TFM: The First Men

I do not think I have played a grand strategy game that has a style like TFM: The First Men has. This is a 4X strategy game that has a kind of cartoon vibe about it which is pretty neat. The game is an early access game at the moment, but they are very hard at work on this and there are certainly some very interesting ideas that they have planned. I think anyone who has an interest in strategy games is going to get a real kick out of what this is offering.

It Starts With Adam And Eve

The idea of the game is that it takes place in a fantasy world with tons of different races of people and creatures. TFM: The First Men is called that because your journey starts with your own Adam and Eve. From what I understand the game is going to be very character-driven which sounds interesting. I always find that when a strategy game focuses more on character, it always makes you more connected to the characters, and thus the stakes feel much higher.

Looking After Their Needs

As is the case with other grand strategy games, you have a ton of things to worry about in TFM: The First Men. The main attributes that the people in this world have are body, mind, soul, self, and heart. Then you also have a vast variety of traits and abilities that make characters special and unique. It is a lot to keep track of, but that to me is a huge part of the fun, trying to take care of people's needs all the while striving towards a goal.

Working Towards A Better Future

As you would expect, you are always working towards making things better for those that you care for. There are various expeditions that you can send people on and the traits and abilities that they have are key here. There are many different races that you will encounter in the game and you can decide how you want to deal with them. You can do diplomacy and work with people to try and benefit both parties. On the other side of this, you can just wage war and take what you want by force.

Using Your Brain With A Sword!

The combat in the game is very tactics based. TFM: The First Men has you needing to really think about what you are doing before you do it. It is tactical real time combat, but they do let you pause the game so you can have a moment to think which is something I like. There are many different creatures and animals that you will have to fight and each one will require you to come up with a strategy that works.

Filmation!

The presentation of the game is awesome. It reminds me of an 80s cartoon that would have been made by Filmation back in the 80s. It is very appealing to look at and I really do like that it has a kind of hand drawn style to it.

Pros:

• I love the whole art style of the game
• There are a ton of things for you to consider
• I like the whole premise of the game
• It is going to take up a ton of your time

Cons:

• This game is going to have a bit of a learning curve
• You do have to be into strategy games to appreciate this

A colony sim based on the very first members of the human species, TFM: The First Men mixes history with mythology to deliver the latest in addictive base-building adventures. With its deep lore and beautiful 2D visuals, be ready to spend countless hours exploring the world and constructing the most efficient settlement possible.

While the game might cater to some very specific kinds of players – namely those with a knack for dealing with complex managing sims –, The First Men is one of the most accessible games of its genre. As long as you're willing to deal with some cumbersome menus, you'll be good to go and on the way to establishing your civilization.

Building Character

At first glance, TFM: The First Men might look very similar to games like Rimworld. Given a limited amount of resources and space to develop, players will have to carefully plan their paths and upgrades to make the most of what they've got.

However, The First Men goes one step above the usual grind and developing gameplay by adding what it calls "character-driven base building." What this means is that your main settlement and its growth are tied to the kind of characters that inhabit it.

Each character in your tribe comes with five attributes: Body, Mind, Heart, Soul, and Self. These attributes allow the player a massive deal of freedom when it comes to how they tackle the challenges that the world of The First Men has to offer – and they're plenty.

Explore and Conquer

Once you're used to the game's base-building mechanics, The First Men throws a curveball at you by suddenly becoming a fully-fledged party-based RPG. It happens quite naturally, actually, and it never feels forced; after all, your characters' attributes play an integral role in the game's combat and dungeon exploration.

Here is also where the plot of The First Men appears. The game introduces creation mythology from all over the world to weave a complex web of storytelling and fascinating characters, with your tribe right in the middle of it all.

Suddenly, the game changes course and becomes so much more than just a colony sim. While it might add a bit more fun in the long run, most encounters can be a bit too challenging for most players, which might sour the experience for those who just wanted a settlement manager simulator.

2D Beauty

One of the best parts of TFM: The First Men is, without a shadow of a doubt, its 2D visuals. Instead of going for a minimalist style like RimWorld or Prison Architect, The First Men goes all in on the details.

From lush landscapes to richly-detailed dungeons and creatures, there's a world of 2D beauty to discover in this game. It also helps that the character and monster designs are great in communicating valuable info to the player, like how strong an enemy really is, for example.

Pros

• Gorgeous 2D visuals
• Deep lore to explore
• Entertaining and surprisingly complex RPG mechanics

Cons

• Confusing UI