Strenth and Honor 2 plumbs the chaos of 292 BCE

This game spans most of the civilizations of the known world of the eastern hemisphere at a very interesting point in history. I recently wrote an article about the Han dynasty and the rise of Liu Bang, the dynasty's first emperor, for Heritage Key. I found the political and military maneuvers of Liu Bang to be fascinating and in many ways similar to the intrigues in the late Roman Republic. This game gives you the opportunity to explore both!

[Image: Character Qing Bu, a former prisoner of the Qin who escaped and eventually became a key general of the Han. Image courtesy of game developer "Magitek".]

"In 232BC, many great empires have risen to power on the world stage. In the West, the nations that once made up Alexander the Great's mighty empire are crumbling and conflicts and political differences are plaguing the region. Carthage and Rome are bitter rivals fighting to dominant and eliminate each other from the area surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. At the same time, the typically peaceful Egyptian Empire is at war with the Selecuid Empire as an act of revenge against a murder plot by the Selecuid king that secured his claim to the throne. In the Northeast, the Huns threaten the northern Chinese states as the Qin dynasty fights to unify China and in Southeast Asia, the death of the great ruler Ashoka has left the nation in a state of flux. The world is chaotic and full of heroes, dreamers and deceivers. What path will you choose to raise a mighty empire?"

Characters:

Each character in SNH2 has an archetype which will affect their personality attributes score ranges. These scores include such traits as a character's openness, intelligence, morals, charm and ambition. Depending on their attributes they may be loyal and effective warriors and negotiators for your cause or they may seek to rebel and bring an end to your reign. There are fourteen archetypes in the game which are:

Caregivers: A Caregiver is always concerned for the well-being of others. Caregivers like to be in roles that give them a chance to nuture and help—often to the point of neglecting their own needs. On the flipside, less scrupulous Caregivers can be manipulative & demanding—using love as a weapon.

Berserker:The Berserker craves thrills and excitement, is always the first to charge into battle, the last to leave, and the first to get drunk afterward. A Berserker may meet a quick end, but will at least have the priviledge of a glorious death.

Rogue: The Rogue is the classic risk taker and scoundrel. In the constant quest for big wins and good times, the Rogue tends to get by on charm, preferring to improvise and not think too much about rules or morality.

Curmudgeon: The Curmudgeon is the eternal crotchety old fart. Deep down, this character is loyal, sensitive, and true, but also recognizes the dangers of trusting too easily. As a result, the character is skeptical, jaded, quick to find fault with things, and not afraid to speak up about it.

Lone Wolf: The Lone Wolf is ruthless, detached, and cunning. A Lone Wolf always does what it takes to get the job done, but is guided by a sense of internal logic that often translates into a rigid code of personal honor. The Lone Wolf is the perfect scientist, assassin, or effective (if harsh) leader.

Schemer: A Schemer is sly and resourceful, but generally anxious. As a result, the Schemer prefers to stay in the background and manipulate a situation to gain power and position, rather than take what he wants by force.

Dreamer: The Dreamer is the classic visionary, explorer, artist, mystic, or philospher. A dreamer is intensely curious and imaginative, with a passion for exploration and making the world a better place.

Pragmatist: Pragmatists are the neighborly, down to earth sort. They like to get right to the point, do what they have to do, and go home. Pragmatists avoid complication—they can be thoughtful, but aren’t grandiose about it like Dreamers can often be.

Tyrant: The Tyrant craves nothing but power and control—the ability to shape the world in his or her own image. A Tyrant will stop at nothing—other people, nations, and philosophies are merely obstacles to be overcome.

Champion: The Champion is obsessed with justice, honour, and fighting evil (real or imagined). The Champion can be bossy, but always protects the innocent and those he or she is responsible for.

Fanatic: The Fanatic lives for the cause, and is loyal to beliefs and duty above all else. This person will stop at nothing—even if it means bending the rules. Fanatics make good career soldiers or religious zealots.

Engineer: The world is disordered, chaotic, and imperfect. The Engineer is determined to correct this—to establish a perfect and true order, even if it means taking the world apart in order to build it better than it was before.

