Empire of the Ants

I've always been fascinated by looking at the world from alternative perspectives. For example, as a historian, I enjoy looking at the present from an understanding of how temporary and relative our "normal" actually is. That's why I was very curious to learn more about Empire of the Ants, which promises a photorealistic portrayal of the world from an ant's point-of-view. And after playing through most of the game, I can say that despite some shortcomings, I've had one of the most enjoyable and immersive gaming experiences in a while.

One of the game's strongest points is without doubt the realistic immersion in the game, which I enhanced by playing most of the game using my Xreal glasses hooked up to my PlayStation 5. The game's photorealistic visuals bring the forest floor to life, showcasing an intricately detailed world filled with twigs, dead leaves, and even interactive creatures. This level of detail, paired with realistic sound effects like the tiny footfalls of ants and ambient daytime and night-time sounds, immediately pulled me into the experience, with the ant colonies being especially impressive. Here, we find long lines of ants carrying materials to the nest, and at times you're allowed inside for a briefing with the ant queen.

The game cleverly combines a third-person view and the ability to walk around the forest floor freely as an ant, with strategic gameplay where you command legions, manage nests and conquer territories. A top-down view that's characteristic for many strategy-focused games would certainly not have given the same amount of immersion. The game's controls on PlayStation 5 worked well for me. Construction and resource management are easily accessible by standing on a nest, where you select different options by moving onto them. Controlling your armies is also quite easy by pointing and clicking using the main triggers.

The story mode is where Empire of the Ants truly shines. While fundamentally an RTS game, it introduces platformer-style elements and diverse mission types that keep the gameplay feeling fresh. One moment, you're navigating flooded landscapes through jumps and platforming mechanics, and the next, you're rescuing ants from a friendly colony as water levels rise, racing against the clock. Another standout mission places you behind enemy lines, stealthily avoiding enemy units like spiders in a beautifully crafted night-time environment. New missions progressively unlock new support units as well, such as imposingly large snails or tiny aphids.

The storyline itself is engaging, starting with a series of missions that introduce you to your colony and its workings before branching out to alliances with other colonies. Unexpected twists, including mysterious forces disrupting alliances, add depth and keep you invested in the fate of your ant empire. Between missions, there are even RPG-like elements where you interact with NPC ants around the ant colonies, accepting or rejecting side missions as you progress. This adds a unique storytelling layer that lets you explore and fully appreciate the game's environments.

During the different mission types, combat is also a recurring focus in the game. The unit system in the game is based on a classic rock-paper-scissors mechanic. Acid-spitting gunners are effective against warriors, warriors overpower workers, and workers can take down gunners. This system creates a constant need to direct troops across the battlefield as you adapt to threats. While the variety of units may feel limited over time, it does keep battles manageable and allows for some creative strategies. Unique additions like rhino beetles, which can transport ants across the battlefield, add flair to the gameplay, with your own ant able to hop onto them and make traversing the map quicker. However, for players who enjoy unit diversity, the lack of factions or races might make multiplayer feel repetitive in the long run. I don't think you can play as the storyline's main adversaries, the black ants or termites, for example.

While I mentioned the controls on the PlayStation 5 are well-designed, there are some minor inconveniences in unit management. For instance, upgrading units requires you to physically navigate to your anthills, which can feel tedious, particularly during more intense battles. There are powers that allow you to fast-travel to nests, and constructions that give you a mini-map, but these are pretty much mandatory if you want to truly have easier controls.

An element of the game where I felt disappointed is the soundtrack. It doesn't quite live up to the rest of the game's immersive quality. The music is a constant, serene piano tune that feels out of place during high-stakes missions. In situations like sneaking past enemies in the dark, I would expect more suspenseful music to match the atmosphere, but unfortunately, the repetitive soundtrack detracts from these tense moments, and I ended up muting it after a while.

Another thing that would've made the game even better would have been the ability for your ant to actually participate in the world. As the player, your only options are walking, jumping and commanding other units or nests, but there's no real ability to interact with plants or animals. It would certainly have been more engaging to participate in fights as a sort of boss unit, or to gather resources, for example. Perhaps this would have moved the game away too far from its strategy focus, but it would have been a nice addition nonetheless.

Empire of the Ants is a game for everyone looking for a refreshing perspective. While the strategy element in the game is done well, it's the creative combination of different gameplay challenges in the story mode that have truly created a memorable experience for me. The game delivers a unique and visually stunning experience that immerses you fully in the world of an ant. While there are areas for improvement, such as the repetitive soundtrack and limited unit options in multiplayer, the game's impressive visuals, realistic sound effects, and varied story missions make it a memorable entry in the RTS genre.