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Number of Reviews: I am a big fan of strategy games and have devoted untold hours of my life to real-time strategy (RTS) titles such as the Age of Empires series. However, Rise of Nations is unquestionably the best such game that I have played so far. It is really not a revolutionary improvement over these other games, but simply takes the next evolutionary step and improves upon the formula in many different ways. While the game does have a few tiny flaws, with the expansion pack (Throne & Patriots) installed, this game approaches a perfect rating of five stars for me, which would be a first for me since I have never given such a rating to any game. Gameplay: The formula is simple and familiar, but well done nonetheless. You collect resources to build structures to build units to conquer territory (or create wonders) to rule the world. That simple. However, you can customize much of the gameplay. You can control the size and geography of the map, the number of opponents, the victory conditions, the number of ages played, and much more. The real improvement that this game offers is the national borders concept. Instead of having to build walls to keep out the enemy, national boundaries expand and contract based on the territory that you develop and/or conquer. Also, unlike games such as Age of Empires, your civilization lives and dies based on cities, not just random collections of buildings. This factor really adds a lot to the game, since some of the fiercest and most exciting gameplay can center around fighting an opponent over a single strategically placed city. In my last game, I fought a computer opponent for over an hour over a city as it went back and forth between us. Eventually, the computer's forces won out and I had to come up with a Plan B. By the very nature of these sorts of games, there is micromanagement involved. You have to be aware of the new technologies available, when to jump to the next age, where your armies and navies are, what new resources are available, what the enemy is doing, and so forth. However, the micromanagement has been streamlined and does not feel overwhelming to me. Much of the technological research and age advances take place in the library. Also, the resource requirements are pretty reasonable (unlike Empire Earth) and you'll be advancing through ages at a nice pace. Resources don't get depleted, so a citizen can work that same farm from the stone age to the information age. And there is a wide range of units available, including special units like generals, spies, and commandos. Additionally, the AI in this game is pretty good, but sometimes predictable. Your citizens are usually smart enough to find work to do if you don't immediately assign them. Also, computer opponents can be quite a challenge, even on moderate difficulty. You can play this game as simply a technology race with no fighting involved. However, who buys these sort of games not to see what a row of trebuchets can do to an enemy city or to see flamethrowers go in action against tanks? (I certainly don't, but there is a pacifist option available.) I haven't played online, but this is an option, too. I also haven't played the Conquer the World campaign, but I have played the Napoleonic campaign that comes with the Throne & Patriots expansion, and it is excellent. It is the very best blend of turn-based and real-time strategic gameplay I've seen. Graphics: Rise of Nations is a good-looking game. Unit animations are convincing and many look like their real-life counterparts. That is, my Zulu warriors looked like Zulu warriors (at least in the earlier phases of the game), not like European soldiers. The architectures are well done and the water looks more realistic than any I have seen in an RTS (until AOE 3, I suppose). You can zoom the camera in or out, but there is really no reason to (having it zoomed out will give you a broader view of the battlefield). I wish that there had been a little more diversity in regard to how some of the terrain looks and perhaps even weather changes. But this is a very minor gripe. Sound: Everything is great in this area. All of the weapons sound as they should. I wish there was a bit more voice acting from the units; at least special units like generals and spies should say a few words as they go into action. However, the music is phenomenal. It sounds passionate and triumphant at times, and when things go badly, it sounds poignant and downright tragic. Technical issues: The game was perfectly stable on my computer--no crashes, freezes, or other problems which are too common with games nowadays (I do have the patch installed). I wish that the game had shipped with a more informative manual. If you don't want to buy the Sybex strategy manual (which is quite good), there are a number of manuals for the game that you can download from the internet for free. Replayability/Value: Real-time strategy games are one of my favorite gaming genres largely because of the great replayability, and Rise of Nations is no exception. You can have a unique experience every game, and there are many ways to customize that experience (you can even review games, which are automatically recorded in their entirety). If you are even remotely a fan of computer strategy games, then I would consider Rise of Nations a must-buy. I also highly recommend the Throne & Patriots expansion, which adds new functionality to the game. Rating: 4.75 stars (out of 5)