Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends
Another RTS game rises above the mediocrity.
Preview by (Email)
January 31st 2006
The Basics: The PR hyperbole hits hard and fast right out of the gate with words like "highly anticipated" and "critically acclaimed" before settling into well deserved gloating about how Rise of Legends was an award winning PC real-time strategy game from the folks at Big Huge Games and Microsoft.
But, this is not your older brother’s Rise of Nations.
This is Rise of Legends, the not-a-sequel follow-up that blends the fore-fathers’ rock solid gameplay mechanics with very unhistorical fantasy trappings. The press release promises that we’ll get to fight through flame-swept deserts and brutal ice plains in battles "filled with mystical creatures, fantastic machines and stunning acts of magic."
Bullet points highlight a "Conquer the World" campaign mode, genre defining special effects, innovative RTS redefining gameplay mechanics, streamlined gameplay, new online options, and a "compelling, integrated storyline."
The bottom line seems to be that we should expect an amazing single-player campaign rendered in glorious visual effects with three sides battling for supremacy. If there is one publisher you can count on for pushing the envelope in a genre it’s Microsoft; knowing that Big Huge Game is the one doing the pushing should drive your hype-meters to 11.
What do we think? I always like to be honest when I’m behind the times, and I have to be honest: I didn’t even know "Rise of Nations" had been released yet. That’s how far out of the loop I am these days when it comes to real-time strategy games that don’t rhyme with "Barbie Invasion." It gets worse: I must confess to rolling my eyes while reading through the press material about how Rise of Legends features three playable races. "Here we go again with the Starcraft," I thought to myself.
I’m always happy when a game destroys any preconceptions I had in my big fat red head. It would be a crime to say that Rise of Legends is yet another wanna be imitation of Blizzard Software’s Korea-conquering Starcraft. I was worried that by "fantasy" Big Huge Games meant "dwarves instead of terrans." It appears I’m a big huge idiot.
