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. 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.
  2. OraTzo
    Nov 11, 2015
    9
    Lemme say this, at first things will be tough but it will end up being a rewarding experience.
    The choices and the skills really all matter in AoD so there are quite a few ways of going through the game.

    Give this a shot.
  3. kampfaren
    Oct 27, 2015
    10
    As a long standing RPG player (17 years or so of cRPGs), I restarted the game 9 times to get the proper mix right, and eventually ended my first game play with 150 kills on a hardcore bruiser. This was *hard* or at least the first half of the game, hard in a challenging way. "Isn't it bad that you restarted 9 times?" Glad that you asked, it wasn't. I was pretty depressed that i couldn'tAs a long standing RPG player (17 years or so of cRPGs), I restarted the game 9 times to get the proper mix right, and eventually ended my first game play with 150 kills on a hardcore bruiser. This was *hard* or at least the first half of the game, hard in a challenging way. "Isn't it bad that you restarted 9 times?" Glad that you asked, it wasn't. I was pretty depressed that i couldn't win certain fights, but after carefully arranging my stats and the kill order, it worked, like magic. I am a number cruncher anyway and the power gamer in me wanted that cookie cutter build that would work for me as a fighter. And what a beast my Brutus was ... Now that I got that out of my system, I can play as a talker, and I can confirm that the game play experience if *significantly* different. it's like 3 games in one, where every archetype gets a different gaming experience. I don't mean just the first 2 hours, I mean half the game! For hardcore RPG fans AoD is a must play. Enjoy.… Expand
  4. jobas
    Nov 10, 2015
    9
    First thing first, how does the game play? Well there's definitely some throwbacks to the "classics" (for me0 at least) of cRPGs, the Fallouts, Arcanum and so on, but the game really stands on it own and feels really different to the classics not to mention the more modern RPG fare.

    The character system is made up of different attributes and a smattering of skills. The skills are    First thing first, how does the game play? Well there's definitely some throwbacks to the "classics" (for me0 at least) of cRPGs, the Fallouts, Arcanum and so on, but the game really stands on it own and feels really different to the classics not to mention the more modern RPG fare.

    The character system is made up of different attributes and a smattering of skills. The skills are divided between social skills and combat skills. You also get to pick a background for your character which determines your starting point in the story. All this enables some deep and rewarding choices right of the bat. Speaking of which, I really love the character creation screen. It is a thing of beauty. No clunky toggling between menus or endless scrolling in lists (I'm looking at you Bethesda), just all the information you need right there in front of your eyes.

    The combat is made up of a tactical and rewarding turn-based system with a wide range of possible builds (I've been having fun playing an Assassin focused on throwing weapons and poisons) as well as challenging AI. The fights are scripted and there is (thank god) no grinding or random encounters, the hand crafting of the fights really make some of them stand out, and almost none are boring or routine especially if you are trying to steer your skill points away from the combat skills to the social skills to see a different side of the story and setting. Easily my favorite combat system in a long time!

    The game is really heavy on choices and consequences, and the game reacts to your activities in a lot of different ways. Some choices closes of parts of the story but a door is seldom closed without a window being opened. You can change your loyalties if and when it makes sense but don't be surprised if it comes back and bites you in some way later. Another part of this is the abundance of skill and attribute checks throughout the game. One character really can't do everything. I've started a half dozen characters soon and I'm still not satisfied that I've seen everything cool in the game.

    The graphics are serviceable, but the art direction and presentation are quite good, as is the music. The game is a bit lacking in ambient sounds but for me that's no big deal. All in all the graphics side of things ranges from fine to quite good. Not the focus of the game, clearly.

    The writing and quests are excellent and really makes sense in the context of the setting. I'm actually blown away by some of the descriptions of situations you find yourself in. Almost all of the quest feature some amount of branching (most an impressive amount!) and alternative solutions depending on your skills. Though beware, not all characters will be able to pick and choose their path freely, see what solutions makes sense with your skill selection! All in all the second best part of the game for me was the writing.

