придётся против группы врагов. Во втором случае вариативность диалогов заметно возрастает, но череда постоянных проверок способна прервать ваш талант дипломата в любой момент. Игрой предусмотрен и вариант игры за война-дипломата, но в этой ситуации ваши унифицированные способности будут представлять ещё более жалкое зрелище, про сложные бои и диалоги вообще можно забыть. Отыгрыш роли Age Of Decadence зажат в жёсткие рамки ролевой системы и постоянной переигровки. Далеко не у каждого игрока найдётся желание и время проходить несколько раз или часто откладывать невыполнимый квест на потом. В этой игре чувствуешь себя никем и ничем, вся вариативность выбора сводится к требованию уровня навыка. Десятилетие разработки негативно сказалось на визуализации игры, Age Of Decadence уступает Bard's Tale (2004), Planet Alcatraz (2006) и прочим в духе раннего 3D, при этом дизайнеры постарались детализацию уровней выдержать максимально качественно. Музыка в игре скучна и однообразна, эффекты окружения и движения отсутствуют. Боевая система состоит из бесконечных промахов и редких попаданий, более здесь нечего сказать. Мини-карта намеренно создана для травли игрока, даже самых очевидных маркеров и указателя направления игрока здесь нет. Из достоинств отмечу качественные тексты и с оговоркой вариативность выбора. Vince D. Weller слишком увлёкся, поставив игрока в полную зависимость от ролевой системы, в такой среде вариативность слишком ограничена уровнем персонажа, не предоставляя игроку должной свободы и удовольствия от преодоления сложных задач. Понимание хардкорности в Age Of Decadence сильно гипертрофированно, даже Fallout и Planescape: Torment были куда более дружелюбны к игроку, понимание баланса сделало эти игры культовыми, Age Of Decadence останется уделом меньшинства.… Expand
  14. falmavar
    Oct 6, 2017
    10
    Awesome game. True RPG experience. Huge amount of skills, armors and weapons. One story can be played by different ways. Playing by different classes give you a different view on game. 10/10.
  15. Maverik
    Jun 14, 2017
    10
    Brutal, literalmente, un RPG centrado en la rejugabilidad, en la que cada partida es totalmente diferente, combates muy dificiles (Tal cual serian en la realidad), un ejemplo a seguir en cuanto a diseño de RPGs, lo que daria por que los creadores tuvieran un presupuesto como dios manda para poder crear sin limites..
  16. marc5477
    May 7, 2017
    3
    1st of all, this is not Fallout. Anyone claiming it is, needs a sanity check. Fallout was engaging from minute 1, has a much more interesting story, better itemization, and most importantly, it was incredibly fun due to when it was released. It was innovative and fresh. It also had a much better combat system with more options and strategy (thanks to perks and skills). This is not1st of all, this is not Fallout. Anyone claiming it is, needs a sanity check. Fallout was engaging from minute 1, has a much more interesting story, better itemization, and most importantly, it was incredibly fun due to when it was released. It was innovative and fresh. It also had a much better combat system with more options and strategy (thanks to perks and skills). This is not Fallout... it is not Baldurs Gate, NWN or even Diablo.

    Three things kill this game.

    #1 Heavy Random number generator (RNG) combat dependency. It sucks. Period. All combat in the 1st town of the game put you at the mercy of the RNG. This is not fun. When you win it does not feel like you won due to strategy or skill. I know that many attribute this to old style gaming back when we had dice, but that was a limitation of the time (pre-video gaming and computers). Yes you can skip the fights, but if you do that you might as well not be playing a video game. Fighting and strategy in a fight is fun. Skipping them and giving us a paragraph explaining what happened is not fun. Okay so make a fighting character you say? Yes, and even if you do, you will lose a lot of fights due to bad luck hence you have to use a lot of cheese to win which is boring. I can take a character built just for fighting and he will still lose to some homeless near naked thugs if they roll lucky. This problem does start to go away once your character gains more skill points but it is not fun in the 1st 5 hours (or so) of the game.

