Board games of the ancient world. A selection of the best games about ancient Greece on PC and consoles
28.03.2018 Pavel Makarov
Strategy is one of the first and once most popular genres of computer games on PC, the most prominent representative of which was “Age of Empires” - an RTS in a medieval setting. The first representatives of the genre are games with simple mechanics: building a base, building units, attacking the enemy. Gradually, the strategies became more complex, research elements were introduced that improved units and buildings, the opportunity to travel through eras appeared, etc. In this article we will present the top 15 most striking and memorable strategies about the Middle Ages.
Release date: 2018
Genre: city building simulator, real-time strategy
Developer: Shiro Games
Publisher: Shiro Games
Northgard is a medieval RTS from the Shiro Games team, in which you have to inhabit the continent of Northgard and populate it with powerful Vikings. At the same time, you will have to fight off animals, undead creatures and establish diplomatic relations with the local residents - the Jotuns.
Teach people various crafts, wisely manage mined or conquered resources, managing to survive the winter and enemy raids. Only tactics and strategy will allow you to expand your influence in new lands teeming with very smart AI.
Release date: 2016
Genre: real time strategy
Developer: GSC Game World
Publisher: GSC Game World
Cossacks 3 is a large-scale real-time strategy from the developers of GSC Game World, telling about battles between the 17th and 18th centuries. Several factors play into winning: the amount of previously mined resources, the choice of troops and weapons, landscape, physics and even the time of day.
Enter the battle by choosing one of 20 nations, bringing up to 32,000 units into the fight at the same time.
Multiplayer for 8 people with the ability to create teams will definitely not get boring.
Release date: year 2014
Genre: real time strategy
Developer: SkyBox Labs, Big Huge Games
Publisher: Microsoft Studios
Rise of Nations is an RTS game from Big Huge Games. The game is a synergy of traditional strategy and city-planning simulator, similar to Civilization, since there are national borders and even wonders of the world.
Maximum authenticity of what is happening: caravans open up new routes, sea trade campaigns create their own fleet, and cities represent key buildings on the continent around which the gameplay is tied. Create your own wonder of the world to take advantage of the benefits provided by this building.
Release date: 2015
Genre: simulator of construction of medieval siege weapons, sandbox
Developer: Spiderling Studios
Publisher: Spiderling Studios
Besiege is an indie sandbox project developed by the Spiderling Studios team. The player's task is to create a special device to achieve the goal while completing the level. With each new map opened, the level of difficulty increases significantly, and therefore the car has to be improved and modernized every now and then (add armor, install a catapult or a transport crane for the convenience of moving heavy objects).
Complete freedom of action from the very first minutes. The main task is to achieve the goal in any way.
Release date: year 2014
Genre: medieval castle building simulator, real-time strategy
Developer: FireFly Studios
Publisher: FireFly Studios
Stronghold Crusader 2 is a sequel to the original castle sim project from FireFly Studios. The sequel is also a mixture of RTS and city-planning simulator, in which the main character will have to make a difficult choice between the Crusaders and the Arab fighters for justice. The further fate of the Holy Lands directly depends on the actions of the commander.
Do you admire Richard the Lionheart? You will have the opportunity to play on his behalf, managing to control 25 types of different units with special abilities. Difficult, but interesting.
Release date: 2006
Genre: turn-based, real-time tactical strategy
Developer: The Creative Assembly
Publisher: SEGA
Medieval II: Total War is a global turn-based real-time strategy from The Creative Assembly team. Events will unfold in parallel in North Africa, the Middle East and Europe. You will experience historical events such as the discovery of Black Death gunpowder, the Mongol invasion and more.
Take part in the Crusades for the glory of Islam or Christianity, rewrite history in your own way, without holding yourself back by any restrictions. In war, all means are good.
Face off? LAN mode for 8 people is just suitable for these purposes.
Release date: year 2013
Genre: real time strategy
Developer: Skybox Labs, Hidden Path Entertainment, Ensemble Studios
Publisher: Microsoft Studios
Age of Empires II HD is a re-release of the cult strategy from Ensemble Games in a new quality. The studio Skybox Labs was responsible for the remake, which did not in any way affect the gameplay or atmosphere of the project. The player has access to 13 civilizations with unique units and technologies.
Using the latter is not so easy - you need to create an appropriate building, and then develop the ability from scratch. And remember that each faction has both strengths and weaknesses: you can win in castle value but lose in defense quality.
Release date: 2017
Genre: turn-based strategy about Vikings with RPG elements
Developer: Logic Artists
Publisher: Logic Artists
Expeditions: Viking is a real-time strategy game from Logic Artics. You have just been appointed leader of a Viking clan living in a small village. The task is extremely simple - to make the settlement blossom and prosper. Loyal housecarls will follow the leader anywhere, even to Valhalla.
Choose the style of leader at your own discretion, choosing the optimal skills and characteristics of the hero for yourself. Make peaceful alliances and write your name on the pages of history, where there will definitely be a place for heroism.
Release date: year 2012
Genre: global strategy about the Middle Ages
Developer: Paradox Development Studio
Publisher: Paradox Interactive
Crusader Kings II is a global RTS from Paradox Development Studio. The game recreates the feudal system of relations between medieval Europe and the countries of the Middle East, including not only the general picture of events, but also personal relationships between the characters. Here, every now and then, intrigues and even a struggle for the Papal throne will arise.
The player himself chooses the dynasty around which the plot is built. Study history in a playful way, observing real-life personalities.
Release date: 2017
Genre: global strategy about the Middle Ages with RPG elements, turn-based battles
Developer: Overhype Studios
Publisher: Overhype Studios
Battle Brothers is a tactical RPG with a huge open world from Overhype Studios. You have to learn how to manage a squad of mercenaries in the era of medieval Germany. All battles are turn-based, based on the turn-based strategy of Heroes Might and Magic.
Outside of battles, the hero must look for new quests for himself and take care of the welfare of the mercenaries (weapons, armor, provisions). The game is stuffed with fetnesian characters and representatives of German folklore.
Release date: year 2014
Genre: city planning simulator of a medieval village
Developer: Shining Rock Software LLC
Publisher: Shining Rock Software LLC
Banished is a city-building sim from Shining Rock Software, diluted with strategy elements. You become a kind of hand of God, since the main resource of the game is people. They are born, work, reproduce and die. The key measure of success is supporting the well-being of subjects. It is not enough to build a house - it also needs to be inhabited.
