March of the Minuscule Monsters: Unleashing the Terror in ‘Empire of the Ants

I have always been fascinated by seeing the world from different perspectives. For example, as a historian, I like to see the present through the lens to understand how fleeting and relative our “normality” is. That’s why I was very curious to learn more about Empire of the Ants, which promises a photorealistic representation of the world from an ant’s point of view. After playing most of the game, I can say that despite its few flaws, I had one of the most fun and engaging gaming experiences in recent memory.

The game’s strongest point is undoubtedly its true immersion, which I enhanced by playing much of the game using Xreal glasses connected to a PlayStation 5. The game’s photorealistic visuals bring the forest floor to life, showing an intricate world full of branches , dead leaves and even interactive creatures. This level of detail, combined with realistic sound effects such as ant footsteps and day and night ambient sounds, immediately drew me into the experience, with the ant colony being particularly impressive. Here we find ants lining up to deliver materials to the nest, and sometimes you can go inside for a briefing with the ant queen.

The game cleverly combines a third-person perspective and the ability to walk freely on the forest floor as an ant with the strategic gameplay of commanding legions, managing nests, and conquering territories. The top-down view that characterizes many strategy-focused games certainly doesn’t offer the same level of immersion. The game controls on PlayStation 5 work great for me. Building and managing resources is easy while staying in lairs, and you can choose different options by moving around them. It’s also easy to control your army by aiming and double-tapping the main trigger.

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Story mode is where Empire of the Ants really shines. While it is fundamentally an RTS game, it introduces elements of a platforming style and different mission types to make the game feel fresh. One moment you’re making your way across a flooded landscape through jumping and platforming mechanics, and the next moment you’re racing against time to save ants from a friendly colony as the water levels rise. Another excellent mission takes you behind enemy lines, silently avoiding enemy units like spiders in a carefully crafted nighttime environment. New missions also gradually unlock new support units, such as the imposing giant snail or the tiny aphid.

The plot itself is engaging, starting with a series of missions that introduce you to your colony and how it operates, before branching out into alliances with other colonies. Unexpected twists, including a mysterious force that destroys the alliance, add depth and keep you focused on the fate of the Ant Empire. There’s also an RPG-like element between missions, where you can interact with the ant NPCs around the ant colony, accepting or declining side quests as you progress. This adds a unique narrative layer, allowing you to fully explore and appreciate the game’s environments.

In different mission types, combat is also a recurring objective in the game. The game’s unit system is based on the classic rock-paper-scissors mechanic. Acid spraying gunners are effective against warriors, warriors can overwhelm workers, and workers can take down gunners. The system requires constant leadership of troops on the battlefield as you adapt to the threat. While the variety of units may be limited in time, it makes combat manageable and allows for some creative strategies. Unique additions like rhino beetles carrying ants across the battlefield add flavor to the gameplay, and your ants can jump on them and move faster around the map. However, for players who prefer unit variety, the lack of factions or races can make multiplayer games repetitive in the long run. I don’t think you can play the role of the main antagonist of the plot, like black ants or termites.

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Even though I said that the controls on the PlayStation 5 are well designed, there are some minor inconveniences when it comes to handling the units. Upgrading units, for example, requires you to physically navigate to the anthill, which can get tedious, especially in more intense battles. There are abilities that allow you to fast travel to lairs and buildings that give you a mini-map, but these are almost mandatory if you want to have truly simpler controls.

One element of the game that disappointed me was the soundtrack. It doesn’t quite live up to the immersive quality of the rest of the game. The music is an insistent, quiet piano melody that seems out of place during high-stakes missions. In situations like sneaking past enemies in the dark, I would have expected more suspenseful music to fit the atmosphere, but unfortunately the repetitive soundtrack distracted from these tense moments and I ended up turning it off after a while.

Another thing that makes the game better is that your ants can actually participate in the world. Your only options as a player are to walk, jump, and command other units or dens, but you can’t actually interact with plants or animals. For example, participating in a battle or gathering resources as a boss unit would certainly be more engaging. Perhaps this takes the game away from its strategic focus, but it’s still a great addition.

Empire of the Ants is a game for anyone looking for a refreshing perspective. While the strategic elements of the game are well crafted, what really impressed me was the creative combination of different gameplay challenges in the Story Mode. The game offers a unique and visually stunning experience that completely immerses you in the world of ants. While there are areas for improvement, such as a repetitive soundtrack and limited unit options in multiplayer, the game’s impressive graphics, realistic sound effects, and varied story missions make it a memorable addition to the RTS genre.