Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Game
Game2026
The Ember Guardian
Developer Ratbit Games
Defend the embers of hope in this roguelike strategy game set in a post-apocalyptic world. Recruit and command workers to gather resources, build your camp and set up your defenses during the day. When night falls, fend off waves of deadly creatures with powerful, upgradable weapons. From the Steam store page
130 reactions from 2 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky) · newest Oct 6, 2026 · last updated Oct 8, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
83
LovedLoved
105 positive · 21 negative
95% range 76–89%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 105 | 21 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 0 | 0 | 0 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
4 newer reactions are still waiting for a label.
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
253 of 303 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What people are saying
Summary pending — the reactions are listed below.
Reactions
60 of 130 · most liked firstThe Ember Guardian 7/10 It's a fun game, similar to another game that shall not be mentioned (( 🏰 👑👑)), HOWEVER the difference comes with personal weapons, your companion, the upgrading system to your base, the moving of buildings for your base, and the story. I love the aspect of moving your own buildings, having guns was also fun mechanic. The only enemy that I can consider extremely annoying. Shield gunner, and wizard. The gunner is slightly annoying with having to shoot him in the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Generally speaking, there is so much potential but at the same time, so much drawback about this game. Let start with the good part about the game. 1) The OST and art design are pretty good. Its not the best OST where its game breaking but it does fit well with the theme. The art is good enough to distinguish what is an enemy, what is a friend, what guns and what companion you have. 2) The game mechanics is pretty simple. Shoot, reload, craft. A simple tower defense. Additionally a…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I used to play Kingdom and I always felt frustrated by night to just stare at my trops fighting ! I really like this kind of game and being able to shoot is so great. For now I'm playing with auto-aim on, I might change that for only flying auto-aim, or no aid at all. I like the strategy that you have in the game. You really have to start thinking where you put your orbs ! I saw in the trailer different kinds of jobs that you can assign. Great to know that there is still so much to discover.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Like Kingdom, but you have guns. Good as is and the dev keeps making updates.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →As a big Two Kingdoms fan this game feels like a natural progression from their formula, but I personally enjoy Ember Guardian a bit more as the meta progression between runs feels a lot more meaningful. The game also nails the feeling of personal skill effecting the gameplay. In Two Kingdoms I felt at times that I was just kind of standing around waiting, but here you are always pushing, defending, or exploring. If 2D shooters, Two kingdoms, or especially both are games you enjoy then you…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Like Kingdom but worse, poorly explained controls, and a confusing art style that makes it's difficult to make sure you're selecting the right thing. At first it told me that my additional ammo would go into my bag and I'd hold down the reload button to put it into my ammo belt, but the next lot of ammo I retrieved it went automatically into the ammo belt before I wanted it to, why did this change? And there's so many things to interact with in your base with the little orbs and the big orbs…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I came in expecting this game to feel like “kingdom two crowns” Boy was I wrong I had an unexpectedly great time with this game. From the moment it starts, it pulls you in not gunna lie I got lost with the story but understand the main points of collecting the sacred flames. I absolutely love pixel games and the designs that makes it easy to get going without feeling overwhelmed. It’s a tower defense with a twist, skill trees, companions and a pet dog you can PET. the fighting mechanics. Is…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I'm a huge fan of the Kingdom series, and this game is exactly what I've been looking for. It offers so much more depth with its technologies, different maps, weapons, and all the strategic options. I've been searching for a game like this for a long time! I only wish it were more popular so it had shown up on my homepage much sooner. Great job to the developers!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Great game! Gameplay is fun, visuals are beautiful, and the twist in the genre fits perfectly. If you wonder about the negative reviews, most of them are related to bugs that have already been fixed (fixed real quick, btw). The game has been patched several times over the last couple of days, addressing all the unexpected issues a new release usually brings. So it's clear to me that the dev is determined to make the game the best possible product. Go grab the game and have fun. The dev is…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Like Kingdoms, but trading some of the micro managing of your minions to shoot stuff yourself. Decent concept but bogged down by some un-fun design decisions. Art is nice. I didn't find it too confusing as some others did. World building is cool. Unlocks seems steady with new things to unlock each level. Aiming has a bit of rng with weapon sway, which never feels good. Especially when enemies have weak points you want to hit, but miss because of rng. Some enemies will deflect your bullets…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I enjoy this game on my PC. But there is no logical explanation on why it runs so poorly on a Steam Deck. Kingdom runs great, and they are comparable in graphical quality. The moment it rains in this game, the frame rate plummets into the depths. It’s a 2D, retro pixel art game and the Steam Deck, which can run Elden Ring to a certain degree, can certainly handle this game. Fix this and we are good to go.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Love the game but its a bit dark (literally). It would be nice if we had more sunlight and less game-of-thrones-level-of-darkness. Anyway, thanks for the game!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →#NowPlaying: OK, gonna try this game out and see how it pairs with sativa-dominant Pink Lady and a cranky disposition because I'm tired of it being cold outside. Yeah, I'm reading that now too and thinking I'd better load another bowl. 💨 #GameSky #WeedSky #TheEmberGuardian #GetHighPlayGames
