AoD is one of the best RPGs I've played.

[Coocoodas]

Starting with Fallout 1, I've been playing many RPGs, and AOD is no doubt the best among those.


What is a RPG about? To me it's all about immersion and role-playing. A cyber experience that is realistic and plausible for me to play the role of a character, pondering over each decision and carefully navigating the world as if it were real.


There is a strong ongoing trend of casualization in RPG and qualities I seek in RPG have long disappeared for many years. Most of so called AAA RPGs have an abhorrent level of writing, flashy but shallow characters with no depth, plots that are either childish to the point of cringeworthy level or that contradicts itself within the game, an extreme hand holding and accommodations to let gamers do whatever the hell they want even if it is going for the final boss at level 1. For that reason, Mass Effect2&3, Dragon Age 2, and (especially) Skyrim didn't have an appeal to me.


I can't get much immersion from an ancient evil hellbent on world domination, prophecies of the chosen one(which always happens to be you), and a superhero main character who can do everything at his/her whim without so much as a minor setback as a consequence.


To make an analogy of these settings in real life, it would be as if there were an evil alien invasion to conquer earth, second coming of Jesus(which happens to be me, by the way), and I having an sexual intercourse with every woman I lay my eyes on and winning every lottery I purchase. Does that make sense? No, that's plain ridiculous. Then why should we be treated as such in video games? I know it's a fiction, but give me a plausible one that I can actually believe and immerse myself in.


I don't want an ancient evil without a plausible explanation. I don't want every female character to sleep with me when I click a dialogue with a heart icon on it. I don't want to be the stupid chosen one foretold by prophecy. I don't want to be a superhuman capable of miracles. I don't want characters that speak as if they were in a elementary school theatricals(go away Skyrim).


I want villains to have reasons for their actions and act smart. I want everyone with brain to have their own agenda instead of being a decoration to the grand journey of the main character. I fully expect character to deceive and backstab me should they see my vulnerability or weakness, and I don't expect a divine punishment that magically leads those who wronged me to my path so I can reclaim the stolen money. If I've been tricked and they ran away, so be it. I want factions to have more interactions without player's intervention. I want choices to matter. I want the game to smack me full in the face if I make wrong decisions and I want situations sometimes presented without obvious answers.


Where most RPGs failed to do these, AOD did all of these perfectly and more.


On top of being the ideal RPG I dreamed of, the game adds brutal and realistic combat, multiple ways to solve quests, meaningful skill checks that far surpasses what was shown in Fallout 1,2 and New Vegas, great plot variations.


AOD is the single best game in terms of plot diversity; there is not a game that comes even close; neither Alpha protocol, the Witcher, DA, or ME. It opens up role-playing possibilities to the level never seen in other games before.


I can see how much effort has been put for the 12 years of the development and in that respect this game is unique; I don't know if I will see a game like AOD again.

The only grudge I have against this game is the long development time. I do not like dungeon crawlers so I am not really looking forward to the sequel. It may take another 10 years for the folks at the Iron Tower Studio to produce something of AOD calibre, or perhaps never if the game doesn't sell better. It makes me sad that a hidden diamond such as AOD is not recognized by broader audience. This is a game that should sell at least half a million copies since there must be millions of hardcore RPG fans around the world. Iron Tower will most likely remain indie considering the sales figure revealed in the post release update, and I am truly sad that I won't have another experience like AOD for many years even if Iron Tower keeps making great games.


For those who enjoyed the game like me, you should try Expeditions:Conquistador. It provides a similar experience to AOD although AOD is much deeper and diverse.




Is it just me or is there anyone who shares my sentiment?


I will say it one more time: Age of Decadence is the greatest RPG ever among over 100 RPGs I've played in lifetime; it's even better than games that I loved and enjoyed such as Fallout 2, Baldur's Gate 2, Planescape:Torment, Arcanum, Vampire:Masquerade, Neverwinter Nights Mask of the Betrayer, Knights of the Old Republic, Mass Effect, Dragon Age, The Witcher, Skyrim, Wasteland 2, Divinity Original Sin, and many more.

[Lexxx20]

I totally agree with you, mate. I can totally put this game aside such classics as Fallout, Arcanum and Planescape. It's my favorite RPG of the last 10 or so years, I can't believe someone finally made an RPG with original ideas, mechanics and gameplay, not some cinema-like ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ or another classics remake. Roleplay finally matters, that's what all genre is about, dammit! People totally forgot about it. Player's choice finally matters and every decision has consequences, your every move can change the world and destiny of certain people or even entire city, region, Great House. The things I like about this game the most are flexibility of roleplay, matter of choice and interconnection of every story line in game.

