#Rise of nations full version series

Two other nations will appear in the finished game (one magical, one technological), but Big Huge Games is remaining tight-lipped with regards to names or details. So instead of tanks, robots and aircraft, an Alim general can call upon genies, sandstorms and giant scorpions. Another nation Reynolds showed off is the Alim, a magic-based civilisation that takes its cue from Arabian Nights. He's backed up by the likes of airships, clockwork tanks and helicopters with corkscrew rotor blades. Giacomo, for instance, strides about atop a giant two-legged walker, stomping enemies into the dust. Reynolds tells us of his desire to create what he describes as blistering white-hot graphics, the sort of earth-shattering, cataclysmic shit that goes down when powerful magic goes toe-to-toe with advanced technology.Ĭities are just one aspect of it the units are even more impressive. Well, now that the gameplay side of things has been sorted, the willies are coming out in force - and by golly, there's a lot of waving to be done. Our review of the original Rise Of Nations applauded Big Huge Games for the fact it had put gameplay before graphical willy waving. Eye CandyĪnd goddamn it if this game doesn't look jaw-droppingly lovely. Sim City it ain't, but it should add another dimension to the game's visuals.

When constructing them, you'll be able to assign specialist districts (military, air force, science etc.) that are automatically added seamlessly to the existing structures. It's alluring stuff.Īnother thing about Rise Of Legends' cities is that they aren't just a collection of buildings placed in close proximity to one another they are single, monolithic entities.

A closer look reveals the tiny shapes of Vinci workers going about their daily grind. Its cities are packed with the classic signs of industry: rotating cogs, glistening pipes, walkways and chimneys belching out clouds of smoke. With weapons and war machines inspired by the famous design sketches of (yep, you guessed it) Leonardo da Vinci, the Vinci is essentially a steampunk nation. This city is part of a faction called the Vinci, one of the two technology-focused nations that will appear in the game. The single-player campaign sees you pulling on the fetching brown jacket of Giacomo, a fresh-faced inventor who winds up in charge of a city-state after his brother is mysteriously assassinated. There's not a goblin or pointy hat in sight. Big Huge Games president Brian Reynolds (who honed his skills working alongside Sid Meier on the likes of Civilization II and Alpha Centauri), explains that Aio, rather than being your standard Tolkien-inspired swords 'n' sorcery world, is instead a place where semi-advanced technology exists alongside magic.

And to think, we sometimes wonder why gaming is considered a geeky pastime.īut the whining brainiacs aren't as lucky as us: we actually got to see the game up close and personal at its pre-E3 unveiling event, and what we've seen is. 'All hope for the new RON is gone,' wails one unhappy chappy, while others toss around words like disgrace' and horrible' with typical Internet fanboy abandon. Moaner LisaĪs I write this, however, details of Big Huge Games' change of focus have only been available to the public for a matter of days, and already a vocal minority of Rise Of Nations devotees has whipped itself into bitching overdrive on fansite message boards. So it's not like it's an unprecedented step.

#Rise of nations full version series

In the past, we've seen Ensemble Studios take the ever popular Age Of Empires series in a similar direction, following up the historical Age of Empires II with the fantastical Age of Mythology. To call it a sequel, however, wouldn't be entirely accurate, because developer Big Huge Games is sending Legends in a slightly different direction, keeping the core gameplay much the same but ditching the real-world historical setting in favour of a fantasy realm called Aio. As You might be able to work out from its full title (you clever bunch, you), Rise Of Legends is the new Rise Of Nations game.