    Before I finish, a short interlude on my take on Early access.

    I actually bought the a couple of years back while it was still in Early Access. This is a first for me, I play a fair amount of games but I try not to get too caught up in the hype and buying an unfinished product is something I rarely do. But here's the deal: I really love RPGs, especially RPGs of the "old school"-variety and, since I want to keep seeing them being made, I bought the game to show my support. It doesn't hurt that the hefty demo is more than enough to see if you will like the game play offered. So, if you like the sound of this: try the demo and if you have fun, buy the game so we can have more nice things!

    Since I got the game I've been trying to stay away from it, partly because I didn't want to spoil myself, partly because the development time was unbearably long. But since release I just can't stop playing, this game is a clear joy to play and I'm really impressed with the developers have accomplished!

    Here's to more games from Iron Tower!    … Expand
  5. the_real_deal
    Oct 15, 2015
    10
    Finally. Hardcore isometric cRPG for you Fallout, Forgotten Realms, Arcanum fans out there. Truckloads of text, branching quests, specialized character classes , skillchecks, tactical turn based combat, kill-them-all or talk-your-way-out styles viable, guaranteed replay value. A must have!
    PS. Graphics ? Graphics are for people without imagination.
  6. Fuini
    Nov 2, 2015
    9
    Twenty five years of - dear I say ? - intensive video gaming and I never encountered a game like The Age of Decadence.

    The game is pretty ugly by today standard, the camera is sluggish, there's way too much rng in fights, the story is short and some parts of it may seem unfinished. Apart from that it's a pretty good old school cRpg. That was my mind after my first playthrough, but    Twenty five years of - dear I say ? - intensive video gaming and I never encountered a game like The Age of Decadence.

    The game is pretty ugly by today standard, the camera is sluggish, there's way too much rng in fights, the story is short and some parts of it may seem unfinished. Apart from that it's a pretty good old school cRpg.

    That was my mind after my first playthrough, but the (very active) dev keeps telling the real value of the game is in replayability. The game being somewhat pleasant I gave it a try and.... OMG ! I missed entire parts of the game in my first playthrough, and I missed some in my second, and even in my third...

    Three playthrough, a forth well in his way, I always learn something about the game, I keep discovering new locations, the story is never the same and change with every important choice.... choice you can or can not do based on your character abilities, and so how you actually play it !

    Want to be a killing machine ? No problem, a killing machine you will be, and you will be feared ! But do not expect to understand a lot about the world and political interests... You might prefer to be a cleaver merchant, an historian, a thief... Will you work for your guild or betray them for another one ? will you faithfully serve your lord ? And how ?
    All in all, the new religion rising needs a new prophet, why could you not be it ?

    The Age of Decadence it's all that and more, a game you can finish without doing a lone fight, or on the contrary you can fight all through the entire game. What will you do is up to you, you have a solid background to play with, a very adaptive story and your choices do matter a lot in the end, have fun ! Oh and if you hesitate, there's a free demo to try !    … Expand
  7. XxSoULxMaNxX
    Nov 8, 2015
    10
    Excellent game. The world is interesting and dangerous with excellent NPCs and intricate, interwoven story lines that develop with meaningful choices along side combat that forces you to think about strategy and play the odds. I would highly recommend this game.
  8. Pinkbeaver
    Oct 15, 2015
    9
    Masterpiece! Truly a Gem! - Said some random 40 year old guy whose favorite games you don't even remember.

    Consistent with the old-school design philosophy - of not treating the player as an idiot, with little-to-none hand-holding, the game gives you a multitude of skills, backgrounds and approaches to fiddle with. It's very easy to get into (if you're not afraid to fail), but hard to    Masterpiece! Truly a Gem! - Said some random 40 year old guy whose favorite games you don't even remember.

    Consistent with the old-school design philosophy - of not treating the player as an idiot, with little-to-none hand-holding, the game gives you a multitude of skills, backgrounds and approaches to fiddle with.
    It's very easy to get into (if you're not afraid to fail), but hard to master.

