Erectus The Game
Erectus is a free-to-play, browser-based empire building MMO that places players in a prehistoric setting roughly 10,000 years in the past. You expand a growing realm, manage cities and resources, and lean heavily on diplomacy, because the larger threat, the computer-controlled Homo Erectus, is designed to be tackled as a community rather than as a lone empire.
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Developer: Maata Games Type: Empire Building MMO Release Date: April 07, 2016 Shut Down Date: November 27, 2018 Pros: +Several playable races with distinct strengths. +Server-wide objective encourages cooperation. +Alliance tools support coordinated play. Cons: -Visuals feel dated. -Some features were subject to change. -Interface can feel awkward and unintuitive. |
Erectus Overview
Erectus frames its strategy loop around building up Homo Sapiens settlements while resisting pressure from Homo Erectus. Progress is tied to the scope of your empire, primarily measured by how many cities you control and how well those cities are developed. Each city functions as a management hub where you construct and upgrade buildings, then leverage those structures for bonuses, production, and resource generation.
The game pushes players toward cooperation by making the Homo Erectus threat difficult to handle without coordination. Alliances are not just optional social groups, they are a practical requirement for players who want to compete for territory and still contribute to the broader objective. At the same time, the world is not purely cooperative. When negotiations fail, rival empires can fight for land and resources, creating a familiar PvP tension that sits alongside the shared PvE goal.
Because it runs in a browser and uses a straightforward requirements profile, Erectus is accessible on older hardware and is easy to jump into for short sessions. Its pacing and interface are closer to classic browser strategy titles than to modern client MMOs, with an emphasis on planning, upgrades, and long-term growth rather than moment-to-moment action.
Erectus Key Features:
- Multiple Races to chose from – pick from four races, each leaning into different strengths and playstyles.
- Diplomacy –rule through intimidation and pressure, or build alliances that cover your weak spots and amplify your advantages.
- Common Goal – the server shares an endgame focus on overcoming Homo Erectus, even if players take very different routes to get there.
- PvP –conflict between empires can break out over territory, resources, and strategic positioning.
- Educational – the game includes historically oriented information that can double as light learning content, particularly for younger players.
Erectus Screenshots
Erectus Featured Video
Erectus Review
Erectus aims for an interesting mix: a traditional city-building and expansion loop, paired with a communal objective that encourages players to coordinate rather than simply race each other to the top. In practice, it plays like a classic browser strategy MMO where decisions about buildings, growth timing, and political relationships matter as much as raw military strength.
At its best, the game’s strongest hook is the way it frames alliances as a functional necessity. When the larger enemy is tuned to be oppressive for solo players, diplomacy becomes more than flavor. You are incentivized to communicate, specialize, and cooperate, which can create a satisfying sense of being part of a larger effort. For players who enjoy social strategy, this shared pressure can make even routine city upgrades feel like they are contributing to something meaningful.
The empire management side is straightforward: expand your holdings, develop each city through buildings and upgrades, and use the resulting bonuses to increase your capacity to compete. The structure is easy to understand and suits the browser format well. If you like checking in, queuing improvements, and planning your next step, the core loop supports that cadence.
Where Erectus shows its age is presentation and usability. The visuals are functional but not particularly modern, and the interface can feel clunky during regular play, especially when you are juggling multiple cities and trying to interpret information quickly. The design direction also leans toward systems that can evolve over time, which can be a positive in a live game, but it also means players may have encountered shifting features and expectations.
PvP exists as a natural extension of territory control and resource competition. While the broader objective centers on the computer-controlled Homo Erectus, rival empires still have plenty of reasons to clash. This dual focus can be appealing if you like games where politics and conflict are always simmering in the background, but it also means the experience depends heavily on the server community. A healthy alliance scene and active diplomacy can elevate the game, while a quiet population can make the world feel less dynamic.
Overall, Erectus is best suited to players who enjoy slower-paced strategy MMOs, value collaboration, and do not mind older visuals or a less streamlined UI. Its most distinct element is the attempt to marry empire building with an educational, prehistoric theme and a shared endgame target that encourages teamwork.
Erectus Requirements
Minimum Requirements:
Operating System: XP / Vista / 7 / 8
CPU: Intel Pentium 4 or AMD Equivalent
Video Card: any graphics card (integrated works well, too)
RAM: 512 MB
Hard Disk Space: 100 MB (Cache)
Erectus Music & Soundtrack
A dedicated soundtrack overview is not currently available here. Audio in browser strategy MMOs is often secondary to the management loop, so many players will likely focus more on the pacing of upgrades and coordination with allies than on music highlights.
Erectus Additional Information
Developer(s): Maata Games BV
Publisher(s): Maata Games BV
Designers: Bomar Sinday, Dustin Ramirez
Artist: Alex Tavassoli, Gerrit Koolstra
Release Date: April 07, 2016
Shut Down Date: November 27, 2018
Development History / Background:
Erectus was developed by Maata Games BV, a studio based in The Netherlands that was founded in 2013. Erectus The Game is positioned as the company’s first release and reflects Maata Games’ broader interest in educational titles inspired by human history. Leadership on design is credited to Bomar Sinday and Dustin Ramirez, with art credits including Alex Tavassoli and Gerrit Koolstra.
The project entered Closed Beta on April 07, 2016. The final official developer announcement was dated November 27, 2018, and the official site has since been taken offline, marking the end of the game’s public presence.