Ancestors Legacy is an isometric real-time strategy game where Vikings, Saxons, and other ancient barbarian tribes strive to conquer medieval Europe through numerous tactical campaigns. You will participate in raids on enemy towns and settlements. You will have extensive tactical options at your disposal, as well as the advantages of the surrounding environment.
Ancestors Legacy is the debut of Destructive Creations, previously known for the brawler Hatred, in the real-time strategy genre, released for PC, Xbox One, and PS4 in 2018. The game is set in the dark ages of the Middle Ages and tells the story of bloody wars between European feudal lords. The developers have created a well-balanced RTS, with each element finely tuned, featuring many familiar game mechanics and modes for fans of the genre.
Even beginners can master Ancestors Legacy thanks to its low entry barrier. The game has a bit of everything: base building, capturing additional and key points on the map, researching technologies, and upgrading units. There are three types of resources in the game – wood (construction), metal (powerful units and upgrades), and food (morale).
The gameplay is based on four factions: Anglo-Saxons, Germans, Vikings, and Slavs. Each has its own set of units, buildings, technologies, and blessings (enhancing unit capabilities in attack, defense, or speed).
Unlike the Total War series, in Ancestors Legacy, the player controls small squads of five different types: spearmen, swordsmen, shield bearers, archers, and cavalry, with adjustments for faction characteristics. The combat system takes into account the type of unit (spearmen can easily handle cavalry), its position, and morale (a squad surrounded will be demoralized and scatter).
Thanks to Unreal Engine 4, the game not only has high-quality graphics but also features the influence of the map's landscape and time of day on gameplay. Units hide in tall grass and forests to set up ambushes, and at night, the visibility range is significantly reduced, with any flicker of flame revealing their position.
Ancestors Legacy offers two single-player modes – story campaigns and “Skirmish,” where the player faces off against AI on various maps.
The story consists of eight game campaigns, two per faction, but with different leaders and objectives, each offering five increasingly challenging missions. Players are introduced to historically inspired stories based on events from the distant past. Immersion in the era is aided by units and structures made in precise accordance with their historical counterparts.
The campaign maps are handcrafted, tailored to the actions the player will take. Each mission begins with a drawn briefing explaining the disposition of the sides.
In “Skirmish,” the player or AI must destroy each other within a set time or until points run out. The gameplay pace increases significantly, requiring simultaneous control of unit recruitment, base upgrades, and resource point capture and defense. The game maps are different, equalizing the starting positions of players and designed for various numbers of players – 2, 4, 6, but no more than two teams.
В сетевых баталиях Ancestors Legacy раскрывается с самой лучшей стороны. В режиме 3 на 3 игрока у каждой из сторон достаточно юнитов, чтобы не только вступить в бой на широком фронте, но и провести окружение, а также держать пару отрядов в запасе для прикрытия собственных флангов.
Сражения становятся более интересными, часто инициатива переходит из рук в руки. Возрастает роль тактических связок между юнитами разных фракций. Очень часто случаются кровавые замесы, когда игроки, не желая отступать, вводят свои подкрепления – тогда все дерутся со всеми и можно сделать несколько интересных кадров экшен-камерой.
Возможностей для победы две – одна требует разрушить вражеские базы, другая – одержать победу по очкам («Господство»). Игроки сражаются на тех же картах, что в игре против ИИ, но теперь возможна координация действий с другими игроками.
- Для боевой системы было записано почти 600 анимаций различных движений, каждый бой становится уникальным;
- Режим «экшен-камеры» переносит на поле боя с видом из-за спин солдат, превращая стычку отрядов в зрелище, полное крови и криков;
- Множество геймплейных деталей – раненный боец медленнее и слабее здорового, сытый эффективнее голодного.