Thea: The Awakening

1. Cablenexus

   Nov 23, 2015

   10

   As an older gamer I see so many games already and so many mechanism past my screen that it's getting more and more difficult to be impressedAs an older gamer I see so many games already and so many mechanism past my screen that it's getting more and more difficult to be impressed by a new game. Heroes of Might and Magic III was one of the first games I played and really liked. It was a turn based game with a big map where you have to search for monsters and treasures on a fantasy setting. Since that moment I played that game it's my favorite genre.
   20 years later many games tried to be successful in the genre. The disciples series for example and the Age of Wonders series managed to make a wonderful collection of games.
   I think I can name another 200 turn based strategy games I played afterwards and many of them did a really good job to copy many parts of those games mentioned and with different succes.
   What confuse me now is that everytime a new game release in the genre it have better graphics but the game mechanism is almost the same every time. It's like most devs are afraid to take a different path and try something new. So for me the genre is stale now and streamlining, tablet games and dumbed down versions of many games released now doesn't make this any better.
   So here start my review of Thea: The Awakening. While developed by a small 4 member dev team they managed to be original in almost every part of the genre and without any compromise. What you get here is a fully rendered random adventure map every time you play. With random resources, random monster lairs and loads of other adventure objects. You can customize the difficulty of how you want to play completely. Like the size of the map, the strength of the encounters and even if you want to play in iron mode you can if you want. You are a god and all gods in the game have a different skillset which unlocks while playing the game. You start with only two gods and when gathering XP you unlock more on the run. The god isn't controlled directly but give direction to your small village somewhere on the map. This village is your main base. From here you start to send expeditions out in the world to gather for resources and to unfold the many, excellent written, storylines in the game. Those resources you use for feed your people and fuel your crafting system. There are 4400 items in game now and the devs plan to extend this number with free only DLC.With those resources you can almost craft an infinite number of items like weapons, but also crafting tools and gathering tools. You can even find other creatures to support you in your quest to victory.
   Your task is to keep your villagers alive, equip them with the many items you find or craft, explore and survive the region. Difference between characters is not only because of gear, but because of a comprehensive skill list as well. More depth then many RPG games you find here while building your characters. Those skills comes in handy when you encounter the numerous quest stories on the map and in your home town.
   When an encounter happens the game change is what the devs call a mini card game, but believe me they are way to modest. This card game have depth, is complex but easy to understand. It looks simple at first, but because the different skills, weapon combinations every fight turns out in a different card game you can easily compare with the big names in the industry. You have a card draw, a reshuffle option and you have to play it out very tactical to survive with two random elements. The stats of the monsters are different every time and the initiative of the characters as well.
   If you want your characters not get involved in a fight most of the time you have another option to play the card game a different way. Like a sneak challenge or a tactic challenge. The difference is the loot is less but it prevent your characters from getting wounded.
   I have 23 hours in the game in 3 days and I'm still hooked to it. It's a fresh new welcome addition to the genre and I expect some big AAA companies are following this title closely at the moment.
   As I said the small dev team, non native English speakers managed to make modern and fresh fantasy storylines within a Slavic Mythology setting. The artwork is really beautiful. The interface is clean, all 4400 items in game have a different clean picture, the map is a hex based 3D landscape with 3D character models all DX11 proof. The card game is more old style like an original paper fantasy card game. The stories are all illustrated with beautiful paintings. Another thing I recognize is that in every different type of challenge or fight the background and sound effects change to the situation you are in. I see many games from tripe A companies that don't manage this very well and this is perfect for ambience and really makes you love this game. I rate this 10/10 without doubt and advice you to read some reviews of the game on the better non commercial gaming sites like Spacesector or eXplorminate. And excuse for my bad English for this long read I'm from Holland myself.… Expand

   • 25 of 29 users found this helpful
2. Rafotron

   Dec 6, 2015

   10

   An incredibly personable, meticulously designed and atmospheric game. Beautiful art, a dark story wrapped in Slavic mythology and a steelAn incredibly personable, meticulously designed and atmospheric game. Beautiful art, a dark story wrapped in Slavic mythology and a steel backbone of carefully interwoven card game mechanics coupled with rogue-like and strategy elements.
   
   One of the most innovative and special games of the last few years. Buy it.… Expand

   • 1 of 5 users found this helpful
4. ferrata

   Aug 31, 2016

   10

   Yeah, I don't get it. I guess in order to be a professional critic you have to take all kinds of nonsense into account when rating a game.Yeah, I don't get it. I guess in order to be a professional critic you have to take all kinds of nonsense into account when rating a game. My only criteria for rating a game is how much enjoyment I get out of it.
   
   I found Thea: The Awakening on Steam while looking for a new game to scratch my turn-based itch. From the description, to the screenshots, to the reviews, it looked like a hidden gem. I picked it up and installed it straight away.
   
