Reviews“Age of Decadence is an RPG to its core. It offers the player a wealth of choices, many of them carrying lofty consequences along with them. The core design element of player choice transcends simple dialogue choices, as players can progress through the game in a variety of styles. Many games offer up the illusion of choice while failing to actually deliver, but Age of Decadence serves up difficult and tangible crossroads with no looking back. It may have some rough spots, but it is one of the most well-designed RPGs I have had the pleasure of enjoying.”9/10 –“But Age of Decadence wants nothing to do with kobolds, just as it wants nothing to do with Doo-dads of Unimaginable Power. The overarching idea is a crumbling society divided among three noble Houses, each fumbling around in its own version of darkness to comprehend what destroyed the world.
THE AGE OF DECADENCE is a pseudo-apocalyptic role-playing game inspired by the fall of the Roman Empire. The world has fallen apart as a result of a massive and bloody magical war, and you have to try to find a way to survive the aftermath.
That’s the central mystery. It plays out like noir in that you are the detective, piecing together what really happened from differing accounts, all vividly written with clear voices and efficient prose. And like a detective in a noir yarn, you can’t help but become part of the central mystery, effecting an outcome you might not have intended. Age of Decadence might run away from you.”4/5 –“The Age of Decadence is a dream game from fans of the purest form of cRPG to others. An very interesting narrative driven title with a superb C&C system in place, a well meditated combat system and a world and inhabitants that keep surprising you at every step.”9/10 –.
About This GameThe Age of Decadence, our first but hopefully not the last RPG, is now available. If you've been following it or playing it in Early Access, you know what to expect. If you've just discovered it, 'stay awhile and listen'. The most commonly asked question is: What Kind of Game Is It?It’s a very different game than anything you’ve ever played.
I’m sure you’ve noticed that the RPG genre hasn’t really been explored yet and most RPGs follow the formula that didn’t change in 20 years. While there were always games that strayed off the beaten path – Darklands, Planescape: Torment, King of Dragon Pass – such games were the exceptions that only reinforced the rule.The Age of Decadence is an experiment, an attempt to explore a different direction, taking you back to the PnP roots of the genre.
It doesn’t mean that the game is awesome. In fact, there is a good chance that you won’t like it, precisely because we took too many liberties with the established design.So What Sets The Age of Decadence Apart From Other Games? The SetupTraditionally, many fantasy RPGs are about killing things, clearing up dungeons, and being a hero. There is nothing wrong with mindless fun and wish fulfillment, but we want to offer you something different.
To quote Tom Chick (Quarter to Three's game critic):'But Age of Decadence wants nothing to do with kobolds, just as it wants nothing to do with Doo-dads of Unimaginable Power. The overarching idea is a crumbling society divided among three noble Houses, each fumbling around in its own version of darkness to comprehend what destroyed the world. That’s the central mystery. It plays out like noir in that you are the detective, piecing together what really happened from differing accounts, all vividly written with clear voices and efficient prose. And like a detective in a noir yarn, you can’t help but become part of the central mystery, effecting an outcome you might not have intended.' The Age of Decadence is not a game about killing monsters or exploring mystical lands, but rather, surviving amid the greed and brutality of your fellow humans and carving out a name for yourself. Good and bad are purely relative.
The Age of Decadence Review
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Introduction
Originally announced in 2004, The Age of Decadence is an isometric CRPG developed by Iron Tower Studio. Set in a post-apocalyptic setting inspired by the fall of the Roman Empire, the game features brutal turn-based combat, a complex branching storyline, and a plethora of skill checks. For a long time, it was one of the few titles that promised a return to the design values of games like Fallout and Darklands.
However, the RPG landscape has changed dramatically since the announcement of The Age of Decadence. Crowdfunding happened. Titles like The Banner Saga, Shadowrun Returns, Wasteland 2, Divinity: Original Sin and Pillars of Eternity might not have been to everyone's taste but did a lot to serve a previously ignored niche.
The Age of Decadence can't simply sell itself as an old-school CRPG anymore. It has to stand on its own merits. The question then is: does the title have something to offer in a post-Kickstarter landscape?
A Decadent Setting
The game's story takes place in a post-apocalyptic world that is strongly inspired by the fall of the Roman Empire, though it's still an original setting and still includes some low fantasy elements.
Because of its inspirations, The Age of Decadence's setting doesn't need to waste time explaining itself. It also feels fresh, however, because the idea of a Roman-themed post-apocalypse is so rare compared to the average pseudo-medieval fantasy.
