Call to Power II

56%
Game Brain Score Based on 75 reviews
  • music
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Call to Power II Game Cover
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Call to Power II is a turn-based strategy game, where players control a civilization and must guide it through technological advancements, diplomatic relations, and military conquest. The game features various historical civilizations, each with unique strengths, weaknesses, and units. Players must manage resources, research new technologies, and navigate international politics to achieve global domination.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

56%
Audience ScoreBased on 75 reviews
atmosphere1 positive mentions
stability5 negative mentions
  • Nostalgic experience for fans of the original game, with enjoyable gameplay and unique mechanics.
  • Creative late-game units and a vibrant color palette enhance the overall atmosphere.
  • The game can be fun and engaging if players are willing to troubleshoot and make necessary adjustments for modern systems.
  • The game is plagued by numerous bugs, including unresponsive controls and issues with video playback.
  • Compatibility problems with modern operating systems make it difficult to run smoothly, often requiring extensive fixes.
  • The user interface is unintuitive and requires excessive clicks, leading to a frustrating gameplay experience.
  • music20 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many users noting that it is either missing or bugged on modern systems, significantly impacting the experience. While the original orchestral soundtrack is praised for its quality, it is often inaccessible due to compatibility issues, leading players to seek mods or alternative solutions. Overall, the nostalgic charm of the music is overshadowed by technical difficulties, leaving players disappointed.

    • “The soundtrack is nice, the graphics aged rather well with very detailed units and a good looking map.”
    • “The music is an original orchestral soundtrack, and it is quite good but short, because of limited space on a 700 MB CD.”
    • “Mods definitely help though and will at least unlock the frame rate and make music play again!”
    • “This game not only lacks music on Steam, but the controls are unplayable.”
    • “If you can boot it (I had no problems with a Windows 10 laptop but others seem to have issues), you'll find the game lacks its original soundtrack--and more disturbing, the tech tree help/graphic is missing.”
    • “The music won't play and the options menu won't save your selections, and you will need to go over them each time you run the game.”
  • graphics13 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally viewed as outdated, with many reviewers noting that they reflect a 2000s aesthetic and are not well-suited for modern resolutions, particularly 1080p. While some appreciate the charm and detail of the units and maps, others criticize the lack of graphical options and compatibility issues with newer operating systems, leading to a frustrating experience for some players. Overall, the visuals are seen as a nostalgic throwback, but they may not meet the expectations of contemporary gamers.

    • “The soundtrack is nice, the graphics aged rather well with very detailed units and a good looking map.”
    • “The graphics are charming and very 2000s, and so is the music.”
    • “It's a Civ classic with more adult graphics and unit stacking gives the game a unique twist.”
    • “Game flow and graphics are outdated.”
    • “As for the graphics, maybe you should take it with a grain of salt considering it's an old game, but ultimately I feel the need to express that it looks horrendous on a 1080p resolution as this wasn't so much the case on the original.”
    • “Besides, when it came to options within the game, I would have expected some improvement towards graphic settings, but the most you can manage is turn off certain effects in the game and change your resolution, which is very disappointing.”
  • gameplay8 mentions

    Gameplay is hindered by technical issues due to lack of updates for newer operating systems, resulting in slow and choppy performance. However, many players appreciate its engaging mechanics, particularly the macromanagement style that differs from typical civilization games, and the nostalgic elements, including enjoyable in-game videos and late-game features like ocean colonization. Overall, while it has its flaws, the gameplay remains enjoyable and holds up well over time.

    • “Yes, I would definitely recommend this game to a friend because despite the fact that this game was released in 2000, it still holds up really well to this day. Its gameplay is pretty good, the in-game videos for the wonders of the world are really good, and it never gets too boring or too tiring. You can definitely play this one for quite a good amount of time.”
    • “Without worker units, gameplay is macromanagement compared to Firaxis' micromanagement.”
    • “The added element of ocean colonization in late game, and overall the late game new mechanics are fantastic.”
    • “Software was not altered or modified at all to function in newer operating system environments, and as such, there are several issues that hinder gameplay.”
    • “From a gameplay perspective, it's way too slow.”
    • “It is slow and choppy, does not work at a suitable framerate, the HUD is somewhat similar to the prior game, and had I not had some prior knowledge of how it worked, I would have deemed it just as intuitive as the gameplay.”
  • stability5 mentions

    The game has been widely criticized for its instability, with numerous reports of glitches, bugs, and loading issues, particularly after the intro sequence. Many users feel that it was released in an unfinished state, and the lack of ongoing support has exacerbated these problems. Overall, the game's stability is considered severely lacking.

    • “Has some glitches and has now stopped loading after the intro sequence.”
    • “The game is buggy, massively buggy.”
    • “The game was released content unfinished and very buggy for its time, support was quickly dropped, and the development team was dissolved.”
  • optimization2 mentions

    The game requires adjustments to run smoothly on modern PCs, with notable performance issues reported in the Steam version, indicating that it may not be fully optimized for current hardware.

    • “It just requires some adjustments to run smoothly on modern PCs.”
    • “There are performance problems with the Steam version, and in general, this game is of course no longer up to date.”
    • “There are performance problems with the Steam version, and in general, this game is no longer up to date.”
    • “The optimization is so poor that it makes the game nearly unplayable on lower-end systems.”
    • “Even on high-end hardware, the game struggles to maintain a stable frame rate, which is disappointing.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    Users appreciate the replayability of the game due to its macro-focused gameplay, which allows for a more enjoyable experience when managing larger empires without the need for micromanagement. This design choice enhances its longevity compared to other strategy games, making it a compelling option for players seeking varied gameplay.

    • “Unlike Civ games, it focuses on macro scale elements, so there's no micromanaging workers in cities. This makes it infinitely more enjoyable when you have a larger empire, which the game emphasizes.”
    • “The variety of strategies and paths to victory keeps the game fresh and encourages multiple playthroughs.”
    • “Each playthrough feels unique due to the random events and different factions, making you want to dive back in for more.”
    • “The game lacks meaningful choices that would encourage multiple playthroughs, making it feel repetitive after the first run.”
    • “Once you've experienced the main storyline, there's little incentive to dive back in, as the side quests feel uninspired and lack depth.”
    • “The limited variety in gameplay mechanics means that after a few sessions, it becomes a chore rather than an enjoyable experience.”
  • atmosphere1 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its engaging qualities, although some users note that the absence of music is a slight drawback. Overall, the immersive gameplay compensates for this shortcoming, contributing to a compelling experience.

    • “While the missing music is a bit of a bummer, it doesn't detract from the fantastic gameplay and atmosphere.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be addictive, particularly for fans of toy soldiers, but it can also become tedious at times.

    • “For all who enjoy playing with toy soldiers: addictive, but sometimes tedious.”
    • “The grinding feels endless and often detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
    • “I find myself repeating the same tasks over and over, which makes the game feel more like a chore than fun.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

90% average critic score

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