   I was so surprised. The best way for me to describe Thea: The Awakening is it's much of the game that Elemental (by Stardock) wishes it would have been. You, a fallen God in a fallen world, must guide your few remaining followers back from the brink of extinction. You do this by managing your settlement (domestic resource/people management with lots of options) and organizing expeditions.
   
   Expeditions can go out into the world to hunt, gather, etc. They can also adventure - visiting sites and monster lairs and following up on rumors. All expeditions (like your settlement) are bound to the resource system, i.e. your parties are dependent on fuel and food.
   
   "Combat" in the game is perhaps more accurately called "Conflict Resolution", as all manner of tests are resolved using the same base mechanics, those in the form of a card game. There are combat tests, social tests, sneakiness tests... all manner of things that some of your followers will be better at than others. This card game, at first, is a bit overwhelming and difficult to understand. But if you just bite the bullet and play it through a few times (damn the torpedoes!), not only will you quickly get the hang of it, but it becomes quite fun! The cards themselves are very well drawn sketch-art, and provide nice ambience to the whole game setting. And while some might gig the game for not having a "tactical combat system", the card game serves that purpose well, and allows for non-combat resolution all in one go. Brilliant. I would rather have a good card game than crappily done top-down tactical battles anyways.
   
   As for the story elements, thus far they are quite refreshing and imaginative. I'll just leave it at that.
   
   Amazing how easy it is to become attached to some sketch drawings. Last night, two of my followers died after a bad ambush. I was quite disappointed, and I'm really looking forward to going back tonight to see what comes of my people.
   
   I'd like to add that my Steam purchase included free DLC. The devs have a voluntary DLC contribution that can be made... something that I look forward to contributing to. I haven't scratched the surface of this game and find myself already clamoring for future content.… Expand

   • 2 of 3 users found this helpful
5. crayno66

   Mar 1, 2017

   9

   It's been a long time since I have been so pleasantly surprised by a game.
   It's original and well narrated and although I have just finishedIt's been a long time since I have been so pleasantly surprised by a game.
   It's original and well narrated and although I have just finished it for the first time it seems that there's still much more to uncover.
   
   Just one more turn..........… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
6. Enosu

   Dec 7, 2015

   9

   I have been lurking on this site for years and never once felt the need to go through with making an account until now. This game is soI have been lurking on this site for years and never once felt the need to go through with making an account until now. This game is so underappreciated. Not just because it is amazing (top reviews do a good job explaining why) but because the dev team is fantastic as well. They reply to pretty much every relevant discussion topic on Steam.
   
   The ONLY thing holding this game back is simply a lack of features caused by a lack of production power. The dev team is too small and poor to get all these features done on time. If this game isn't successful chances are it will be abandoned, but even after a failed Kickstarter. they continued on, and I am so glad they did. This game is breath of fresh air.
   
   After going through title after title dropping every new game since Pillars of Eternity, GTA, and the Witcher, there is finally another game that makes me lose track of time.
   
   The devs need your help. Please purchase this game! It's only $20! Future DLCs are FREE as well, unlike Civilization.
   
   I can only imagine what could have been done if that Kickstarter was successful; how amazing a fully realized Thea would be. But I'm still going to play the **** out of this game. With how constantly its being updated, it will be a long time before I get bored.… Expand

   • 3 of 5 users found this helpful
7. nickderpderp

   Aug 1, 2018

   8

   Surprisingly good. I guess some part of the side stories aren't for everyone, gameplay may be a repetitive and soundtrack is not the best ofSurprisingly good. I guess some part of the side stories aren't for everyone, gameplay may be a repetitive and soundtrack is not the best of all, but overall it's a great, unique experience.… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
8. Broyax

   Feb 10, 2020

   0

   Une sorte de Civilization du pauvre avec des graphismes particulièrement minables et un environnement de villageois tout aussi minables... EnUne sorte de Civilization du pauvre avec des graphismes particulièrement minables et un environnement de villageois tout aussi minables... En vérité, tout est désespérément minable dans cette espèce de jeu indé qui voudrait se prendre pour un boeuf mais qui reste une misérable limace...
   
   Les graphismes donc en 256 couleurs, simplets et très misérables, ce qui n'étonne pas plus que ça puisque c'est réalisé avec le moteur Trinity, le moteur des jeux de misérables surtout utilisé par les développeurs indés à la petite semaine et pour cause : c'est de la daube pas chère pour les bricolos du dimanche !
   
   Le pseudo-jeu est tout en anglais en tout cas et d'un abord très peu engageant... après un "tutorial" qui fait le service minimum, il faut se démerder avec un merdier inexpugnable fait de menus et sous-menus disposés dans tous les sens. Gérer ce truc à la con est par conséquent une perte de temps ; on demandera à la poubelle si elle veut s'en occuper.… Expand

   • 0 of 2 users found this helpful

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