Stormgate Review Summary

Campaign is fun and engaging: The campaign mode is widely praised for being fun, interesting, and well-designed. Players enjoy the variety of missions, the blend of new units, side quests, exploration, and interesting objectives.

Continuous improvements: Players note that the game has evolved and improved over time, with constant updates and enhancements.

Game runs smoothly: The game is noted for running great and smoothly. Players appreciate the polished feel and the fact that it runs well on high settings.

Free-to-play model: The game offers a free-to-play model with various modes available for free, including multiplayer and skirmish modes.

High potential: The game is seen as having a lot of potential and showing promise for future development.

Game lacks polish: Many players have noted that the game feels unfinished and lacks polish, particularly in cinematics and overall presentation. There are frequent mentions of the game being rough around the edges and needing more development time.

Disappointing compared to expectations: Many players express disappointment, stating that the game fell short of their expectations and did not live up to the promise or the standards set by its predecessors.

Boring and underwhelming gameplay: A significant number of reviews highlight that the gameplay is boring and underwhelming. Players find the missions and overall gameplay experience lacking in excitement and engagement.

Missing promised features: There are complaints about many promised features being missing from the game. Players feel that the game was released without all the advertised content.

Unit pathfinding issues: There are numerous complaints about unit pathfinding being poorly implemented. Players report that unit movement and control are problematic and need improvement.

Campaign mode details: The game features a story-driven campaign with 12 missions, offering a mix of free and paid content. Players have noted the introduction and overall enjoyment of the campaign.

Gameplay improvements and style: The gameplay has been praised for its smooth and responsive mechanics, with improvements in art style and engine performance. It is described as fast-paced and fun.

1v1 multiplayer focus: The game offers various 1v1 multiplayer modes, including ladder and skirmish options. This mode is highlighted as a significant feature for competitive play.

Editor capabilities: The game features an editor with extensive capabilities, including terrain editing and custom map creation. This tool is designed for player creativity and community content.

Automated assistance systems: The game includes automated systems for tasks like building depots, unit production, and worker management. These systems are designed to assist players with various in-game tasks.

Smooth and responsive gameplay: Many players experience smooth and responsive gameplay, with natural controls and efficient pathfinding.

Optimization issues: Players report various optimization problems, including computer shutdowns and poor performance on high-end hardware.

Server and connectivity issues: There are numerous reports of server problems, including connection hangs, losing connection to servers, and poor server performance.

Miscellaneous bugs and glitches: Players encounter various bugs and glitches, including unhandled exceptions, screen blackouts, and login interface freezes.

Graphical and engine issues: There are reports of graphical glitches, lighting problems, and issues related to the UE5 engine.

Highly recommended for RTS fans: Many players highly recommend this game, especially for those interested in the RTS genre. They suggest giving it a try due to its engaging content and appeal to RTS enthusiasts.

Worth trying the free version: Several reviews mention that the game is worth trying out, particularly because it is free to play. This makes it accessible for new players to experience without financial commitment.

Appeals to StarCraft fans: The game is often recommended for fans of StarCraft and Blizzard-style RTS games. Players suggest that if you enjoy those games, this one is worth trying.

Specific improvements needed: Players have identified several areas for improvement, including the story, realism, offline mode, maps, unit handling, and various technical issues like keybinds and camera zoom.

Game has potential: Many players believe the game has potential for future content and improvements. They suggest that with more development and funding, it could become a great game.

Steam Deck: The analysis of user feedback reveals several significant issues impacting the overall experience of the game. The most prominent issue is the requirement for the game to be always online, even for single-player campaigns, which has led to widespread frustration. Performance and optimization issues, particularly on the Steam Deck, are also notable concerns. Additionally, the presence of kernel-level anti-cheat and lack of Linux support have discouraged many users. Frequent crashes and stability issues further exacerbate the negative experience. Lastly, some users have reported problems with the user interface and controls.

Monetization: The game has been widely criticized for its aggressive monetization strategies, including pay-to-play campaign missions, misleading marketing, broken promises, overpriced microtransactions, and early access paywalls. These practices have led to a significant backlash from players, particularly those who supported the game early on through Kickstarter and other means.

External guides: The primary user complaints revolve around the lack of an in-game encyclopedia or guide, which forces users to rely on external sources for crucial information. Additionally, there are significant issues with bugs and technical problems, as well as concerns about the user interface and navigation within the game.

Large Chinese Player Base: The game has a significant player base in China, particularly for map editing, indicating a strong community involvement in custom content creation.

Early Access Context: The game is currently in Early Access, which means it is still under development and may have unfinished features or bugs.

Battle Aces Mention: There are references to Battle Aces, which could be a game mode, feature, or related content within the game.

Petting the Dog: Players have noted the ability to pet a dog on the ship, which could be a small but enjoyable interaction feature within the game.