[ArcticStan]

that's why text rpg/adventure are more about rpg then most of "classics".
for example King of Dragon Pass, or Academagia, had a lot more role-playing then any PoE style games

[Freemark]

King of Dragon Pass was kind of a disappointment for me, looks good for the first hour or so then all its limits start to come up.

[Vince]

Originally posted by Coocoodas:

Starting with Fallout 1, I've been playing many RPGs, and AOD is no doubt the best among those.

Thanks.

Iron Tower will most likely remain indie considering the sales figure revealed in the post release update...

Could have been better, but also could have been way worse. AoD is a very niche game that lacks mass appeal. We knew it when we started (knew that it will never be a hit), so our range of possibilities when it comes to sales was between 'disastrous' and 'a fighting chance'. We got that fighting chance and we're very grateful to players like you who gave us that chance.

The only grudge I have against this game is the long development time. I do not like dungeon crawlers so I am not really looking forward to the sequel.

Right now we're still working on AoD. Early next year we'll switch to two projects: the dungeon crawler aimed to boost sales and a generation ship RPG.

AoD took a long time because:

- we didn't have any experience and had to learn everything trial-n-error style
- we didn't have any tools and systems (i.e. we didn't have the RPG engine)
- we worked part-time
- we didn't even have a full team when we started.

Now that we have the experience, the engine, the tools, the team and are working full time, the next game won't take as long. We're planning to release the dungeon crawler at the end of 2016 and release the generation ship RPG on Steam's Early Access in 2018.

[Tokimasa]

I sign here too.

AoD is really an excellent game. It is very addictive.
While playing, i sometimes reminded some of the books i read yeras ago. You made me dream.

I won't list all the good things i love here (Lexxx20 already greatly did and i agree with him), but :
I can't thank you ("Iron Tower") enough for all the pleasure you are giving me with Age of Decadence.

I am talking around me of AoD, but most of my (french) friends are reluctant to play in english and are waiting for a translated game.

[screeg]

I agree with all the sentiments in the thread but this

Originally posted by Coocoodas:

Most of so called AAA RPGs have an abhorrent level of writing...

is what really amazes me. I can't understand how the writing for all the AAA games is so widely praised, when even compared to an everyday fantasy novel it's predictable dreck.

[DanielMisier]

This my new all time fav game.

[Snurf Snurf [CAKE]]

I second these opinions.

Great job, Iron Tower !

[Windir]

I'm giving The Age of Decadence the highest possible honour by mentioning it in the same sentence as Planescape: Torment, Arcanum: Of Steamworks and Magick Obscura and Fallout 1 & 2.

Excellent writing and lore. Engaging storylines. Choices actually have consequences. Quests can be solved in a number of ingenious ways. Great combat and crafting. Lovecraftian setting.

[tedlewton]

Great job Iron Tower, a masterpiece!
If you had an A list type engine in this game I think you would be mainstream with this one.

[Goral]

You can show your appreciation by writing a positive review on Steam, metacritic and GOG. Every vote and opinion counts and it doesn't take that long to register.

[Rover_27]

you're not alone

[DeN_DarK]

I agree - it my favorite RPG of all times too. And I into RPG since Eye Of Beholder )
Writing and plot are very good and without cliche. But most of all I like branching in quests and nice difficulty.

For hardcore players modern games are lacking difficulty. Most things devs do for us - they give Hard difficulty with +XXXX% to HP for monsters. It isn't interesting it is boring.

Here I see tactical challenges combined with nice story (even if ending still lacking Grand Finale).

As about sales - they actually good for indie game made not for casual players. Maybe it isn't in modern fashion. But still it is jewel in RPGs world comparible with classical 90-es RPGs

[DeN_DarK]

Originally posted by Vince:

Now that we have the experience, the engine, the tools, the team and are working full time, the next game won't take as long. We're planning to release the dungeon crawler at the end of 2016 and release the generation ship RPG on Steam's Early Access in 2018.

I think you must add some time as buffer to your dates. If you make it earlier - good. But if you start to move dates again many people may be dissapointed (I'm not one of them).

And just try Kickstarter already! )
Even if you didn't make enough money to close Kickstarter campain (I doubt this can happen - only if you make some huge sum as initial goal) - you will have data how many people are interested in ship RPG so much to give money and how many interested in AoD sequel.

[screeg]

I'm a proponent of Kickstarter too. We've all seen the mistakes others have made and in my opinion this is what should be learned:

1. Don't offer physical rewards. Devs are not manufacturers/distributors, it just takes time away from the game.
2. Don't show some dork sitting in a chair talking about the game. Show gameplay and get to the point. I don't want to see your flabby face.
3. Don't offer stretch goals which will delay the game by 12 months and, worse, completely warp the original design intent.