Project Zomboid
Project Zomboid
Game
Game2022
Old World
Developer Mohawk Games
Old World is a historical turn-based strategy 4X video game developed by Mohawk Games for Microsoft Windows and macOS, released on July 1, 2021, and for Steam and GOG alongside Linux support on May 19, 2022. From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
435 reactions from 3 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Mastodon) · newest Nov 5, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
85
LovedLoved
272 positive · 47 negative
95% range 81–89%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 272 | 47 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 25 | 4 | 70 |
| Mastodon * | 2 | 0 | 11 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
4 newer reactions are still waiting for a label.
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
3,863 of 4,575 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
86% recommend · 230 yes, 39 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 269 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (5,736 of 6,948 positive).
The orders system is frequently highlighted as a key innovation that eliminates late-game slog and forces meaningful decisions. [1][2][3][4]
Liked
Representative posts
- [12]
It's a hard game to rate. First the good, since I gave it a bad review: - It is a very charming game. The events feel like a story, you familiarize yourself with your dynasty, it feels nice. - Choices in the dilemas have consequences, usually in traits that impact the whole empire (slightly) or the person's "build" (locally, quite a bit). Being forced into a bad choice because you squandered your treasury hurts when …
- [1]
As someone who has played many thousands of hours of Civilization and Crusader Kings games, I can honestly say that Old World is the best strategy game I’ve ever played. And I’ve played them all. This is the crown achievement of the genre. From the beautiful music by Christopher Tin to the brilliant design by Soren Johnson, everything just works. The orders system alone makes most other 4X games feel outdated. It …
- [2]
Old World is probably the closest I've ever played to my platonic ideal of a historical 4X. There's a bunch of things this game gets right that basically every other 4X I've played and loved gets wrong. Civilization, Stellaris, Endless Legend, whatever — they all eventually run into the same problem: late-game slog. You get to the point where you're running an actual empire with dozens of cities and a stupid number …
- [13]
This is the true civ killer. It's the best 4x I've ever played in many, many years of gaming. At first I didn't like it- the relatively small span of technologies (slings to cataphracts, basically) and the somewhat limited ability to terraform and alter terrain- and now I love every single thing about this game. Pacing, balance, customizability of random maps, personalities and inheritance challenges, etc. In …
- [3]
Old World feels like Civ but with way more personality and meaningful decisions. The character and family system adds a cool RPG-like layer that makes your leaders actually matter instead of just being stat boosts. Turns move quickly, and the Orders system keeps you thinking about every action. If you like historical strategy games but want something deeper than standard 4X, this one’s easy to sink hours into.
Summarised from 34 of the 366 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 11, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
Old World sits at 85% positive across 319 opinionated reactions from 3 sources. Fresh or rotten — where do you land?
Critics, per Wikipedia
Old World received "generally favorable" reviews, according to aggregate review website Metacritic. Leana Hafer of IGN wrote "Old World is a smaller-scale 4X game than its Civilization forebears but its new ideas add both interesting depth and intimidating complexity", awarding the game eight out of ten. PC Gamer named Old World the best strategy game of 2021. Old World's soundtrack by Christopher Tin was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack for Video Games and Other Interactive Media. Old World was among the top three best-selling games that were released in 2022 at GOG.com.
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 435 · most liked firstAs someone who has played many thousands of hours of Civilization and Crusader Kings games, I can honestly say that Old World is the best strategy game I’ve ever played. And I’ve played them all. This is the crown achievement of the genre. From the beautiful music by Christopher Tin to the brilliant design by Soren Johnson, everything just works. The orders system alone makes most other 4X games feel outdated. It mixes deep strategy, family drama, and history in a way that is constantly…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's a hard game to rate. First the good, since I gave it a bad review: - It is a very charming game. The events feel like a story, you familiarize yourself with your dynasty, it feels nice. - Choices in the dilemas have consequences, usually in traits that impact the whole empire (slightly) or the person's "build" (locally, quite a bit). Being forced into a bad choice because you squandered your treasury hurts when your king gets a negative trait that halts what money production you had…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is what a game of The Witcher Old World looks like at our table. #boardgames
neutral · AI labelView post →Had a great Old World game with the Night Goblins taking on the Hochland as I teach a friend the game. As always the contagious panic hurt my poor Ld 5 Gobbos who spent most of the game running away.
