In the end-of-year release frenzy, everyone aims to launch their AAA title or indie game to gain maximum visibility on retail store shelves or digital storefronts (it is indeed a competitive environment). This year includes typical annual releases as well as titles that break from tradition. Among these innovative offerings is “Les Fourmis,” an adaptation of Bernard Werber’s celebrated novel, produced by Microids. Despite the French company based in Paris being occasionally criticized for its lower-quality products, it does have occasional standout projects. One such project is “Les Fourmis,” developed by Tower Five studio, which may position these original Rochelais developers among the industry’s top talent. Indeed, this game is not only one of the most visually stunning releases of the year but also a meticulously crafted real-time strategy game for consoles, earning it a place as an essential title in 2024. Please excuse any casual language that might be distracting, but it appears to be highly engaging… and it has a catchy name as well.
1001 PAWS & ‘FOURMIZ’ CAN SAY THANK YOU
In 1998, an animated film about talking ants was also released in cinemas. It is called “The Antz” with a Z at the end, and Dreamworks is credited as its “creator,” with the quotation marks being important to note. At that time, Dreamworks and Disney Pixar were bitter rivals, and competition was intense, leading both animation giants to release similar films simultaneously. This was not coincidental; Jeffrey Katzenberg, co-founder of Dreamworks and a former Disney executive, alongside his partner Steven Spielberg, saw the potential in the CGI ant project and decided to produce another film based on it. While “The Antz” takes a more adult approach compared to “A Bug’s Life,” which has a kid-friendly vibe, it draws inspiration from Bernard Werber’s work. However, Werber himself does not receive any credit for this animated film and instead receives an apology letter from Steven Spielberg.
This anecdote signed by Bernard Werber himself appeared in an article by Melinda Davan-Soulas of BFM TV, which can be found online here. The article also mentions that Bernard Werber could have initiated a lawsuit, one he would likely have won, but the initial filing fee was $1 million, and such a legal battle could have lasted at least 10 years. This situation reminds me of the story behind “The Lion King,” which Disney adapted from Tezuka Osamu’s “King Leo,” an instance where the original creator did not acknowledge the plagiarism despite it being obvious. Since its creation in 1994, “The Lion King” has become a franchise generating billions of dollars…
In the competitive end-of-year game releases, Microids’ “Les Fourmis” stands out as an ambitious adaptation of Bernard Werber’s novel. Despite Microids’ reputation for low-quality products, “Les Fourmis,” developed by Tower Five studio, is noted for its beauty and innovative real-time strategy design for consoles, making it a 2024 must-play. Interestingly, this release echoes the 1998 animated film rivalry between Dreamworks’ “Antz” and Disney-Pixar’s “A Bug’s Life.” Both films were released simultaneously, with “Antz” being a direct response by Dreamworks co-founder Jeffrey Katzenberg, inspired by Werber’s work without credit. Though Werber could have sued for plagiarism, the $1 million filing fee and potential decade-long legal battle deterred him. This parallel highlights the recurring theme of intellectual property exploitation in the entertainment industry, as seen also in Disney’s “The Lion King” adaptation from Tezuka Osamu’s “King Leo.”
In short, I am informing you today that Bernard Werber has finally received recognition as “Les Fourmis,” a video game by Tower Five and Microids, is undoubtedly one of the most surprising and refreshing releases this end-of-year season. The game possesses numerous qualities which I will elaborate on shortly, but first, visually, it stands out impressively! Simply observe these 4K screenshots I captured; they are truly magnificent! We were already aware that the game would excel in its aesthetics from previous presentations and gameplay videos published by Microids, yet experiencing it on my home 8K Samsung TV is a remarkable testament to its visual prowess. How often did I pause just to admire this microcosm unfolding before me—it was astounding. Whether it be my wife, children, or friends who stopped by, everyone has been impressed by the game’s technical achievements. Every aspect, from texture richness and modeling of each insect and animal encountered, to their animations and global lighting, is masterfully executed with a level of detail that feels like real objects before our eyes—truly breathtaking. To achieve this level of rendering, Tower Five utilized Unreal Engine 5, a tool capable of extraordinary results when properly adapted to specific needs. Their work has been exemplary; “Les Fourmis” is technically robust, well-polished, and remarkably free of bugs. It’s difficult to believe given Microids’ history, yet it is true. Moreover, the rarity of experiencing a world through an ant’s perspective in video games makes this achievement even more noteworthy. While Xbox players might reference “Grounded,” which takes a similar approach but falls short visually compared to “Les Fourmis”…
The game deserves praise not only for its visual rendering but also for its meticulous level design. The vibrant world of the ants comes alive through carefully crafted levels, where every element has been thoughtfully arranged to challenge our ant protagonist as it navigates various obstacles. Natural elements such as branches, plants, flowers, dead leaves, pebbles, rotting fruit, pine cones, and streams are skillfully integrated into the environment. However, a notable absence is the lack of wind effects, which could have further enhanced the realism of this mini-ecosystem by moving leaves and swaying vegetation, and adding movement to the streams for a more dynamic scene. While this detail may seem minor, it is worth noting given that other open-world games have successfully incorporated such weather elements.To fully appreciate these pastoral landscapes, Tower Five has provided players with three different fields of vision: standard view, close-up, and wider view, all controlled by a fully manual and free camera system. Despite its tranquil moments, “The Ants” is primarily a real-time strategy game designed for genre specialists. Tower Five has managed to make RTS gameplay accessible and enjoyable on consoles using controllers, marking another impressive achievement in an increasingly crowded gaming landscape.—(Do not use this. It is only for reference.)Context:In the midst of numerous end-of-year gaming releases, Microids’ “Les Fourmis” emerges as a standout adaptation of Bernard Werber’s celebrated novel. Developed by Tower Five studio based in Rochefort, France, and produced by Microids, a company often subject to criticism, this real-time strategy game for consoles has attracted considerable attention for its high production quality. Despite past concerns about the developer’s output, “Les Fourmis” is widely praised as one of the best-looking and most well-executed games of 2024, featuring stunning visuals in 4K and 8K resolution powered by Unreal Engine 5. The game’s artistic rendering, detailed textures, and lifelike animations have garnered acclaim from critics and viewers alike, making it a must-play despite initial skepticism. This success contrasts with past controversies surrounding the company, such as accusations of plagiarism in animation, like Disney’s “The Lion King” allegedly drawing from Osamu Tezuka’s “King Leo,” and Jeffrey Katzenberg’s Dreamworks releasing “Antz” around the same time as Disney-Pixar’s “A Bug’s Life.” In summary, Tower Five and Microids’ “Les Fourmis” stands out in gaming this year due to its exceptional visual fidelity and strategic gameplay.
