Jon Shafer's At the Gates

At the Gates for PC is a turn-based strategy game developed by Conifer Games. It is a debut project of the studio, however, the lead developer, Jon Shaker, is a real veteran of the genre, as he led the creation process of Sid Meier’s Civilization V and co-created story campaign for Elemental: Fallen Enchantress.

Plot

The game is set in the latter part of the Roman Empire’s domination over Europe. Players assume control over a barbaric tribe trying to take advantage of the fading Roman power to achieve dominant position across the Old Continent. Since other tribes have similar ambitions, it is not an easy task. Moreover, the Romans, even though weaker now, continue to pose a significant threat to one’s expansion. Generally, At the Gates resembles Sid Meier’s Civilization series. One starts the game with a small tribe inhabiting an uninviting land with a task of exploring the world and gathering resources. Later on, one can move the tribe to a more fertile area and begin cooperation with other nations, including the Roman Empire, which can be later used to one’s advantage. Whenever a nation becomes obsolete, a player can decide to wipe them out. Gameplay mechanics become more complex as the tribe develops into a true barbarian empire.