Despite all the hearts and flowers, part of me continues to see Rise of Nations as a pit stop between Age of Empires and whatever becomes the future standard for the RTS epic. But a bigger part of me is thinking about how hungry I am right now after playing the game for a dozen hours straight with just a pair of bathroom breaks. This is a very, very good game, one that you’ll not stop playing easily. But it comes with limitations that might prove a source of frustration if you’ve got a “Been there, done that” attitude about the whole conquering civilizations through the epochs thing. There is a lot to be said for the city-centric game design, the intricate unit balancing, the smart AI, and the catchy, quickie action, although there isn’t anything here to make the jaded sit up and shout. And the lacklustre campaign might cause the novelty to wear off even faster. If you’re the type of real-time gamer who wants radical innovations, or even serious innovations of any sort, this might not be the one for you. If you’re the type of gamer who values the refinement of a tried-and-true concept, this is one of the best releases of 2003, thus far.

Description:

ADVERTISEMENT