    #2 The need to meta-game kills the immersion. The 1st play through is fine (if you simply dont think about meta-gaming) and makes you want to replay the game to see where alternative paths lead but in order to succeed at many quests and unlock paths you need knowledge that cannot be gained without meta-gaming and that is just boring and not fun at all. The game encourages the player to hoard skill points and quick save before every encounter and interaction to insure that they can pass some sort of skill check. If not, reload, allocate points, and continue. So basically, one second you cannot even spell the word actor (because you never allocated points to impersonation) and the next you are Marlon Brando because you allocated 40 points to the skill. Hence, destroys all immersion.

    #3 Its boring... characterization in this game is very very very weak. It reads like a history book and everyone just seems distant and... dead. There is not enough interpersonal dialog to make you care about your own character or any other character in the game. This makes the story a bit weak as well since I didnt care one way or another what happens.

    The game can be described as late 90s infinity engine throwback combined with older early 90s DnD games like Champions of Krynn. However where the infinity engine games shined was in story and character development and unfortunately, this game is very weak on that front.

    I enjoyed the fact that this game encourages the player to think deeply about their character build. Those skill points at creation really do matter as does your skill allocation. However this is no where near as deep as Neverwinter Nights. Also, this game becomes very linear once your allocations are made and there is little wiggle room throughout a play through to change or adjust. Most of the old classics gave you lots of room to customize but in this game once you start on a path there is no deviation or you will be severely handicapped. Again, this is not fun and makes the game feel much more linear than it really is. Your only other option is to do another play through which is not everyone's cup of tea. The greatest games of the infinity engine era did not require multiple replays to fully enjoy the game and since most had more than 1 controllable character, you were able to do most quests and solve most puzzles without having to do the whole game over again. In some ways, this game tries to be like Diablo but does not do a good job of it because it is not an itemization game and you cannot carry over your character to multiple games to improve on them.

    Despite my harsh criticisms of this game, I found myself actually enjoying the 1st run of the game but the RNG thing was a huge letdown in the 1st parts of the game. The meta-gaming flaws really didnt pop out until I tried to run through the game for the 2nd to n-th time and I realized it really is not that much fun to play more than once because I was just meta-gaming and cheesing my way through the game.

    The game is slightly below average. Since 5 is basically average on this site, I would say that this is far below average with the caveat that I see a lot of potential here. This game however is not my cup of tea.    … Expand
  17. ColonelEgz
    Mar 22, 2017
    10
    The Age of Decadence is the best computer role-playing game ever made. It features the most freedom and choice of any game I have ever played, it has a really well balanced and deep character system, has an extremely interesting and internally consistent gameworld and the plot is fantastic, and you can do some amazing stuff with your character and your choices. The writing is great,The Age of Decadence is the best computer role-playing game ever made. It features the most freedom and choice of any game I have ever played, it has a really well balanced and deep character system, has an extremely interesting and internally consistent gameworld and the plot is fantastic, and you can do some amazing stuff with your character and your choices. The writing is great, serious and contained, and never ever commits the cardinal sin of stupid jokes or goofy situations that indie games (and a lot of AAA games as well) usually do, and it's just the sort of game that your first five playthroughs will easily be completely different and the game will keep surprising and amazing you.

    This game is better than Fallout 1 and 2. It's better than Arcanum. Better than Planescape. But I only realized that for sure after my second playthrough. That's when you really see all the different possibilities The Age of Decadence has in store for you. A true role-playing game, if ever there was one!    … Expand
  18. janki
    Oct 16, 2016
    9
    It's very hard to get into this game, dated graphics, wall of text a bit clunky combat but when you finally get in it will swallow you.

    This game offers great choices, the character development is interesting, you get to constantly use your skills in conversation checks, multiple branches of ways to solve a quest. All this with a compelling story. A real gem for all hardcore crpg fans.
  19. jseph1234
    Jul 17, 2016
    10
    What I a BRILLIANTLY crafted game. This is a game that is in the PROUD traditions of the RPG's such as Vampire the Masquerade:Bloodlines, Baldur's Gate 2, The Witcher, Alpha Protocol where you choices are logical and matter and the whole game makes sense. LOVE IT!
  20. DerBomber
    Apr 8, 2016
    7
    The developer consistently cries out 'this game is hard, especially combat, but that is because it is more realistic and fair than all other RPGs'. Actually, this game is not that hard, it is just extremely linear and unforgiving if you deviate from the proper order in which quests need to be carried out.

