Caesar IV

About

"Caesar IV" is a city-building game set in the Roman Empire, where you start as a governor of a province and work your way up to becoming Caesar. You have control over city planning, finances, and defenses, with over 100 unique structures and expanded economic control with tradeable goods and markets. The game boasts leading-edge graphics with high dynamic range lighting and realistic weather effects.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

77%

Audience ScoreBased on 385 reviews

graphics14 positive mentions

stability6 negative mentions

A nostalgic classic that still provides hours of fun and engaging city-building gameplay.
Improved graphics and mechanics over its predecessor, Caesar III, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of the genre.
Offers a complex economic model and the ability to create custom scenarios, enhancing replayability.

Frequent runtime errors and launch issues, particularly on newer operating systems like Windows 10, can frustrate players.
Combat mechanics are clunky and lack depth, detracting from the overall experience.
The game can feel cramped due to small map sizes, making city planning more challenging than enjoyable.

graphics
41 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
59%
7%
The graphics of the game, while dated as it was released in 2006, are generally regarded as beautiful and enjoyable, with many players appreciating the improvements over previous titles in the series. Although some users note that the visuals may not be groundbreaking by today's standards, they still find them timeless and fitting for the gameplay experience. However, there are concerns about optimization and technical issues on modern systems, which can detract from the overall enjoyment.
- “Beautiful graphics for its age, and a relatively stressless gameplay.”
- “The graphics are beautiful even by today's standards... I discovered Caesar IV years ago and always return back to it every once in a while.”
- “The graphics hold up very well and the scenarios are fun and challenging.”
- “The graphics are old, but sometimes hilarious and never too bad in a way that makes the game unplayable.”
- “The game lost its essence on this one; they tried to focus on the graphics and forgot that the simplicity made Caesar 3 so fun.”
- “The one caveat being that it is not optimized for computers better than what was available at the time - so even with it being 15 years old, expect to put the graphic settings on one from the highest to get your full frame rate.”
gameplay
25 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
24%
64%
12%
The gameplay is a blend of nostalgia and discovery, allowing players to learn essential mechanics while uncovering hidden features in city management. While some users appreciate the engaging AI and streamlined mechanics, others note that bugs and design flaws can detract from the experience. Overall, despite its age, the game remains enjoyable for fans of the genre, though it may feel dated compared to modern city builders.
- “Gameplay-wise, the game teaches you everything you need to know to get started, but I love how it lets you discover all the hidden mechanics that come into play while managing your own Roman city.”
- “Gameplay is unaffected – place buildings, open trade routes, deal or fight raiders, and keep the people and the boss happy.”
- “Great city building game - brings back good memories, but there is solid gameplay also.”
- “As I said, the game could have been fun, but these bugs and bad design decisions really ruin the gameplay.”
- “The gameplay has taken a big step backwards too.”
- “Some annoying bugs but nothing that ruins gameplay.”
story
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
71%
14%
The game's story is primarily mission-based, focusing on building and maintaining favor with Rome, with engaging scenarios and endearing city dweller narratives that encourage continued play. While the campaign offers a nostalgic experience reminiscent of earlier titles, some players find the maps frustratingly small and the linear progression limiting, though the dual paths of economic and military missions provide variety. Overall, the story elements enhance the gameplay, but the execution may leave some players wanting more in terms of map size and complexity.
- “The city dwellers and their small story bubbles are endearing and egg you to keep playing.”
- “So Caesar 4, with its missions to build a city to fulfill a specific goal in the empire, followed by moving on to a new province with new challenges and new goals to start again, keeps me interested over the long campaign.”
- “The 3D graphics may be from 2005, but the story and gameplay are just as I remember: awesomely nostalgic.”
- “The game would not continue for the next mission past Kingdom 5.”
- “As such, it maintains its linear Caesar 3 style campaign, where you pick between one peaceful or warlike mission, and never return to any of your cities once you're done with them.”
- “I'm only about 5 missions in, but every single map has been painfully tiny, with each succeeding one seeming to be just a pinch tinier than the last.”
stability
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The stability of the game is a mixed bag; while some users report a fun and enjoyable experience after overcoming initial setup hurdles, many others highlight significant bugs and glitches that hinder gameplay, including freezing issues and frequent crashes. Overall, the game requires troubleshooting for some players, but those who persist find it runs well once operational.
