Imagine a world where dinosaurs roam the Earth, armed to the teeth with the latest military-grade weaponry. Sounds exciting, doesn’t it? Today we are looking at Age of Dinos TL;DR:
Age of Dinos is a 4X strategy game for Android and iOS, set in a post-apocalyptic world where dinosaurs roam free—except this time, they’re packing heat. While the concept of dinosaurs with guns sounds thrilling, the shallow management, automated combat, and strong pay-to-win elements hold it back from being truly competitive. If you’re just looking to build a city and train some dino-soldiers without the pressure of competition, it might be worth a look. Score: I enjoyed it, would recommend (with a caveat).
Introduction:
Developed for mobile, Age of Dinos is a 4X strategy game where players build cities, manage resources, and lead armies in a world overrun by gun-toting dinosaurs. Available on Android and iOS, it attempts to blend classic 4X mechanics with a quirky twist. But while the idea of commanding a squad of armed dinos sounds exciting, the game struggles to turn that concept into a truly engaging experience.
Platform and Requirements:
Platform: Mobile (iOS and Android)
Requirements: No special hardware needed.
Monetization: Free-to-play with in-app purchases that speed up progression and boost power scores, giving paying players a significant edge.
Core Gameplay Loop:
In Age of Dinos, you’ll build your city amidst the ruins of a world where humans and dinosaurs coexist. Construct buildings like research labs, training camps, and hatcheries for your dinosaur army. Each building upgrade unlocks new content, boosts your power score, and helps you progress. However, resource management feels disappointingly shallow—there's little challenge in gathering resources, and I never felt the pinch of scarcity. Essentially, it’s all about leveling up and hitting that next power score milestone.
Your city sits on a world map filled with other players and points of interest. You can send troops to gather resources, rescue survivors, or battle rogue dinos. It’s a cool setup, but most of the strategy boils down to clicking through menus and sending troops out for the sake of more power score. The gameplay often feels like a checklist rather than a strategic struggle for survival.
Combat and Strategy:
Your army is made up of human soldiers, dinosaurs with guns, and collectible heroes. Sounds like chaos, right? Except it’s all automated. Battles are pre-determined and can even be skipped—so much for watching your dino forces in action. Even when the dinosaurs do join the fight, they tend to hang back while your human troops take center stage. It’s a missed opportunity, especially given the game’s premise. With dinosaurs contributing a mere 200,000 out of a potential 4 million power score, they often feel more like backup dancers than the main act.
The story campaign pits you against increasingly tough enemies, but again, you’re mostly an observer here. It’s a shame because the world-building is interesting, but the lack of direct involvement in battles makes it hard to feel invested in your army’s success.
Graphics, Sound, and UI:
Visually, Age of Dinos does a decent job. The graphics are serviceable, with some fun details in the dinosaur designs, though their movements can look a little stiff. The sound effects add to the atmosphere, but don’t expect anything groundbreaking. Navigating through the game’s menus can feel overwhelming for newcomers—a common issue in 4X games—but there’s not much in the way of onboarding to help ease you into the experience.
Monetization and Social Features
Age of Dinos leans heavily into its free-to-play model, with plenty of opportunities to spend real money. Players can buy boosts that speed up building times, improve resource gathering, and directly increase their power score. Paying players have a clear advantage, which can make the competitive elements feel unbalanced. If you’re aiming for the top ranks, expect to open your wallet.
The alliance system lets you team up with other players to research and speed up building times, but it’s pretty bare-bones. Despite being surrounded by other players’ cities, I rarely felt like I was in direct competition with anyone. The social interactions lack depth, and it’s easy to forget you’re playing alongside real people. It almost feels like you’re in a single-player game with a chat window tacked on.
Verdict
Age of Dinos is a game with potential, but it falls short of delivering on its promise. The idea of a dinosaur army armed to the teeth is fun, but the lack of strategic depth, automated combat, and reliance on pay-to-win mechanics make it hard to recommend to serious 4X fans. It may find a small audience among casual players looking for something to pass the time, but the competition from other 4X games is fierce. I enjoyed it and would recommend trying it, but with caveats—don't go in expecting a deep strategy game or a truly impactful dino experience.
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