    When a typical RPG gives you options, consequences are usually shown as flavor text, a side-quest or two, or even maybe an additional ending (or a romance!), but in Age of Decadence choice is everything.
    In AoD the typical framework of choice & consequence is "upside down" - some SIDE quests will be present in multiple playthroughs while the MAIN path will be completely different each time! (if you choose different starting background/skills)

    It all means that:
    - Experimenting heavily with your character build (and seeing the effects) is possible, even necessary.
    - You won't see all of the options in a single playthrough.
    - Some unique areas won't be accessible to you in each game.
    See that old and strange architecture? There's an ancient mechanism to interact with? Soooo, you're an expert in ancient stuff? No? Then carry on, and do whatever YOUR character does best. You can always go back to the strange place with different character and see where it takes you from there.

    I admit, it can be frustrating playing this type of game if you don't agree with said design decisions (kind-of strict - "Play it our way" design), BUT if you try - just for few hours, to play the way it's meant to be played, you''ll see that there's still a lot of room for rewarding choice in that framework - besides character creation.

    Technical stuff: good SFX, so-so graphics (but with great art direction), no voiceover, great writing (better than any and all AAA titles) and almost bug-free at release (almost impossible with complex choice-based RPGs).

    One thing about writing (which is great). If you like RPGs, but you're afraid of walls of unnecessary text - have no fear about AoD. Yes the game IS text/dialogue heavy, but in contrast to Pillars of Eternity or latest Shadowrun game - there's no junk text. You won't have to read pages and pages of wordy but useless descriptions of unimportant characters.
    Of course its the player who decides what's important and what's not, but i think the Devs did a great job here of balancing the ratio of flavor text/important info.

    Curiosity and story drives you forward in AoD, and NOT the promise of being a hero, nor fighting the Big Bad Boss™ - defeating whom is usually underwhelming and unsatisfying experience in video games. ("You did it? Wow, here's a medal. Go wait for a sequel.")

    This "you're-not-a-hero" design is visible everywhere in the game, and the Devs clearly have their own and specific anwser to "what makes Games satisfying" question.

    If you agree with their approach, you'll love Age of Decadence.
    If not, I'm sure you'll learn to love it. I personally think it's worth trying no matter what games you enjoy.
    I suggest throwing away your preconceptions about RPGs and games in general, and just trying AoD for what it is. You will, most probably, be pleasantly surprised.

    So try it (there's a demo), or even better - buy it if you enjoy complex games that entertain your intelligence and imagination. You'll support ambitious developers trying something fresh, bringing to the table specific, and sadly - rare in our times, design philosophy.

    The world in AoD is your oyster. The oyster is dirty, jagged and deadly and can swallow you whole. But deep inside there's a pearl so big and so beautiful, that even limbless and dying you'll dream of seeing it just one more time, in it's full glory.    … Expand
  9. golibethesda
    Oct 15, 2015
    10
    It is by far the most innovative cRPG since a very, very long time, not only because of unique setting and lore but also because of non-standard approach "from zero to slightly more than zero" instead of "from zero to hero" like in most cRPGs. And even though you won't slay a dragon here the things you can do are way more memorable to me than any fight in Baldur's Gate for example. You canIt is by far the most innovative cRPG since a very, very long time, not only because of unique setting and lore but also because of non-standard approach "from zero to slightly more than zero" instead of "from zero to hero" like in most cRPGs. And even though you won't slay a dragon here the things you can do are way more memorable to me than any fight in Baldur's Gate for example. You can experience it quite early by playing as an assassin - the last mission in Teron is just superb. In Maadoran and Ganezzar there are even more epic things you can do (don't want to spoil it by giving specifics).

    But the real strength of Age of Decadence lies in its writing and combat. Quests are memorable and fresh (no fetch quests here, well maybe with one exception that has a hilarious twist at the end), characters seem to be made from flesh and blood (in my top 10 of most memorable characters in any game Age of Decadence would take most of the spots) and the plot is exquisite but to learn all the pieces you have to play for every guild. Which reminds me, I don't know another game that allows to see the same events from a different POV. Now that is awesome! What's more, combat is one of the best I've seen in any cRPG - even though you have less weapons than in Fallout 2 you can do so much more with them.