Peacock: The Peacock is obsessed with being the center of attention. Highly concerned with status, a Peacock constantly demands rank, rewards, and accolades (whether these are deserved or not).

Achiever: Friendly, gregarious, and outgoing, the Achiever is always looking for a way to sweeten the deal in order to make the big score.

Personality Attributes

As stated above, a character's archetype impacts their personality attributes score. Here is a list of the attributes each character has which will change how they react to your commands and your rule and makes each character unique.

Ambition: Ambition determines how easily a person will be satisfied or dis-satisfied about an issue. It also determines a person's level of interest in political parties.

Charm: Charm determines how easily the person gets approved for marriage and how easily the person corrupts a target. It also determines the likelihood they will promote the Pacifist party.

Confidence: Confidence determines the preference for self-governing and the likelihood of promoting the Warmonger party.

Honour: Honour determines how difficult it is for a person's loyalty to change. It also determines their likelihood of promoting the Warmonger Party.

Intelligence: Intelligence determines the succes rate of treaty signing and emissary jobs.

Morality: Morals determines how difficult it is lose loyalty to the Empire when governed citizens are not happy. This might lead the person to rebel when the city is rioting. It also determines the likelihood of not promoting the Warmonger party.

Openness: Openness determines the likelihood of not losing loyalty when a party agenda is not reached and how well the person gets along with people of different civilizations. It also determines the likelihood of promoting the Pacifist party

Battle System:

3D terrains allow you to watch the battle from many angles.

4 unit types with historical uniforms, weapons, flags, and accessories for each civilization to enrich the cultural backdrop. The unit types are Heavy Infantry, Light Infantry, Archers and Cavalry.

Several unique city layouts and landcape backdrops including forests and deserts for variety and realism in battles that take place across the globe.

Weather effects like fog, rain, and snow influence the outcome of the battle. Heavy fog can have a "fog of war" effect in battle mode, so that an army would have little or no intelligence about the enemy army’s numbers, strength, and position.

Choose the attack time: Attacking at dawn increases the chance of fog, which can be used to cover your charging cavalry. Natural lighting changes corresponding to the time of day.

Soldiers act human. Fear, fatigue, and morale affect their performance in battle.

Chain of Command effect means the leader influences the performance of his subordinates.

Battle replay allows the player to review their success or failure.

Multiplayer option lets the player to compete against a friend.

A free download of a demo of the game is available.

Explore Egyptian Tombs in Sims 3: World Expansion Pack

I've played the original Sims Deluxe a little but found it a bit frustrating when my characters kept leaving messes in the kitchen and had to be directed to go to work. Maybe the whole scenario was just too much like real life!

Now, though, Electronic Arts is going to let you engage in a little adventure. You can explore ancient tombs in Egypt, engage in a little Kung Fu in China or visit palaces (I guess that's what they mean by famous landmarks) in France. This sounds a lot more right up my alley. I guess I'm going to have to upgrade to Sims 3 though first.

The Adventure is Near…
Take your Sims on the adventure of their lives with The Sims 3 World Adventures. Guide your Sims to acclaimed fortune—or potential doom. Take your Sims to exotic destinations to hunt for hidden treasures. Uncover new skills, experience new personality traits and garner rewards, if your Sims succeed. Explore ancient tombs in the pyramids of Egypt, master martial arts in the Far East, and discover rich culture and famous landmarks of France. Adventure is on the horizon — what will your Sims discover?

FEATURES

• 
  
  Accept challenges, find treasures, discover what’s lurking in hidden caves and more.
• 
  
  Explore famous landmarks in China, Egypt, and France.
• 
  
  Learn new skills like photography and pursue new opportunities.
• 
  
  Meet new Sims from exotic locations and share their cultures.
• 
  
  Customize your Sims homes with new styles & artifacts from their adventures.
• 
  
  Get $10 worth of free SimPoints for The Sims 3 Store, and additional online features to be announced.

"Rome" movie to offer decent series wrapup

I was browsing Steven Saylor's website today and saw a blurb about Bruno Heller working on a movie script for "Rome" to serve as a decent wrapup of the original HBO miniseries.

