Builders of Egypt
Release Date: January 8, 2025
Strategy, economic, ancient history, Polish, Egypt, city builder, singleplayer
Steam
Debut economic strategy of Strategy Labs. Builders of Egypt takes place in ancient Egypt and was inspired by the cult Pharaoh released in 1999 for the PC.
Builders of Egypt, formerly known as Hard Ancient Life, is the debut title of Strategy Labs. It is a classic city builder, which brings to mind such games as Pharaoh, Children of the Nile or the Caesar series. The game focuses on the development and management of a city in ancient Egypt. Builders of Egypt was first released in Steam early access, and before buying, players can check out the game's prologue for free, containing the initial mission, which familiarizes them with the basic mechanics.
Plot
The action of the game takes place in ancient times, in the Nile Valley. Builders of Egypt offers an extensive, historical campaign, which begins in the prehistoric period (3200-3000 BC) and ends with the reign and death of Cleopatra VII of the Ptolemaic dynasty (51-30 BC). In each mission the player has different goals to fulfill: diplomatic, economic or military.
Mechanics
Builders of Egypt was heavily inspired by Pharaoh from 1999, but similar mechanics relate only to the basics, i.e. the development of the city, which is going to be attacked sporadically by enemy units, and watching the slow and very expensive process of creating monuments, for which Egypt is famous (including mastabas, obelisks, and pyramids). Skilful management plays a significant role in economic prosperity, so care must be taken to ensure that specific buildings are located properly and that paths are linked to speed up the circulation of resources and commercial goods.
The game emphasizes the religious aspect - the player must respond to the needs of the society and provide it with access to temples, places of worship or festivals in honor of the gods. Trade is also important. During the game it is necessary not only to collect taxes, but also to fulfill the wishes of the pharaoh, maintain good relations with partners with whom we negotiate, and analyze the market and export profitable goods in a given period of time, in order to improve the financial situation of the city. We can even send out expeditions to find rare resources, but if it doesn't end in complete failure, it can be an extremely profitable business.
In order to improve moods among the citizens, it is also necessary to take care of the diplomatic and political sphere. Players are responsible for responding to requests from other cities, maintaining good relations with trading partners, dealing with military threats, and reporting to the pharaoh to avoid his anger.
If wrong choices and poor city management are made, religious unrest, hunger and even civil war can be brought about.
Technical aspects
Builders of Egypt was created using Unreal Engine 4. The graphics are fully three-dimensional and very colorful. The devs tried to carefully reproduce the architecture of ancient Egypt, which can also be admired from up close.
Last updated on June 18, 2020
Videos and Screens
[1:03] Builders of Egypt - Release Date Reveal Trailer
[1:10] Builders of Egypt trailer #1
The main pros of the game
- Nostalgic Appeal: Many players appreciate the game's resemblance to classic city builders like "Pharaoh," finding it enjoyable for fans of the genre.
- Art Style: Some users praised the graphics and overall aesthetic, noting that the game has a unique visual appeal despite some graphical issues.
- Soundtrack and Atmosphere: The music and ambiance received positive mentions, contributing to an immersive experience.
- Potential for Improvement: Several players expressed hope for future updates and improvements, recognizing the game's potential despite its current issues.
- Engaging Gameplay Mechanics: Some users found the economic and city-building mechanics to be engaging, requiring thoughtful planning and strategy.
The main cons of the game
- Bugs and Technical Issues: Players frequently reported crashes, bugs, and poor optimization, leading to a frustrating experience. Issues like black screens, unresponsive UI, and graphical glitches were common.
- Clunky Controls and UI: Many reviews highlighted the game's user interface as confusing and unintuitive, making it difficult to navigate and manage city-building tasks.
- Poorly Designed Tutorials: The tutorial was criticized for being inadequate and often leading players to confusion rather than helping them understand the game mechanics.
- Economic Imbalance: Users noted issues with the economy, such as high worker demands leading to negative balances, which made gameplay challenging and unbalanced.
- Limited Replayability: Some players felt that the sandbox mode was limited and lacked depth, which reduced the game's replay value.
The features or elements that are missing from the game according to users
- Improved Documentation and Tutorials: Players expressed a desire for more comprehensive tutorials and documentation to help them understand the game mechanics better.
- Enhanced UI/UX: Suggestions included a more intuitive user interface and clearer indicators for building requirements and worker needs.
- More Decorative Elements: Users mentioned a lack of decorative features and variety in building types, which would enhance city aesthetics and customization.
- Better Economic Management Tools: Players requested more tools for managing the economy, such as clearer tracking of income and expenses, and improved stockpile management.
- Map Editor: Some users expressed a desire for a map editor to create custom scenarios and enhance the sandbox experience.
Summary
- In summary, while "Builders of Egypt" has received mixed reviews with some players enjoying its nostalgic elements and potential, many others have pointed out significant flaws in its execution, particularly regarding technical performance and user experience.
Summary generated on:
Builders of Egypt Summary
Game Series: Builders
Platforms:
PC / Windows
Developer: Strategy Labs
Publisher: PlayWay
Age restrictions: 12+
Builders of Egypt System Requirements
PC / Windows
Minimum: Intel Core i5-6600K / AMD Ryzen 5 1600, 4 GB RAM, graphic card 6 GB GeForce GTX 1060 / 8 GB Radeon RX 580, 20 GB HDD, Windows 8.1/10 64-bit
Recommended: Intel Core i7-6700K / AMD Ryzen 5 3600, 8 GB RAM, graphic card 6 GB GeForce RTX 2060 / 8 GB Radeon RX 5700, 20 GB HDD, Windows 8.1/10 64-bit
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video games
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August 8, 2023
Builders of Egypt Demo Released
Builders of Egypt: Prologue, a demo city builder set in the realities of ancient Egypt, is now available on Steam and GOG.com. Strategy Labs is responsible for the title, and the publisher is PlayWay.
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Agnes Adamus
March 2, 2020