The Scouring: A Promising Warcraft-Inspired RTS with a Dark Twist

by Falagar / Editorials, Slider Posts / 08 Jan 2025

Saw The Scouring pop up on Steam demos, and honestly, my first reaction was, “Great, another wannabe Warcraft game.” You know the vibe-screenshot shows a base, some units, and you’re just thinking, “Yeah,- yeah, I’ve seen this before.” But I had some time to kill, nothing else looked appealing, so I figured why not?? Clicked download, didn’t expect much. And, well… I was wrong. Like, really wrong.

Aesthetic: first of all, yes-it has Warcraft’s DNA; you can feel that-but a bit, way more polished, you know. Like, this super old-school aesthetic actually got a proper facelift for 2025 or something. The day-night cycle was actually pretty unexpected, really. First, you just don’t think about such things; build the base, get some resources in. And then suddenly night turns on, and there is pitch-black darkness. Like, not just slightly darker, but cannot-see-a-damn-thing dark. Suddenly, it’s not just an RTS-it’s borderline survival horror. Sneaking into an enemy base becomes super nerve-wracking, and defending your own; total chaos. it’s intense in a way I didn’t expect.

Now, yeah, it is most definitely a Warcraft-inspired game. Can’t deny it. Honestly, who cares? If a game’s good, it’s good. And The Scouring? It’s really good. The graphics are sharp, the designs for the units have this eerie vibe to them that just works, and the day-night mechanic isn’t just a gimmick-it totally changes how you play.

The gameplay itself? Solid. You’ve got all the usual RTS staples-build your base, gather resources, train troops, conquer stuff. Still, it just feels more.streamlined, I suppose? In that there is no room to simply spam units and then hope for the best. The resources are lean, so one really has to sit down and work out a decent strategy. The AI? No messing around-even in single-player, you will get wrecked if you don’t keep your wits about you. Multiplayer, though, is where it really shines: tense battles that make every match feel like a proper challenge.

Isn’t it funny? RTS games have somewhat been making a comeback of late. Between Age of Mythology: Retold, the Command & Conquer remasters, and Age of Empires IV still trucking, it feels like the perfect time for a game like The Scouring to drop. It fits right in with that old-school RTS crowd but adds its own twists to keep things fresh.

Another thing that really stands out is the pacing: it is so much slower than most RTS games, and at first, I wasn’t sure I liked that. After a few matches, though, it clicked: that slower pace allows you to drink in the beautiful graphics and actually think through your next move. Those nighttime raids? Pure adrenaline. Trying to creep and sneak, with the hope of not getting caught, just gets addictive. You would be telling yourself all night, “Just one more game” & probably lose count of time.

So yeah, if you ever played RTS games-even just a little-and are looking for something that will mix in some nice nostalgia with a few fresh ideas, The Scouring is 100% worth checking out. Available on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/3338950/The_Scouring. Seriously, you may just find your next obsession. Oh, and maybe keep a lamp on while you play. Those night raids get real spooky.

Falagar

He is the founder and editor of Magic Game World. He loved gaming from the moment he got a PlayStation 1 with Gran Turismo on his 7th birthday.
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