[Image: Ray Stevenson as Titus Pullo. Courtesy of HBO]

I am ecstatic! Like many "Rome" fans, I couldn't believe HBO made such a monumental mistake when they canceled the series. I guess HBO has come to that realization as well:

"The lavish period drama ran for two seasons on HBO, which co-produced the series with the BBC. With the final season of "The Sopranos" as its lead-in, the first season was solidly rated. But the show's hefty $100 million production cost presented the network with a tough call on the pickup. HBO opted for a second season to help get more value from its initial investment but not a third, effectively canceling the show in summer 2006 before the second season debuted the following January. The "Rome" sets were destroyed, and the actors were released from their contracts, making the network's decision all but irreversible.

But season 2 of "Rome" was a surprise. Although slightly lower rated than the first, the show did much better than HBO expected without its "Sopranos" lead-in (averaging roughly 6.5 million viewers, nearly the same as "True Blood"). Plus it won awards, which is important to a pay network that attracts subscribers by offering premium programming: Post-cancellation, the first season received four Emmy Awards, and then another seven Emmys were heaped upon the final season.

Suddenly "Rome" was a Greek tragedy: a successful show with no future. The broadcast nets quickly snatched up the show's leads for top fall pilots.

HBO executives have since admitted that axing the show probably was a mistake. - More: The Live Feed

Apparently, Heller is considering picking up the story some years later in Palestine.

"Heller would not discuss plot ideas, but the original series outline for "Rome" next called for the hedonistic Roman leaders to deal with the rise of a certain problematic rabbi -- a story line that would have put a new Roman-perspective spin on the Greatest Story Ever Told and potentially bring "Rome" a larger audience." - - More: The Live Feed

I'm not sure this tactic would attract any religious viewers (if that's what Heller means) unless Heller tones down the visceral reality factor in the series. I hope he doesn't do that, though, for the sake of broadening audience appeal. It's the gritty nature of the series that made it stand out from the syrupy visions of the ancient world of many previous sword and sandal flicks. Of course its outstanding production qualities certainly helped as well. It garnered emmys for art direction, cinematography, costumes, hair design (must have been all of those wonderfully outrageous styles and wigs worn by Atia!) and visual effects.

I also found a brief interview on MovieWeb with actor Ray Stevenson who played Pullo in the HBO miniseries indicating the script is nearing completion:

Is the Rome movie still moving ahead?

Ray Stevenson: Apparently so. It is no longer a smoke and mirrors rumor. The script is in full development. As you are probably aware, this is a pretty strange process. We could go into production in a year, or it could be as quick as six months. Who knows? It will happen. At least it is no longer a rumor. From what I have heard, they are nearing the end of script development. We shall see. We shall see.

How excited are you to go back and play Titus all over again.

Ray Stevenson: I can't wait to dust off the cobwebs of old Pullo. The guy is going to come in with a high body count. I love Pullo. I love him to pieces. I had such a great time playing him. And I got to do it in Italy and Rome. He is very special to me. He is a very special part of my history. I was very blessed to get that part. - More: MovieWeb

I'll keep my fingers crossed and my eyes peeled! 2010 looks like its going to be my kind of year with a "Rome" movie sequel, "Agora", a movie about Hypatia starring Rachel Weisz and a Spartacus series on Starz!

Gladiator AD brings "300" style graphics and Beal soundtrack to the Wii

Last Christmas when I bought Wii game systems for both of my children's families, I was sorely tempted to buy one for myself. I really like the idea of using your own body's motion as an intuitive game interface. I was surprised, though, when I visited a Gamespot shop with my grandson that when I asked about which Wii titles actually used the motion control feature of the game console, I was told relatively few titles actually did, with the exception of Wii Sports and Wii Fit. But now, game developer High-Voltage looks like its going to step up to the plate and introduce an action title, Gladiator A.D. , that will take full advantage of the new Wii MotionPlus firmware. The game title will also feature an original soundtrack by composer Jeff Beal, the musical talent behind the unique soundtrack for HBO's miniseries, "Rome".

"Our goal is to make the controls intuitive while providing depth to the game mechanics. Customizable weapons, armor and moves give the player a lot of choices of the arsenal to bring into battle. There are quicker, lighter moves that are difficult to block or dodge and slower, heavier moves that will do more damage. A well-timed parry will briefly stun your opponent. There are brutality moves that the player can earn by increasing crowd favor, which plays a big role in a player's victory or defeat, " explained High-Voltage CEO Kerry Ganofsky.