No conditions or conventions: build anything, as long as you have enough resources. 18 types of crafts will not let you get bored, especially since there is no standard strategy here - everything is at your discretion.
Release date: 2005 year
Genre: global strategy about the Middle Ages
Developer: Black Sea Studios Ltd
Publisher: Paradox Interactive
Knights of Honor is an RTS from the Black Sea Studios team in a historical setting. You have to rule an entire dynasty with a king at its head. Create heirs, enter into mutually beneficial agreements with representatives of other kingdoms, principalities and sultanates (pacts, alliances, trade agreements).
The emphasis in the game is on exotic goods, since they are responsible for the advantage of a particular power and its advantageous position relative to other states.
Release date: 2017
Genre: global strategy about the Middle Ages
Developer: Reverie World Studios
Publisher: Reverie World Studios
Medieval Kingdom Wars is a global real-time strategy game from developer Reverie World Studios. Historical setting and a huge living world of the medieval era. Create cities, fight in the name of the king, take part in large-scale sieges and show off your tactical skills in battle.
Campaign mode with an abundance of international and domestic intrigue, network mode and more. A painfully realistic survival simulator awaits you, where you will even have to hunt rats in order to save not only your own skin, but also the garrison under your control. Difficult, but exciting.
Release date: 2005 year
Genre: economic strategy, urban planning simulator of a medieval city
Developer: Ubisoft Blue Byte Studio
Publisher: Ubisoft
The Settlers: Heritage of Kings is the fifth series of RTS The Setters from Blue Byte Software. In this part, the developers abandoned the standard setting, adding many gameplay elements similar to Cossacks: Europian Wars.
You will reincarnate as the character Dario, whose village was destroyed by the Black Knights. The hero will have to lead the militia to drive out the uninvited guests from his territory.
Release date: 2015
Genre:
Developer: Creative Assembly
Publisher: SEGA
Total War: Attila is a project that combines elements of RTS and turn-based strategy. Developed by Creative Assembly and in fact is the 9th part of the Total War network.
The action takes place in 395 AD since the split of the Roman Empire. You will play as the great leader Atilla, while simultaneously managing your own state. Special attention is paid to buildings: industrial buildings can pollute the atmosphere, sanitary buildings can clean them. It is necessary to seek a balance between industry and ecology.
Games that tell the story most authentically, but that focus primarily on fun gameplay and combat.
Video games constantly feature mystical artifacts of ancient civilizations, Nazis riding dinosaurs, and even Gandhi starting a nuclear war. Historical accuracy has never been a priority, and those games that try to match history are still not shy about a number of rather serious assumptions in order to make the plot and the gameplay itself as varied as possible. And they can be divided into two groups: games that use certain historical events (or cultural stereotypes) to set up a plot, and games whose developers actually study historical facts in order to recreate them as accurately as possible in the virtual world.
A variable like "historicity" is very difficult to evaluate in games - and yes, it's a real word. Usually games where everything is fine with recreating the story turn out to be quite boring, so this list includes projects where the emphasis is on interesting gameplay. I tried to include in this selection games that most accurately and faithfully depict those periods of history that are often distorted or incorrectly shown in pseudo-historical games.
So, here are the most historically accurate PC games, collected in chronological order (based on their setting).
Attila took the then slightly outdated Total War formula and diluted it with a living world, where we saw all the cultural, political and economic difficulties that Rome faced in its decline. Instead of showing us the stereotypical horde of evil barbarians who appeared out of nowhere, the game shows us the reason for the appearance of these invaders - climate change led to the fact that it became increasingly difficult to feed the population in the northern regions, and in parallel with this, the migration of the Huns took place into the territory of Eastern Europe .
In addition, it was the first to show that not every society has permanent cities, and demonstrated their complex relationships, built as opposed to open war.
The plot of any of the Assassin’s Creed parts is poorly correlated with real historical events (nevertheless, it sometimes touches on them - take, for example, the siege of Masyaf from the first part of the series). However, it is these games that allow us to stroll through Renaissance Florence or medieval Jerusalem. Crowds of local residents, architectural features, a lot of small details - all this is recreated as close as possible to the era shown.
Personally, I love Constantinople from Revelations, which was captured by the Ottoman Empire - perhaps one of the most interesting cities in history, shown in one of the most interesting periods.
With additions that introduce satanic cults and surprise Aztec invasions, CK2 increasingly loses touch with the real story. But initially the game did a pretty good job of recreating the politics of Western Europe from the 11th to the 15th centuries AD. In our time we are accustomed to the concept of the state, but if we lived, say, in one of the French regions in 1150, then we would swear allegiance to a specific person, and not to a flag or a constitution. And it is between such feudal lords that the main interactions and conflicts unfold in CK2.
A powerful kingdom can fall apart under a weak ruler, just as an initially weak power can become great under the leadership of a wise king. The hierarchical system of feudalism depicted in the game is disputed by many historians, but thanks to excellent additions like Conclave, the game manages to show the connection between nobility and power, which was of great importance in those times.
I was very impressed that the developers of Expeditions: Viking were clearly inspired not by stereotypes, but by real historical facts. For me personally, the Viking Age is of the greatest interest, and therefore I become especially picky when evaluating games on this topic. In the same game we see everything that a real Viking ruler would do.
Here we have to settle the blood feud of several clans. At the same time, it is necessary to show yourself as a strong and fair ruler, because people will not follow just one big name. The game even captures the effects of the infamous attacks on Scandinavia, from which the region managed to recover, rebuild its infrastructure, and eventually create three powerful European kingdoms.
Banished is a fairly simple game. Some might even say it's overly simple, but the mechanics that come to the fore here are directly related to all the things that, for example, British settlers in the Virginia Colony would have encountered in the 17th century. Your main goal is to ensure that people live warm, well-fed and healthy. You need to use available resources and trade to support your growing population. A harsh winter or the spread of disease can destroy your entire colony - and this is exactly what happens, as with most real-life European settlements in the New World.
