Reviews - Page 1

Specific reviews can be found by visiting the Reviews Index.

Empires: Dawn of the Modern World

Factfile: Historic RTS (Medieval-WWII), Price £20, Activision. 600MHz, 128RAM, 32 Graphics. Released: Autumn 2003.

"From the Medieval Age to WWII, command the deepest RTS in history"

"Don't look down, don't look down..."

Fans of Empire Earth were eargarly anticipating the release of another brilliant, throuought the ages RTS. Allthough it doesn't have quite the same scope as EE (only covering 1,000 years of history instead of 10,000 years of history (and futurey!)), but it was hoped that they were narrowing the timespan to focus their attention on just 5 ages.

Empires doesn't disappoint. The campaigns are some of the best we have ever seen, and have got to be the most fun campaigns I have ever played. The cinematics are stunning, the story is deep, and most important of all, none of the missions (or parts of missions) are boring at all. This is an RTS first! Long may it continue.

"Get out of my way"

Each civilisation is completely different, and provides us with unique gaming experiences. The maps are huge, the population limits are massive. Everything a player wants.

There are three different campaigns, the English, the Korean and the American. Each one is completely different. From Admiral Yi's Turtle boats to the D-Day landings, it is all there. Voice overs are very good and add to the allready stunning cinematics. But what gives these campaigns the edge above the rest? Its the fact that none of the missions are boring, there is always something to do. Typically in the past you were given an army, a few resouces and told to gather, build and destroy - why not just play a random map? Now there are enough side quests to keep the maps interesting, objectives are always changing, there is always a twist in the tale.

"For the Fatherland! Jerry ALWAYS wins...Owch, darn it, I'll get you in the next war."

The random maps are ever improving. Larger maps, huge pop limits, and those four unique civilisations. The possibilitys are endless! An improvement is the Empire Builder/ Action modes. Empire builder is for longer fights, Action is for quick battles. This caters for both people who love the rush and those who hate it.

Graphics are, as expected nowadays impressive. You can see the chinks in the armour, you can see the smoke from the guns. It adds an element of realism from the game, brings Empire Earth up-to-date!

"Who says my armour has chinks???"

It's not all good news though. Performance is dreadful. This game has a knack of making even the fastest machine crash. I suppose my recommended specs look something like this: 2GHz, 512 RAM, 128 Graphics. Bit of a difference from Activisions specs. Makes you wonder whether they actually try it out on a machine like that. Still, it's a modern game. High specs are expected.

On to the map editor. If you are familiar with the EE editor this is just the same with a couple of tweaks. Shame the designers didn't have time (hem, hem couldn't be bothered) to remove the old buttons that no longer do anything.

Scores:

Playability: Top-notch campaigns, stunning cinematics, lots of game play scope and a good solid multiplayer. 33/35

Performance: Positively awful, treble the minimum specs to get anywhere near what you need to play. 12/22

Graphics: The best so far. 19/20

Editor: Good solid EE editor extremely flexible, not so easy to use. Shame about those dodgy buttons. 15/18

Sound: Very good voice overs, but repetetive music. 3/5

TOTAL: 82% Very good game. Love the campaigns. I hope this provides a good foundation for what is to come in the future. Just please, please, give us a game that works properly.

"Thank the Lord for the wonder!"

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Zebas

 

Age Of Mythology

Factfile: Mythic RTS (Classical), Price: £25, Ensemble Studios. 450MHz, 128 RAM, 16MB/3D Graphics. Released 2002.

Age of Mythology is the game were you lead a civilisation through the time were Gods and Monsters were Key in the way the world works. The game is split into 4 Ages: Archaic age, Classical Age, Heroic Age and Mythic Age. There are 3 base civilisations Greeks, Egyptians and Norse each splitting into 3 God categories. Each age up you then pick one of 2 minor gods to worship different to each Major God. Each God gives you a God power these are great helps ranging from turning a group of men into pigs, earthquakes, plagues of serpents and even the Norse end of the world Ragnaroc!