"Gladiator takes an over-the-should approach to bring the player right into the action. With the Wii-remotes representing the right and left hand, the player can accurately control his attacks, blocks, and dodges. The player has three directional attack; left slice, right slash, and overhead chop. As well as a slower, but devastating power attack for each direction. On the defense, the player can choose to dodge, parry, or block attacks. Holding block will soak a percentage of the incoming damage, but moving your shield or secondary weapon using the analog stick (while blocking) will allow the player to make perfect blocks, which soaks all damage, and causes his opponent to react, allowing for a retaliatory strike. We incorporate slow down of the larger power attacks, similar to the movie 300, to allow players a cinematic attempt to perfect block these attacks, " adds High-Voltage Chief Creative Officer Eric Nofsinger.

"The controls use Wii motions with the Wii remote and nunchuck to initiate an attack. There are six basic attacks: Left, right or overhead, both light and heavy. The player can also block or dodge in any direction, " says Ganofsky.

"The Wii MotionPlus will be used to add variance to the attacks to break up what could possibly be seen as mechanical attacks. For example, depending on the orientation of the player's wrist when a left slice is initiated, the gladiator will attack his opponents right side from one of three angles, making it slightly more difficult to perfect block player's using the Wii MotionPlus. We are also looking into other applications for optional game-play with this peripheral. " - More: Wii.IGN.com

You can listen to a couple of music clips from the game soundtrack here. They certainly bear the stamp of Jeff Beal. I could imagine listening to "The Pit" as an alternative soundtrack to the scene where Pullo fights for his life in that squalid Republican-era arena, shouting "Thirteenth! The Thirteenth!".

High-Voltage executives estimate the title will be released in the 1st quarter of 2010.

Agora sounds like antithesis of Ben Hur

The new film "Agora" starring Rachel Weisz as 4th century CE female scholar, Hypatia, sounds almost like the antithesis of Ben Hur.

"The heart of the film is Hypatia (Rachel Weisz in an unfaltering performance), the fourth century AD philosopher and teacher who lived in Alexandria during the Roman Empire. Married only to her unquenchable intellect and passion for mathematics and astronomy, she is loved by two men: her slave, Davus (Max Minghella), and her student, Orestes (Oscar Isaac).

Politics in the film are weakest during the overtly political speeches and monologues, and best captured in the details. Like many, Davus seeks not spiritual salvation in the Christian uprising but freedom from slavery, despite the bloodshed. His first attempt at prayer is brilliant: Unable to remember the Lord's Prayer, he quickly falls into a mantra to God to keep Hypatia away from Orestes. For his part, Orestes will renounce paganism and convert to Christianity during his rise in Roman politics." - More: Reuter

Hypatia was the daughter of Theon, who was her teacher and the last known mathematician associated with the museum of Alexandria. She traveled to both Athens and Italy to study, before becoming head of the Platonist school at Alexandria in approximately 400 AD . According to the 10th century Byzantine encyclopedia the Suda, she worked as teacher of philosophy, teaching the works of Plato and Aristotle. - More: Wikipedia

"Hypatia corresponded with and hosted scholars from others cities. Synesius, Bishop of Ptolemais, was one of her correspondents and he visited her frequently. Hypatia was a popular lecturer, drawing students from many parts of the empire.

From the little historical information about Hypatia that survives, it appears that she invented the plane astrolabe, the graduated brass hydrometer and the hydroscope, with Synesius of Greece, who was her student and later colleague.

Hypatia dressed in the clothing of a scholar or teacher, rather than in women's clothing. She moved about freely, driving her own chariot, contrary to the norm for women's public behavior. She exerted considerable political influence in the city."

"...[The local Christian bishop Cyril incited] a mob led by fanatical Christian monks in 415 to attack Hypatia as she drove her chariot through Alexandria. They dragged her from her chariot and, according to accounts from that time, stripped her, killed her, stripped her flesh from her bones, scattered her body parts through the streets, and burned some remaining parts of her body in the library of Caesareum." - More: About.com

So much for compassion and tolerance!

