Forge of Empires Reviews

Forge of Empires, found online at ForgeOfEmpires.com, is an online strategy game from game creator InnoGames which claims that, since it was launched in 2012, it has become one of the most successful browser based games on the market.

How Does Forge of Empires Work?

This game is available from InnoGames, the same publisher of games like Tribal Wars and “Grepolis,” a game set specifically in the Greek empires. 

All these games have similar themes, in that they allow players to use serious strategic game play in order to build, expand, and defend an empire, with an emphasis on “excellent visual appeal.”

Players begin the Forge of Empires by creating a settlement in the Stone Age, and quickly have to develop a strategy for developing capital and expanding your empire by conquering nearby settlements and lands. 

As the game continues, time will elapse, taking you out of the Stone Age and through the years to the Middle Ages. 

Even when you turn the game off and are not actively playing, the Forge of Empires world will continue to change and move forward, and the strategies that you have put in place will continue, meaning that goods will continue to be produced, troops can be collected, and more. 

In addition to the strategic game play, the website says that Forge of Empires does offer access to a huge gaming community, which brings “players from all over the world together.”

Mobile Options

Currently this game is available to be played on iOS devices, Android Devices, and home computers.

Cost/Price Plans

Forge of Empires likes to spend a fair amount of time emphasizing the fact that they are a free browser game which charges absolutely no fees to get started, and this is true.

However, people who play this game say that in reality, to describe this game as a “free” game is not entirely accurate.

Though you do not have to pay any fees to register or get started with this game, to advance successfully through the game, there will be many different things that you will be expected to build or accomplish, in order to progress.

And to do these things quickly or correctly will require “diamonds,” this game’s form of currency. 

While you can perform certain tasks or quests in order to earn or win diamonds, most game players admit that to be successful with this game or to move forward at a pace you are comfortable with, you will need to purchase diamonds.

Unfortunately, the game does not open publish the costs of their diamonds, though they are available in packages of different amounts, with larger packages providing a discount on the per diamond price.  

Refund Policy

The website does not provide any information regarding refunds for diamond packages if customers mistakenly purchased the wrong package, or if they decide to quit or leave the game with remaining diamonds.

The reality is that this game likely doesn’t provide any refunds for these costs, so customers should consider this when deciding to purchase diamond packages.  

Customer Service Contact Info

Customers who would like to contact Customer Service with any questions, concerns, or complaints can do so by email at [email protected] or by submitting them directly to their website through the Contact Us link.

Reputation

This game has mixed reviews, which is not a surprise as gaming experiences are a very specific and personal thing, and different people are looking for different things in the games that they play.

Many complaints that users had revolved around the description of this game as “free” though they believe that players who don’t purchase diamonds are at a serious disadvantage.

Some players have also mentioned that InnoGames is a German based company and that they believe there are some language and translation issues, but this wasn’t as common of a complaint.  

Competitors and Alternatives?

The world of strategic online browser games is very large, and there are very many games available for people who are interested in different settings, different themes, and different skills.

The right game really just depends on your personal needs. 

If you have any experience with Forge of Empires or their products, please leave your reviews below.

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Forge of Empires Customer Reviews

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Do not trust this company.
February 1, 2023
Bought $14.99 package which included “all previous gifts from past special events “ It does not say you don’t actually get them until you beat all the levels. In fact it says “ there is no cost for you to place these”. That is a complete, bold faced lie. Plus I didn’t expect a “international service charge “ for being in the USA on my cc. It is based in Germany so fees involved. I hate liars. Do not spend a dime with these people. I also bought 2 other packs that included 250 diamonds which were all gone by the next morning and I didn’t spend one of them. This is not quite a scam but it is theft.

Integrity
November 23, 2022

FOE will delete items and customer service will do Nothing. Playing for nearly two years and yes spent way much on this waste of time game. Now when I goto use upgrades that will help me, poof they disappear. My advice if you find any game asking for purchase to play just turn off and goto a casino at least there you might win sometimes.

Be wary of this game.
June 25, 2022

I only joined today and after an hour I had not got a clue what to do. I was asked to put my email on for 50 diamonds. I did this and it asked for my username which I had put in, then it said that name was taken. I don't know what the password was as it was automatic set up. I could not find the unsubscribe button anywhere so I contacted them and just get a load of questions about what houses I built. I want to unsubscribe, but they are stalling. I will go on every review site if they do not comply.