    I first learned about this game about a year after I registered on the Codex but didn't think much about it then. Only after Teron demo had been released the game got my attention. My first impression was bad - ugly looking (or so I thought at the time, I immediately forgot about aesthetics and presentation, the game was so absorbing that I forgot I have to eat or work ;P) game that only has one town (in a demo). Oh, boy was I wrong. This game has soul that most contemporary games lack. The setting is one of the best if not the best ones ever created, the characters feel alive and are brutally realistic and the quests are exquisite.

    There are no fillers here, no copy-pasting and no bloat. You can't grind here either because every fight is meaningful and there are no trash mobs. In fact, quite often it's more advantageous to skip a fight and skill points because the price is too big to pay, e.g. by making enemies of a powerful faction your options are limited and in the end you get less skill points. Now that's truly unique way of making cRPGs. Usually you're a leader of a fearless party that fears nothing - and I mean nothing, be it a dragon or Jewish condominium. Who in his right mind would flee from a fight right? You're after all destined to become a demi-god that can destroy a whole town if you wish so even though a while earlier you had problems with rats or goblins. Well, not in in Age of Decadence.

    Oh, and I said at the beginning that this game looks ugly - it's anything but. Locations are varied and some of them look amazing while the rest is decent at least. In fact I've never had immersion breaking, contrary to Fallout new Vegas for example (characters there look terrible and their mimics can give a headache, not to mention bugs and copy-pasted locations).

    Pros:

    1) Story being presented from different perspectives and different POVs. I don't remember anything like it in any other game which raises its value even further. Something fresh for a change instead of another "chosen one rescuing the world and fighting the dragons".

    2) Combat. It actually is enjoyable and makes me want to fight instead of mindlessly left clicking on everything that moves (or sends something that moves). The challenge makes it rewarding once you win whereas in most of other RPGs you can defeat almost anyone with **** stats and quick-save->quick-load strategy. In AoD there isn't a universal strategy for every fight. E.g. when fighting a fast and agile opponent that had very high dodge stats using a smaller but faster weapon was more wise (as it should be). You would never hit him with a big hammer but you would hit him with a small one and since he was so agile thanks to practically no armour it was enough to defeat him.

    3) Replayability and Choices and Consequences. They actually do matter and you can never do every quest in every possible way without replaying the game. And that is a good thing IMO. In Fallout New Vegas for example I did practically every quest there was, investing in speech at first since I knew that I could open safes or hack into computers later. For some reason no one would do it before me. Well, not in AoD. If you won't do quests in Teron someone else will and you can't go back for them. Which makes sense and which makes me want to replay the game. I don't want to replay F:NV though since I've done everything there was to be done and walking for hours was tedious (BTW, that's why I like teleporting, although I won't make a point about it).

    Cons: None, even graphics are fitting and pleasant to the eye.    … Expand
  10. Flashripper
    Oct 19, 2015
    10
    For those who loved Fallout - this is the first game which is truly like that.

    Lots of paths to play. Choices really matter. Wonderful pre-war Fallout-style artifacts and locations which are hard to get to and explore. Can even talk your way through all the game like in good old times. Combat is very nice and addictive. Combat build and social build work well, hybrid build is    For those who loved Fallout - this is the first game which is truly like that.

    Lots of paths to play. Choices really matter. Wonderful pre-war Fallout-style artifacts and locations which are hard to get to and explore.

    Can even talk your way through all the game like in good old times. Combat is very nice and addictive.

    Combat build and social build work well, hybrid build is really hard to play but is the most enjoyable imho.