Horrible Histories: Ruthless Romans Game premieres

I see Slitherine, the company that brought us "Legions", is releasing a new game based on the popular children's history series "Horrible Histories: Ruthless Romans". It's described as a party/puzzle game (whatever that means). I sometimes find playing less intense children's games more relaxing if I'm tired and stressed out. This particular title is promoted as fun for the whole family so it must be set at a level even adults would at least find interesting. It's available for the Wii, PC and NDS in five languages. It will be available June 12.

Horrible Histories™ Ruthless Romans is a fun packed party game where the plot that follows the struggle of young Rassimus to achieve glory as a gladiator and obtain his freedom. Rassimus, a slave and an ambitious gladiator-in-training, has been raised as a foundling by the great gladiator trainer Lucius Gladius, and spent nearly 12 years in his service. Lucius has now given him a chance to begin his training, and Rassimus hopes that he will be successful and one day become a citizen of Rome.

• Over 30 mad mini-games
• Fight deadly duels against your friends in the arena
• Discover how ruthless Romans lived
• 4 player multiplayer

Horrible Histories™ Ruthless Romans is a great game for all the family.

XIII Century: Death or Glory debut game for new developer

Game companies must be like Hollywood studios. They seem to latch onto the same topics at the same time. When I was researching JoWood's "The Golden Horde", I came across a title by new developer Unicorn Games named "XIII Century: Death or Glory". It, too, deals with warfare across Asia and Europe in the 13th century although, in addition to the Russians and the Mongols you get the English and the French as well.

"XIII Century swaps the stereotypical grand campaign where you rule an empire for "campaign light" mission packs where you fight alongside the medieval armies of England, France, Germany, Russia, and the Mongolian hordes of Genghis Khan. Each of these collections features five separate historical battles that you unlock one by one. So the English start with Evesham then move on to Falkirk, Conwy, Lincoln, and Lewes. The Russians fight at Yaroslav, Torchev, Lake Peipus, Rakovor, and Lipitsa. The French take to the bloody fields of Taillebourg, Muret, Tagliarozzo, Benevento, and Bouvines. And so on. You get a pretty comprehensive tour of all the 13th-century hot spots by the time you work your way through all five nations and a set of bonus battles that open up as your rank grows through winning battles.

All this might seem a bit on the skimpy side to anyone coming off of an overwhelming epic like Medieval II: Total War. But since the battles here are so thoroughly depicted, it's hard to quibble with the warfare-centric focus. For starters, XIII Century is tough. Battles are founded on a rigorous rock-paper-scissors formula, so you can't just lumber about and rush foes with no consideration as to their relative strengths and weaknesses. This isn't a simple formula, either. Although many basics are in play here (keep cavalry away from pikemen, keep archers on high ground, that sort of thing), unit statistics are heavily detailed. This gives you a lot to keep track of during battles, which tend to fly by even at regular speed, but at least the interface provides ready access to everything you need to know. Moving the mouse cursor over unit formations provides banks of numbers detailing morale, number of wounded, whether or not the flanks and rear are covered, and so forth. So you can get instant snapshots of how your troops are faring when things are going hot and heavy, which lets you keep pace and give the right commands at the right times." - More: Gamespot

The Golden Horde offers strategy and beautiful imagery

I enjoyed reading Conn Iggulden's "Genghis" novels so much that I couldn't pass this one up when GoGamer offered it for only $9.90 in one of their 48-hour Madness sales!

Lead armored crusaders, flexible Mongolians or impregnable Russians into historic battles!

The Scenario is based on a on the events which took place in Europe, central Asia and Russia at the beginning of the XIII century.

The game will offer recreated versions of famous battles and political crises as well as an epic campaign which outcome is yours to determine.

Thanks to sophisticated RPG elements, individual Heroes, fancy graphics and easy controls The Golden Horde offers a perfect access to the real-time strategy genre in the exotic setting of the early middle ages in Europe and Asia.

Historic Basis
The game is based on true historic facts, conflicts and battles.

Three different Factions
Crusaders, Mongolians und Russians. They differ in types of military forces, buildings and combat as well as unique heroes with individual abilities.

