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Diplomacy is Not an Option

Diplomacy is Not an Option

|Simulator, Indie

8.6 /10

Aww Great!

Hot

12.5k ratings
Time to beat
Main
31h
Main + extras
58h
Complete
110h
Rating sources
Steam · Player score8.6/1012.5k ratingsIGDB · Player score7.0/1010 ratings
Trailers & screenshots
Why play it

Diplomacy is Not an Option is a 2024 Simulator, Indie, Strategy, Real Time Strategy game rated 8.6/10 from 12.5k ratings, with a main story of about 31h, available on PC (Microsoft Windows).

In the RTS-game “Diplomacy is Not an Option” you will become a medieval feudal lord in a midlife crisis. Due to your position you must constantly make hundreds of decisions a day related with city management and economic development. You are tired of this monotonous and, so it seems, meaningless existence. But things are about to change: hordes of bloodlusted enemies, swarms of scary monsters and crowds of rebellious peasants at any second can bring some life to your working schedule.

Story and worldbuilding

You were born a feudal lord. Sounds good, right? But you're bored of hunting, executions and tournaments. Even of feasts with beautiful maidens. The only dream left - your castle surrounded by hordes of enemies. You would waste no time on negotiation. This is your chance to show'em who is in charge.

Game highlights
Rating momentum

Aww Great!: 8.6/10 across 12.5k ratings. Word of mouth is strong — if you like the genre, go for it.

Play style

Leans into Simulator, Indie, Strategy, with a main story around 31h. Check if that style and time commitment fit you.

Reviews

8 media reviews

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Media

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Rock, Paper, ShotgunSteve Hogarty · 8 Feb, 2022

A strategy game about tens of thousands of tiny idiots trying to break your stuff, Diplomacy Is Not An Option is as gratifying as it is light

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CriticLenzReza Damirchi · 19 Nov, 2025
7/10

Diplomacy is Not an Option blends classic and modern strategy with fun humor. However, its weak storytelling, poor AI, and balance issues hold it back. Best for hardcore strategy fans who love a tough challenge.

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Cubed3Athanasios Aravositas · 30 Aug, 2025
7/10

Get ready to defend your keep from merciless enemy waves, or die trying, in an RTS that’s far from a walk in the park. Success requires precise planning and plenty of patience, as maps often last longer than they should and failure lurks around the corner, ready to ruin hours of work. Diplomacy is Not an Option is rough around the edges and certainly not a casual-friendly strategy title, but it’s tons of fun, with an unappareled feeling of satisfaction when everything goes according to plan.

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GameGrinBex Prouse · 15 Nov, 2024
8.5/10

Diplomacy Is Not An Option offers plenty of modes for beginner and experienced RTS players to enjoy, with a tongue-in-cheek attitude and gameplay that's easy to understand.

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Try Hard GuidesErik Hodges · 5 Oct, 2024
9/10

While not the most innovative in its genre, Diplomacy is Not An Option takes a solid focus on traditional tower defense and wave-survival city building, challenging you to manage resources and build a mighty castle to survive against huge, statistically varied hordes of enemies.

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NoobFeedMezbah Turzo · 4 Oct, 2024
9.5/10

Diplomacy is Not an Option is a great game with very few misses. It is comparatively fast-paced, engaging, and always keeps you on your feet. It is difficult yet simple, fast but not stressful, and now it has ample replayability and gameplay options. Whether you are an RTS fan or a city-builder fan, it doesn’t matter what your draw is, be it the new campaign, the challenges, or a quiet city-building escapade in the sandbox mode; you will enjoy every minute of it.

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Gaming ProfessorsPetr Polák · 24 Sep, 2024
7/10

Diplomacy is Not an Option from the development studio Door 407 is undoubtedly a very ambitious project that is poised to become a great game in its category. However, it’s also a game with monotonous—albeit excellent—gameplay that will appeal primarily to fans of the genre and lovers of the combination of tower defense, base builder, and RTS. Defending your base will eventually become a real challenge, and you’ll be running around trying to handle everything at once, but the user-friendly interface does its job well. At this stage, there are still some bugs in the game that need to be fixed, and it’s clear that the developers still have a lot of work ahead of them to bring their creation to perfection.

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GamesCreedMorgan Wagener · 10 Sep, 2024
7.6/10

Whether fortifying defenses in campaign mode or striving for survival in endless mode, players can immerse themselves in the intricacies of city-building and active combat, making Diplomacy is Not an Option a standout title in the real-time strategy genre. It is a fantastic game for veteran RTS players looking for a new challenge. However, it isn’t a good game for someone just getting into real-time strategies.

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