Scores:

Playability: The Game has an epic Campaign and a wonderful single player random map. Also with a HUGE amount of possibilities for a civilisation there will always be a different way to kill the enemy! Also the multiplayer server is a private server so no extra downloads, and is very easy to use: 32/35

Performance: never crashes and the only reason it would ever slow down was due to not having broadband! The only reason you will ever press Ctrl + Alt + Delete is on the editor were if you use the trigger "start Cinematic" and don’t also have a trigger to end it, it never stops! So overall very good performance and the only faults down to your own stupidity: 22/22

Editor: although it can be hard to get into at first with so many options if you go through them steadily test the triggers and look at all the options this is a very flexible editor. You could make anything from a 2-hour cinematic movie, a horse race through winding forests, huge battles with mighty armies or even a game of football! Over all hard at first but once your in you’ll never come out! I would also advise reading the on disk guide to the editor as it includes all trigger details and Basic Map ideas to get you started. 17/20

Graphics: The Low detail graphics designed for the minimum spec computer are good. You get all you need to play the Game in a beautiful world, but with a Really Good computer the difference from low to high are shocking! First let me describe the low graphic stable it’s a pretty square building and has no distinguishing features except a Canopied walk way along the side. Now to high Graphics well the building is slightly more shaped barrels and pots are scattered around and there are horses rear sides sticking out the back with moving tails! 17/18

Sound: nice music calming but although if you concentrate repetitive between songs (having same tunes) the differences will stop boredom (high tunes different instruments) also the voice-overs are nice and tell you what to do: 4/5

Total: 92% overall a great game although hard to get into it provides a world to jump into were you wake up years later saying were am I?

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Titans Expansion

Factfile: Same spec, Price £20, Released Autumn 2003.

The Game has been greatly improved adding the Atlantians to the Party. It also adds a few technologies that improve the flaws of the old civilisations. Also it adds a 5th age the (you guessed it) Titan Age, this age is the same for each civ (the Norse Greeks Egyptians and Atlantians) all are given a Titan Gate God power. These are just locations the titan will enter but must be built and if destroyed in this weak period you cant get another. Once built thought they tower over all basically God on earth.

Scores:

Game play: a new but short Campaign following onto the last and New single player maps make a welcomed addition to the game. So does the new Civ and Techs. Score change: 34/35 (+2)

Performance: we can't really go up here can we? 22/22 (0)

Map Editor: Adds a few more triggers and new options: 17.5 / 20 (+0.5)

Graphics: This has not been modified by the extension: 17/18 (0)

Sound: added a few new tunes for the new civ but not score changing. 4/5 (0)

Total 94.5%A welcomed improvement to a Great Game. I just love having a God on Earth Titan marauding a City!

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Reach268

Rome: Total War

Factfile: Historic RTS (Roman), Price: £32, Activision. 1GHz, 256RAM, 64MB Graphics. Released 1/10/04

"Rome: Total War, the most epic, cinematic real-time 3D battles ever seen in a game come to life with awe inspiring graphics"

Ave General! Welcome to Rome.

Since the dawn of Time Commanders, man has eagerly awaited the call of Rome. Sharpening his spear of anticipation, lacing his armour of self restraint, ready to face the primitive PC RTS. Now that call has come and all rise up around to see off those prehistoric games. "We want ROME!"

A lot has changed since Medieval. Firstly, and most glaringly obvious, the graphics. I don't normally make a big fuss about them, but these are truely awe inspiring. Nothing that has gone before, or that is in the near future can rival the superb texture. The units are amazingly life like, with stunning detail on the armour. The terrain is now no longer bland and barren, as with medieval. Different types of grasses and shrubs help make each square meter of landscape unique.

My major concern with Medieval was the performance. This seriously let the game down. I was having serious doubts about how such a detailed game could run perfectly after Medieval. However, Rome: Total War works perfectly. Top marks to Activision for such a well written game. As long as your computer is above the minimum spec it should run without a hitch. This is highly unusual for a game these days, but long may it continue.

To be continued...