Empire of the Ants with Unreal Engine 5

In 2024, the world of gaming will feature the unassuming ant as the central character in "Empire of the Ants," a real-time strategy adventure game inspired by the 32-year-old science fiction novel series bearing the same name. Powered by Epic Games' Unreal Engine 5, this upcoming title promises to set a new standard for visual quality, presenting remarkably lifelike ants, even in large numbers on screen simultaneously.

The game's narrative unfolds on the floor of a French forest, with players assuming the role of Ant 103 683rd, as it embarks on a quest to secure a brighter future for its ant colony. Gamers will find themselves controlling swarms of ants, engaging in battles against formidable adversaries like praying mantises, and collaborating with other insect allies. According to the game's creators, strategic planning, exploration, combat proficiency, and establishing alliances with local wildlife will be essential to overcome the numerous challenges that lie ahead.

Publisher Microids and developer Tower Five proudly showcase the photorealism of "Empire of the Ants" in an initial teaser trailer released on a recent Friday. Their pride is well-founded, as the level of detail in elements such as soil, pebbles, branches, and forest debris appears strikingly authentic, possibly attributable to Unreal Engine's Nanite technology, which handles the virtualization of micropolygon geometry from assets composed of millions or billions of polygons. The quality of wood textures in the game is particularly noteworthy.

"Empire of the Ants" draws its inspiration from the 1991 science fiction novel "Les Fourmis" (The Ants) by author Bernard Werber, which presents a parallel narrative following humans in Paris and an ant colony in a nearby park, both grappling with their unique mysteries and challenges. This novel was succeeded by "The Day of the Ants" in 1992 and "The Revolution of the Ants" in 1996.

It's worth noting that Microids previously released a video game based on "Empire of the Ants," a 3D strategy title, in 2000. This earlier release garnered mixed critical reception on PC platforms. Additionally, Tower Five has experience with the strategy game "Lornsword Winter Chronicle" and was involved in the 2020 remake of "XIII," which did not receive a favorable response.

"Empire of the Ants" is slated to launch on PC and various consoles in 2024.