| » Pros | |  |
-Good, clean graphics
-Automated units
-18 nations
-Replayability
-Addictive
| » Cons | | |
-Conquer the World mode can get tedious
-Not a lot of difference between nations save for a few small bonuses
-Graphics are not truly 3D
-No game ending weapons
| » Review | | |
This is a tough one. On one hand, I love that Rise of Nations (RoN) doesn't follow a main story, which means more replayability. On the other hand, when you've played the Conquer the World campaign a few times, RoN can start to feel tedious.
I suppose the 18 nations were supposed to combat this feeling, but there isn't that much difference between the nations.
While already you may be thinking that RoN is a waste of time, think again. RoN has good things going for it. Automated units are a great improvement to the RTS genre. Not having to worry about every worker is a great relief. The boader element is also a good addition, and works very well. Expanding your boarders means more resources to collect and bonuses to own.
The economy of RoN is somewhat original, and works very well, though at some points, it still feels like a race to get the most resources, which include oil, lumber, metal, gold and more. When you order a worker to collect a resoucre such as lumber, the number of lumber you are collecting every 30 seoncds increases by 10. The worker stays by the trees as well; there is no returning to home base to drop off a load of lumber. And the number of trees never drops. I, for one, loved this. This is the best RTS economy model since Warlords Battlecry II's, which basically copied Total Annihilation's.
While, unfortunately, I haven't played RoN's multiplayer mode yet, I hear frome reliable sources (a certain intern for a certain PC gaming magazine) that it's a blast.
Is RoN better then Age of Mythology? Yes, and no. On one hard, the great economy, the wonderful usage of boarders and automated units, and the seemingly infinite replay value make RoN a great RTS. However, AoM has the great God Powers, which can help win a fight that is taking way to long, and a great story. If your a fan of RTS games at all, I recommend having both in your gaming library.
-Tom |
95%
