Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom

"Rise of an Average Game"

Emperor – Rise of the Middle Kingdom is an entertaining game with a very simple concept. Build a city, let it grow, fend of invaders, be prosperous. If you're familiar with the Zeus and Pharaoh Series, this game shouldn't be a stranger. It is created by the same company that is Sierra.

Graphic (7/10)
Don't get me wrong, the graphic is not bad. However, after seeing the same thing over and over and over again, it gets really dull. The biggest fault here is that the same building always has the same graphic, not a slight variation between the houses, farms, etc. Other than that, it is not bad at all; the details in the sprites are fantastic. Animations are smooth, the ornate details for the wonders are gorgeous, and the people are looking like real people.

Sound/Music (8/10)
Details really are the strong point of this game. The addition of the people talking in Chinese language, the ambient sound of the nature, the sound of people working, everything blends in creating the ancient Chinese empire. The music is appropriate for the game, it changes from your traditional Chinese tune into a war dance music during invasions. Again, the same weakness, they get repetitive a lot after playing for awhile.

Story/Originality (5/10)
Not much of a variation to be honest. While the game tries to add story to progress, it doesn't do much to the overall game. You are given certain task to fulfill, and every time you will follow the same method over and over again with only slight variations. For people who have been playing Pharaoh and Zeus, the whole system would get boring really fast.

Gameplay (7/10)
The simplicity of the gameplay IS good, however like mentioned before, you will follow the same pattern over and over again every single time. The restrictions in this game create a good twist, but you are forced to follow the “law” and you can't be free and creates your own design. In the end, I just created a certain grid for my city and it can be applied to all the levels with no difficulties. To build your city you need to follow certain requirements that can get overwhelming. Beginners however do not need to worry. The tutorial in the game will explain most aspects in the game.

Control (8/10)
The control for this game is good. Not perfect however. There are few flaws like you have to rotate the map to a certain view before you can access the edge of the map, or the fact that the placement of some buildings can get a bit clunky. There is also problem like I keep selecting the wrong thing while trying to select a certain thing (Usually when it comes to army/heroes.)

Overall (7/10)
Look, it's not a bad game. In fact I enjoyed it quite awhile before it gets boring. If you've played Zeus and Pharaoh, this game will get boring REALLY fast it's not even funny. If you've been playing Simcity or similar, give this game a tray, you might end up liking it.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 06/12/04