    You will be subjected to skill checks continuously, and if you decided to spend    The developer consistently cries out 'this game is hard, especially combat, but that is because it is more realistic and fair than all other RPGs'. Actually, this game is not that hard, it is just extremely linear and unforgiving if you deviate from the proper order in which quests need to be carried out.

    You will be subjected to skill checks continuously, and if you decided to spend your skill points differently than the developer intended for that specific quest, your only option will be to retry in another playthrough. Combat is especially difficult at the beginning of the game, until you have harvested sufficient experience and proper gear, resulting in the need to play each predetermined combat encounter in a very specific order from easiest to most difficult. Add to that the dominance of tje random number generator in combat, and you will be reloading a lot if you play as a combat oriented character.

    However, after playing the first chapter in the trial-and-error approach until you find the right sequence of quests, the game becomes more enjoyable. The setting of Roman empire with some magic really works, graphics are really basic but effective (apart from performance issues), items work out well, story is quite interesting,    … Expand
  21. Koblihozrout
    Mar 30, 2016
    9
    Great atmosphere, great little low budged somewhat short rpg.

    After finishing with first town, you'll find other locations and quests lacking. You'll just wish it was longer better and with larger budged. It will not satisfy your hardcore rpg itch entirely, but it will remind you that it can be done. It's not balanced, and you will have hard time making it through the game with "any"    Great atmosphere, great little low budged somewhat short rpg.

    After finishing with first town, you'll find other locations and quests lacking. You'll just wish it was longer better and with larger budged. It will not satisfy your hardcore rpg itch entirely, but it will remind you that it can be done.

    It's not balanced, and you will have hard time making it through the game with "any" character, you'll have to have a correct build and join a correct corresponding guild. Not every approach will succeed. So the game is somewhat linear and restraining compared to other modern RPG's. But despite it's flaws it will be great fun while it lasts.    … Expand
  22. TheDevian
    Feb 1, 2016
    7
    Compared to many games today, this game contains a plethora of choice and options, sadly that isn't saying much, and in truth, this game is missing a number of options that felt like that should have been there, such as an assassin not having an option to sneak in and attack from surprise during an actual assassin quest (though they did in others). While a far cry better than many recentCompared to many games today, this game contains a plethora of choice and options, sadly that isn't saying much, and in truth, this game is missing a number of options that felt like that should have been there, such as an assassin not having an option to sneak in and attack from surprise during an actual assassin quest (though they did in others). While a far cry better than many recent railroaded games, this still feels somewhat incomplete, there are plenty of places where it could have been improved. It felt as though they needed to spend a bit more time brainstorming options for each class/Play-style to solve each puzzle. The graphics were not the best, even for the style, could barely tell one gender from the other most of the time, though they were in some ways better than many similar games games I have seen lately that are going for the same style. Graphics are not near the top of my list of priorities, but it is on the list, and while it is a minor point, it would be nice if they were slightly better, but that is the least of my issues, and more of something to laugh about rather than a real complaint. My biggest problem with the graphics was that considering how low res they were, the game lagged out a lot and had rather long load times.

    All of that said, I am still enjoying the variations they have managed to work in, and look forward to seeing more of it. It is challenging to get enough exp to distribute enough points to complete all of the available quests, however I have not tried all of the classes yet, so I may not have figured it out correctly, however, it feels as though the first town could have used a few more minor quests, or a couple bigger ones. Give you a bit more room to play if you are not trying to do a min/max run.

    From the archetypes, to the various options to get through the game, this is a huge step in the right direction, and I look forward to seeing it once they are done patching it. It is far from perfect, but as limited as the choices were, they were far better than most "AAA" games, claiming to be "RPGs". It it nice to see an RPG that isn't trying to be something else, that does a much better job giving the illusion of choice in some places, and giving optional play styles. The big publishers could learn a lot from what they tried to do here. It is nice to see different ways to solve a quest other than which weapon to use...