unlabelledView post →Not my game. I loved both Kingdom games but this one has a completely different feel to it. Much more emphasis on action, shooting, managing ammo... rather than the chill & relaxing strategy feel of Kingdom.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Really wanted to like this one as I loved kingdom, but it's more like an awkward shooter than anything else.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →update: dev is on bugs and balance fixes, but it's definitely a bit all over the place. controller wonkiness is frustrating, and some of the later enemies (shields) are bogus to deal with generally. first half was smooth, but it's definitely a bit overscaling in terms of difficulty with some of the enemy types it's fun! needs some work though - inputs get screwy if you change them for controller (e.g. changing "interact" makes the upgrade UIs break), and you can get weird UI stacking it's…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Are you coming from Kingdom and/or Until we die then hop on. This game takes all the great mechanics and combines it in a polished addictive game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Spoilers After finishing the game i can give it a solid 7/10. The campaign is relatively short, but fun nonetheless. Perhaps the developer may want to consider on expanding the story line as there is plenty of potential for a much more fleshed out feel for the world and why it is the way it is now. The gameplay is pretty fun. Only enemy i ever found annoying is the witch like enemy in the fractured district. I think its projectile having a seemingly infinite lifespan (on top of its range…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Love it ! This game deserves the a buy ! Finally someone taking Two Kingdoms mechanics to new heights that has so much content in it's game progression. Love the option to be able to arrange my bases ard and not being rushed to get started and I can prepare it. Many things to still improve but it's a great scratch on the ITCH !
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Really fun game, its basically Kingdom Two Crowns but roguelike, if you like Kingdom Two Crowns, i 100% recommend you buy this and also, cute doggo! What more do you need?
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Damn i was really hoping for a longer game, took only 25 hrs to finish. But there may be more to come because when you use the teleporters and finish each area, there is a padlock icon in place of the arrow that you press to select another area...meaning theres room for just more of this masterpiece. An easy 9/10 for those that enjoy the "kingdom" franchise.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →1000x YES! This game has been a lot of fun. Such a quality piece of art. Think about if Kingdom Two Crowns was not an idle combat game. Two Crowns with a gun? YES PLEASE. The art is awesome and the sound is amazing. (One musician to another, who played these guitar licks, my man has chops!) So, yeah, it was worth every penny and the updates, improvements, and love from the Dev team continues to flow. Obviously a labor of love. 5 enthusiastic stars.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →They pour their heart into this game. But I encountered a bug during the tutorial phase. After I used my gem to upgrade the camp, I exited to the main menu. The I came back to play only to find I had no gems and the upgrade was gone. I went back to the teleporter, and it failed to functions. It looks like the quest checkpoint was reverted to somewhere before but the map data was saved correctly. Losing save data is probably the most frustrating experience for a player. I believe there are not…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is a really fun and enjoyable game, its an addition to a severely lacking category with very few similar titles the most obvious being Kingdom Two Crowns. If you like the Kingdom series, I completely recommend you buy this or at the very least try the demo to get an idea of it. The game has a lot more content then I expected and can be quite challenging at times.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →As most others, I am also a huge fan of the Kingdom series. This game is challenging, and is about resource management. Like Kingdom, you need to go back to other levels sometimes and farm for gems to upgrade your base/equipment, but it definitely didn't feel like a "slog" as others have mentioned. Every upgrade made replays feel a little bit different, and they also went much faster which was appealing. I could see my progress and I truly enjoyed every bit of it. The only issue that I…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I refunded the game. I was a big fan of the Kingdom games and thought I would like this too. At a certain point it just feels like you are constantly busy doing chores. Overal I think the game fits the setting rather well. But a bit too much at certain points. If that's your jam, go for it. I wish there was a neutral thumb.