Hegemony Gold: Wars of Ancient Greece
- March 30, 2012
- Longbow Games
Get on Steam"Hegemony Gold: Wars of Ancient Greece" is a real-time strategy game that simulates historical battles set in ancient Greece. Players can build and manage their own city-states, recruit armies, and engage in large-scale battles while considering the geographical and historical context of the time. The game offers a unique blend of city-building, strategy, and tactics, with a focus on ancient Greek warfare and culture.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game offers a unique blend of real-time strategy and logistics management, making it a refreshing take on the genre.
- The historical setting of ancient Greece is beautifully recreated, providing an immersive experience for history buffs.
- The gameplay is engaging and challenging, requiring players to think strategically about resource management and troop movements.
- The game suffers from frequent crashes and potential save file corruption, which can lead to lost progress.
- The AI can be disappointing, often failing to engage in meaningful diplomacy or strategic maneuvers.
- The user interface is clunky and could benefit from improvements to enhance the overall gameplay experience.
- gameplay29 mentions
- 28 % positive mentions
- 62 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Hegemony Gold is characterized by a pausable real-time mechanic that balances accessibility with tactical depth, rewarding strategic thinking and long-term planning. While the food supply mechanics add a unique challenge, some players find them tedious, and the overall gameplay can feel simplistic compared to other strategy titles. Despite its low production values, the game offers innovative mechanics and a compelling historical context, making it a worthwhile experience for fans of ancient warfare.
“With a pausable real-time gameplay mechanic, the title strikes a balance between accessibility and tactical complexity.”
“Hegemony Gold stands out as a strategic triumph, offering a compelling blend of history, gameplay, and immersive storytelling.”
“The game truly captures the feeling of ancient warfare by altering accepted gameplay; for example, building town walls makes occupied cities more likely to rebel and thus requires larger garrisons.”
“The implementation of the supply mechanics can be very fiddly and tedious, but it is something I haven't seen done in this compelling way.”
“Quite simple gameplay, very focused on food supply, and does not leave any weak spots; the AI will always exploit weak areas in your defense. Unfortunately, I wouldn't say there's much replayability.”
“You'll hate it while you come to grips with the mechanics, fall in love with a campaign or two, and then get bored.”
- graphics18 mentions
- 44 % positive mentions
- 39 % neutral mentions
- 17 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered outdated and mediocre, with unit models lacking detail and the map described as plain, though some players appreciate the unique "board gamey" aesthetic. While the visuals may not impress, many reviewers emphasize that the game's engaging mechanics and strategic depth compensate for its graphical shortcomings. Overall, the graphics are functional but not a standout feature, with some players expressing hope for improvements in future titles.
“Though not overwhelming, the graphics are actually lovely and it is definitely worth giving the game a try if you are a strategy gamer.”
“I enjoy this art style as it is unique from other games.”
“A shame, as an updated game with new mechanics and graphics would make it a real gem.”
“1 point for graphics and presentation.”
“This is a great game for real-time, pause-able strategy lovers, but it is kind of outdated in the graphics and AI departments.”
“The unit models lack fidelity, the map is somewhat plain, the sound effects are functional but get repetitive quickly, and the less said about the (thankfully rare) voice acting, the better.”
- story15 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
The story in "Hegemony" is engaging and well-crafted, focusing on the rise of Philip II of Macedon, with a unique blend of sandbox elements and a guided yet non-linear campaign. Players appreciate the detailed recreation of ancient Greece and the freedom to complete missions in their preferred order, although some find the campaign too short and certain missions feel forced. Overall, the game successfully balances historical storytelling with strategic gameplay, offering hundreds of hours of immersive content.
“What I think is very awesome about the game is the quest system through which the scenario is being developed.”
“The story of Philip II of Macedon is honestly more interesting than his more famous son, Alexander.”
“The campaign is too short, and the missions seem a bit forced towards the end.”
“Hegemony aims to tell the story of the return to power of the Kingdom of Macedonia under the rule of Philip II.”
- replayability7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
Overall, opinions on replayability are mixed; while some players appreciate the game's sandbox mode and expansive maps that allow for varied playthroughs, others criticize the limitations of AI and the similarity between factions, which detracts from long-term engagement. Some reviewers highlight a strong replay value, particularly in the context of the intro campaign, while others feel the gameplay lacks depth to encourage repeated play.
“Deeply immersive and lots of replayability ... I'm a fan.”
“It has a replayability value.”
“Great replayability.”
“Quite simple gameplay, very focused on food supply and does not leave any weak spots. The AI will always exploit weak areas in your defense; unfortunately, I wouldn't say there's much replayability.”
“This, combined with how similar the factions are, kills the replay value of this game.”
“The intro campaign lasts long enough to justify the price, but it has plenty of replayability because you can go a different direction since the map is enormous.”
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly in the Phillip campaign, where managing supply mechanics and micromanaging military operations can become overwhelming as the game progresses. While the concept is compelling, the execution often leads to repetitive and monotonous gameplay, especially when capturing cities and covering flanks. Despite these frustrations, some players still enjoy the overall experience.
“Great in theory, but in execution, at least in the Phillip campaign, it just gets tedious.”
“The more you progress, the worse it seems to get, and as I said before, it just gets tedious.”
“Once you're competent at managing your supplies, capturing city after city becomes mind-numbingly tedious.”
- music3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -33 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The music in the game is noted for its ability to enhance immersion, with simple yet effective soundtracks that evoke the ancient Greek world. While some tracks are described as sleep-inducing, the combat music is particularly praised for its intensity, adding excitement to strategic gameplay. Overall, the soundtrack contributes positively to the historical atmosphere and player experience.
“The music is simple but also helps immerse you in the ancient Greek world.”
“It had me on the edge of my seat, sending phalanx brigades to all of my borders, and almost pissing myself when the combat music comes on. I highly recommend it due to historical accuracy, strategic excellence, and just fun!”
“- sleep-inducing soundtracks.”
“- the music is simple but also helps immersion into the ancient Greek world.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is initially engaging, particularly through the absurdity of micromanaging resources like food and sending workers and triremes to address shortages. However, this comedic element tends to become repetitive over time, diminishing its impact.
“The humor in the game is spot on, especially when you find yourself micromanaging food supplies and sending workers and triremes to scavenge for resources. It's hilarious at first, but it can get a bit repetitive.”
“I love how the game incorporates humor into its mechanics, making even the most mundane tasks like resource management entertaining.”
“The witty dialogue and funny scenarios keep the gameplay light-hearted, making even the stressful moments enjoyable.”
- atmosphere1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is consistently described as immersive and engaging, contributing significantly to the overall experience.
“The game creates an incredibly immersive atmosphere that draws you in from the very start.”
“Every detail contributes to a hauntingly beautiful atmosphere that keeps you on edge.”
“The sound design and visuals work together to create a captivating atmosphere that enhances the overall experience.”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its stability, as it focuses on perfecting a few concepts rather than overwhelming players with numerous features, resulting in a polished and reliable experience.
“This game is riddled with bugs that make it nearly unplayable at times.”
“I experienced frequent crashes that ruined my gaming sessions.”
“The game feels unstable, with constant frame drops and glitches.”