    And you will be returning to the game again and again, trying it with different characters and approaches to the story.    … Expand
  11. Beeras
    Oct 17, 2015
    10
    Really unique game. We are not the chosen one, NPCs are not stupid and basically the game world doesn't revolve around our characters. Really non-linear, not in the open-world exploration sense, but in the story progression which IMO is much more important if you value things like choice and consequence.
  12. wszczebrzeszyn
    Oct 16, 2015
    10
    Disclaimer: download demo and see for yourself that this game is a masterpiece. The fact that IT have released a demo shows that they don't have anything to be ashamed of (unlike Bethesda for example).

    I was sceptical at first, due to old graphics (which aren't bad and are actually beautiful in its own way, especially locations and more distinctive opponents) but this game surprised me    Disclaimer: download demo and see for yourself that this game is a masterpiece. The fact that IT have released a demo shows that they don't have anything to be ashamed of (unlike Bethesda for example).

    I was sceptical at first, due to old graphics (which aren't bad and are actually beautiful in its own way, especially locations and more distinctive opponents) but this game surprised me on every step. I haven't experienced anything like that in any other RPG, this game is so unique and what's more important, enjoyable that any shortcomings that it has (camera rotation could be better and sometimes it's a text adventure but that shouldn't be a problem for someone who likes to read) become insignificant.

    Pros:
    +Superb setting that's as interesting as World of Darkness, Arcanum or Fallout world.
    +VERY interesting quests (no fetch quests here, no grinding either, everything is cream of a crop and there are no fillers here)

    +Great dialogues and characters written with humour and wittiness.

    +Many, many options to solve problems

    +Tactical combat that is challenging and logical but fun (assuming you have a triple digit IQ)

    +Pleasant music

    +Hilarious twists and top notch dark humour

    +Massive choices and consequences.

    +Paradoxically this game's world is more alive than in any other cRPG. You won't see weather changing or day becoming night and vice versa and most NPCs are static but with your every action they react to you and the town can change due to your meddling. Awesome.

    Cons:
    -Camera could be better (but it's not annoying so I don't see the point of lowering my score)    … Expand
  13. Petrosian
    Oct 18, 2015
    10
    Age of Decadence (AoD) is the first creation of Iron Tower Studio and a bold attempt in a superficial game industry dominated by gratuitous ego stroking. The game has various sources of inspiration, from PnP RPGs and the tough love design of “Gothic 2”, “Prelude to Darkness”, “Darklands”, to the reactivity of “Fallout”, “Fallout 2”, “Arcanum”, and the literary vibe of “Planescape:Age of Decadence (AoD) is the first creation of Iron Tower Studio and a bold attempt in a superficial game industry dominated by gratuitous ego stroking. The game has various sources of inspiration, from PnP RPGs and the tough love design of “Gothic 2”, “Prelude to Darkness”, “Darklands”, to the reactivity of “Fallout”, “Fallout 2”, “Arcanum”, and the literary vibe of “Planescape: Torment”. Set in a brutal Romanesque post-apocalyptic world divided by factions fighting for power, AoD is a tour de force composed of excellent writing, amazing reactivity and a challenging combat system that rewards experimentation and thought. I’m pretty sure that the best and the brightest who know that cRPGs are more than FPs, will acknowledge this game as new classic.… Expand
  14. mogoroth
    Oct 17, 2015
    10
    I wish there were more such games out there or Iron Tower continue to impress us players with gems like age of decadence!!! I have stuck so hard with this for more than 10 days and I am still in the middle in my 3rd play through. It's only for hard core rpg fans and I like it a lot.
  15. AwesomeButton01
    Oct 18, 2015
    10
    Age of Decadence, by Iron Tower Studios is an RPG which sets the standard against which RPG connoisseurs will measure future role-playing games for years to come.

    The game has a number of features which set it apart from most RPG releases in recent years. To name a few such traits, I must refer to the realistic attitudes, motivations and interactions shown by its character cast and in    Age of Decadence, by Iron Tower Studios is an RPG which sets the standard against which RPG connoisseurs will measure future role-playing games for years to come.

    The game has a number of features which set it apart from most RPG releases in recent years. To name a few such traits, I must refer to the realistic attitudes, motivations and interactions shown by its character cast and in its worldbuilding, the turn-based combat system with a heavy emphasis on tactics, which yet remains surprisingly intuitive, or to the mind-boggling variety of outcomes of its main story and secondary quests. AoD is truly an exceptional occurrence in the recent history of role-playing games.

