Rise of Nations: Gold Edition

"Gold Edition is truly gold!"

Introduction

Over the years many RTSs (Real Time Strategies) have shined take for example Age of Empires. However Rise of Nations does not only shines but it sparkles with the Gold Edition combining both the original Rise of Nations and the Thrones and Patriots expansion packs together.

Gameplay (10/10)

The game itself if on the face of it like any other RTS however it has many ages and as you advance further it develops into the well-thought out game that is combining not only foot units and a navy like other RTS games but using planes and even missiles. The difficulty of the game is set by different difficulty levels starting at ‘Easiest' which incorporates little resistance to your attacking force to ‘Toughest' which even tournament-level players have trouble fighting proving that there is no stint in the AI involved in Rise of Nations.

Story (7/10)

Originally in Rise of Nations there was only one campaign: Conquer the World. This is what it says of the tin; an epic battle where you invade other nations in an attempt to conquer the world. However with the combined expansion pack four new campaigns were produced ranging from Alexander the Great's conquest to the Cold War struggle for power. These campaigns incorporate goals into the game so that you are not just ‘aimlessly' invading another nation.

Graphics/Sound (9/10)

The music in the game accompanies the overall feel of a battle. Some may say you will forget about it but the game wasn't made for it's music however good it is. The sounds in the game itself are great with sounds for all units from Highlanders to Nuclear Weapons all sounds sound realistic.

The graphics of the game are very good for an RTS game. Each unit depicted in its own magnificent detail from Dreadnoughts to Cannons you will find detail that you would expect. The scenery is also highly notable from desert sands to arctic warfare most terrain types are here.

Play Time/Replayability (10/10)

An average game will last over an hour so if you are playing a conquer the world game you could be playing a long time. You will want to as with each nation comes different powers so you'd be playing for a very long time and why would you not want to. There is still a small online community to provide more gaming time however it is dwindling.

Final Recommendation (10/10)

Buy it now. It is probably cheaper to buy this the gold edition than Rise of Nations and its expansion pack. I would highly recommend this game to anybody with out any doubts that they would not enjoy it.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 08/05/05