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →---{ Graphics }--- ☐ You forget what reality is ☑ Beautiful ☐ Good ☐ Decent ☐ Bad ☐ Don‘t look too long at it ☐ MS-DOS ---{ Gameplay }--- ☐ Very good ☑ Good ☐ It's just gameplay ☐ Mehh ☐ Watch paint dry instead ☐ Just don't ---{ Audio }--- ☑ Eargasm ☐ Very good ☐ Good ☐ Not too bad ☐ Bad ☐ I'm now deaf ---{ Audience }--- ☐ Kids ☑ Teens ☑ Adults ☐ Grandma ---{ PC Requirements }--- ☐ Check if you can run paint ☐ Potato ☑ Decent ☐ Fast ☐ Rich boi ☐ Ask NASA…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A resemblance to Kingdom's Saga, but with, I belive, way less playtesting. This led to a lot of unbalanced mechanics that can hardly be reconciled by the overarching narrative. In general, the gameplay is interesting for the first 2 hours, but later it becomes a chore to do anything since everything relies on your character while your troops are almost useless. The meta-progression is extremely long-lived but has hardly any purpose outside of the neat character and weapon upgrades.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A tedious take on the formula established by the Kingdom games. Initially I had a lot of fun, but it became tedious quickly and each mission got more and more annoying in how it forces you to progress through them. Grinding for upgrade currency is a bit of a slog as well.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I really really enjoyed Ember Guardian. I've tried my fair share of Two Kingdoms which this is absolutely inspired by, and honestly I found this to be a far more enjoyable experience. My two biggest complaints are that honestly--the campaign is just too short lol. I beat the final mission and just wanted to keep going! I suppose that's what horde mode is for, but it's just not the same. The second complaint, tied into the shortness of the campaign, is that the Devs created a really interesting…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you liked Kingdom and you think you'll like this, think again. It's everything you thought you wanted when you first started playing Kingdom, but then later realized you were better off without. This game devolves what Kingdom evolved. We should aspire for better, not worse.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Kingdom series style base defense with some roguelite progression mechanics Very good
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you like the Kingdom series but always wanted to be more proactive in defending then this is very much the game for you. I will not mince words though. It is difficult when you get to a certain point in the mission story, Fractured District for me, even on Survivor (I believe this is the intended Normal difficulty) It is a little clunky here and there but it is good nonetheless. I give this game a solid 8/10. Final side note: It really helps bump up my score that devs are listening to…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I originally left a negative review out of frustration after not have any progress in the game due to cloud save problem. However, the developers responded and pushed a fix within 24 hours. They even hot fix in wall bug which I was expected to be release next update. I’m changing my recommendation to a thumbs-up. It’s rare to see this level of dedication, and it’s clear the dev are committed to supporting the game rather than abandoning it. Still some minor inconvenient still there. The UX/UI…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Coming from the demo, I'm not disappointed with what the full game has to offer. I was able to recover my save file from the demo, so I'm actually a few more hours in the game. I just unlocked camp upgrades and customisation, which greatly expand gameplay opportunities. Can't wait to see what comes next !
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Its like a mix of moonlighter with kingdom 2 crowns. Easy to start, hard to put down. I had to grind the first few levels a few times to beat the third. Upgrading is fun and once you max a few out it makes a big difference and then the game opens up a little more. Graphics are good for the style, sounds are fun and suit the action style. Go get some.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Steam Deck performance just isn't where it should be especially when you look at Kingdom Two Crowns and it runs at a locked 60fps at only 8 watts. While this game is in the 30-40fps running at over 20 watts. Different games, however they both use the same engine. I don't think turning the reflections off or very low to get it closer to 60 is the answer, as I've seen the Dev remark. The reflections are a big part of the games overall look and the games overall look is a big part of it's appeal.…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Had a good time playing this for the first ten or so hours - as a big Kingdoms fan, this is pretty close to being able to do what a lot of people have wanted which is fighting against the enmies instead of hiding behind the towers and walls. The downside? It's a slog to collect gems for upgrades. The last eight hours has been grinding previously beaten maps just to unlock gem chests and get back to the base to continue unlocks. Started to do this because the final boss was pretty difficult…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fun Game. I like the low resolution esthetic and the overall progression system. It does leave me wanting more from the game at times but I think its coming along very nicely with every update.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Inspired by the 2 crowns series, but after the side scroller inspiration, this is the upgraded product. Great complexity, a nice level of challenge. Much more meta progression with its roguelite DNA. Great gunplay. Would recommend! Unfortunately it has some minor bugs but they are usually not bad. But the red orb system needs an overhaul ASAP. We should be able to use the orbs from the containers. And engineers get wonky between sitting in their turrets and doing an activty in the middle of…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The best Kingdoms like since Kingdoms. I like the mission based structure and the whole upgrade system, has loads of guns/traps/pet things to try out. The whole blueprint system to change the base layout is great. Good progression, had to grind 1 or 2 times to get some gems to upgrade which felt good. Doesn't have couch coop which is a shame.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →fun game and love the dog