- “No troubleshooting was necessary.”
- “It improves on everything, runs great, is sufficiently difficult and dynamic enough to allow replayability, and comes with scenario editors (though I haven't used it yet, I'm still having fun with the base game).”
- “Had to manually register the DLLs using the batch file in the install directory before it would work, but it runs great and is quite fun.”
- “Caesar 4 is too buggy and not a smooth experience.”
- “This is not a bad game after all, but it has so many glitches and bugs that it's making me crazy.”
- “Game is horrible with too many issues; just trying to get into it, and then when you do, you play for 2 minutes and then it freezes the computer.”
optimization
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
60%
The game's optimization is lacking, particularly for modern computers, requiring players to adjust graphic settings to achieve acceptable frame rates. Performance issues are notably pronounced in larger cities, and the limited zoom in the 3D view detracts from the overall experience, making it difficult to appreciate the city’s details. Players must engage in extensive micromanagement to ensure smooth operation, which can be cumbersome.
- “You need to dive into menus, visit advisors, and micromanage everything if you want your city to run smoothly and complete the requests.”
- “The only problem I encountered was performance issues in larger cities; this is an old game and surely doesn't have optimization for modern machines.”
- “The one caveat being that it is not optimized for computers better than what was available at the time - so even with it being 15 years old, expect to put the graphic settings on one from the highest to get your full frame rate.”
- “The only problem that I encountered was performance issues in larger cities; this is an old game and surely doesn't have optimization for modern machines.”
- “I didn't like this, especially the 3D view: it zooms out so little (probably due to performance limits of the engine) that you feel like you are seeing nothing of what is really going on in the city.”
grinding
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
75%
Players note that grinding in the game can be extensive, requiring significant time investment to manage resources, farming, and military operations. However, the expansive maps provide ample opportunities for development, making the grind feel more manageable and rewarding despite its demands.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “Who needs HD graphics when you can run your plebs into the ground farming for you, only to take those resources to trade for silk to send to the Roman Empire?”
- “On top of managing an army and all the farming, you have to constantly try to appease Rome.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's humor is well-received, with players appreciating its old-school graphics that contribute to the comedic experience rather than detract from it. The developers have infused the game with clever humor and numerous easter eggs, enhancing the overall enjoyment.
- “The developers also had an appropriate sense of humor while making this game.”
- “There are several little easter eggs of humor mixed in, like if you zoom in.”
- “The graphics are old, but sometimes hilarious and never too bad in a way that makes the game unplayable.”
music
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The music in the game is highly praised for its mellow and enjoyable quality, enhancing the overall experience alongside the engaging sound effects and animations. Players appreciate how the soundtrack complements the game's atmosphere, contributing to the rewarding feeling of building and managing a thriving city.
- “Even the music is great in this game.”
- “The mellow music is a treat as well.”
- “Man... the music, the sounds, the fantastic animations for all the buildings with idle, active, desolate, and destroyed statuses, the cute one-liners the civilians speak when you click them, the lovely snow globe effect in the winter, the rewarding feeling of seeing a bustling city emerging from your frantic attempts to keep everything together, the victorious emotion you get when you finally reach that 'I have more trade and patrician revenue than I know what to do with' stage...”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
150%
Reviewers highlight the game's strong replayability due to its dynamic gameplay, sufficient difficulty, and impressive campaign length. Additionally, the inclusion of scenario editors adds further potential for varied experiences, enhancing the overall replay value.
- “It improves on everything, runs great, is sufficiently difficult and dynamic enough to allow replayability, and comes with scenario editors (though I haven't used it yet, I'm still having fun with the base game).”
- “The length of the campaign and the replayability are really impressive.”
- “The game lacks meaningful choices, making replayability feel pointless after the first playthrough.”
- “Once you've completed the main story, there's little incentive to go back and play again.”
- “The limited variety in gameplay mechanics leads to a repetitive experience that diminishes replayability.”