positive · AI labelView post →Had a game of Warhammer the Old World today and my Moussillon soldiers faced Vampires, whar are the odds ?
neutral · AI labelView post →Old World is probably the closest I've ever played to my platonic ideal of a historical 4X. There's a bunch of things this game gets right that basically every other 4X I've played and loved gets wrong. Civilization, Stellaris, Endless Legend, whatever — they all eventually run into the same problem: late-game slog. You get to the point where you're running an actual empire with dozens of cities and a stupid number of units, and suddenly the game stops being strategy and starts being a…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Finally, a worthy successor to Civs 1-4, Colonization, Alpha Centauri, etc. This game might look like Civs 5-6, but trust me, it's quite original and definitely the best modern 4X game out there. Runs laps around Civ 6 and it's also quite a bit deeper than Humankind. IMO the most important difference is that the AI is actually pretty decent at the game, especially at higher difficulties. This avoids what usually happened to me on Civ 6: in the early game I either get wiped out, or if I…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →since I've been talking up Old World recently as the best 4X game out there right now I'm going to run through the game I'm in the middle of to show how some of the interactions work.
positive · AI labelView post →Old world is a well made game with a ton of interesting mechanics.Lots of different options to choose from, how to engage with the AI and much more. I have high praise for the devs and the game. However, the reason I cannot recommend it, is because it is more of a RP/storyline game rather than an actual strategy game. Resources feel so abundant that you are never in need of resources outside of the very early game. If you want a game where you can have crazy story lines, like having pet…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Angry Civ player perspective. I had this game sitting in my library for 2 years. After dedicating around 10 hours to learn all the game systems I can never go back to Civ 6 again (no I wont even try Civ 7). Old World is the best historical 4x (Civ-like) game on the market. I think only a few games qualify as a 4x Civ-like. I played Humankind. It is a great game imho but Old Wolrd is superior. No wonder. The guy who made it is the former lead designer of Civ 4. I will list my favorite features…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is the true civ killer. It's the best 4x I've ever played in many, many years of gaming. At first I didn't like it- the relatively small span of technologies (slings to cataphracts, basically) and the somewhat limited ability to terraform and alter terrain- and now I love every single thing about this game. Pacing, balance, customizability of random maps, personalities and inheritance challenges, etc. In particular the tradeoffs between the different victory conditions, need for…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Some additional pics from our Midgard Old World game yesterday. An epic tale that saw a valiant Empire force defeat a raiding Orc warband at Blackcrag Pass. #midgard #spreadthelard
neutral · AI labelView post →I had a great game of Old World - my Dwarves took on the Vampire Counts. As often happens, I was outmanoeuvred and my shooting was lacklustre, but once in combat they just couldn't break me and I ended up with an unexpected win.
positive · AI labelView post →This is my favorite game that I do not enjoy playing. I am a 4x fan, and this is a game that I really wish I loved. I have given up then revisited it multiple times, each time thinking that maybe I'll like it better now after the update. For me the result is the same. I start playing, I try to like it, and the experience begins to grate on me. On the positive side, the AI is pretty good. It is the closest I've found in the 4x genre to feeling like I'm playing against a smart AI opponent that…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Check out the exciting cover art for Warhammer: The Old World Roleplaying Game and catch a glimpse into the Grim and Glorious adventures to come in the World of Legend. Blog here: bit.ly/3RZfl4r Art by Antonio De Luca in collaboration with Ivana Abbate. #warhammer #cubicle7 #ttrpgs #theoldworld
neutral · AI labelView post →Tfw every local game store has told me they probably won't get a lot of the Old World models in because "it's just not that popular/there isnt a lot of demand"
negative · AI labelView post →Warhammer: the Old World Roleplaying Game available for pre-order NOW! cubicle7games.com/warhammer-th... Plus bundles to help you choose what to go for plus, pre-orders by Monday 7th July enter a draw to WIN a Sword! Find out more below: cubicle7games.com/blog/the-old... #theoldworld
neutral · AI labelView post →My fully painted Dwarfs army from Warhammer Fantasy Battles. The models are all metal and surprisingly heavy to tote around in their cases. Eventually I would like to field these guys in an Old World game.