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It definitely borrows elements from games like Kingdom Two Crowns series, but to me I've always wanted a game like that but with more action / participation. So this really scratches that itch. On the downside the graphics aren't as pretty as the other mentioned game, or perhaps as "smooth" in movement and animation. But there's for sure more action here. I've enjoyed it thus far - and it gets really hard after a while, so be prepared for that. My only real noticeable gripe is that…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Like Kingdom II Crowns but with guns and some RPG elements. It's fun.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →So far enjoying my time. Wanted to address a few points I saw in reviews cause I don't think they are fair. I fail to see how people don't understand get the reloading mechanic; it shoots your clip in the air and you click R at the right time for powered shots, what's not to get? It even brightens the clip for your convenience when you are within the timing window. Every tutorial comes with a lil video as well, took me maybe 3 times for me to get it consistently. Another complaint I saw…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A cool take on Kingdom which gives you more agency to actually participate. There are a ton of weapons you can use and upgrade, you can fully customize the layout of your base, and most importantly, you have a doggo. I love the aesthetic and pacing of the game. It is quite challenging, but feels great when your plans come together. The devs are very diligent with tweaking things and fixing bugs. I am surprised it's not popping off with how good it is.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Been enjoying the game. I've been looking for another Kingdom game and you delivered. I especially like being able to upgrade the weapons and the camp. Just a few feedback: - Large enemy bird sometimes glitches out when diving. - A little hard to tell when the right time to shoot the reload-triggered super shot. Maybe a more obvious visual or audio cue? maybe zoom in or out a little then slow mo for better impact - The barricades don't work even after getting them fixed once they broke. The…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Gameplay felt pretty boring. Run 1 direction to the end run back to base. Upgrade loop just isn't there for me. All of the gun upgrades looking through the tree appeared so insignificant it seems pointless to upgrade. +1,+2 dmg per shot didn't make a difference on killing mobs. Special upgrade secondary felt like I was just dumping the entire magazine for 1 mob on the shotgun.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →incredibly boring
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The Ember Guardian does not have a fishing minigame :(( #theemberguardian #indiegame #gaming #videogames #fishing #fishingminigame
unlabelledView post →This is an early statement, update may occur. After playing for two hours, I have to say that The Ember Guardian is a nice game. A fine sweet spot between casual and challenging. This game is all about Exploring, Surviving, Building but most importantly Keeping the Flames awake. Like a RogueLite, you start with almost nothing, a weapon, a couple of ammo and a lovely dog (Pet the dog). You will have to survive the enemy nest, but most importantly you will have to survive the night. As the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →by far one of my favorite games. gameplay feels good, progression is very rewarding and all weapons are pretty well balanced so theres not a single that i could say is bad. great game, 24/7 fun and achievements are not a pain to get but also not a cakewalk. every system is almost perfect (besides some QoL stuff but its nowhere near enough to make any negative impact). BUY IT. NOW. ITS GUD. ps: if you played the kindom games and liked them, this game is more than perfect for you when you want…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Kingdom x post-apocalypse. A legitimate successor.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Excelente juego, si te gusta Kingdom's Saga este no lo puedes perder.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →For the first few minutes, fun gameplay, gunplay feels good. Can pet Doge 10/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →a nice game, that can be challenging or chill. good game mechanics, good sound design, well feeling guns with some variety for different playstyles. runs great with no hickups on a fairly modern and competent system where ive tested it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I loved Kingdom, and I love this. Nice work
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Awesome game, It takes the style that Kingdoms pioneered but adds so many unique elements, so much that I don't think of it as a rip of Kingdoms at all, but rather a homage to it. It honors the series in taking the elements it did. It is much more of a rogue lite than Kingdoms was, and in that vein is a bit easier and lacks quite as much replay value. Still, thoroughly enjoyed the near 40 hours I got out of it, tho I do think I will be done quite soon. The only other minor negative I have…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →a bit buggy. like units not going into towers and such. invisible enemies, and enemy sprites not disappearing. other then that a more action focus then kingdom. very good IMO. I wish the weapons were a bit more viable, err i guess distinct? like the rifle carried me all the way until i got the assault rifle. The sniper was just way too good for exploring and seeing what was coming up. combine that with crouch and you can just explore, sneak, and snipe. the damage is great. I felt the other…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Really enjoying this so far. I played the demo and knew I would be hooked. Once the full game was release I am definitely not disappointed. Runs great on steam deck, dev is pushing lots of patches to keep improving things. Very addicting and fun. Highly recommended if these types of games are your jam.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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