192: PowerMonger

Number 192
(10.5 points)
PowerMonger
1991: 32 (6.9)
1992: 83 (3.6)

Bullfrog adapt their genre-defining god game Populous into a much more down-to-earth affair with this real-time war game.

You take command of at least one captain, whose task is to enter lands with the aim of conquering them, before moving on to the next one. You attack towns, recruit soldiers, collect food for your troops and invent new weaponry. Once the balance of power in that territory is in your favour, you can retire from there and try your luck elsewhere. The action is seen on a 3D isometric landscape which you can rotate and zoom, which looks impressive for the time yet doesn't seem to offer a great advantage over a 2D equivalent. For a real-time strategy, the action is simple to grasp though could become repetitive over time.

I can see what they're going for here, and really it could be a good bit of fun, but it's let down in some ways. The fancy 3D map is too clunky to use effectively: the overview 2D map is too small and it's hard to make out what you're seeing on the 3D one, not to mention how slow it is to scroll and rotate it. Playing on a faster Amiga does help, but then you find that the game itself is a bit limited. Could benefit from a remake, perhaps.

Recommended TOSEC disk(s):
PowerMonger (1990)(Electronic Arts)[cr SR]