neutral · AI labelView post →Wrote a more lengthy review before, but I don't think it worked for some reason? anyway this is the best 4x game I've ever played
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Photos are a bit average but we got a game of Warhammer the Old World in last night. First in almost a year. “New” rules are good. Ogres vs Dwarves. Pikemen are my gnoblars.
positive · AI labelView post →Begin a new grim and glorious adventure in the World of Legend, with Warhammer: the Old World Roleplaying Game! Our Player’s and Gamemaster’s Guides, dice, maps, cards, and character sheet pad will be available for preorder soon. Collector’s Bundle also - details soon! #warhammerfantasy #cubicle7
neutral · AI labelView post →TLDR: Buy this. Play it more than a few hours to let it settle into your soul. Love and grow together. LOTSA EXTRA WORDS: I’ve been a huge 4x fan for most of my gaming life (which has been most of my life). From the original Civ up through Master of Orion, Age of Wonders, Endless Legend, even stuff hiding in the corners like Stars in Shadow or Gladius. However, sometime after the release of Civilization VI my interest began to wane. One more turn became a bridge too far. Other than my…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Old World feels like Civ but with way more personality and meaningful decisions. The character and family system adds a cool RPG-like layer that makes your leaders actually matter instead of just being stat boosts. Turns move quickly, and the Orders system keeps you thinking about every action. If you like historical strategy games but want something deeper than standard 4X, this one’s easy to sink hours into.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I've got a 2,000pt Old World game next month, and only about half the army is built. Let's see if I can get this lot finished in time! Also need to think about some desert themed terrain to take with me, some Blue Peter style projects might be needed...
neutral · AI labelView post →Going to retroactively refer to older WHFB editions as The Old World because, let's face it, it's the same game. I loved The Old World 5th edition a lot. I'm yet to actually -*play*- 9th edition but my Wood Elves will see a table one day! 😍 ... ... ... New Ariel when
positive · AI labelView post →In maybe 15 years of steam I have NEVER written a review but the way this game did me wrong made me SO ANGRY that I had to share. This game CAN AND WILL DELETE ALL YOUR SAVEGAMES. Not just the lastest one. ALL OF THEM. A weeks long campaign POOF, gone, and no way to recover. I just think this is unforgivable and not even worth it on sale. This happened multiple times, I tried various techincal fixes but none of them worked. Edit: I am not sure where people are getting the idea that I am using…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Very fun 700pt Old World game last night (narrative campaign). Greenskins vs High Elves. Strong back and forth but ultimately an elf victory. I love how helfs feel so professional. Their rules give them a lot of strike first and high initiative, and they can change their formations on the fly.
