Powermonger
| Developer: Bullfrog | Graphics: |
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| Publisher: Electronic Arts | Sound: |
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| Year: 1990 | Difficulty: |
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| Genre: Strategy | Lastability: |
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| Number of players: 2 by modem | Rating: |
8/10 | |
A 3D isometric wargame that inevitably recalls Populous (by the same developers).
You play as an exiled king who, following a natural disaster, is forced to lead his people to greener pastures.
Once landed on an island, he decides to establish his kingdom, and, in true video game humanist tradition, massacre or subjugate all the natives.
In campaign mode, the territory to conquer comprises 195 regions (as many levels). You also find a random map generator for a quick game.
However, it doesn’t take long to realise that the “charge in” strategy, à la Attila the Hun, only works for so long. To win in this game, after the first few levels, you’ll need to show some finesse and diplomacy (my personal best is level two).
In theory, you’re supposed to give orders to your little soldiers by clicking on icons. I quickly figured out how to raze a village. But apparently, you can also trade with the locals (preferably before burning down their house), invent things (weapons, I suppose), play the spy, and even torment sheep… Oh, and convince enemy warlords to join your cause, either by stuffing gold into their hands or iron into their ribs, depending on what works for you!
A certain effort has been made to breathe life and realism into this small world.
First, the changing of seasons, which marks the landscapes and comes with concrete effects on various game points. For example, in winter, it is more difficult to restock food. Similarly, weather conditions (rain, snow) and terrain topography influence troop progression or the outcome of a battle. Finally, let’s not forget the soundtrack that reveals precious clues about everything happening on screen.
“Baaah!
— Michael, you’re on air!”
[Let me help. – Ed.]
As an anecdote, orders sent to your generals transit via carrier pigeons! This leads to non-negligible response times that must be anticipated over long distances. As for the inhabitants, they are all identifiable. Each has a mini-biography including their name, village of origin, and status. Moreover, they seem to lead their own lives independently of the player’s actions.
Thanks to all these innovations, Powermonger lays the groundwork for real time strategy games, complete with unit command and logistics challenges.
On a technical level, it’s of course more advanced than its predecessor; just look at the zoom and terrain rotation options, not to mention the large-scale battles (about ten soldiers on-screen—well, that’s progress, right?).
Compared to Populous, there is certainly more gameplay depth, offering a choice between multiple strategies. However, the utterly baffling interface requires an almost obsessive persistence from the novice player.
Finally, in 1992, Powermonger: WW1 Edition will be released, an expansion themed around World War I.
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