They Are Billions Reviews
They Are Billions offers an almost perfect gameplay loop, mixing tower-defence with city building and exploration, as you balance resource-management, defence and offense, all against your ever-impending doom at the hands of a world infested with the undead. The only downside to a game that looks and sounds great, offering a tense experience in a compelling setting, is a campaign that doesn't fully make-use of the gameplay loop perfected by Numantian Games, leaving the campaign feeling weak, compared to the survival mode, which is the real draw.
That said, there's really something here to enjoy in They Are Billions. Taken as a whole, it is an entirely new and interesting take on genres that are as old as gaming. Billions has such great moments at times that it's rather surprising that these genres hadn't been smashed together already. Billions leaves plenty to be desired everywhere else though—in visual fidelity, art direction, sound design, and even game balance. Clearly, this is a first step on a new and mysterious frontier. Hopefully, not the last.
They Are Billions is a brilliant game that breaths fresh life into the RTS formula. Its setting, concept, and execution make it a wonderful addition to the genre. However, the console port with poor controls will most likely leave players frustrated and wishing they had picked it up on PC. As much as I loved the title I cannot recommend it for a console. So if you're interested in They are Billions I would strongly recommend taking a look at the PC version of this zombie survival RTS.
Watching an infection spread rapidly through your small town because a stray zombie managed to wander in from an unguarded direction early on? A lesson in perception, readiness, and the seriousness of the threat.
If you’re into your steampunk with a side of apocalypse, then you’re covered. If you’re a WarCraft alumni who fancies a bit of a twist in the not-technical-zombies mold, this will inject some fresh life into the RTS catalogue.
They Are Billions blends the best aspects of tower defense and real-time strategy to create a tense and oppressive atmosphere where one mistake can lead to the downfall of your entire colony. It's stressful, it's challenging, and it's rewarding, offering just about everything people love about real-time strategy. A lack of content and variety, alongside some small technical issues, hold it back from being truly excellent, but regardless, They Are Billions is a fantastic new take on the RTS genre.
Overall, They Are Billions is an absolutely solid pick up and a real steal for its price point.
With permadeath and razor-sharp margins for error, the title caters to RTS veterans and survivalists hungry for challenge
Strictly speaking about the game, I enjoyed the atmosphere quite a lot, and the unique blend of medieval, steampunk and modern elements made the game seem quite unique. The zombie waves and the gameplay in general are extremely engaging, and combat can keep you on the edge of your seat at times, especially when you underestimate enemy forces. All in all, They are Billions is a game that definitely deserves praise, but playing it with anything other than a mouse and keyboard can be literally gamer’s Hell.
A very unique twist on a long running genre has brought some life back into the RTS scene. Building a settlement that is capable of holding off a seemingly endless zombie horde is a very exciting prospect and it has been executed incredibly well with this game. The speed at which you can lose the game will have you on edge and constantly in fear of the zombies. If you loved the classic RTS games and want a game you can sink some hours into, They are Billions is for you.
While the game itself is really quite good, the lack of gameplay options and lack of thought into porting over the control scheme make for an average experience overall. This is a port that feels very much like one done with the absolute minimal effort required, and that's just not good enough for 2019 when so many other games this year have done so much better in this same PC to console space.
They Are Billions in one word is "entertaining". It's probably not your classic strategy game, but it's really tense when it comes to its battles. The graphics are beautiful and new campaign mode is well-made though not complete. It's definitely worth trying.
Review in Persian | Read full review
An excellent single-player RTS with a palpable atmosphere that would score much higher with improved gamepad support and the standard tutorials available in its PC counterpart.
Overall, I had a fairly mixed experience with They Are Billions. I liked the art style and the concept of the game. I quite enjoyed battling the zombies as a steampunk mastermind, however I disliked certain features of the game.
I played They are Billions on PS4 and loved what the folks at Numantian Games created, but feel the console version is not the best way to properly appreciate this zombie apocalypse.
Personally, there haven’t been that many games that originated on PC that would announce a console port that I would get excited for. I was ecstatic when Diablo 3 came to consoles and other game as well like Hollow Knight, Slay The Spire, and etc. They Are Billions was a game that got a ton of press attention on Steam and I was excited to hear that it would come to PS4 and Xbox One. It had been a while since an RTS game that was noteworthy came to consoles and I wanted to see how that story would unfold. RTS games have always had this problem of trying to achieve the barrier of a gamepad centered control scheme. They Are Billions came to PS4 and Blitworks did an amazing job at making sure the game ran well but the caveat being that it’s just another “console RTS game.” I highly recommend playing this amazing game but know that this is a lesser product when compared to its PC predecessor. Currently, Survival is the only mode available while the campaign mode will be added at a later date. The game is still engrossing and developing optimal builds and structure placement makes the They Are Billions worthwhile. If you’re going to play on TV, you may want to scoot a bit closer and keep in mind which input shortcuts work best for you. Otherwise, you’ll have to buy a mouse and keyboard if you want the “optimal” experience but don’t buy them solely for this game. They Are Billions by Numantian Games and Blitworks is out now on PS4 and Xbox One. Let us know what you think about adjusting to a controller for this zombie apocalyptic game!
"They Are Billions" is a kernel of a great game. I'm sure that the more complete PC release is thoroughly satisfying, but the console release, in its current state, feels incomplete. The developers forgot that the game is no longer in Early Access and have released a game that, ultimately, lacks some basic features. Nevertheless, I recommend it to fans of Tower Defense games and RTS'es, or at least I recommend picking it up once the title is actually complete.
They Are Billions is a solid single-player real-time strategy game. You'll get some good hours out of it, and have the chance to compete against others on the leaderboards.
Overall, with a slightly higher than the expected price point of £19.99, I wouldn’t recommend you take a punt on the game if you’re slightly interested in the genre and/or theme. This game is for fans of the RTS genre who are looking for a challenge and I’m sure that the game will build a cult following of hardcore RTS fans, however with no tutorial and campaign to support newcomers to the genre, I’d give the They Are Billions a Thumb Culture Bronze Award.
They Are Billions boasts strong central ideas about pulling yourself up by your bootstraps to industrialize in the face of grave danger. This is done incredibly well, from the aesthetics to the music and especially the upgrade trees. All of these work in tandem so well that it's cool to see, but unfortunately, the follow-through for the console version isn't done well enough. This on its own is pretty damning, and coupled with the strange aesthetics makes the game considerably less enjoyable. The PC version may run better with the controls, interface and menus.