One of the games from our November 2024 Xbox releases roundup that we've been keeping an eye on, but haven't really delved into here at Pure Xbox, is Empire of the Ants. This is described as a "photorealistic, third-person real-time strategy game" in which it's your job to lead an army and compete in battles throughout a microscopic world.
There's a lot to like about this game on paper, such as its beautiful Unreal Engine 5 graphics, its potential for epic "tactical and strategic" conquests, and the fact that it supports both solo play and online multiplayer with others.
But what about the reviews? Well, they're actually pretty good too! The Metacritic average is 76 for PS5 right now (the platform with the most reviews), and the Steam version is sitting on a "Mostly Positive" rating. The Xbox reviews on Metacritic praise it for the most part, and so do the user reviews we've seen on the Xbox Store.
Here are a few of the critics' opinions about Empire of the Ants so far:
COGconnected (9/10) - Reviewed The Xbox Version
"Empire of the Ants is an excellent game. This is one of those games that seemingly come out of nowhere but will likely be a beloved favourite for many gamers for years to come. While a lot of these gameplay aspects have been seen before in other games, the way they’re included here, through the eyes of an ant, can be quite unique."
GameReactor (8/10)
"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."
God is a Geek (7.5/10)
"Empire of the Ants is a true celebration of our natural world that just happens to be disguised as a real time strategy game. It’s a more simplistic approach to the genre but has more heart than I would ever have imagined and I’ve found myself actually caring about the survival, the ups and the downs, and the stories told of the adventures of 103,683rd."
Push Square (6/10)
"It can't decide if it wants to be an RTS or a platformer, so both areas feel like they're not achieving their full potential. The presentation is gorgeous and it's enjoyable thinking about the smaller creatures in our world differently, but Empire of the Ants tries to be too much at once."
If you're interested in checking this one out, Empire of the Ants technically doesn't release until this Thursday (November 7th), but the "pre-order" version has been playable in early access since Tuesday. You'll find it on the Xbox Store at a price of £34.99 / $39.99, although keep in mind it's not available on Xbox One whatsoever.