    It is all well and good to make their hybrid games, there is clearly a market for them, however there is also still a market a more pure RPG game experience, more focused on the roots of RPGs, with options. It certainly isn't easy, but it is much more fun than anything I have played in a long time.    … Expand
  23. Teresk
    Dec 26, 2015
    10
    For those old-school people, that love D&D, Baldurs' Gate, ect this is a jewel, a masterpiece. The game sucks you in and blows you away with the smoothness of the story, combat system and variety of ways you can go. I didn't get that feeling of adventure since Arcanum, they just don't make game like this anymore. Yes, it is not easy, though some builds can make this game more ofFor those old-school people, that love D&D, Baldurs' Gate, ect this is a jewel, a masterpiece. The game sucks you in and blows you away with the smoothness of the story, combat system and variety of ways you can go. I didn't get that feeling of adventure since Arcanum, they just don't make game like this anymore. Yes, it is not easy, though some builds can make this game more of interactive book, others - like real good tabletop tactics.

    If your not that into graphics and wanna feel how games used to be, this is a 100% buy. Even if you're a casual player this might be interesting and rewarding as long as you keep away from hybrid builds.

    Treating this as a true Role-Playing game, this is 10/10.    … Expand
  24. observer000
    Dec 21, 2015
    1
    Dull combat - you only control one char and can viably specialize in one weapon. I tried a full-combat merc, it got so boring I had to force myself through. There is almost no difficulty/complexity even on the highest setting once you've learned the ropes.

    Average writing. Walls and walls and walls of text: 101 on how *not* to write. Mock-Roman "lore" you don't care about (and neither    Dull combat - you only control one char and can viably specialize in one weapon. I tried a full-combat merc, it got so boring I had to force myself through. There is almost no difficulty/complexity even on the highest setting once you've learned the ropes.

    Average writing. Walls and walls and walls of text: 101 on how *not* to write. Mock-Roman "lore" you don't care about (and neither do the writers, considering they scrap it for sci-fi half-way). Despite posing as "grimdark" and "realistic" you get strangers talking their heads off to you at the slightest opportunity.

    Started off promising but ended up in a puff. Quite a waste of time but fun for the first 5-10 hours, probably not worth the price.    … Expand
  25. FlorianGh
    Dec 17, 2015
    10
    In a world were Fallout 4 has dumped down all of the RPG elements and Dragon Age also is no longer interesting ,Age of Decadence reminds you that gaming needs to be hard to be great and shows what CRPGS are all about : choices and consequences.
  26. Bennrama
    Dec 6, 2015
    5
    On my 'mercenary' playthrough, I seemed to have played the entire game without speaking to a female character. This is bizarre for an RPG. I'm not sure if the writers are just not interested in women, or something more nefarious is going on. The substance of this game is not bad, but I have experienced bugs and crashes (on a good comp). One bug allowed me to gain infinite attack ratingOn my 'mercenary' playthrough, I seemed to have played the entire game without speaking to a female character. This is bizarre for an RPG. I'm not sure if the writers are just not interested in women, or something more nefarious is going on. The substance of this game is not bad, but I have experienced bugs and crashes (on a good comp). One bug allowed me to gain infinite attack rating bonuses. I'm now GODLIKE. Couldn't resist beefing myself up, but it wrecks the game.… Expand
  27. MoreBokeh
    Dec 6, 2015
    7
    Age of Decadence advertises skill based ways to handle conflict, with fighting as the last resort.

    Unfortunately, their delivery boils down to leveling up "intimidate" or another skill from their limited selection, then picking the "intimidate" option when it is highlighted and available. This would be standard fare for RPGs, but this game only offers dialog trees with a depth of 1-2    Age of Decadence advertises skill based ways to handle conflict, with fighting as the last resort.

    Unfortunately, their delivery boils down to leveling up "intimidate" or another skill from their limited selection, then picking the "intimidate" option when it is highlighted and available. This would be standard fare for RPGs, but this game only offers dialog trees with a depth of 1-2 options. Furthermore, Undertale, the other indie game of the year offering alternatives to combat, makes the shallowness of Age of Decadence's system harder to ignore.

    Perhaps much more gameplay would be added if there wasn't an indication of "[intimidate]", and the option just appeared among the rest as normal. As it is, while playing the game, there is almost no player freedom or agency. It is, "Do you want the good option or the bad option" rather than "Here are options, try to figure out which is best, or makes sense for your character and context."    … Expand
  28. Berengarius
    Dec 2, 2015
    10
    Very good RPG with great, well-executed ideas. Above average in nearly all its systems and content. Iron Tower Studio definitely deserves more support.
  29. hexahedron
    Nov 27, 2015
    10
    A great game in its genre, but not for everyone. This is an old school game and is not intended for the casual gamer. You have complete freedom to create your character and you choose several different "class questlines".

