The Age of Decadence
A post-apocalyptic RPG emphasizing choices and consequences.
The Age of Decadence is a role-playing game for Windows created by Iron Tower Studio, whose lead goes by the alias "Vince D. Weller." Its setting is a low-magic, post-apocalyptic world modeled after the fall of the Roman Empire. The game seeks to revive the so-called golden era of RPGs by focusing on player choice and consequence, with multiple ways to resolve each quest.
**Gameplay**
**Character** At the start, players pick from eight backgrounds and professions, ranging from an honorable knight to a cunning grifter, or they can choose to have no background at all. Each background alters gameplay significantly, determining a character's starting reputation with various factions—a thief, for instance, begins as a member of the Thieves Guild, gaining reputation bonuses with other thieves but penalties with their enemies. Backgrounds are not classes; they do not restrict future attributes or skills. The game uses a skill-based system rather than a class-based one. Characters do not level up but earn skill points by completing quests or defeating foes.
Players can customize their character's appearance, including skin color, hair style, and gender. Gender affects gameplay: some quests are exclusive to males or females, and certain skills receive gender-based bonuses (for example, males gain a bonus to Intimidate). Primary stats are Strength (affects damage), Dexterity (affects action points), Constitution (affects hit points), Perception (affects chance to hit), Intelligence (affects skill point bonuses), and Charisma (affects NPC reactions). Stats range from 4 to 10, and reaching 10 can unlock bonus traits.
**Skills** The game includes 23 distinct skills, covering combat (e.g., Critical Strike) and miscellaneous needs (e.g., Impersonate, Lore). It also features a detailed crafting and alchemy system, allowing players to melt old items, forge new ones, poison weapons, create acid, and more.
**Combat** Combat is turn-based and tactical, with options depending on the character's attributes, skills, and equipment. Hammers can knock enemies down, axes split shields, swords disarm opponents, and daggers ignore armor. Players can aim for specific body parts. There is no party-based combat—the main character has no followers—but in some situations, NPCs like guards or faction members may assist, controlled by AI and scripts.
Quick Facts
- Title
- The Age of Decadence
- Developer
- Iron Tower Studio
- Engine
- Torque 3D
- Director
- Vince D. Weller
- Artist
- Oscar Velzi
- Programmer
- Nick Skolozdra
- Composer
- Ryan Eston
- Released
- October 14, 2015
- Genre
- Role-playing
- Modes
- Single-player
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Age of Decadence is set in a low-magic, post-apocalyptic world inspired by the fall of the Roman Empire. According to the Imperial Scrolls, the wicked kingdom of Qantaar and the Empire were locked in a bloody magical war that devastated much of the known world. Each side called upon powers both arcane and divine, summoning gods and other beings of immense power, whose contest ultimately destroyed both sides. Cities of the once glorious Empire lay in ruin, and bodies of the dead were strewn across the land. Centuries later, the world still suffers from the shadow of civilization's collapse. Where there once was unity, there are now factions struggling for dominance in the ruined world. Where there was once knowledge, there is ignorance of both science and magic. Where there was once chivalry and honor, there is only pettiness and betrayal. It is in this uneasy divided land of myth and fable that the player discovers an ancient map offering a hint to the Empire's true past.
The game uses a skill-based system rather than a class-based system. Characters do not gain levels but earn skill points by completing quests or defeating enemies. Players choose from eight backgrounds and professions, which affect initial faction relationships but do not restrict future development. Combat is turn-based and tactical, with options depending on attributes, skills, and equipment. The game features dialogue trees with skill checks against set numbers (no rolling), and over 100 quests with multiple solutions including pacifism and diplomacy. There are no plot-critical NPCs, and players can attempt to kill any character.
Reader's Guide
The Age of Decadence was developed by Iron Tower Studio starting in March 2004, using the Torque video game engine. A combat demo was released in December 2009, followed by a public beta in March 2012 that was feature-complete except for Alchemy but only had one town. The game entered Steam Greenlight in January 2013, then Early Access on November 15, 2013, and was fully released on October 14, 2015, simultaneously on Steam and GOG. It received generally positive reviews, with a Metacritic score of 81/100. Destructoid awarded it 9 out of 10, praising the decision-making where players choose from alliances with game-changing consequences, though criticizing combat as 'clunky' and character customization as 'confusing and frustrating'. Within the first week of release, it sold over 10,000 copies, and by June 25, 2026, it had reached 250,000 copies sold. In 2016, Iron Tower released Dungeon Rats, a party-based tactical-RPG spin-off. In 2023, they released Colony Ship: A Post-Earth Role Playing Game, a science fiction RPG similar to The Age of Decadence, which first entered early access on April 6, 2021.
Did You Know?
- The game has seven endings, only two of which involve mortal combat.
- Healing potions cannot be used to recover hitpoints during combat.
- The game features 23 distinct skills, including Impersonate and Lore.
- A Linux port is unlikely due to the team's concerns about inability to properly support the release on that platform.
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