In the game Pirates! There are enough pirate stereotypes, but its creators quite plausibly reflect all the realities that ship captains faced during the heyday of piracy. Your team is a collection of criminals gathered from all over the Caribbean, and they will work for you until they find something more profitable. It's also worth mentioning the political games between Spain, England, France and Holland, since you will always work for at least one of these parties. And, of course, the game features excellent naval battles, taking into account the direction of the wind, as well as the size of the ships and their guns, which allows you to understand what it was like for real naval officers of those times.
Vicktoria 2 is perhaps the most complex and serious game on the list with a fairly high barrier to entry, but it deserves attention if only because it highlights aspects of the story that are usually ignored in other games. The level of education of the population is important here. The more educated it is, the more productive it becomes... and the faster this can lead to the emergence of such phenomena as communism, demands for the abolition of slavery, and the introduction of voting and labor rights.
That is, to standard modern conditions. It also focuses on industrialization, war speculation, and the pros and cons of free markets versus a single economic system. If you're willing to spend a few days learning, the game is definitely worth your time.
An oldie but a goodie. Various variations of the project have been published since 1971 (also a kind of historical project), and all of them have been noted for their educational value. This is a well deserved achievement. If a modern person tried to imagine all the difficulties that American pioneers faced when traveling from Independence to the Willamette Valley in the mid-19th century, it would not even occur to him to count the number of spare wagon trailers that would need to be taken on the road.
But The Oregon Trail takes even the little things into account. There is a high probability that after this game you will begin to seriously fear dysentery, and this is in our age of advanced medicine - the conditions of that time are so well conveyed.
I understand that this was supposed to be some kind of deep and thoughtful war game that takes into account the weight and height of every real soldier who took part in battles, but Ultimate General strikes the perfect balance between attention to history and interesting gameplay. The recently released campaign mode even tells us how the generals of the time had to gain support from the government in order to receive the necessary supplies and have a say in important decisions.
It's bound to impress history buffs: every map in Steel Division is modeled after actual aerial photographs taken during the Normandy invasion, right down to the layout of villages and even hedgerows. It also presents realistic shooting distances and damage caused by military equipment and weapons. The same applies to the speed and maneuverability of the vehicles shown in the game. Heavier vehicles appear later in battle, and this is explained by the fact that it takes longer for them to get to the desired point.
What's most remarkable about the game, however, is that it emphasizes the importance of battlefield intelligence and develops the idea that battles are won not by those with the most military power, but by those with the right intelligence.
IL-2 Sturmovik series – The most reliable military flight simulator
I think many flight simulator fans remember the first time they tried to flip over in an IL-2 and, seeing the screen go dark, decided that there was something wrong with the monitor. The fact is that the game shows not only the most authentic controls, but also the most realistic gravitational effects that pilots experience at high speeds. You can faint either from a lack of blood in the head or from an excess of it. The advantage of the game is that the Il-2 attack aircraft itself was recreated in the smallest detail, and the battles unfold according to the most plausible scenarios.
Battlefield 1, move over. Verdun meticulously recreates the military actions that took place on the Western Front, and at the same time remains an excellent multiplayer shooter. All the inaccuracies of the game are forgivable, since they are related more to the scale of events than to their details. After all, it would be impossible to wait for the required number of players on one server to believably recreate the largest battles of the First World War - and this wait would definitely not be liked by everyone who decided to devote a couple of hours to the game before going to bed. But the game pleases with such details as the soldiers’ uniform, in which everything - from the material to the buttons - was copied from historical photographs.
The careful modeling of orbital mechanics, propulsion and aerodynamics used in Kerbal Space Program makes the game a true textbook on space programs. The developers from the Squad studio understand this themselves, and therefore are working on the Making History add-on. But if you don't want to wait, there are a number of fan-made extensions at your disposal. Several dozen mods, the most striking of which is the Historical Missions Pack, will allow you to participate in the launch of the first German V2 rockets, as well as in the development of the modern SpaceX program.
This has almost nothing to do with real history, only with my own guesses based on observation of modern society. I've always been impressed by how thoughtfully the authors of Deus Ex show us the possible future of humanity. Interfaces for the interaction of the brain with computers, high-tech prosthetics and artificial intelligence are becoming the focus, while interplanetary flights and lightsabers still remain only in fantasies. If I were a gambler, I would bet a large sum that our future will be the world of Adam Jensen, not Captain Picard.
Warhammer 40,000 series
Release date: 1992-2011
Genre: Real-time strategy
The Warhammer 40,000 series is the most popular and one of the best-selling games. Fans are constantly waiting for the release of a new game. The most famous is Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War. The player selects a race (Imperial Guard, Space Marines, Tau, Necrons, Orcs, Chaos, Eldar; new races appear with each game) for which he wants to play, after which he selects a place on the planet or planets that he wants to capture and fights with the race that owns it earth.
The battle takes place in real time on the terrain where the battle takes place. Players capture special points that give influence and build generators that provide energy; these resources are used to build structures, troops and make improvements. Each race has its own troops, super units and heroes and abilities. The goal of the game in the campaign is to capture all the lands and become the patron of all lands.
Civilization Series
Release date: 1991-2013
Genre: Global turn-based strategy
In Civilization, a complete model of human development has been created from the most ancient times to the present day. The player must create and develop his mighty empire, among other competitors, the condition for victory may be a military victory over everyone, victory on points, The game ends in 2050 either by culture or build a spaceship and fly to Alpha Centauri. The strength and development of civilization consists of the development and creation of new cities, the creation of production of troops in cities, scientific and military research. You can also create wonders of the world in the game.
For a civilization to flourish, the player must be able to focus and balance between scientific progress, building up military power, replenishing the treasury, developing infrastructure and culture, diplomatic contacts and trade with other civilizations. The player can take part in historical events that took place, control leaders such as Stalin, Napaleon, Ramses II, Catherine II and so on. It's hard to say which of the series is the best. Some say that part is the best, others say the fourth. Adherents of graphics claim that the fifth is the best of this series.
Warcraft III
Genre: real-time strategy with RPG elements
Popularly, the so-called "Varik" was one of the most anticipated games: more than 4.5 million pre-orders and more than one million copies of the game sold in less than a month, making it the fastest selling computer game. The game received a large number of positive reviews, many publications awarded the game with the titles “Best Game of the Year” and “Best Strategy of the Year.” The game also received high marks from players.
