Age of Strategy War, Strategy Gamer Alive

From Civilization to Age of Empires, a short history of the best Strategy Games

By Jacob Malewitz

Strategy Gamer Alive: What is Strategy Gaming Today

Computer strategy games like Civilization, Age of Empires, and Warcraft are known to those familiar with the the computer strategy genre. However, there are plenty of unknowns in the field of computer strategy that should get more exposure.

I have a deep joy for strategy games and, in a sense, a bitter hatred for them taking so much from my early childhood. I would spend far to many hours trying to conquer the world than sit in front of the TV and be absorbed by stupidity.

RPGs like Everquest and FPS like Halo dominate the consoles, but strategy games have no success in those fields; you need a computer to enjoy them most. Everyone has Final Fantasy, much like everyone had Zelda when Nintendo was out. PC gamers came in around the same time. You started with some code games, but Civilization and simple chess board games made their mark and began to win strategy game fans.

While Civilization was far from the first strategy game to have worldwide success, it did play an integral part in the development of a loyal fan base. It was created by the gaming genius Sid Meier.

Games like Risk and Chess were the precursors to the strategy games of today and, even in the early years of gaming, could be played on your computer.

What was lacking in these time honored games was the fact they didn’t utilize what a computer could do. Civilization has always had one of the better Computer AIs. There were some stark comparisons: the best strategy games, like the best board games, are infinitely replayable. Every game could be a different world with different opponents.

Civilization was a game with two options, either conquer the world or reach Alpha Centauri first. Those were the goals, but governing an entire civilization was what made it work. War. Politics. Trade. Science. Exploration. Wonders. You could pick from over a dozen civilizations, from the Romans to the Greeks, the Mongols to the Chinese. All these things were involved in the game. All these things made it highly addictive.

And it wasn’t just about graphics – those would be improved in later versions – but different types of games like Warcraft. showed what could be done with graphics. Strategy was paramount; guide your civilization from the stone age to the modern age.

Civilization 2 could be the finest strategy game, not to mention sequel, ever made. It incorporated far superior graphics with new takes on the first Civilization. I played Civilization 2 more than any other game in my entire life. I would rise early, sometimes even 6 A.M on Sunday or Monday, just to play the game more.

Soon, other games came into the background.

Colonization was another Sid Meier game that focused on the years of colonizing the Americas. You had less options for civilizations, but it was like taking a small portion of a book and making it into a short story where you could focus on one single point in time. The graphics on this game, and the first Civilization, are very outdated, but I would recommend it.

Master of Orion 2 was perhaps the best of the old galactic games. From what I’ve read, the third game in the series was far inferior to the second. Master of Orion was like Civilization in space, where decisions were made, war a constant, and spreading your civilization important. A recent game has come close to defeating Master of Orion. Galactic Civilizations succeeded in making an excellent turn based strategy game, as well as a good sequel. Both games are similar, and could be recommended, but there is one old game that merits a look.

Ascendancy, another “Civilization in space,” came out over a decade ago. I bought it for a reasonable price, still hot from my addiction to Master of Orion. Ascendancy really surprised me and, though it wasn’t perfect, came close to defeating Master of Orion. The amount of micro-management grew the more your civilization went; yet things like creating a civilizations characteristics make it an excellent older game.

I still wanted to live in the real world. I bought Civilization 3 and was very disappointed; the graphics were better, but it just didn’t look good next to Civilization 2.

Warcraft and Age of Empires are the two best real time strategy games around.

I had played Warcraft 2 some years before. While many are addicted to the new story of World of Warcraft – which I never play – there are just as many fans of the strategy game. What really made Warcraft work was the story behind it. Straight out of a world similar to Middle Earth (Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings), came a new take on Humans and Orcs. The setting was medieval, yet magic was also incorporated. I was exasperated with Warcraft 2 for a long time, and though it wasn’t as addictive as Civilization, the graphics and videos were superb.

Warcraft 3 I wouldn’t have played nearly as much had I not become addicted to the Blizzard online gaming. This was incredible; replayability for Warcraft was doubled. You could get points, you could learn strategy, and you can get friends. You could practice with one civilization, but you could play as any four civilizations, including the night elves, the humans, the orc, and the undead.

The first game I ever played online was Age of Empires. The first two games of the series weren’t necessarily superor to Warcraft, but, I liked to play in the real world more than with magic. I have yet to play Age of Empires 3 due to poor reviews, but the first two games in the series kept me at the computer for days.

The first time I played Age of Empires I was reminded of its RTS competitor Warcraft. Warcraft is very similar to Empires. Set in ancient times with soldiers like Centurions and Horse Archers, the game differs from Civilization in that, like Warcraft, you have missions instead of playing a single game vying for power of the world.

Still, the game wouldn’t have been half as good had I not connected to the internet and started playing others. Like Warcraft, when playing online scores can be improved by winning and this makes it a very competitive environment.

The sequel to Age of Empires, Age of Kings, improved on the game in many aspects: it was set during the medieval era, was easier to micromanage, and had very good graphics. Unlike Civilization, each different civilization had unique characteristics: The Franks have strong cavalry while the Mayans have no cavalry at all.

I’m sure I’ve missed some major gaming moments in this discussion. It’s odd that the game I like the least, Warcraft 3, was really better than Civilization 3 and Age of Empires 3. Command and Conquer was also a very good game, but, in terms of the top three strategy games, it doesn’t fit in with what I want in terms of interesting replayabilility.

There are other strategy games I would like to look at if I ever get the chance. I  have recently found good reviews of the game Homeworld.

In another article, I will document the rise of the First Person Shooter. Gamers should find that article enlightening, though I won’t lie that strategy games are it for me.