positive · AI labelView post →This is the game Civilization 7 should have taken inspiration from. The way the some very basic constrains in its design results in very engaging prioritization decisions in the game play. The most integral of these constrains is the order-system. In the game, every action any unit takes consumes an order from the limited pool that refreshes every turn. Some other actions, like assigning governors or generals also consumes orders. Because of this limitation the Old World does not have the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Sincere props to everybody involved with producing this incredible strategy game. There's so many things Old World does right that sets it apart from the competition. The #1 thing I want to highlight is the fantastic UI/UX. Strategy games can hide a lot of complexity only emphasizing the need for clear and obvious information. It's here where the game really shines. UI panels are intuitive to read and stuffed with helpful details. Game concepts are written as hyperlinks you can repeatedly…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →So far this game of Old World has seen me flatten my opponent’s wizard with a cannon ball, justifying the entire artillery unit’s points cost in one shot
neutral · AI labelView post →As a long time Civilization fanatic who mourns the downfall of my favorite franchise (starting at civ 6), I hereby unofficially nominate Old World as the official standard bearer of the civ like 4X genre. I also officially nominated them for the "Labor of Love" steam awards. Pros: -Hands down the most well thought out gameplay mechanics of any recent 4X -Excellent storytelling ability via its situationally proccing events -Meaningful diplomacy that integrates into the event system -Strategic…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →My review of #AssassinsCreedShadows The Old World Is Dead "Stealth is my favourite part of any Assassin's Creed game and Shadows has taken it to the next level" Thank you Ubisoft for giving me 2 weeks early access. Review Link Below 💙 ✍️ Written by @subject72.bsky.social
neutral · AI labelView post →continue to enthusiastically recommend Old World as the best 4X game out there right now
positive · AI labelView post →Knight or Brewguard? Careers in Warhammer: The Old World Roleplaying Game There are dozens of Careers to choose from in Warhammer: The Old World Roleplaying Game. Check out more options on our blog here! cubicle7games.com/blog/knight-... #warhammertheoldworld #cubicle7 #ttrpgs
neutral · AI labelView post →Historical strategy game Old World switches to Vulkan for Linux / Steam Deck www.gamingonlinux.com/2025/03/hist... #OldWorld #4X #Linux #Vulkan #SteamDeck
neutral · AI labelView post →The best description for this game would be a mile wide but an inch deep. There are a number of different mechanics in this game, some are good and some are bad but most of them are just kind of pointless. Unfortunately, the bad parts of this game outweigh the good by a fair margin. The Good: The city building and improvement planning are legitimately good. Planning out where the districts should good, debating whether or not you should build or mine, a quarry, or farm on a tile, or exploring…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Game of Old World tonight. Updated rules are all cool. Game was fun and could have gone either way.
positive · AI labelView post →Warhammer The Old World Roleplaying Game. Find out more about our plans for your grim and glorious adventures in the World of Legend. Coming soon to preorder! Read more about The Old World on our blog post here! cubicle7games.com/blog/introdu... #warhammer #oldhammer #cubicle7 #gamesworkshop
neutral · AI labelView post →A Champion of Chaos from The Old World. My first model for a new game, new army! #Chaos #WFB #ToW #Warhammer #PaintingWarhammer #WarhammerCommunity
neutral · AI labelView post →It is fun until you notice how much the AI cheats. It cheats a LOT. I had twice the cities than my enemy, the enemy had ONE farm in its entire territory. And kept producing non-stop military units, which cost food. Needless to say, they stopped my advance dead in its tracks because they kept outproducing me. On half my cities, with one farm.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The quintessential 4x experience. Old World has just about everything you'd want in a 4x. It's easy to learn and the game mechanics aren't obscure. It's hard to master though, I still can't beat the highest difficulty. Some people may not like some of the randomness in OW, but it combines to make it so that each game feels different. There are so many factors that can determine the course of the game. From your starting location to your leader dying before turning 30. The events can be…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →⚔️ The Old World Awaits! Warhammer: The Old World Roleplaying Game Gamemaster’s Guide is available for pre-order NOW! Bundles for players and GMs - including TWO exclusive ‘Superbacker’ offers, extended until August 10th! Pre-order here: cubicle7games.com/warhammer-th... #warhammer #cubicle7
neutral · AI labelView post →Played the Witcher: Old World board game. Technically, I didn't win, but I did get a horse which is kind of like winning 🐴⚔️
positive · AI labelView post →I moved on from Civ6 with no regrets. Old World has brilliant AI which knows how to fight wars, making it a real challenge to fight neighbouring empires. I just finished my first game and probably came last, but I was glad just to have survived that long. I love the inclusion of Crusader Kings style story lines, they could probably go further along this path.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →shout out to Old World though, perhaps the only modern 4X game that I can still play every few months and think, yeah, this knows what it's doing
positive · AI labelView post →Knight or Brewguard? Careers in Warhammer: The Old World Roleplaying Game, available for preorder soon! There are dozens of Careers to choose from in Warhammer: The Old World Roleplaying Game. Read here! bit.ly/3FnXgua Or our resouce page here! cubicle7games.com/our-games/wa... #warhammer
neutral · AI labelView post →We played a fun game of Old World today at Element Games in Newcastle. It's a great little gaming venue, nice and quiet with comfy seats. It was Chaos versus Chaos today, and despite being on the back foot for most of the game I managed to pull out a win after I slapped his Daemon Prince to death.