There are 4 races in the game: Alliance (humans), Undead, Horde (Orcs) and Night Elves. Each race has its own unique heroes, who gain experience and a new level in battles. With each level, new hero abilities are unlocked. Heroes can also buy or pick up items from killed mobs that improve the combat characteristics of the heroes and the troops around them. On different maps, players capture gold mines and extract timber, use these resources to build a base and units and improve their characteristics.
Heroes of Might and Magic III
Genre: Turn-based strategy with RPG elements
Heroes of Might and Magic III is a turn-based fantasy game, the third part of the series has become a cult favorite and has gained many fans around the world. Despite the now outdated graphics, it is still played by thousands of players around the world. The fourth and fifth parts of the game came out with better graphics and improved gameplay, so if you are not a fan of old games and love graphics, then it is best to play the latest parts.
The player travels across a global map with heroes who control mythical creatures, exploring new lands, capturing cities and fighting enemies. On the map, the player moves only one hero and can only walk a certain distance or do one or more actions, after which he misses a turn and the computer-controlled enemies make their move. By attacking enemies, you move into combat mode, the army of enemies and your army of creatures stand opposite each other, moving combat units in turn to destroy the enemies. As cities develop, new opportunities and spells can be discovered. Hire troops.
StarCraft II
Genre: real time strategy
StarCraft II is the second part of the cult first part, released back in 1998. The second part of the game became the most anticipated game of the year due to the great popularity of the first part and fully met its expectations among players. Many Russian and foreign gaming portals gave the game scores of over 9 points out of 10. In the player rating it received 9.3 points.
The plot of the game and all the actions take place in the distant future, or more precisely the 26th century in a remote part of the Milky Way galaxy. The three races of Terran, Zerg, and Protoss are opposed to each other. Players extract two types of resources: minerals and vespene gas, which they then use to build buildings and hire combat units. The main task is to destroy the enemy base. Each type of unit has its own strengths and weaknesses, so to destroy certain types of enemy troops you need to hire troops that are good at destroying them.
Total War series is the best Rome: Total War
Genre: turn-based grand strategy, real-time strategy
Total War rus. “Total War” is a series of games that already has seven games and various additions. Different games cover different historical time periods and states. The most popular and iconic is Rome: Total War, released in 2004. The action takes place in Ancient Rome during the Republic period from 270 BC. e. up to 14 AD e. For example, Shogun: Total War takes place in Japan Shogun: Total War in the 16th century, where reigning dynasties oppose each other. Empire: Total War - during the European colonial wars and so on.
The gameplay of the game is very similar to Civilization. The player controls troops, cities and settlements on a global point. After completing all actions, the player misses a turn, after which the AI-controlled competitors make their move. If you or your enemy attack each other, then you move to the tactical map, where you control all your troops in real mode, attacking them and placing them in convenient positions on the map.
Command & Conquer: Red Alert 1,2,3
Release date: 1996 and 2000
Genre: Real-time strategy
Red Alert is a game that was released in the last century and captured the minds and souls of gamers around the world; thousands of people still play it, more than 30 million copies sold. The game takes place in an alternate history where Allied forces defend Europe from the aggressive Soviet Union. The player can choose one of two warring parties: Alliance or USSR. Accordingly, the goal of the game for the Allies is to stop Stalin before he takes over the whole world, for the USSR - to achieve the complete capture of Europe. Depending on the side chosen, the player's victory results in one of two alternative endings.
Battles in the game take place both on land, on water and in the air. Each side can have its own base and can train ground forces, air forces and navies. Each side also has unique features. The game mechanic is that now even a simple infantryman can destroy a tank. A tank can easily destroy a machine-gun pillbox; a small group of grenade launchers can just as easily deal with a tank if it is not covered by anti-personnel equipment or its own infantry, which forced the use of different types of troops in battle.
Europa Universalis series of games
Release date: 2000-2013
Genre: turn-based global strategy,
Continues the series of global strategies Europa Universalis. Like previous games in the series, the third part invites you to lead one of the states of the world . The essence of the game: to develop national ideas that give the game power certain advantages; As new government technologies are discovered, it becomes possible to choose one of the national ideas. The game takes place in real time, but the player’s reaction speed is not required, since the game can be paused at any time. The game takes place on a schematically depicted world map, divided into more than 1,500 sea and land provinces.
The player can take control of any country that existed during this historical period (about 200 states in total). Under his control are the country's economy, the formation and management of armies and navies, diplomacy, the introduction of new technologies, the internal politics of the state, changing the state religion and the colonization of new lands.
A special feature of the game is its connection to real history (note that in the third part of the series it is no longer tied to history and the gameplay is more free); there are historical rulers predetermined for each country, each of whom has certain abilities that influence the game, real-life commanders (such as Suvorov or Napoleon I Bonaparte), pioneers, explorers and sailors (such as Columbus, Ermac and Ferdinand Magellan ), as well as historical events that usually occur in the same country and at the same time as in real history (for example, in 1517 an event occurs that makes it possible to convert to Protestantism)
Company of Heroes 1.2
Release date: 2006
Genre: Real-time strategy
The gameplay of Company of Heroes is very similar to Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War. The player commands entire squads of fighters, but there are some unique units. Each unit has a life scale (not an individual fighter), and if the unit’s lives are damaged when the unit is damaged, the entire unit dies. The player can equip infantry units with various weapons, choosing which weapon is more promising in battle. After the death of a squad, weapons remain that can be picked up and equipped with them for another squad. This even applies to stationary weapons such as anti-tank guns, heavy machine guns and mortars.
Each side in the game is divided into three unique directions - infantry, airborne and tank for the Americans and defensive, offensive and propaganda for the Germans, advancement in which gives access to new combat units and attacks (for example, attack aircraft). Another important difference is that squads and units in the game have three levels of experience. After destroying an enemy, a new level is obtained that increases the damage, speed, health, armor or viewing range of the combat unit, depending on its type.
There are three types of resources in the Game: weapons, fuel and personnel. Personnel are used to construct buildings, recruit new combat units, both infantry and armored vehicles, fuel, in turn, to build buildings and armored vehicles, and weapons - to provide units with additional weapons, such as a grenade launcher, for artillery and air strikes, or for to give your equipment new capabilities. Replenishment of resources is carried out using checkpoints.