    The game takes place in a post-apocalyptic antiquity, depicting a world not all that different from how people of the Roman Empire probably used to perceive it in the days of the great Barbarian Invasions of IV-VI centuries. The setting is not strictly historical though, so expect partial "contaminations" and amalgamations of Roman era with Ancient Middle East and fantasy themes adapted to those two ingredients of the setting.

    Whereas other games ask for fast reflexes or perseverance in mouse button clicking, good old-fashioned common sense will be the main requirement that AoD poses of you as a player. This may seem like it goes without mention, but really, in this game "think before you act" is your guiding principle, along with "save your game often". Whether it's about an ingame decision - like fighting a group of six armed-to-the-teeth thugs - or about your long term strategy in character-building - like spreading his character's skillpoints too thin over too many unrelated skills, being realistic about your character's capabilities is what will keep you alive. Putting yourself in your character's shoes, circumventing his limitations instead of playing superman - isn't this what role-playing is fundamentally about?

    With realism being a chief design principle, building your character should be done with thought as to which skills will complement each other best. The two ends of the continuum are a pure fighter or a pure diplomat, but a player would rarely settle with a character concentrated solely on combat or on talking. In the majority of cases, your character will end up somewhere in between.

    There is a lot of depth to AoD's combat, with weapons split into groups where increasing your skill with one weapon in a group provides synergic effect to your skill with other weapons of the same group. To add to that, the same weapons can execute different types of strikes, or be used to strike at different body parts, with varying action point cost and to-hit chance. The end result is that switching from one weapon to another, or from a single weapon to weapon and shield, coupled with changes to the types of strikes you will preform with that weapon, can dramatically alter the course of combat, without any changes to your skill levels with the given weapon.

    Age of Decadence is unlike any other RPG you've played in that it will play out differently every time you replay it, depending on your character's background and skills distribution. The developers at Iron Tower Studios have spent a stupefying 10 years in mostly filling up the game with branches of the main and secondary quests, and with branches of the branches. Reactivity in an RPG can never be too much, and in AoD it reaches a point where the world begins to feel more real and alive than you are used to, especially if you have an affinity for its down-to-earth hardboiled novel-like writing style.

    Age of Decadence is an RPG done right. The game combines great writing and storytelling with branching storylines more complex than anything you've seen in a computer game. It boasts a perfectly balanced turn-based combat system and deep classless skills-based character creation and development system. What makes the game stand out among the titles of recent years (and decades) is how the quality exectuion of its systems results in you playing an RPG in the way it's meant to be played - looking at the world through the eyes of your character, walking the dusty streets in your character's own sandals.

    I can say without a doubt - AoD is a classic that just got released. I urge you to buy it and play it now, so that by the time the mainstream becomes alert and also proclaims it a classic, you will be ready to boast about how many times you finished it "before it was cool". And since the game is indie,it has the added benefit of being relatively cheap, so for the price of a triple-A game, you can buy two copies of AoD and gift one to a friend, who would later thank you for showing him the game.

    With all this said, really, what could be better...? I'd say Age of Decadence II, hopefully.    … Expand
  16. perkel666
    Oct 18, 2015
    10
    Age of Decadence is hands down one of the best RPGs i have ever played. Is it perfect ? No, there are a lot of things that could be better and so on. But all those things are insignificant to what Age of Decadence does.
    I knew Age of Decadence probably will be good RPG, i omitted early access because i didn't want to destroy my fun playing unfinished game. What surprised me was that Age    Age of Decadence is hands down one of the best RPGs i have ever played. Is it perfect ? No, there are a lot of things that could be better and so on. But all those things are insignificant to what Age of Decadence does.
    I knew Age of Decadence probably will be good RPG, i omitted early access because i didn't want to destroy my fun playing unfinished game. What surprised me was that Age of Decadence simply took my expectations and run away with them.