Game for Wimps
April 14, 2022

Quite tedious. The Developers do not seem to have any ideas beyond battles and encouraging players to attack others. This would be acceptable and fair if established players were unable to attack players many leagues below them.

FoE need to encourage a more principled game, which would put a stop to new players leaving so quickly. Fairer fights would stop the cowards attacking players they know are unable to defend themselves.

A Grand Puzzle
December 14, 2021

Wow, I've read a bunch of reviews (by losers) who blame FOE and its business model for their own defeat. These are people who have little understanding of the game and how to succeed in it. Some may even have "gambling" addiction tendencies.

I have been playing FOE since Sep 2020 and have still never paid a dime. If you use your brain and analyze the rules and gameplay, you will see it is a grand puzzle that needs to be solved. By reading and with your observation abilities, understand the details of the game and it's constraints. Then, using that data, strategize how you will progress and grow in the game.

At this writing I am in the latter half of Oceanic Future (age) and have many GBs (great buildings) and >250 FPs generation per day in my city. Yes, the game will request all the time you want to give it. So this calls for self-discipline. Play the game as much as you want, but don't "blame the game".

Rampant cheating
October 5, 2021

Avoid in my opinion, rampant cheating now.

I have played since beta, many of the players that I knew over the years have quit yet their accounts are still active/renamed. Even players who have outright stated they now control x y or z account (and proven it). Reporting them has achieved nothing, every single one.

Between alts and scripts/auto clickers, good luck being competitive unless you are willing to do the same.

I suspect Inno Games either no longer cares or is turning a blind eye to players that actually spend money.

Stop whining about diamonds. It's sad and pathetic.
September 14, 2021

Everyone here complaining about spending real money on diamonds is just foolish. I've played for nearly 4 years, my city is ridiculously powerful, and I've never spent a single cent of real money on this game. Anyone who thinks diamonds are required just doesn't understand how to play the game properly. Or well.

This game is great in a lot of ways, and it is ABSOLUTELY FREE TO PLAY and FREE TO 'WIN'. Don't be misled by unintelligent nonsense. One reviewer said 'challenging without diamonds', and this isn't even slightly true. At all. Not even a bit.

ScottjeanMason October 16, 2021

I'm complaining, but not about diamonds. I started playing 3 months ago and got to the middle ages and now it won't load. goes to 45%. This has been going for a week. EXPLIAN THAT!

InnoGames Screwed Up a Good Game, Now I Hate It
June 13, 2021

I've played this game for years, and really enjoyed it, spending far to much time on it. I fonally got my son to start playing, and sometimes he only plays with my prompting. We have both supported each other, which has always worked fine until the most recent game update.

Within the FAQs they claim that other people within the same household can play, even on the same computer, provided they each have their own log in name, etc. This worked fine until recently, and now InnoGames is saying we cannot support each other any longer, and I cannnot even log in and play, getting only the attached text only screen.

Basically, this company didn't realize that by spending all this money marketing and advertising the game, they've also working behind the scenes to actually destroy game play for people who previously enjoyed it.

Find another game, and game creator, I'm probably not going to play anything by InnoGames ever again, due to the way they've handled things. Too bad. It was fun, but not any longer.

Great, slowpaced game, play to win
March 13, 2021
One of the few true play to win games of its kind. Played for almost 2 years, never felt the need to buy diamonds. You can gain aproximately 200 diamonds every week, and that is enough to buy all the premium expansion. It isn't a fast game, but it isn't supposed to be. If you end up in a good guild you can find lots of cool people. I really can not understand the other comments here. Buying diamonds barely helps, unless you are spending thousands of dollars. It's not a game where you are supposed to play hours every day, but maybe 20 minutes while you watch you city slowly grow

Dan May 13, 2022

Nice one bot! The game is totally designed to frustrate people into spending money! If as you say, that it's only meant to be played maybe 20 minutes a day, then you would still be playing it in 15 years! Anybody who has played this game knows the hours it takes to acquire anything. Don't be suckered in to this load of time wasting crap, Life's too short!

NO NO NO. JUST NO
March 8, 2021

I'm in 10th grade and rarely play videogames. I started playing FoE a few weeks ago just for curiosity and boredom. It was the worst decision I ever made.