Takeover of Enemy Units and Weapons
Take control over neutral horses or their slain riders’ weapon.

Equipment "on the fly"
Provide your warriors with new weapons or switch them directly on the battlefield.

Weather is a Central Element
Wind affects the flight qualities of arrows. Rain greatly affects the visibility Snow slows down units, which may even break through the Ice of frozen lakes. - GoGamer

Rise of the Argonauts gets 6.6 - 9.5 in critic reviews

I noticed this morning that GoGamer.com has "Rise of the Argonauts" on sale ($19.99) so I checked out what other reviewers thought of this role-playing title. One critic from Gamespot rated the game quite highly saying the atmosphere was quite authentic and voice acting was excellent - not always the case with some titles. I guess the biggest criticism was the game involves a lot of character interaction rather than combat. I personally would find that to be a positive feature. Perhaps as a female I prefer to develop relationships rather than fight at the drop of a hat. The critic did note that the combat sequences become more frequent as you get closure to your goal though.

I have a stack of games still in the shrink wrap that I haven't had time to try out but I'm tempted to go ahead and order this one.

An Epic Scale Greek Mythology RPG
As the King of Iolcus, Jason had everything – a prosperous kingdom, the respect of his peers and a beautiful fiance. But when she was assassinated on their wedding day, Jason vowed to take revenge on her killers – to do anything to restore her life and earn back the respect of his subjects.

To accomplish this heroic feat, Jason must seek out the Golden Fleece and with the help of Greek mythology’s greatest heroes, set sail on the most epic voyage of all.

Engage in Brutal Combat Against Beasts and Enemies!
An epic scale action RPG, Rise of the Argonauts immerses players in a gladiatorial adventure set in the vibrant and powerful world of Ancient Greece brought to life. Taking the role of Jason, players will battle alongside Hercules, Achilles and other Argonauts as they engage in brutal combat against formidable beasts and enemies, in a vast world alive with wondrous inhabitants and stunning panoramas.

The search for the Golden Fleece is not only one of exploration but of transformation: from warrior king to exalted hero touched by the gods.

Streamlined RPG Experience
Gamers will spend more time playing and less time micro-managing inventory and resources through a streamlined HUD and inventory system. Players can earn unique powers and abilities, but avoid tedious record keeping by dedicating deeds to a god of choice.

Characters become stronger with armor and weapons upgrades significant in scope, leaving enemies nearly helpless. Players must learn to appease the Gods and interact wisely with those they encounter , as decisions impact the story flow and available missions.

Unleash Devastating Attacks
Players will assemble the most effective team of Argonauts for each mission to put the best battle plan forward. Lethal combinations of weapons and powers granted by the Gods, combined with the battle-tested loyalty of the Argonauts, make Jason a devastating force in combat.

Players will change weapons on the fly to outmaneuver and inflict lethally devastating attacks on opponents, decapitating them with swords or cutting them in half with shields.

Mythological Ancient Greece Brought to Life
Players will battle deadly foes, fearsome opponents and legendary monsters while experiencing a living, breathing and vivid ancient world taking players far beyond the generic broken statues and ruins that so often define the myth.

The thrill of battle and intensity of action is strengthened through Tyler Bates’ (300 composer) epic musical score. - Gamespot

Chariots of War on sale now at Gamespot

Although this title is listed as on sale for the next 88 hours, it will probably be available in Gamespot's "Blow Out Deals" section after that so I am giving everyone a heads up notice about it.

4000 years ago in the Cradle of Civilization, mighty Empires fought for water, resources and the arable land in the Fertile Crescent.

Play the Egyptians in chariots of war, Babylonians in bronze armour, screaming Nubian warriors, and the Assyrians behind their walls of stone.

Develop your country by producing commodities and sell them to your neighbours.

Raise glorious armies and wage wars of conquest. Roll over the plains in the childhood of Mankind with your Chariots of War!

Features
Play one of 58 different nations covering the entire Middle East. Build hundreds of buildings and city improvements.

Recruit units from nearly 30 different troop types for your invincible armies. A Random Event System depicts the era in colourful detail.

The happiness and welfare of your cities’ inhabitants will depend on overpopulation. Keep revolutionaries at bay by developing temples, entertainment and other buildings.

