Extremely fun game that combines real time strategy and ants.

This game is a masterclass in what to do right with ants in videogames. By controlling your ants with soft pheromone trails rather than as single units and relying on paths from your queen to your egg chambers (production tiles), the game easily immerses you in your ant colonies. By using tiles in your nest and a more freeform open map, the game lets you plan meticulously at home and expand freely when you're on the hunt for resources and objectives. The campaign and extra scenarios have fun twists that challenge you in new and exciting ways, and with new game + and sandbox modes, there is always a little more to do.

Unfortunately, the gameplay is more difficult to enjoy for me after you go outside the campaign and extra scenarios. This takes well over the number of hours needed for me to feel the game was worth it, but I wanted to mention it for folks who like a sandbox experience. The AI colonies in the sandbox mode are predictable and lackluster, and there isn't really a satisfying twist like in many of the other levels that adds a layer of excitement or novelty to the experience. I think a community scenario designer for the sandbox would solve this issue, or a map editor (though I know it was cited as difficult to provide the community with map tools as of 2025), but in the meantime there are updates and DLC coming that may satisfy this need in the short-run.

If you enjoy ants/insects, a great narrated campaign, and real time strategy with a twist though? This game is one of the best you could choose.

Extremely fun game that combines real time strategy and ants. This game is a masterclass in what to do right with ants in videogames. By controlling your ants with soft pheromone trails rather than as single units and relying on paths from your queen to your egg chambers (production tiles), the game easily immerses you in your ant colonies. By using tiles in your nest and a more freeform open map, the game lets you plan meticulously at home and expand freely when you're on the hunt for resources and objectives. The campaign and extra scenarios have fun twists that challenge you in new and exciting ways, and with new game + and sandbox modes, there is always a little more to do. Unfortunately, the gameplay is more difficult to enjoy for me after you go outside the campaign and extra scenarios. This takes well over the number of hours needed for me to feel the game was worth it, but I wanted to mention it for folks who like a sandbox experience. The AI colonies in the sandbox mode are predictable and lackluster, and there isn't really a satisfying twist like in many of the other levels that adds a layer of excitement or novelty to the experience. I think a community scenario designer for the sandbox would solve this issue, or a map editor (though I know it was cited as difficult to provide the community with map tools as of 2025), but in the meantime there are updates and DLC coming that may satisfy this need in the short-run. If you enjoy ants/insects, a great narrated campaign, and real time strategy with a twist though? This game is one of the best you could choose.