I'm so addicted to FoE that I found myself playing 6 hours during classes and straight from 4PM to 2AM just doing endless useless routine tasks. My friends see it as something funny but I know it is not healthy.

Please avoid playing FoE and even more by browsing it because it is extremely easy to switch the tab in your laptop while working.

Please don't do it, I'm forcing my ban through flooding in the GlobalChat but seems there aren't mods now.

Don't let anyone steal 16 hours of your day, it's not fair.

PLEASE DON'T PLAY Forge of Empires!

Has become a total rip-off desinged to trick you into spending cash
March 5, 2021

Turning into pay (too much) to play. Inno has destroyed a good game.

Foe tricks you into investing time, then switches rules so you either have to rebuild your city (which takes weeks) or pay real cash to keep advancing. Turning into a total rip-off. There's a lot better choices out there.

I've played for 3 years, invested almost 800 real dollars over that time to build up my cities.

Inno just introduced a change that has essentially destroyed all that work and effort.

It has become a game solely focused on meeting the needs of players who can spend hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars.

Go on the game forums and read the posts about "abortable Quests" and see the anger and disgust from the many players who faithfully supported Inno for years, only to be crapped on.

SCAMMMERS
January 30, 2021
I officially have spent over 5 thousand dollars on diamonds and my girlfriend left me because I spent all our money on this game, do not play this game it's not fun its money sucking...

Pay to win at its finest
April 25, 2020
I played this on my Ipad for a small amount of time, somewhat enjoyable to begin with, but it eventually gets to the point where you would have to spend years to finish points without buying diamonds. Absolute scam, and it is paying people to advertise it falsely. Its undercover Raid Shadow Legends. They also invade your privacy, look at messages, and collect your data. Don't even install it, its likes are probably botted.

terribly flawed
April 23, 2020
this game has some terrible flaws. its close to impossible to move through the game without buying hundreds of dollars of diamonds(you cant't earn them through game play). there are not enough expansions available(unless you have diamonds or medals) both very scarce. Once you get out of the iron age you need incredible amounts of goods to research the various technologies to get to the expansions at the very end of the era but the catch is if I don't have those expansions I cant't put up the buildings to make the needed goods. Major Flaw. Solution is to buy hundreds of dollars of diamonds. this game is not worth it. Save your money and time.

It's a Scam!
January 28, 2020

INNO Games and Forge of Empires is a total scam. I know first hand as I was a Moderator for six months. During that time I gathered evidence that INNO places "bait" accounts in every world.

By "Bait Accounts" I mean fake accounts with unlimited diamonds. This is done with the intention of getting real players (I'm gonna call them suckers) to spend their real money in an attempt to keep pace with the fake accounts, which of course they can never do.

Moral of the story. NEVER spend one cent on this game! It's fake. Play it if you want, but no matter the strategy you deploy, you will NEVER win!

Moderators break the law
December 6, 2019
Moderators infring on privacy laws and rights to collect information on you by spying on your private messages

A WAR GAME Posing and advertised as "Family Friendly"
December 6, 2019
The have a global chat where you are not allowed to speak your mind.. and according to them (moderators) speaking your mind is insulting other players. They game reeks of true history and violence yet you add individual "friends" to a list to help with polishing and aiding your city. They also have a "friends tavern" added recently in which you drink alcohol and socialize collecting coins and silver. Yet you are not allowed to talk about drinking and drugs in global chat. Doing so, will get you banned from the game. The game is a total hypocrisy. War is not friendly murder is not friendly. War is HEll

PhilipBoddy January 07, 2021

A bit like watching paint dry but less exciting, better games available

Do not spend real money on this game
December 6, 2019
Many players have paid money to Inno and not received their purchases and when support is contacted, its a never ending battle to get their money back. Many times you never get your money back or receive your goods that you purchased. This game is based in Germany and refuses to answer to American law or international law. They spy on private conversations looking to get real life information on you.

moderators are biased, rude.. controlled by other players
December 6, 2019
Money making scheme that preys upon children, the poor and the socially inept. Cheating, Allowing players to make multiple account to build their cities, making the entire game a façade, convoluted and corrupted.

Definite scam
November 7, 2019
All new players are driven out by prior players thanks to the “plunder” feature. So if you’ve spent any money on this game, definitely be prepared to lose it.