Long before the events of the game, a war between the empire that had conquered most of the known world and the 'barbarian' tribes of the Qantari escalated to the point where both powers sought the help of extraordinary otherwordly beings.
Accounts vary on how exactly those events transpired (and, indeed, much of the game can be spent piecing them together) but the results are obvious: the world is in ruins. Precious few towns dot the arid, poisonous deserts that were created by the apocalyptic magic used during the war.
In spite of the scale of the conflict, however, The Age of Decadence is extremely grounded. It's a game about political intrigue and men's schemes and plots. Its story starts with the discovery of a map that is supposed to lead to an ancient temple and can branch in very different directions depending on various factors.
The Age of Decadence delivers choices with consequences in a way that puts most other titles to shame. Each of the game's backgrounds changes the start of the game dramatically, and the guild plotlines have several branches and outcomes. There are several ways to accomplish an objective... and several ways to fail to accomplish it.
Attributes, skills, previous choices, reputations forged with the various factions, snippets of lore learned along the way, and even the items collected all come back into play during the game's quests, for good and ill.
For example, I managed to convince a preacher in the starting town that I was chosen by the gods, which later helped me access a holy city. Failing to convince him, however, would have damaged my reputation with the noble house that governs the city. Those are just minor examples too. The same city could end up under the control of very different rulers, depending on the player's choices.
Along the way, the game slowly but surely shifts its focus. At the beginning, legends of the war and the lords seem distant, while the focus is firmly on survival. But if a character manages to survive enough to progress throughout the story, those elements come naturally into play.
Originally announced in 2004, The Age of Decadence is an isometric CRPG developed by Iron Tower Studio. Set in a post-apocalyptic setting inspired by the fall of the Roman Empire, the game features brutal turn-based combat, a complex branching storyline, and a plethora of skill checks. For a long time, it was one of the few titles that promised a return to the design values of games like Fallout and Darklands.
However, the RPG landscape has changed dramatically since the announcement of The Age of Decadence. Crowdfunding happened. Titles like The Banner Saga, Shadowrun Returns, Wasteland 2, Divinity: Original Sin and Pillars of Eternity might not have been to everyone's taste but did a lot to serve a previously ignored niche.
The Age of Decadence can't simply sell itself as an old-school CRPG anymore. It has to stand on its own merits. The question then is: does the title have something to offer in a post-Kickstarter landscape?
A Decadent Setting
The game's story takes place in a post-apocalyptic world that is strongly inspired by the fall of the Roman Empire, though it's still an original setting and still includes some low fantasy elements.
Because of its inspirations, The Age of Decadence's setting doesn't need to waste time explaining itself. It also feels fresh, however, because the idea of a Roman-themed post-apocalypse is so rare compared to the average pseudo-medieval fantasy.
Long before the events of the game, a war between the empire that had conquered most of the known world and the 'barbarian' tribes of the Qantari escalated to the point where both powers sought the help of extraordinary otherwordly beings.
Accounts vary on how exactly those events transpired (and, indeed, much of the game can be spent piecing them together) but the results are obvious: the world is in ruins. Precious few towns dot the arid, poisonous deserts that were created by the apocalyptic magic used during the war.
In spite of the scale of the conflict, however, The Age of Decadence is extremely grounded. It's a game about political intrigue and men's schemes and plots. Its story starts with the discovery of a map that is supposed to lead to an ancient temple and can branch in very different directions depending on various factors.
The Age of Decadence delivers choices with consequences in a way that puts most other titles to shame. Each of the game's backgrounds changes the start of the game dramatically, and the guild plotlines have several branches and outcomes. There are several ways to accomplish an objective... and several ways to fail to accomplish it.
Attributes, skills, previous choices, reputations forged with the various factions, snippets of lore learned along the way, and even the items collected all come back into play during the game's quests, for good and ill.
For example, I managed to convince a preacher in the starting town that I was chosen by the gods, which later helped me access a holy city. Failing to convince him, however, would have damaged my reputation with the noble house that governs the city. Those are just minor examples too. The same city could end up under the control of very different rulers, depending on the player's choices.
Along the way, the game slowly but surely shifts its focus. At the beginning, legends of the war and the lords seem distant, while the focus is firmly on survival. But if a character manages to survive enough to progress throughout the story, those elements come naturally into play.
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