Genre: Strategy |
Year: 1998 |
Publisher: Strategic Simulations, Inc. |
Developer: Frog City
Game Review 1 (written by Eldore44) Added on: 12/02/2006
This would have to be one of the best games that I've played - it is loosely related to Age Of Empires, but it is turn based and is much better and, in my opinion, the best turn based game out there on the net.
I have found that the news versions of this game improve on the old, without changing the hold concept of it, just better graphics, sound etc.
You must gather and mine resources to excel in this game, with many different specialist workers needed for every different task.
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THIS IS A HARD GAME. You must have a forester to cut trees - miners to gather metallic resources from the mines you have built - Explorers to find the mine. You must take a long time each turn to get these things right and have a good balance between them. This is where Age Of Empires gets the upper hand - they have but a single unit to gather resources with, if you like Age Of Empires then you will probably shy away from this, you can't just build an army and march on the enemy but have to carefully plan it out, very slowly - this game is a real strategy game.
Trade can be very useful because you need
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to acquire paper to build foresters to cut trees to get paper sometimes you will start with wood or paper or foresters but on the harder levels you must search out a foreign country or people and trade to acquire these goods.
Food is something you need to keep a close eye on as your people need to eat and this amount needs to be regulated - you can lower their food rations to keep them alive longer but they grow unhappy or, alternatively, you can increase their food rations to make them work harder or fight harder.
The fighting style is like the game HEROES - if you have played that before. Your army is grouped as one unit and travels accordingly. When you engage an enemy you fight while everything else is paused and by telling what units where to go and to attack what enemy. Fighting is also turn based and walls can be involved in the battles if they occur in towns.
I suggest that you explore everything first as mines and forests are not marked and need to be found before mining and gathering can occur. Several explorers are recommended. Roads can enable you to travel from one place to another faster than normal by allowing you to move double the amount of spaces as usual.
Countries do not have to be taken by force - they can be bought and sold. Minor nations may agree to join your empire if you suggest that they do so through your diplomatic screen.
Research is conducted through the research panel - research can be free but will take a long time to finish, money can be paid per turn for research to be sped up and obviously the more money the faster it will be finished.
8.5/10
Game Review 2 (written by Ahdrummerboy311) Added on: 11/30/2006 Although somewhat outdated Imperialism, it was what started and continues to be the groundwork for strategy games today such as Age of Empires, the Command and Conquer Series, Heroes I,II,III, IV. Although I obviously would recommend these games over Imperialism due to graphics and gameplay improvements, overall Imperialism is a great game, especially for its time and age. Similar to in the Heroes series, this game is entirely based on players taking turns each building their own personal empire. You put specialists to work, give military orders, order the transport of materials and goods, and even manage trade, industry, and diplomacy with other surrounding empires.
When the players click the End Turn button, orders are processed, all turn based actions are performed and battles follow shortly thereafter either controlled by the user, or AI. The option of playing in two modes known as historical mode or a fictional world makes the game far more diverse, than some of the competitors at its time. In the fictional world, the user plays in a randomly generated, made up fantasy world, whereas if the user decides to do historical mode he selects one of the great world powers such as Great Britain, France, Prussia, Germany, Austria Hungary, Sardinia, Italy, Russia, or even the great Ottoman Empire. Because of Frances weakness in the starting years of 1815, the historical game instead starts in 1820, when relatively all nations are powerful, France not being so lowly and weak at the time.
Economically the game is highly advanced as you must control even your own economy. If you wish to produce any little thing at all, you must first obtain the raw materials to do so. These can be bought through the world market, or obtained through war, exploration, and exploitation of natural resources such as the forest, you can harvest timber, to then make furniture etc. Diplomatically inside of the game, various treaties may be proposed to a neighboring, or not neighboring countries and on the flip side, war can also be declared on a rival country. The following are the kinds of treaties offered in the game. "Non Aggression Pacts, Alliances, Requests to Join Empires, Peace Treaties, and Declarations of War.
This game is clearly very advanced, and although it is a DOS game, it’s very enjoyable.
Rick (11/08/2008) It is the best game I have ever played. Hours and days of fun.
Epyon08 (09/11/2008) The game is great love the strategy. Great game to stay up all night any play I would recommend it strongly.
Eman47561 (08/10/2008) This game is sweet, it is like Age of Empires I could play it for hours. Download it you can't go wrong, also try the 1983 verison of star wars it is awsome too, but best of all it is a very very small game to download.
Rygood1 (07/12/2008) I only bought this game to begin with because it was ten dollars and it had a ten dollar rebate. Since then, I have lost days of my life because this game is so good. It turns you into an addict. Great game.
Vanfanel (05/06/2008) This game is awesome. It has so many levels of play, it's like 7-dimensional chess. You have to outgun your opponents not just militarily but also in terms of trade, industry, transport, economic and scientific development (made periodically as purchases if you have cash on hand), infrastructure development and diplomacy. The AI is challenging and never makes it the same game twice.
Rothgar84 (04/22/2008) This game was a deeper game than anything else I had played before. I think, the resource and infrastructure part was the most innovative at the time. I also liked the commerce and blockade portion of the game.
Rushonboys (03/09/2008) Great game. Highly recommended. I have always enjoyed this game. The balance that must be maintained between the different elements of this imaginary world makes it far more interesting than newer games with shinier graphics.
Ioncowboy (03/01/2008) This game is awesome. It has so many levels of play, it's like 7-dimensional chess. You have to outgun your opponents not just militarily but also in terms of trade, industry, transport, economic and scientific development (made periodically as purchases if you have cash on hand), infrastucture development and diplomacy. The AI is challenging and never makes it the same game twice.
Tarcone (02/23/2008) Great game. Have always loved playing. The gameplay is very easy to use yet still a challenge. I have been looking for this game for years and am glad to have found it again.
Clarke99 (01/31/2008) I think that this game is amazing and I played it a lot.
Wilsonbear (01/14/2008) This is a great game. It allows one to play strategically as well as tactically. I love the easy interface. I've spent many a night playing 'just one more round'. Thumbs up for sure.
Asifmt (09/29/2007) Old but classic . still it hold as much fun as it was in the begining. Only you have to give a break of few months once you get bored.
Sky_captain (08/26/2007) I think it's a very good game. I've read a lot about this game and I'm anxious to play it. I like much turn based strategy games, so I've read about this classic.
Tótó (06/11/2007) This game rocks. I’ve played it for 8 years and I still love it. I recommend it strongly, everyone should try it.
Nikita (05/10/2007) Great game. Many countries, scenarios, I liked it very much
Skinforsin (10/12/2006) Oh yeah! It rocks! It has taken days off my life oh its a good one!