Age of Empires III
Genre: Real-time strategy
Age of Empires III is a strategy game that has earned worldwide recognition thanks to its innovative and exciting gameplay. Age of Empires received high ratings on gaming portals and magazines. A special feature of this game is its well-developed artificial intelligence (the opponent is controlled by a computer). The player controls one of the powers (Great Britain, Prussia, Holland, Spain, Portugal, the Russian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, France), which set off to conquer the new world (America).
The main action takes place in the colonies, on a map familiar to such games, but now each power has a hometown in the Old World. He serves the sole purpose of helping his colony. There are three resources in the game: food, wood and money. Which produce various buildings. Transitions between eras, five eras: exploration, colonization, fortresses, industrial and empire. He trains military academies, bandages soldiers and sends them to colonies. The infantry depends on the nationality of the city, for the Spaniards it will be rodellers, and for the Russians it will be archers and Cossacks. The academy is also improving the parameters of the troops.
Battles take place in real time. The maximum size of a detachment and group of soldiers highlighted by a “frame” is 50 units. The shooting infantry has four formations: a regular line, which is convenient for firing in salvos, a sparse formation, which reduces losses from artillery fire, hand-to-hand combat and square. Melee infantry has three formations, two of the same, melee and square, and a circular formation to cover the riflemen. The cavalry learned three formations - the same close combat and square, as well as an offensive mode with reduced speed, but with damage inflicted over an area.
XCOM: Enemy Unknown
Genre: Strategy, Turn-Based Tactics, Tactical RPG
The game is a remake (remake) of the popular and old game X-COM: UFO Defense, released back in 1993. Aliens attack planet Earth and begin an alien invasion. The game is played on behalf of the commander of the secret international organization XCOM (unit for combating aliens), which has the most advanced technologies, weapons and scientific developments of mankind. It employs the best specialists in the world - military men and scientists. The organization must conduct military operations against aliens that threaten the existence of human civilization.
The player is provided with the central XCOM base, from which the strategic management of the organization is carried out: monitoring the actions of aliens on the global world map using a satellite network, distributing funding for the development of scientific and technical potential, arming and deploying interceptors to destroy flying saucers, as well as conducting combat operations against aliens using existing fighters in ground skirmishes. The base is presented to the player in the form of an “ant farm” - a section of soil that allows you to look at the premises from the side.
In Tactical combat, fighters perform up to two actions in turn - running, shooting, throwing a grenade, using a first aid kit. Each fighter has only three characteristics: accuracy, willpower and health points.
After the first promotion in rank, a soldier receives a specialization. This could be an attack aircraft, a sniper, a heavy infantryman or a support soldier.
Homeworld
Genre: real time strategy
Well-developed graphics and three-dimensional gaming space - the implementation of six degrees of freedom (you can view the battlefield, the battle fleet from different angles) of the movement of game objects and the presence of thoughtful fleet management in three dimensions. A rich and complex plot that gradually reveals itself during the game. In the next game mission, the player receives the fleet with which he completed the previous one.
At the beginning of the game, the player can choose a fleet of two races, Kushan or Taidan: this does not affect the further plot in any way, only the combat units change. A key feature of both the Kushan and Taidan navies is the presence of a main mothership that serves as the main base of operations. The mothership has its own weapons and a hyperdrive, which allows it to overcome significant space.
The entire space fleet is divided into a combat fleet and a support fleet. The support fleet includes special ships, such as a resource collector and controller, a research ship, a probe, a stealth ship detector ship, and a gravity well generator. The combat fleet is divided into classes: Small ships - fighters, corvettes, Heavy ships - frigates, Super-heavy ships, Flagships.
Stronghold game series
Release date: 2001-2014
Genre: real time strategy
The game system of all games in the series is based on an economic simulator of a medieval city or castle. The games have a number of unique parameters that are typical only for games in the Stronghold series. Thus, in the first Stronghold, the “popularity” parameter was introduced for the first time, affecting the performance and population size. The combat system is standard for strategies - direct control of groups of units. The economic component is one of the main ones in the games of the series. There are quite complex and long production chains. As a rule, in the games of the series, more attention is paid to the economic rather than the military component of medieval castles.
All games in the series, except Stronghold Kingdoms, have campaigns (a series of story-related missions) and a map editor mode. Stronghold has a single campaign, while other games have multiple campaigns.
All games except Stronghold and Stronghold Kingdoms allow you to play against computer opponents on a selected map. Stronghold and Stronghold 2 have a siege mode (siege or defend a castle without running an economy). In the first games in the series (up to and including Stronghold 2) there is a free construction mode (running an economy without war).
Spore
Genre: Real-time strategy, god simulator
Spore game is a simulator of the evolution of life on the planet, as well as a strategy and space simulator. The goal of the game is to develop a creature from a microorganism to an advanced space race. While progressing through the game, it is possible to make changes to the creature, improving its characteristics. Also, as it develops, the player will independently create various equipment and buildings, or choose ready-made options from the catalog.
At the beginning of the game, the player takes control of a microorganism living in an aquatic environment. At this stage of the game - To survive, the microorganism needs to feed on pieces of meat or algae, and also try not to be eaten by other carnivorous creatures. When food is eaten, the cell grows and turns into a microorganism. After which the creature gets out to the ground, where it also develops. Over time, under your leadership there will be a tribe, civilization and space that you will have to manage.
Ground Control 1.2
Release date: 2000, 2004
Genre: Tactical real-time strategy
This game was the forefront of its genre and won many awards. Ground Control has 3D graphics and a freely rotating camera, allowing the player to view the battle from any angle. The game completely lacks resource collection, base development and research. The player's goal is to control a limited number of combat units and perform various tasks with their help.
The main goal of the game is to destroy enemy troops and buildings using the terrain features and the strengths of your own army. Combat units include various types of armored vehicles, aircraft and soldiers, delivered to the battlefield by orbital shuttles. After the start of the next mission, the player cannot call for reinforcements, which requires careful selection of units and their configuration before the battle.
The most important element of the game is the requirement for a tactical approach in any situation. Each squad has its own distinct strengths and weaknesses. Combat units are united into squads. The player can only give orders to units, although the units themselves will fight and take damage separately. There are four categories of units: infantry, armor, support, and aviation. The player can choose the configuration of each individual unit before the battle. For example, a Craven Corporation tank squad can exist in four configurations: reconnaissance, light, main, and heavy. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages, so different configurations are suitable for different tasks.
