Thea: The Awakening
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Thea: The Awakening is a turn-based strategic survival game steeped in Slavic myth and monstrosity set after an apocalyptic force known only as The Darkness has engulfed the world. There are Strigas and Baba Yagas aplenty, but there are no heroes, no monster slayers, and no great armies capable of banishing them. You have only a few hopeless and starving survivors who are desperately trying to stay alive. You are their last and only true hope! The game combines turn-based strategic game play with the tension and grit of a rogue-like, a captivating story you can uncover through a series of in-game events, and a unique combat system based on a complex card battle game.
Steam User 7
With Thea finally completed, I feel like I can give a fair and full picture of the game.
Summary: 8.5/10
Thea was an odd journey and a long one for me. Early on it changed drastically by revamping many crafting recipes, then went on to be refined with many free updates, but despite more events added over time, it never truly filled the time it set out for itself. Instead the community had to pick up the mantle alas with far less heart often times and less detail for ancient slavic lore.
Even with the new official events recently, you will be playing off the same routines and the same best choices long before you unlock all gods or finish the full power achievement. An achievement that obviously did not make it for Thea 2, because no one likes grinding a game to dust and the developers clearly listened.
Despite this flaw of hitting you over the head with a grindy achievement, does anyone outside of a completionist have reason to complain? Not really, no. If all that one expects is tightly filled nice lore, a varied pantheon with unique event choices and half a dozen runs to maybe about ten, there is a very good time in Thea.
Lore/Backstory: 10/10
The world of Thea was crafted with a lot of eastern European influences of lore and folktales. Even if one is not accustomed to them, the Witcher books or games may already have introduced some elements or other great games dealing with the Baba Yaga or similar phenomena. All of this is here in Thea and it is encompassed into a nice creation and man versus god storyline which doesn't even shy away from real life links to other pantheons (a nod to Perun's two brothers in thunder). Saying anything more would be a spoiler and thus I will leave it to Thea to introduce you further.
All of the texts nowadays are voiced, which helps to boost the atmosphere as well.
Gameplay: 8/10
For veterans of the 4X genre Thea will be a piece of cake. It is easier than even Humankind, which is a rather lighthearted 4X game, that is unless people actively chose to be punished. There are only a few settings that can accidentally cripple any fun in the game; those are slow economy and real economy. One demands more work per good created and the other only allows one stack to be produced per turn. While it is perfectly possible to reliably win in <75 turns on 200% difficulty and bloodbath (triviliazing most achievements, even the 100 turn "speedrun"), the economy and worldmap size are the greatest slowdown. Especially slow are maps with lakes or bights cutting off one third of the map or snow that slows you down a lot... or snowed bights and lakes. All of these things combined make for a perhaps fun 1-2 hardmode runs, but it overstays the welcome fast.
The crafting system isn't as deep as it appears. Each food combo, even if similar counts as a new product, even if all that is changed is the vegetable for the salad. Most weapons got their best in slot choices and easy to get items and the gameplay routine quickly becomes mundane.
Warriors with enchanted bone/dark wood axes will carry your early game with poison and high damage. Dark wood will also help with sneak/hunt and social checks due to dark wood pendants. Otherwise silver is great for the social route, as well as golden shields. Mithril is mostly to gear up for the final fight but not really needed. Most of the gameplay revolves around what to collect when and where to be efficient. It is more akin to a logistical economic simulator with 4X elements.
Buildings are entirely optional. Building them often takes more effort than they are worth, aside of the pasture for some meat or to keep your craftsmen busy while your hunters get new items. It is a loop that will become stale for all but the roleplayers. There is a meta. Regardless, it is a refreshing take on the logistics prospect, down to hunting for loot long before you learned to gather it yourself through battles and events.
Audio & Music: 8/10
The entire game is voiced as mentioned prior by Theodore, whom you will learn to know pretty quick. Gently and relaxing music plays along to carry you to some heights, but is not needed if one finds a nice song on Youtube for the later god level grind sessions. Sadly the score is not enough to carry most through the grind and the events at some point get so repetitive, you don't want to wait for Theodore to talk. This demand for too many reruns once more goes down to the god level grind, which luckily did get left on the chopping block for Thea 2. For a few short runs, the music and audio presentation is very good though, especially the narration. Let's hope you don't get bored too quick.
Steam User 4
Old school charm with East European mythology. Collect resources as you explore a completely different world each play through to build up your settlement, find babies in your cabbage patch and a Dwarf his desired Demoness waifu, raid Dragon hoards and Bandit Lairs, Mithril Mines and scavenger caches, fulfil your chosen Deity's requests, regenerate the Cosmic Tree, shoot the breeze with Goblin merchants and Orc hunters, all the while withstanding the invading hordes of undead, wolves, spiders and other nasties. What more could one ask for? Well ask, and it just may be included amongst the unending events and challenges.
A seemingly simple game which is deceptively complex and difficult at higher levels with RNG brutal early on despite diverse ways to resolve challenges. Yes, folks, fighting is not the only way to proceed in this world. One can customise difficulty levels to suit ones own requirements. Putting the right equipment on the appropriate people is the best way to go, but the game doesn't hold any hands in that regard.
Steam User 4
Thea is such a unique mixing of different genres it's incredible it pulls them together into something cohesive.
As an adventure story game, the writing is among the best and frequently with a great sense of humor. It's even entirely voice-acted, which is a surprise. Your choices matter - including the choice to just ignore the quests entirely, which you can.
As a civilization management game, Thea gives you the regular fun you'd expect in managing resources, but with a twist: you will only ever have one permanent settlement. To get other resources, you must adventure out into the world with your party, where you can have them temporarily settle into a camp to harvest.
As a strategy card game, Thea cleverly balances the need for different stats and encourages ever-better equipment with a variety of challenges that are reminiscent of Dungeons & Dragons.
You find a Troll stuck in the mud. Do you try to pull him out? (Physical strength challenge) Or do you attack him a la "The only good troll is a dead troll?" (Combat challenge)
Either choice will be a card battle, but the abilities and stats of your party will be VERY different. My complaint with this is it's hard to know whether you will breeze through the fight or not until you're already in it, leading to playing out several fights I would've rather auto-resolved.
As a looter game and crafting game, you're always itching to get that slightly better weapon or armor or accessory that is just a little better or weighs a little less. Health pools and damage totals aren't high numbers, and small differences can make a big impact in a fight.
Tying it all together is a backdrop of Slavic lore where you'll encounter creatures like Leshy and Rusalkas in addition to the more famous Dwarves and Elves. In this world of Thea the land has become enshrouded in literal darkness. The sun pierces through during the day and your adventuring parties have more vision on the map, but during night your vision is reduced and danger rises. There are things that go bump in the night...
Steam User 2
One of the best games ever with Thea 2, will also be with Thea 3 in the future hopefully!
Steam User 2
Slavic myth, mixed with deck builder, and a 4x game similar to Civ (with one city). If that all sounds good, give it a play!
Steam User 3
A true indie gem.
Steam User 3
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Thea: The Awakening is a strategic masterpiece that immerses players in a captivating world inspired by Slavic mythology. With its stunning visuals, challenging gameplay, and rich storytelling, this game is an absolute triumph. Prepare to embark on a journey like no other, where your choices shape the fate of a fallen realm. Brace yourself for a thrilling adventure filled with strategy, exploration, and mythical encounters. It is a must-play for any fan of the genre.
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