Constant technological advances will increase the development of your tribe. Trade in your resources with other territories and send diplomats out to gather information.

- Gamespot

Grand Ages Rome

Raise massive armies and embark on epic campaigns to expand the Empire and take control of the known world! Engage in grand-scale city building and create magnificent cities with creativity and control like never before. Intuitive controls make it easy to launch bone-crushing combat missions and manage every aspect of your thriving civilization.

After decades in exile, your family name has been all but forgotten in Rome.
But the departure of the tyrant Sulla has changed everything, and Rome stands on the brink of a new era. Sides must be chosen as Caesar and Pompey battle for control of the Republic.

The stage is set for you to gain power and influence over one of the greatest civilizations in history.

Build an Empire worth fighting for!

Featuring 4X Real-Time Strategy:

Explore - Journey to ancient Gaul, Britannia, Egypt, and more to colonize barbarians and establish new trade routes.

Expand - Stake your claim throughout the known world in the name of Rome! Help build the empire through military conquest and economic prowess.

Exploit - Natural resources are yours for the taking as you establish farming, mining, and logging operations. Raze barbarian villages for riches, labor, and property.

Exterminate - Destroy all who stand in the way of Rome's glory! Defend your territories by land and sea to secure peace and prosperity for the empire

Set Your Sights on Domination!

Advanced Battle System
Take command of 18 different military units, including naval command, elephant cavalry, and mercenary forces. Recruit citizens of Rome, draft captured enemy forces, and pay foreign squads for their special skills. Defend and expand the Empire by land and sea with exciting RTS gameplay.

Intense Multiplayer
Online multiplayer functionality with 6 different strategy modes - play competitively or cooperatively. Create buddy lists and challenge your friends to a battle, or use the matching system and take on an unknown foe with the same skill level. Advance your career and increase your rank from praetor to consul and beyond.

Epic Campaigns
Rub shoulders with Julius Caesar, Mark Antony, Cleopatra and more in a non-linear historical campaign featuring over 40 missions. Choose your own fate as you create and destroy alliances with more than 20 different historical figures. Celebrate your victories by erecting legendary monuments such as the Coliseum, Circus Maximus, the Pantheon, and more.

Complex Economy
Flow resources eliminate tedious micromanagement, giving you the freedom to create thriving cities with multileveled economic systems. Information overlays visualize the city economy and satisfaction of the people on every location on the map.

Empire: Total War

Prepare to claim a piece of history in Empire: Total War. Players will find themselves thrust into the turbulent 18th century, an era of unrivaled military advancement and political turmoil. Empire: Total War advances the Total War series through multiple enhancements, including groundbreaking 3D naval combat.

Through streamlined and intuitive controls, players will command single vessels or massive fleets into battle across simulated oceans complete with dynamic weather effects.

Open fire with powerful cannons and then board enemy ships for close-quarters combat. Empire: Total War also includes numerous advancements such as enhanced Trade, Diplomacy and Espionage.

Players will also deploy new forces and troop types as cannons, muskets and new gunpowder advances change the way wars are fought. Empire: Total War uses an revolutionary graphics engine to render every conflict and victory in stunning detail.

Players will embark on a quest to bring down nations and forge powerful empires in a way never before seen.

• New Era of Warfare: Set between 1700 and 1800, players will battle against a backdrop of technological advancement, social upheaval and political turmoil. Make your mark in history!
• Revolutionary Naval Combat: New real-time battle system lets you control single vessels or massive armadas on the open sea. Use powerful cannons to splinter and sink enemy ships or use loyal troops to board and lay siege to vessels.
• Legendary Battlefields - Massive landscapes and huge armies under your control change the course of history. Storm the fields of war with all new weapons such as the musket and artillery and unleash the thunderous cavalry.
• Historical Campaign: Take charge of history in a campaign spanning three continents and featuring newly designed systems for Trade, Diplomacy, Missions and Espionage. Command the forces of ten playable factions including Britain, France, Spain, America and the Ottoman Empire.
• Dynamic Weather: On land or sea, real-time weather effects will play integral roles in your strategy as you command your forces.
• Cutting Edge Graphics: A completely new graphics engine renders real-time seascapes and ground-based landscapes like never before, as well as populating the battlefield with flora systems and destructable buildings.
• Enhanced Multiplayer: The vastly improved multiplayer component features all-new player rankings, leagues and completely new gameplay modes.
• Intuitive Battles: A compliment of interface enhancements and improvements let players dive in and focus on combat. Enjoy new tutorials and systems designed to let you command your forces with confidence!
• Design the Conflict: A suit of all-new tools and editors make Empire: Total War the most customizable Total War game yet