Tiberium Command & Conquer series
Release date: 1995-2010
Genre: Real time strategy
a series of successful computer games with the highest sales among strategy series. The game takes place in an alternative time reality, conditionally modern to ours, in which there is a war all over the world between two global groups - the international UN troops united in the Global Defense Initiative, and the military-religious Brotherhood of Nod, led by its charismatic leader Kane, fighting for possession of the alien substance Tiberium, slowly spreading throughout the planet.
The gameplay of the game is based on the principle of collecting resources, building a base, destroying the enemy. The only source of money (credits) in the game is Tiberium. Another important resource in the game is electricity, produced only by power plants. The various structures and units produced by the player collectively form a technological tree, in which access to technologically more advanced, and therefore more expensive, structures and units. The base can be protected by various structures, including defensive fortifications.
TOP 10 computer games about ancient civilizations
Technologies do not stand still, and what previously seemed like myth and history can now become reality...virtual, but still. By playing games related to ancient eras and mythology, you can touch history, feel like a participant in ancient events, or simply play as your favorite characters.
1. Riddle of the Sphinx: An Egyptian Adventure
Year of manufacture: 2000
Genre: Quest
Developer: Omni Creative Group
Publisher: Akella / DreamCatcher
It took archaeologist Gil Joffers many years to find the secret room.
hidden in the thickness of the ancient statue of the Sphinx. However, the search results exceeded
all his expectations - having entered the room, Gil discovered an ancient sealed manuscript.
Having deciphered the ancient writings, the scientist understands that by breaking the seal, he awakened an ancient curse.
Jill carefully hides the deciphered scroll and urgently sends for you, her best friend.
Arriving in Egypt at the foot of the great pyramids, you realize that you are too late: Sir Gil has disappeared without a trace...
2. Caesar 4
Year of manufacture: 2006
Genre: Strategy
Developer: Tilted Mill Entertainment
Publisher: Vivendi Games
Caesar IV takes you back to the time of the great Caesar. Become the governor of one of the provinces of the great Roman Empire, create a miracle with the village entrusted to you and turn it into a huge metropolis with all the benefits of ancient civilization. Remember that you are an autocratic ruler, burdened with the burden of responsibility for your subjects. You are obliged to provide the townspeople with everything they need; they must be safe, well-fed and clean.
3. Heroes of Might and Magic 3
Year of manufacture: 2002 - 2013
Genre: Strategy, RPG
Developer: New World Computing, WoG Team
Publisher: 3DO Company, WoG Team
Heroes of Might and Magic 3: The Complete Collection; abbreviated Heroes 3, Heroes 3, HoMM3) is a cult fantasy turn-based strategy computer game, the third part of the Heroes of Might and Magic series of games. It was developed by New World Computing and released by The 3DO Company in 1999. Heroes 3 develops the ideas laid down in the first and second parts of the series. The essence of the game remains unchanged: the player controls heroes leading armies of mythical creatures into battle. The game combines two components: strategic (heroes travel across the main map of the game, exploring the territory and capturing all kinds of objects) and tactical (heroes fight enemy troops on a separate map).
4. Total War: Rome 2
title Total War: Rome 2
developer The Creative Assembly
publisher SEGA
genre Strategy / 3D /
The historical strategy game Total War: Rome 2 will focus on full-scale battles with horrific scenes of violence. On the screen you can see a huge number of soldiers at any moment of the battle. Detailed landscapes and other environmental components will also be beautifully drawn. In addition to land battles, sea battles will also be available in Total War: Rome 2. Moreover, one and the other can be carried out simultaneously.
5. Prince: Legends of the forest country
Release date: 09/06/199901/04/2001
Genre: RPG
Developer: 1C, Snowball Studios
Publisher/Distributor: Strategy First; CIS: 1C
Prince" is a role-playing game, the plot of which is based on the plots of the Chronicle of Times universe. Everything in this game is shrouded in a mystical haze of legends and rumors. The game adheres to the best traditions of the RPG genre, the main of which is the absolutely complete freedom of action of the character and the interactivity of the game world.
The project's combat system is based on a variety of calculations that take into account a huge number of various parameters of the character and the current situation. In addition to a deeply thought-out combat system, the game boasts a huge variety of quests, which can be solved in various ways.
As the game progresses, you not only have to control your character. You will be given the opportunity to become a city manager and direct the course of development of the settlement - build and destroy various buildings, train and fire various specialists, collect tribute from loyal subordinates and gather an army for yourself.
Another feature of the game is that each of the three characters has his own path along which he must go through the intricate roads of the “Forest Country”.
6. Aztecs. Battles of Empires
Year of manufacture: 1999
Developer: New Media Generation
Russian language
What can a great commander dream of? Of course about world domination, power, money, influence...
It's all in the Aztecs game. Battles of Empires." Three great races (the Russians - strong in spirit and skilled, China - distinguished by the supernatural capabilities of their warriors and the Aztecs - keeping the secrets of many technologies) are starting a war for world domination!
7. Total War: Shogun 2
Brand: 1C-SoftClub, Feral Interactive / Creative Assembly
Year of manufacture: 2011
Interface language: Russian
Japan. Cruel 16th century. The country is tormented by endless civil strife. Nine legendary commanders are waging an irreconcilable struggle for power, their conspiracies and conflicts tearing the state apart. But only one will rise above everyone and become the new shogun - the sole ruler of the empire... The lot of others will fall from his sword. Game features: Nine clans - strong and weak. Lead one of the nine factions that existed in feudal Japan. Among them are the powerful warrior Oda clan and the very influential Tokugawa family. Under your strict leadership, any of the clans will be able to come to power. The power of eloquence. Daimyos and generals, as in the game Rome Total War, will try to inspire their armies to military exploits. The game provides more than 100,000 speech options, depending on the nature of the speaker, the location of the army and the relationship with the enemy. Siege war. Japanese siege methods differ significantly from those used...
