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Caesar IV

Caesar IV Game Cover
74%Game Brain Score
graphics, gameplay
story, stability
76% User Score Based on 475 reviews
Critic Score 69%Based on 3 reviews

Platforms

PCWindows
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Caesar IV Game Cover

About

Caesar IV is a single player strategy game. It was developed by Tilted Mill Entertainment, Inc. and was released on August 29, 2016. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

"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.

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Caesar IV screenshot
Caesar IV screenshot
Caesar IV screenshot
Caesar IV screenshot
Caesar IV screenshot
Caesar IV screenshot
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76%
Audience ScoreBased on 475 reviews
graphics17 positive mentions
stability7 negative mentions
  • Classic and timeless city builder with engaging Roman Empire theme and in-depth city management.
  • Improved graphics and animations from previous Caesar games, with a living city atmosphere and detailed citizen simulation.
  • Challenging scenarios and campaign with both economic and military paths, providing hours of gameplay and replayability.
  • Major technical issues on modern Windows systems, requiring manual DLL registration and compatibility fixes before launching.
  • Small maps constrain city expansion and sometimes make planning feel cramped; camera controls and 3D view can be cumbersome.
  • Combat system is simplistic and clunky, with limited player control and several bugs affecting battle mechanics.
  • graphics
    49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics in this game are considered dated due to its 2006 release but represent a significant upgrade over previous series entries with a move to full 3D visuals. While not cutting-edge by modern standards, many players find them charming, functional, and still visually appealing, contributing positively to gameplay and city-building immersion. Some users note optimization issues on newer systems, but overall, the graphics are praised for enhancing the experience without overshadowing the classic gameplay elements.

    • “The most noticeable change from previous installments is the move to full 3D graphics.”
    • “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.”
    • “Graphics still hold up despite it being 10 years old and seems to run pretty stable even on modern OS's.”
    • “It's an old game, so the graphics are a bit dated compared to more recent games.”
    • “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 graphics are older, and play accordingly, but if you like SimCity or similar games, you'd likely enjoy this one as well.”
  • gameplay
    35 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is praised for its solid city-building mechanics that blend economic management with strategic planning, often likened to a puzzle requiring careful city layout. Though some find it nostalgic and engaging with challenging AI and deeper mechanics, others note that bugs, dated design choices, and a lack of innovation from predecessors slightly hinder the experience. Overall, it remains enjoyable for fans who invest time to master its systems.

    • “It adds pressure to the economic side of gameplay — armies require food, equipment, and salaries — ensuring that the city’s success remains tied to its ability to sustain the empire’s ambitions.”
    • “Gameplay-wise the game does teach 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.”
    • “From better grids to better distribution mechanics, so much has been streamlined that the game feels much simpler to play.”
    • “As I said, the game could have been fun, but these bugs and bad design decisions really ruin the gameplay.”
    • “Attempts to make this 3D have resulted in horrible gameplay and numerous glitches.”
    • “The gameplay has taken a big step backwards too.”
  • story
    27 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story is mission-based with a linear campaign structure, offering a mix of economic and military objectives that progressively increase in difficulty. Players engage in managing trade, fulfilling Rome’s demands, and defending against invasions across varied challenges, which keeps the long campaign engaging despite some frustrations with mission sizes and repetitiveness. Overall, the narrative-driven scenarios and dual-path missions provide a nostalgic and rewarding experience for fans of city-building games.

    • “In some missions, you might focus on building trade empires and satisfying the demands of the senate, while in others you'll have to deal with invasions, defend against barbarian raids, or support Rome's armies abroad.”
    • “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 city dwellers and their small story bubbles are endearing and encourage you to keep playing.”
    • “For example, I played a mission where my legions bugged and never returned home.”
    • “Game would not continue for 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.”
  • stability
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability is mixed, with several users reporting numerous bugs, glitches, and crashes that impact the experience, sometimes requiring manual troubleshooting to get it running. However, despite these issues, some players find it enjoyable and fun once it is operational.

    • “No troubleshooting was necessary.”
    • “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.”
    • “It improves on everything, runs great, is sufficiently difficult and dynamic enough to allow replayability, and comes with scenario editors.”
    • “Caesar 4 is too buggy and not a smooth experience.”
    • “Attempts to make this 3D have resulted in horrible gameplay and numerous glitches.”
    • “Game is horrible due to many issues; just trying to get into it is frustrating, and then it freezes the computer after playing for 2 minutes.”
  • optimization
    7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game suffers from performance issues and limited optimization, especially in large, densely developed cities where simulation strains the system. Camera controls can be cumbersome, and the 3D view is restricted, likely due to engine limitations, impacting overall usability. Additionally, the game lacks optimization for modern hardware, requiring users to adjust settings for smoother performance.

    • “Camera controls can feel cumbersome, especially when trying to place roads or align buildings precisely, and performance can falter when the city grows large.”
    • “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.”
    • “Performance issues can arise in later stages, particularly when your city becomes densely developed and the game struggles to simulate thousands of active citizens.”
    • “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.”
  • grinding
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Grinding in the game involves repetitive tasks like farming and resource management but is balanced by ample space for expansion and strategic depth. While some find the micromanagement tedious, others appreciate the trade-offs and the challenge of juggling multiple systems, including appeasing Rome.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Who needs HD graphics when you can run your plebs to 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.”
  • music
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game is widely praised for its quality and atmosphere, with many users finding it both memorable and enjoyable. It complements the gameplay with mellow and engaging tunes that enhance the overall experience.

    • “I still can't get over the music; it challenged me just as much as it always has.”
    • “Even the music is great in this game.”
    • “The mellow music is a treat as well.”
  • humor
    5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's humor is well-received, featuring funny quotes with good voice acting, clever Easter eggs, and an overall appropriate sense of humor from the developers that enhances the experience.

    • “+ funny quotes with good voice acting when you click on people”
    • “The developers also had an appropriate sense of humor making this as well.”
    • “There are several little easter eggs of humor mixed in... like if you zoom in”
  • replayability
    4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game offers strong replayability, featuring a well-balanced difficulty, dynamic gameplay, and a lengthy campaign. Its inclusion of scenario editors further enhances long-term engagement, making it a classic with lasting appeal.

    • “Great oldie with lots of 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.”
  • atmosphere
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere is praised for its authentic and immersive portrayal of the Roman Empire, enhanced by dynamic lighting, weather effects, and a detailed day-night cycle that add depth and realism to the city environment.

    • “The new engine introduces dynamic lighting, weather effects, and a detailed day-night cycle that gives the city an atmospheric authenticity.”
    • “For players willing to overlook its occasional awkwardness, Caesar IV offers a rewarding experience rich with atmosphere and depth — a digital monument to the enduring allure of Rome’s empire-building legacy.”
    • “Good atmosphere of the Roman Empire era.”
  • emotional
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players appreciate the game’s nostalgic emotional connection, as its similarities to the classic Caesar 3 evoke fond memories and a sense of enduring appeal.

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69%Critics’ scoreBased on 3 critic reviews
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47h Median play time
63h Average play time
34-100h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs
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Skip FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

Caesar IV is a strategy game.

Caesar IV is available on PC and Windows.

On average players spend around 63 hours playing Caesar IV.

Caesar IV was released on August 29, 2016.

Caesar IV was developed by Tilted Mill Entertainment, Inc..

Caesar IV has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its graphics but disliked it for its story.

Caesar IV is a single player game.

Similar games include Caesar™ 3, CivCity: Rome, Pharaoh + Cleopatra, SimCity 4: Deluxe Edition, Tropico Reloaded and others.