Top Secret Magasine Caesars The Great Battles Collector's Edition

Interactive Magic proposed a combat strategy game based on the greatest conquerors of all time. This game is in three volumes and takes you on the field where you have to take
the strategic decisions needed. What do you think about being Alexander, Hannibal ou Caesar? Now, do you have what it takes?

Each volume concern a determined place and time, the first one is the time of Alexander, the second one Hannibal et the last one Caesar. There is three introduction, one per
volume, each one relate the most important facts of the life of these three men. Then after
you have to choose if you want to start a battle or a campaign. Then you are on the field, all you have to lead your troups in the battle against the ennemy, but pay attention, prepare your strategy well if you don’t want to be trap!

There is a choice of four levels of gameplay: easy, normal, hard and custom. I won my first
battle at the easy level, but there was already a big improvement at the normal level. The icon based interface is easy to use and there is a running commentary window that help you follow the action of the game. About the view, there is not a lot of choices available, but you have three different zoom view. There is also a little map of the region where the battle takes place.

On this map you can see where both armys are. You have some options available about the animations, the sound and the music, the three density, etc. With the last volume you have the opportunity to install the scenario editor, to see a tutorial or even play in the multiplayer.

I really liked the idea of making a battle strategy game based on personnality that made the history. The graphics and sounds are excellent, but the animations are average. The maniability is good. The movement is based from one hexagon to an other. An other detail that I have appreciate concern the combat techniques that improve with the time. As a matter of fact, in the last battle, the Caesars battle, we can notice that it’s harder to kill the ennemy and there is more options available to control your troup that, gives you more freedom in your movements, so it’s improving the gameplay .

this game contains enough stuff to please a lot of gamers, if you like strategy, you will surely like "The Great Battles" with his history aspect. In fact, it’s a game that could make player discover how interesting a strategy game could be, same if by now, they never thaught it could be!

Company
Interactive Magic
www.imagicgames.com

Category
Combat Sim

NOTES

Interest : 92 %
Control : 89 %
Graphics : 90 %
Sound : 87 %
Originality : 90 %

TOTAL : 88 %

Requirements:

Operating System:
Windows 95/98

Processor:
Pentium 133MHz or better

Memory:
16 MB of RAM

Hard Drive
30 MB

Sound Card:
Windows compatible sound card

Video:
DirectX 3D card 2 mb

Michel Blanchette

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