positive · AI labelView post →Had another fun game at the club tonight of Old World. This time I was introducing a new player to the game who was using his very nicely painted Ogre force.
positive · AI labelView post →Skaven assembled for my first Warhammer Old World game tonight. 👀
neutral · AI labelView post →I watched a game of Warhammer the Old World tonight at the LGS and I feel like I'm hitting that sweet spot where the numbers are starting to line up in my head. I still have no idea how combat loss penalties are figured out but it's fine I trust the experienced buddy I play with
neutral · AI labelView post →In its barebones this is a fundamentally good game, unfortunately it doesnt have much life in it. After a couple of campaigns i was pretty much bored. It plays better than civ and its a lot more combat focused which keeps things interesting but you find yourself getting similar run throughs with the character management that dont seem to massively impact the actual game a huge amount. If they could take everything great about this game and really develop it into a second version with a lot…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →First Old World win! First game at 1k points too.
positive · AI labelView post →(P.s. about 60 more hours of playtime on non-Steam platforms) I have spend thousands of hours in 4X games since the late nineties. Starting with Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri, through the Civilisation series, into sci-fi or grand strategy titles like GalCiv and Stellaris and indies like the Dominions-series and Shadow Empire. With my broad experience and frame of reference, I feel suited to review Old World not just through the rose-tinted glasses of the honeymoon phase, but as a game-design…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Warhammer: The Old World Roleplaying Game resource page is live! Available here! cubicle7games.com/blog/warhamm... Dive into everything you need to know about the Old World - your one-stop hub for all things Old World. Coming soon for preorder! #warhammerfantasy
neutral · AI labelView post →Warhammer: The Old World Roleplaying Game uses a brand new system, tailored to the experience of Grim and Glorious roleplaying. Get to grips with the basic rules on our blog below! The Old World- The Game System! cubicle7games.com/blog/the-old... #warhammertheoldworld #TTRG #warhammer #cubicle7
neutral · AI labelView post →Ready for the table top. Next step will be the command sections. The good thing about these archers are that they're able to fit in a game if Warhammer The Old World or a medieval game like Lion Rampant 🦁
neutral · AI labelView post →Work in Progress Wednesday. What is everyone working on? I'm painting five #oldhammer Empire Archers for the Old World game, hoping to finish them by next week.
neutral · AI labelView post →Begin a new grim and glorious adventure in the World of Legend with Warhammer: the Old World Roleplaying Game! Our Player’s and Gamemaster’s Guides, dice, maps, cards, and a character sheet pad available for preorder soon. Read more! bit.ly/4kStddG #warhammerfantasy
neutral · AI labelView post →Have you been to Talagaad? You don’t strike us as a smuggler, a criminal, or a vagabond, so perhaps not. Find out more about one of the Grand Duchy of Talabec’s most infamous ports in Warhammer: The Old World Roleplaying Game, blog below! cubicle7games.com/blog/warhamm... #warhammer #ttrpgs
neutral · AI labelView post →Play for Hours thinking it was Auto Saving... Nope. Went to get off and so tried to save and Save Failed... over and over. Checked out everyone of their huge list of issues that cause this tried everyone of them and still fails to save no matter what... Pointless game if you can not save and that issue and the fact they have a suggested 8 work arounds shows it is crappy job on the Devs. Not worth the money when it is unplayable.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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