| Impire | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Cyanide Studios |
| Publisher(s) | Paradox Interactive |
| Platform(s) | Microsoft Windows |
| Release | February 14, 2013 |
| Genre(s) | Strategy, [1] dungeon management game |
Impire is a real-time strategy video game developed by Cyanide Studios and published by Paradox Interactive, and released for Microsoft Windows via Steam on February 14, 2013. [2] [3] [4]
Initial press reactions to Impire drew comparisons with Bullfrog Productions's Dungeon Keeper , a real-time strategy game released in 1997 that received widespread critical acclaim. Alongside Dungeon Keeper, Impire similarly grants the player command over a subterranean empire, with the ability to construct buildings, recruit monsters, and engage minions in combat. [5]
Within the fictional universe of Impire, the player assumes the persona of Baʿal-Abaddon, a primordial evil summoned from Tartarus and imprisoned in the physical form of a demonic imp, initially forced to serve the incompetent sorcerer Oscar van Fairweather. During the course of Impire, Baal-Abaddon escapes van Fairweather's control and attempts to reconstruct his ancient, nefarious empire under the continent of Ardania. [6]
Shortly after announcing the project on July 26, 2012, Yves Bordeleau, the Studio Director of Cyanide Montreal indicated that Impire was in 'pre-pre-alpha' during his presentation to GameSpot staff. Throughout Bordeleau's demonstration, he frequently referenced the 'scenarios' in the single-player and co-operative campaign setting of Impire, suggesting that the structure of the game is predominantly mission-based. [7]
| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| Metacritic | 45/100 [8] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| 4Players | 65% [9] |
| Destructoid | 3.5/10 [10] |
| Eurogamer | 3/10 [11] |
| Game Informer | 5/10 [12] |
| GameSpot | 4.5/10 [13] |
| GameSpy |    [14] |
| GameStar | 47% [15] |
| Jeuxvideo.com | 14/20 [16] |
| PC Gamer (UK) | 63% [17] |
| PC PowerPlay | 3/10 [18] |
| The Escapist | [19] |
Impire received "unfavorable" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. [8]
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The main character needs to evolve to regain power over... well, to gain control of Ardania. Basically, he's been summoned by Oscar, and he's been reduced to that little size of an imp, and he wants to regain his power to become the Lord of Ardania. That's his motive, but right now, in that particular scenario, we want to help... help out Oscar van Fairweather, which is the one that summoned you to get the Dust of Broken Hearts, a thing specific to that scenario.