    So to start. I think Age of Decadence is imo game that should be classified with Mask of the Betrayer and Planescape: Torment. After finishing it, feeling i got is essentially like those games. Here story is main focus. Difference though is that in both Planescape and MotB there was central story you followed but in AoD there isn't one. AoD gives something much more important. True Role-Playing. Game doesn't pigeon hole you to one story you should follow. Game instead gives you every tool you can wield to shape your character and your future. Unlike Planescape and MotB game doesn't give you fake "discoveries" to make. In those games almost everything is set for you to uncover it. In AoD literally everything is for you to explore and to know and game doesn't set you on linear journey in which you will see most of the things. You can learn of secrets, rumors, events and so on and only you can verify them. Every-time you delve into some event you have this feeling that what you did is not the end and there is something more under it. This sense of unknown is what both PST and MotB didn't have and why AoD is just so awesome in that aspect.

    Unlike most of RPGs AoD delivers trully RPG aka Role Playing game. AoD campaign outshines even PnP RPGs in amout of options you can choose and play. Even if you would have best game master i bet 100$ he wouldn't be able to accommodate to so many options game gives. More that that we are not talking here about just C&C, we are talking here about THE C&C. There is like **** ton of choices in in AoD that completely changes things and world in game. My only minor complain is that almost all C&C don't have hidden consequences that can bite you in ass later in game (from my play trough though), usually if you have to choose something outcomes are usually short lasting and predictable.

    I absolutely love how game handles events. When you do something you usually are taken to scene of event instead of trekking whole city to it. This disallows preparing for combat events and you usually start in place designer wanted not where you wanted it.

    Story itself is fascinating. I really really really liked it. Which is achievement itself when you consider just how different one playthrough can be. I don't want to spoil anything but my character was combat oriented and story by end of it really really got interesting despite fact that i played basically murder machine with head count something above 60. Ending i got felt just right to what i did in game. It wasn't grand or amazing. It just fit my character well.

    This is the benchmark all role playing games will be compared to from now on.

    I really wish game had 2D background. Listening to this small but amazing OST really sets the tone and i feel 2D handpainted backgrounds would really really make game a lot better.

    I played in my playtrough as combat oriented character (literally 10ns in almost all physical skills) and i can safely say combat is really really really amazing. It is not the complexity of it but scenarios in which you fight that makes it. Always outnumbered, always trying to scrape barrel for that one right slash. It really gives you options to handle differently events in game. I often had to replay and change my tactics because something that worked for X didn't work for Y. You may not believe it but i think this gme has the most balanced combat model ever and despite that it is still fun and allows for bad rolls.

    Game is short but i think being short is big plus here. I finished my playtrough in ~15 hours but that time may wary probably on build you use and choices you make. Ending i got (which i wanted) was really easy to do and there were other things to do, to get different ending which could extend game. Either way game main focus is replay-ability, if game would be something like 50 hours you wouldn't replay it a lot and game literally gives you every now and then huge C&C that can completely change focus of your story. So most fun from game is those replays, to see things unfolding differently or from different points of view.

    When i finished The Witcher 3 this year i thought RPG of the year was already set. I think now it is safe to say that AoD is easily the best RPG of the year. It is the benchmark we will be using for years or decades and i really really really want to see AoD2. Best of all each playtrough can be completely different. Loremaster will have different starts, events and endings than mercenary.    … Expand
  17. 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
  18. 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
  19. 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
  20. 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
  21. 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
  22. 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
  23. 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
  24. 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
  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. 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
  27. DeN_DarK
    Nov 13, 2015
    10
    I waited game like this very long (but I never think AoD will be that game). For this year I think it will be RPG of the year for me. Even Witcher 3 on second place.

    10 from 10 because: 0. Story have very much sense. It is struggling world after fall of the Empire. Intrigues, plots, murders - part of this world. Not every good deed is rewarded, but almost all bad deeds - do, if you was    I waited game like this very long (but I never think AoD will be that game). For this year I think it will be RPG of the year for me. Even Witcher 3 on second place.