8. Age of Mythology
Game language: Russian / English
Year of manufacture: 2003
A strategy game that takes the player to ancient times, when heroes fought mythological monsters. The game is based on the myths and legends of Ancient Greece, Ancient Egypt and the Scandinavian Vikings. To achieve the best results and quickly defeat the enemy, players can choose not only the historical path of development of these three great civilizations, but also available mythical creatures, such as minotaurs, centaurs, phoenixes and Valkyries.
The myths of ancient Hellas come to life on your computer in Age of Mythology: The Titans, the sequel to the stunning 3D strategy game that revolutionized the RTS genre. A new fourth race, the Atlanteans, has been added, which has a simplified economic development model and a number of other advantages, which will allow new players to quickly understand the intricacies of the ancient military craft. New gods and 12 new divine powers, new types of troops - 15 human and 10 mythical. Titans enter the battle arena - very expensive, but super-strong and huge masters of the destructive elements. Beautiful animated inserts and improved graphics with colorful visual effects of new magic spells will not leave anyone indifferent. The Titans is a new era of computer mythology.
9. Hegemony. Wars of Ancient Greece
Year of manufacture: 2012
Interface language: Russian
Ancient Greece was mired in the chaos of endless civil strife. Which ruler is worthy to become first among equals? Lead Macedonia, Athens or Sparta in three historical campaigns, launching a large-scale campaign for any of the twenty-six Greek factions in free play mode. Besiege cities, conduct reconnaissance, blockade supply routes, engage in diplomacy and economic ties - choose your style of war! This game was created in strict accordance with the historical realities of that distant but most interesting era and will be an excellent gift for all fans of military strategies. Game Features: Experience all the realities of global war: reconnaissance, raids, city sieges, epic battles. Use diplomacy: make alliances, threaten invasion, undermine the enemy's economy. Lead the armies of Macedonia, Sparta and Athens: three historical campaigns for power over all of Hellas.
10. Prince of Persia: Showdown with Fate
Release date: 12/02/2004
Genres: Action
The Prince of Persia, in an attempt to change his fate, goes to the Island of Time, where once upon a time the Empress of Time created the Sands of Time and the Dagger of Time, from where they were later stolen by the same Indian Maharaja, whose palace the prince’s army and his father attacked in the first part of the game . The Prince intends to meet with the Empress and prevent the creation of the Sands of Time, thereby completely abolishing their existence in history. On the way to the island, the prince's ship is attacked by sand demons led by a certain woman, Shadi. In the battle, the prince loses his ship, his people and weapons, but makes it to the Island of Time. While chasing Shadi, he sees her leaving through some kind of portal and follows her.
The Prince's further adventures on the Island of Time will constantly lead him to portals in time, using the same Sand of Time, and the Prince will be able to move from the flourishing past of the Island of Time (characterized by entire buildings and actively working mechanical traps) to the gloomy present (dark, complete ruins, new obstacles and new traps).
Most of us are familiar with the myths of Ancient Greece from school; legends about brave heroes, epic battles and terrible monsters still excited children's minds. Ancient Greek culture gave birth to great scientists, philosophers and artists; the architecture of ancient temples and palaces still delights even the common man. And how sometimes you want to lift the curtain of thousands of years and look into this amazing world, full of real and imaginary wonders! Well, try to try on the image of a great hero, commander, king, or even the son of Zeus the Thunderer.
16. Zeus' Battlegrounds
The success of PUBG has given rise to a wave of clones, where they are trying to combine Battle Royale mechanics with a variety of settings. What can we say if even in such projects as WoT and Crossout a battle royale mode appeared, albeit in the form of events. It is not surprising that Industry Games decided to try to capitalize on the trend by starting to make its own Battle Royale.
True, the setting chosen for it is completely unusual. The battles take place on Mount Olympus, and as many demigods, the offspring of the fertile Zeus, take part in them. Zeus himself monitors the progress of the battle and periodically narrows the ring of fire blazing around. The developers promise 100 simultaneous players and a wide variety of weapons and shields. The game is just entering early access, so it’s difficult to judge how good or bad it is. Time will tell if this battle royale will win the battle for existence.
15. Numen: Contest of Heroes
This game based on the myths of Ancient Greece was released in 2009 by the same Czech studio Cinemax, which became famous for the hardcore RPG Inquisitor. The Czechs' Numen turned out to be much simpler in every sense. In fact, the game is another clone of Titan Quest, and the plot is not particularly novel - you need to help the Gods return the sickle of Kronos that was stolen from them.
At the very beginning, the hero chooses one of 9 patron deities and his class. There are only 3 classes in the game: warrior, mage or healer. The main difference between the game and other similar Action/RPGs is that the GG has eight competitors in the form of heroes serving other deities. So, in order to get the sickle of Kronos before everyone else, you will have to work hard. At the same time, you can not only quarrel with colleagues, but also unite to solve complex problems. Another plus of the game is interesting and non-standard quests.
14. Loki: Heroes of Mythology
Loki: Heroes of Mythology is a hack-n-slasher released in 2007, in which the legends of ancient Greek, Aztec, ancient Egyptian and Scandinavian mythologies are miraculously intertwined. Logic and chronology of events are sacrificed here to the greatest of all deities - fun. The result is a dashing action game that takes us like a whirlwind through many legends and historical events, introduces us to a variety of mythical and real personalities and allows us to polish the muzzles, beaks and faces of all sorts of legendary monsters.
From the point of view of the role-playing system, the game is interesting because it has a “faith” bar parallel to the usual experience scale, which is filled by making sacrifices to the patron deity and opens access to spells and passive skills. Unfortunately, the battles are not very varied, and the side quests are boring.
13. Will Rock
Will Rock is a now forgotten and not very popular first-person shooter in its time, created according to the myths of Ancient Greece. The hero of the game is the young archaeologist William Rock, who went on an expedition to the temple, which turns out to be chock-full of all kinds of ancient Greek deities and monsters. Will has to put aside his pickaxe and notebook and take up a shotgun to save a pretty young maiden from the villains.
In terms of gameplay and weapon arsenal, the game is very similar to the famous Serious Sam. In the same way, hordes of various enemies are running, flying, crawling and swimming towards our hero from all sides at the same time. Unless the environment here is destructible - and then this feature was taken from Red Faction. I can only recommend this game now to fans of vintage shooters who, in 2003, did not notice Will in the shadow of his more serious brother.