Rise of the Argonauts looks exciting

This game looks interesting and is even on sale now at Gogamer.com! The story synopsis does not appear to follow the classic myth, though. Apparently, this is one of those "inspired by" titles.

Ed Del Castillo, president of Liquid Entertainment says, "we use these great myths and legends as our inspiration--our starting point--but we're making our own take on it where it serves gameplay, the story, and the player experience. The Jason myth is one of the only places in Greek myth that you get such a confluence of great heroes, so we're kind of assembling the X-Men of mythology. There's a rich backstory, there's incredible characters, but we're also using artistic license to take it to the next level--we couldn't pass up that opportunity."

An Epic Scale Greek Mythology RPG
As the King of Iolcus, Jason had everything – a prosperous kingdom, the respect of his peers and a beautiful fiance. But when she was assassinated on their wedding day, Jason vowed to take revenge on her killers – to do anything to restore her life and earn back the respect of his subjects.

To accomplish this heroic feat, Jason must seek out the Golden Fleece and with the help of Greek mythology’s greatest heroes, set sail on the most epic voyage of all.

Engage in Brutal Combat Against Beasts and Enemies!
An epic scale action RPG, Rise of the Argonauts immerses players in a gladiatorial adventure set in the vibrant and powerful world of Ancient Greece brought to life. Taking the role of Jason, players will battle alongside Hercules, Achilles and other Argonauts as they engage in brutal combat against formidable beasts and enemies, in a vast world alive with wondrous inhabitants and stunning panoramas.

The search for the Golden Fleece is not only one of exploration but of transformation: from warrior king to exalted hero touched by the gods.

Streamlined RPG Experience
Gamers will spend more time playing and less time micro-managing inventory and resources through a streamlined HUD and inventory system. Players can earn unique powers and abilities, but avoid tedious record keeping by dedicating deeds to a god of choice.

Characters become stronger with armor and weapons upgrades significant in scope, leaving enemies nearly helpless. Players must learn to appease the Gods and interact wisely with those they encounter , as decisions impact the story flow and available missions.

Unleash Devastating Attacks
Players will assemble the most effective team of Argonauts for each mission to put the best battle plan forward. Lethal combinations of weapons and powers granted by the Gods, combined with the battle-tested loyalty of the Argonauts, make Jason a devastating force in combat.

Players will change weapons on the fly to outmaneuver and inflict lethally devastating attacks on opponents, decapitating them with swords or cutting them in half with shields.

Mythological Ancient Greece Brought to Life
Players will battle deadly foes, fearsome opponents and legendary monsters while experiencing a living, breathing and vivid ancient world taking players far beyond the generic broken statues and ruins that so often define the myth.

The thrill of battle and intensity of action is strengthened through Tyler Bates’ (300 composer) epic musical score.

Here's a game trailer that introduces the characters:

Amazon offers inexpensive (with free trials) game downloads

Amazon just announced a new game download service. Games can be tried out for free for 30 days or purchased outright for $9.99 or less. Naturally this game caught my attention. It sounds a lot like Caesar III but may be more level/episodic based. I love Caesar III but often I would like to play a game that does not take up so much time. I have found that games I can play in short snippets can be stress-relieving without adding guilt for spending so much time playing them!

"The fabulous lands of Caesar open their gates in front of you in this new puzzle game: Cradle of Rome! You are given the chance to build Ancient Rome, the most legendary city of all time! Play and conquer more than 100 addictive and intuitively designed levels, collecting and unlocking 8 original bonuses and many surprise features along the way. As you play more and earn enough money and supplies to buy larger buildings, you'll see your city grow into a vast and magnificent center of life, the heart of the antiquity!"