Age of Darkness: Final Stand drops you into a crazy fight for survival, where each decision could mean winning big or being wiped out.
As you work to create a thriving settlement in a harsh, relentless world, you'll battle waves of Nightmares that become more powerful with every passing night.
It may get intense, but with some strategy and a few handy beginner tips, you'll stay on track and keep going strong.
How to Survive Your First Nights in Age of Darkness: Final Stand
Age of Darkness: Final Stand is a spooky, dark medieval survival game with real-time strategy elements.
You're essentially the one holding the fort, fighting off creepy Nightmares that crawl out of the shadows in waves.
These creatures get more relentless the deeper you go, so you’ll have to build up your city, keep your resources in check, and put up strong defenses to survive.
It’s no cakewalk, especially when the Death Nights hit, and a massive wave of enemies bombards you.
But with the right moves, you can pull it off.
1. The Sooner You Expand, the Better
The more you expand, the better off you’ll be in Age of Darkness: Final Stand.
This also means that the sooner you start spreading your influence, the smoother things will be when the going gets tough.
Send your hero unit to explore and collect nearby resources, including wood, stone, and food.
As your city expands, you should put lumber yards and quarries in high-output zones to keep your resources coming in.
Don’t speed through it; focus on placing your structures well.
For example, building in areas rich in trees or stone gives you a solid economic base.
You’ll also want to watch for natural choke points in the environment.
These cramped zones keep the enemy in check while your archers and siege units target them.
2. Don’t Skip the Keep Upgrade
The city runs on your Keep, so upgrading it should be at the top of your list.
The Keep provides extra storage and boosts your gold income, which is key to growing your city.
Upgrade it to unlock solid upgrades for your units and buildings, improving your ability to handle enemy attacks.
If you wait too long to upgrade the Keep, you’ll be left exposed to the increasing power of the Nightmares.
Manage your resources well to level your Keep quickly, and try to get it to the next level as soon as possible.
With this, you'll have increased income, more storage, and better defense capabilities.
3. Make Sure Your Resources Never Hit a Dead End
If you handle your resources well, your strategy is already off to a good start.
You’ll lean on stone and wood early on, but iron becomes just as essential for upgrading your units and buildings as you level up.
Build lumber yards near forests and place quarries by stone deposits to stay stocked up.
Keep in mind that there are always better resource nodes to scout as your settlement grows.
If you’re low on food, your villagers won’t be as productive, and your expansion will slow down.
Set up the food huts, but don’t wait too long to turn them into farms.
The more houses you build, the larger your population will be, which means more workers and soldiers on your team.
Be aware of how much space you have left. When you run out of room for resources, production can freeze, so keep your Keep and storage upgraded to avoid that.
4. Stack Defenses Like You’re Building a Wall of Steel
With your city constructed, the next step is guarding it against the unending tide of Nightmares.
The first Death Night seems easy enough, but the difficulty increases with each one after.
If you want to last, build strong defenses and put them where they count.
Start by finding narrow spots on the map to funnel enemies and stop them from overwhelming you.
These areas are perfect for placing walls, towers, and archers. Archers perform best when positioned in towers, so keep that in mind.
Ballista Towers are perfect for taking out enemies from far away.
However, gates aren’t sturdy, so you might want to skip using them for defense on Death Nights.
Improve your defenses with stronger walls and more towers as you progress.
Having stacked walls and towers up is your best bet when things get intense.
Use your hero smartly during these waves, but don’t let them get wrecked, or you’ll fall behind.
5. Don’t Just Sit There, Explore and Power Up
Don’t expect to get far in Age of Darkness: Final Stand without some exploring.
Make sure to place fire sconces and other light sources as you explore to stop enemies from spawning in unlit zones.
These lights cut down the Death Fog, making it harder for enemies to launch ambushes.
While you’re roaming around, Nightmares drop crystals. These crystals are essential for upgrading your units and unlocking new abilities for your hero.
However, these Nightmares mean business, so maybe you shouldn’t send your hero alone unless you want them swarmed.
Your hero needs a balanced army to make the most of these power-up hunts.
Don't forget to scout for better resource deposits and potential for expansion as you explore.
Iron and advanced stone are tough to come by, so you’ll have to hunt them down with some extra exploring.