12. Alexander: The Heroes Hour
The graphics of this game were considered outdated at the time of its release, in 2004, bearded like an ancient Greek. The game shows that the Ukrainian studio Meridian’93, known more for casual games, tried to squeeze the maximum out of an extremely meager budget.
The player will have to control a group of three fighters - a warrior maiden skilled in ranged combat, a brave warrior with a shield and sword, and a mighty brute with a war hammer. This entire motley crew must carry out the orders of the famous Alexander the Great, improving their skills and obtaining gear as the plot develops.
At first, leveling up your skills has little effect on your combat effectiveness, but then you gain access to killer combos. The developers did not add any gags to the game’s plot and almost faithfully retold fragments of the great commander’s battle path.
The game has been withdrawn from sale on official digital services.
11.Grepolis
10. Rise of the Argonauts
Rise of the Argonauts is an epic Action/RPG based on ancient Greek mythology, created by Liquid Entertainment and released in 2008 directly on PC, Xbox 360 and PS 3. The game tells a loose interpretation of the famous myth about Jason and his faithful Argonauts. The player will have a long journey to Colchis and back, during which he will be able to meet new people, kill a hell of a lot of monsters and, of course, improve the skills of one of the four lines.
4 ancient Greek gods are responsible for the skills here, and you can upgrade them by dedicating various feats to the gods. Among the newfangled features in the game, there is a reduction in the interface - only Jason has a health bar, the state of enemies can be judged by their combat effectiveness (being hit in the leg leads to lameness, the enemy cannot fight with a wounded hand), and the Argo's hold is used instead of inventory.
9. Sparta: War of Empires
Sparta: War of Empires is one of the few free browser-based strategies that takes place not in the already tired Middle Ages, but in Ancient Greece. The player will have to take control of a small city in the midst of the Persian invasion.
Development occurs according to a standard browser scheme - you need to extract resources, build new buildings and train troops. The trick of the game is the need to enter into agreements with certain AI policies in order to gain access to the coolest units.
In addition to the standard ability to form alliances and fight with each other, there is the mechanics of Legends - global quests for many players that can greatly change the balance of power. Interesting setting, great graphics and addictive gameplay - these are 3 reasons to play this game.
8. Age of Mythology
Age of Mythology is a spin-off of the legendary Age of Empires, which has grown to the scale of a separate franchise and has become a legend in itself. Unlike the original, which attempted to faithfully recreate historical events and introduced us to real historical figures, Age of Mythology is dedicated to ancient Greek, ancient Egyptian and Scandinavian myths.
Almost all components of the game, except for the setting and plot, were transferred from the original with cosmetic changes. Moreover, among the game resources there is a so-called “blessing”, which expresses how pleased the gods are with the player. It is spent on mythical units, and different factions earn it in different ways - the Greeks beg in temples, the harsh Nords get it in battle, and the Egyptians, out of habit, build monuments one more epic than the other.
7.Age of Empires
Age of Empires is a truly legendary RTS that had a huge impact on the genre as a whole and spawned many imitators. Back in 1997, Microsoft Game Studios managed to create an amazing fusion of classic real-time strategy and 4X games. The resulting game combined the dynamism and simplicity of RTS gameplay with the thoughtfulness and opportunity for long-term development with a qualitative change in capabilities characteristic of games like Civilization.
In the original, the events of the game were limited to antiquity. Age of Empires 2 expanded the time frame of what was happening to the Middle Ages, and Age of Empires 3 - to the time of the colonization of America. In 2011, Age of Empires Online was released, and in 2018, the very first game in the series was re-released, a remaster of which was released under the name Age of Empires: Definitive Edition.
6. Spartan VR
Spartan VR is a game that is still in early access, but has already attracted the attention of the gaming community. And it’s not surprising, because in this game we are promised nothing less than a complete immersion into the world of ancient Sparta. The player will be able to feel like a mighty Spartan and personally take part in the most epic battles.
The game is being developed specifically for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, and the minimum system requirements start with a respectable 16 GB of RAM, so fans of stories about Tsar Leonidas and his harsh subordinates will have to seriously upgrade before its release. Everyone who has already been lucky enough to evaluate this game talks about the excellent graphics (which is not surprising for a only-VR game). But there is no plot at all in Spartan VR yet, so at the moment it is appropriate to say that the game is in a technical demo state.
5. 12 Labors of Hercules
12 Labors of Hercules is a casual strategy game based on the legend about the exploits of the famous Hercules. The essence of the game is to, with the help of friends and hired workers, clear a path on the map to a certain point and stock up on the necessary amount of food in the process. When both of these conditions are met, the mighty hero who has been resting until then will immediately rush into battle and accomplish his grandiose feat. At the same time, a very limited time is usually given to complete the task, so our great hero’s voluntary and not-so-helpful assistants will have to work very quickly.
The game is distinguished by easy and simple gameplay, excellent humor and funny cartoon graphics. The game, of course, doesn’t look like a serious educational project or a masterpiece of game development, but it’s a great way to kill an hour or two and have a lot of fun.
4.Apotheon
2. Hegemony Gold: Wars of Ancient Greece
Hegemony Gold: Wars of Ancient Greece is one of the few games about Ancient Greece on PC, which invites us not to take part in the showdown of the gods or the campaigns of Alexander the Great, but to get acquainted with the life story of the undeservedly forgotten father of the great conqueror - Philip II of Macedon.
In addition to the unhackneyed setting, the game boasts a deeply developed logistical aspect. In this RTS, it is not enough to simply draw a frame around hoplites and build them into a phalanx - troops need food and weapons, to forge weapons in cities you need ore, and so on. Hungry soldiers' morale drops sharply, which can result in defeat even from a much weaker opponent. At the same time, road capacity is limited, so you have to carefully plan the movements of your troops and the development of your empire.
1. Assassin's Creed Odyssey
A large-scale, varied and damn beautiful action adventure, set in Ancient Greece during the Peloponnesian War. Players will play the role of descendants of the Spartan king Leonidas and take one side in a bloody conflict.
The developers have put a lot of effort into recreating Greece in all its glory. Assassin's Creed Odyssey contains a gigantic open world, where there is a place for snowy mountains, dense forests, sandy beaches, huge cities, as well as endless sea spaces that you can freely explore on your ship. Here you can meet famous historical figures - for example, Socrates or Aristophanes.