    This is an important distinction because you can always cross over to a different questline if you don't like your current one. And you will not complete everything to    A great game in its genre, but not for everyone. This is an old school game and is not intended for the casual gamer. You have complete freedom to create your character and you choose several different "class questlines".

    This is an important distinction because you can always cross over to a different questline if you don't like your current one. And you will not complete everything to do in this game through one playthrough. If you play a fighter, you are not going to go delve into the history of lost temples, you are just going to smash things. If you play an assassin you are not going to mediate political conflicts peacefully.
    But thats the beauty of this game. Its several in one. You are not the "chosen one". You are just a person who makes choices that meaningfully impact the game world. Some campaigns are longer than others, depending on your choices. And there is no wrong choice. There are some that benefit you and some that kill you. But whats an RPG without the risk of sudden death?

    The setting includes a post nuclear city, hidden temples, modern tech mixed with old, military camps, city ruins, legions, gods and demons.

    This is not a lazy modern game where you can go find the most powerful weapon early on and become unstoppable halfway through. Or your abilities can be maxed out allowing you to complete any quest and never fail at anything. This game rewards failure. You learn, or you can actually get better rewards for being selfish and failing a quest. Old RPG's force you to think. This game is not ruled by a RNG. Sometimes it can be against you but if you are under-powered then defeating the arena champion is going to be sheer luck. But spending one extra skill point on dodge or different tactics can guarantee you a win. There is no better feeling than sending three heavily armored foes into the afterlife single-handedly after a hard fight. There is no spamming a spell or a shout here.

    My favorite things that I enjoyed about this game were the finishing moves in combat, the big battles you can participate in, the number of options you have in completing any quest, the setting, that what you wear actually shows on your character, surprising outcomes for failure, every intelligent enemy can be reasoned with, and yes, I like the graphics despite not being cutting edge.

    I don't think there is anything like it today and I recommend this game.    … Expand
  30. barzozwierz
    Nov 22, 2015
    9
    + choice and consequence on a level i've never seen before in cRPG
    + multiple classes to RP (assasin, mecenary, loremaster,...), each class has at least 2 archetypes to RP
    + difficulty level + no quest markers + new, refreshing setting + combat + almost infinite replayability - each playthrough is like a piece of a puzzle, you'll never get the full picture unless you end the game    + choice and consequence on a level i've never seen before in cRPG
    + multiple classes to RP (assasin, mecenary, loremaster,...), each class has at least 2 archetypes to RP
    + difficulty level
    + no quest markers
    + new, refreshing setting
    + combat
    + almost infinite replayability - each playthrough is like a piece of a puzzle, you'll never get the full picture unless you end the game multiple times. and it's totaly worth it
    + haven't encounter any bugs so far (2nd playthrough)
    + intuitive controls (not a console port) and UI (fits game's atmosphere, not smartphone app)

    - sometimes i wish there were less "cutscenes" and more actual gameplay: it's described your char is going up on the roof - i'd rather do it myself instead of... reading/watching it - i know it's probably game design limitation, but i cannot ignore it. a flaw is a flaw

    Will buy friends & family for Christmas, worth every penny, only if to encourage Iron Tower Studio to produce more marvels like that.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

52
#52 Best PC Game of 2015
55
#55 Most Discussed PC Game of 2015
76
#76 Most Shared PC Game of 2015

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. Brash Games
    Apr 14, 2016
    80
    The Age of Decadence is worth every penny.
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  2. CD-Action
    Mar 30, 2016
    90
    A unique game for connoisseurs that still weep over Fallout’s fate. The Age of Decadence is minimalistic in terms of technology, but its depth in almost every gameplay aspect is astonishing. [03/2016, p.48]
  3. GameOver.gr
    Jan 29, 2016
    90
    One of the most well designed RPG’s of all time. Meaningful choices, authentic combat system, unique role playing experience, field for many distinctive playthroughs. See beyond its choppy graphics and enjoy this refined hidden role playing gem. Excellent.
    Read full review
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