    10 from 10 because:
    0. Story have very much sense. It is struggling world after fall of the Empire. Intrigues, plots, murders - part of this world. Not every good deed is rewarded, but almost all bad deeds - do, if you was smart ofcourse. Sometimes NPC trick you and can kill you or they just use you. It is brilliant. Why not all RPGs like that?
    1. Good and different story for every fraction. And game have 7 fractions! + side quests + few endings.
    2. Your choice really matters. Often it will kill you because you was stupid.
    3. Good char system. You cannot be godlike fighter and very good in other things at the same time. You must choose. Still you can finish almost every quest with almost any build if you make hybrid char but game will be much harder (and much more interesting)
    4. Hard and interesting turn-based fights and combat system. Alchemy and crafting really matters in many cases.
    5. Replayability. Its huge. Every fraction have unique story in same cities. And you choices in first city can change all game.

    All that is make this game very cool.
    It have flaws too. For me they didn't matter very much. Thats why I still give that game 10 from 10. But maybe that help you ti make up your mind:
    1. Graphics isn't very good.
    2. Game is too hard for novice players and children.
    3. All endings very logical but not very interesting. They just ok.

    Still if you like rich and story driven games and you understand this is indie and not AAA title - just give it a try. Demo is free. Maybe you find out it is wonderfull.    … Expand
  28. 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
  29. Mychkine
    Nov 9, 2015
    10
    This is a very original game, an experiment in storytelling that I hadn't really played before, bar perhaps Fallout 1. For this is a game that, while not being very long, is certainly one of the widest games I have ever played.

    Without spoilers, it has four acts, one per city and a finale where your former choices lead to one or another ending. In each of these acts, you will be    This is a very original game, an experiment in storytelling that I hadn't really played before, bar perhaps Fallout 1. For this is a game that, while not being very long, is certainly one of the widest games I have ever played.

    Without spoilers, it has four acts, one per city and a finale where your former choices lead to one or another ending.

    In each of these acts, you will be following a storyline that depends on your background (including your statistics) and your previous choices. You will also partake in some side quests, which are also background and choices dependant.

    A single walkthrough will not be very long, a couple hours for a pure talker, a bit more for a combat focused character (the fighting system is well made and well detailed and would work well in a squad-based tactical game I think), but it will show you only one (or a couple for well-designed builds) facets of the big picture.

    Nevertheless, you will have a lot of choices to make in most walkthrough, more so than in most RPG around, but what makes this game stand high and what will certainly make it stand the test of time is that, after several walkthoughs, there will still be shadows and mysteries to uncover for a new hero.

    Let us hope this game will not be one-of-his-kind and that other developers and designers will follow in his footsteps, taking all what is good in it and improving on these bases.    … Expand
  30. bobant92
    Nov 18, 2015
    10
    really solid game.

    looks and feels oldschool nothing fancy, but still not ugly. if you are a gamer from the previous millenia, you will love it. the story is awesome imo, i wouldnt like to spoil anything, so im just going to leave it at that. there are a really impressive amount of endings. any action you take will most likely effect the game somehow, or makes you get a different    really solid game.

    looks and feels oldschool nothing fancy, but still not ugly. if you are a gamer from the previous millenia, you will love it.

    the story is awesome imo, i wouldnt like to spoil anything, so im just going to leave it at that. there are a really impressive amount of endings. any action you take will most likely effect the game somehow, or makes you get a different ending. on your first playthrough, you might be underwhelmed, since its rather hard if not impossible to unlock all the content with one playthrough especially for the first time. its probably the rpg with the most replayability i have ever played. each different character you make will have a different outcome in the situations you encounter based on your skills and attitude.

    i also liked the combat system. it will be hard if you are not familiar with the same type of turn based strategies. it will be even a bit hard if you are, but once you get the feel of it it will be challenging but rewarding also. most aspects of it will include rng, so dont be shy with the savescumming. if you plan to do combat, you will die a few times. just remember. you are not a demigod...yet.    … 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.
    Read full review
  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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