This review was written after playing a pre-release version of Diplomacy is Not an Option 1.0 and may not reflect content currently available in Early Access.
Diplomacy is Not an Option feels like a classic RTS in all the best ways while leaning fully into technology that would have melted processors back in the day. This includes attacking armies of 25,000 units, something that, frankly, back in the 1990s, would have been straight out of a dream (or nightmare, depending on which side of the wall you are on).
With dozens of scenarios, multiple modes, and a fully fleshed-out narrative campaign (available at launch in October 2024), Diplomacy is Not an Option feels like a strategy game for someone who wants to invest a considerable amount of time into a game and that is exactly what players will be doing, with Diplomacy is Not an Option launching with a staggering 100 hours of unique content.
That being said, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows, and while I appreciate the developers wanted to try something new, I feel the economic side of the game distracts from the core gameplay mechanics, as I found myself spending more time trying to fit yet another far or mill into my base, than holding off invading armies, which frankly is the best part of the game, and the main reason why you will want to play Diplomacy is Not an Option.
I would like the economic side of the game to be closer to “set it and forget it” than constant handholding, which is a little closer to what we have now, but despite this, Diplomacy is Not an Option is still enjoyable.
Image credit Diplomacy is Not an Option - Published and developed by Door 407.
Diplomacy is Not an Option’s low-poly aesthetic is perfect for a game of this kind, as it allows players to use their hardware to ensure smooth performance, and when 25k+ units are on screen at once, who cares if chickens are made up of a handful of triangles (they are, and it’s adorable).
Performance-wise, I have encountered no FPS drops during very large engagements and have even played Diplomacy is Not an Option while running World of Warcraft in another window.
However, players on older or lower-end hardware may struggle during late-game encounters or while playing on larger maps despite the developers’ best efforts to optimise the game.
Image credit Diplomacy is Not an Option - Published and developed by Door 407.
Diplomacy is Not an Option is a fairly priced game; however, it’s in a market dominated by very fairly priced titles, and while $24.99 is not expensive for a game with this much content, the developers have indicated a price increase is coming, and with the market leader (They Are Billions) retailing at just $29.99, raising the price any further, when Diplomacy is Not an Option is a of much smaller scope, dramatically less popular, and frankly not as good a game as They are Billions is hubris of the highest degree,
Image credit Diplomacy is Not an Option - Published and developed by Door 407.
For adventurous players, Diplomacy is Not an Option offers multiple difficulty modes, from downright nightmare fuel to less intense encounters for new players.
However, even the less intensive battles are rather difficult for the genre. I found Diplomacy is Not an Option’s easy mode harder than the normal or advanced mode of some other games in the same genre.
For those who prefer to take things slow, Diplomacy is Not an Option offers a sandbox mode, and players are free to build to their heart’s content before unleashing enemy hordes to bring ruin to all they have built.
Image credit Diplomacy is Not an Option - Published and developed by Door 407.
While Diplomacy is Not an Option is a lot of fun, it is mechanically very similar to every other game in the real-time/tower defence hybrid genre, and while it does manage to field more units than They Are Billion (25k > 20k), it fails to come close to matching the 70k unit swarms in Age of Darkness: Final stand, while looking deciding less graphically intensive than both games.
Don’t get me wrong; there is much to like about Diplomacy is Not an Option. Still, much of what is good about Diplomacy is Not an Option can be found in other games, such as Age of Darkness: Final Stand, which is cheaper, better looking, and technically more impressive, at least as far as the unit count is concerned.
Image credit Diplomacy is Not an Option - Published and developed by Door 407.
Diplomacy is Not an Option is a strategy video game developed and published by Door 407, it was released on 9 February 2022 and retails for $24.99.
Diplomacy is Not an Option is available exclusively on PC.
The following peripherals are officially supported:
Diplomacy is Not an Option is unrated and contains:
Diplomacy is Not an Option is a lot of fun, And I find myself playing it when I should be doing other things. Still, it’s very similar to almost every other game in the genre.
While I like it and am certain that a majority of gamers would also, I have trouble recommending it over titles such as They Are Billions or Age of Darkness Final Stand, as $24.99 just doesn’t feel like good value when Age of Darkness: Final Stand retails for less ($19.99), and They are Billions (the undisputed king of the genre) retails for just $29.99.
While lowering prices is never easy after preselling at a “discount”, if the developers intend for Diplomacy is Not an Option to succeed; it needs to retail for $15 or less to realise its full potential.
Overall, it’s a fun game I enjoy playing, but I would have trouble recommending it fully unless it’s on sale or the developers drop the price to a more realistic level.