Magic Formula
In the frenzy of end-of-year releases, both AAA and indie games are rushed to market to stand out on store shelves or online platforms. Among these, we see the usual annual titles as well as those that take unique approaches. One such title is “The Ants,” an adaptation of Bernard Werber’s renowned novel produced by Microids. Despite Microids’ reputation for lower-budget productions based in Paris’ Rosa Parks, “The Ants” stands out due to its ambitious development by Tower Five Studio. This Rochelais studio aims to make a significant mark among skilled game creators with this project.
To achieve your objectives, you will need to learn how to manage your nests, which serve as the foundation for expanding your territories. Depending on the wood and food stockpiled, you can produce three types of units: workers who gather resources and engage in close combat, artillery that excels in long-range attacks, and warriors whose ferocity can slow down enemy troops. You can also upgrade these units, significantly increasing their power, which is highly recommended. Additionally, you can create various defenses to protect your bases and grant beneficial abilities such as Rage mode for increased damage, Shield mode for better resistance to attacks, Fear mode to demoralize enemies, or healing kits to restore troop health. These abilities, governed by cooldowns, are activated near your army using directional keys.Before sending your troops into battle, remember that combat relies on a predation system. Each unit, whether friendly or enemy, has strengths and weaknesses, with certain insect types naturally dominating others and having their own predators. Specifically, warriors outmatch artillery, artillery overpowers workers, and workers dominate warriors. Units are represented by different colors, making it easy to identify allies and enemies: green beats orange, orange beats blue, and blue beats green.Adding to this complex system are Super Predators unlocked later in the game and various weather elements that enhance the ecosystem’s realism. The game offers three viewing modes—standard, close-up, and wide view—all with fully manual camera control for a comprehensive battlefield perspective.
SUPERIOR/INFERIOR
Indeed, everything appears quite complex when described that way, but Tower Five studio has approached the development thoughtfully and progressively, with an extensive tutorial that gradually introduces each gameplay element. This method allows players to understand and enjoy the mechanics without feeling overwhelmed. Additionally, the level design is noteworthy for its meticulous creation of a believable world from the perspective of an ant.
In a world where strategy games are primarily found on PCs due to their fast-paced gameplay and high action per minute (APM) requirements, Tower Five has achieved a remarkable accomplishment with “The Ants.” This real-time strategy (RTS) game is specifically designed for console players, making it accessible and enjoyable through the use of a controller.
The game “Les Fourmis” is a real-time strategy (RTS) title developed by Tower Five for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles. Based on the novel by Bernard Werber, players take control of an intelligent ant named #103 683 to lead their colony against enemy insects. The game features three types of units: Ouvrières (workers), responsible for resource gathering and close combat; Artilleuses (artillery) for long-range attacks; and Guerrières (warriors) known for their fierce melee combat. Players can upgrade these units and grant them special abilities such as Rage, Shield, Fear, or healing kits.Combat in “Les Fourmis” relies on a predator system where each unit has strengths and weaknesses against others. For instance, Guerrières are stronger than Artilleuses, who dominate Ouvrières, and Ouvrières overpower Guerrières. Super Prédateurs and Soutien members like Escargots and Mantes-Religieuses also play crucial roles in the game.The game offers a lengthy tutorial to introduce players to its mechanics progressively, ensuring they understand and master each element before advancing. Missions vary between exploration, adventure, strategy, infiltration, and narrative elements to maintain player interest. However, “Les Fourmis” could benefit from deeper narration and more engaging dialogue with interactable ant characters. The text-based HUD can be intrusive and should ideally have smaller font sizes or disappear from the screen. Players must adapt to the unique control scheme, especially during top-down perspectives where controls invert.Despite minor issues, “Les Fourmis” successfully brings RTS gameplay to consoles with a unique perspective and engaging strategy elements, making it an appealing choice for fans of the genre on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series.
The text describes the game “Les Fourmis,” which was developed by Tower Five. It is a real-time strategy (RTS) game set in the world of Bernard Werber’s novel. Players take control of an ant colony, managing resources, constructing buildings, and commanding various types of units that have distinct strengths and weaknesses. The game aims to make RTS gameplay more accessible on consoles through a unique control mechanism where players directly control their ant unit rather than issuing commands via a cursor.
