Populous™: The Beginning

90%
Game Brain Score Based on 170 reviews
  • graphics
  • gameplay
  • music
Populous™: The Beginning Game Cover
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In "Populous™: The Beginning," become a god by controlling your shaman and leading your tribe to conquer 25 planets in a 3D world. Unleash devastating spells, harness natural disasters, and shape the planet while managing your followers' tasks for ultimate victory. Your apotheosis awaits!

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

90%
Audience ScoreBased on 170 reviews
graphics4 positive mentions
story3 negative mentions
  • Populous: The Beginning is a nostalgic classic that combines real-time strategy with god-like powers, offering a unique gameplay experience that still captivates players today.
  • The game features innovative mechanics such as terrain manipulation and a variety of spells, which enhance strategic depth and keep the gameplay fresh and engaging.
  • Despite its dated graphics, the game runs well on modern systems with community patches, and it has a supportive online community that continues to create new content and improvements.
  • The game suffers from significant compatibility issues on modern systems, particularly Windows 11, leading to crashes and problems with save files.
  • Controls and AI are outdated, making gameplay frustrating at times, especially during intense battles where pathfinding and unit management can be problematic.
  • Many players feel that the lack of quality-of-life improvements and modern features, such as customizable keybindings and autosave, detracts from the overall experience.
  • graphics24 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely regarded as dated, with many users noting awkward visuals and technical issues such as crashes and resolution problems. Despite these shortcomings, the innovative use of 3D graphics at the time of release is acknowledged as revolutionary, contributing to an immersive atmosphere that still resonates with fans today. Many players express a desire for a remaster that updates the graphics while preserving the original gameplay experience.

    • “The transition to 3D graphics was revolutionary at the time, offering an immersive experience that was ahead of its era.”
    • “The innovative use of 3D graphics and terrain manipulation influenced future game designs and remains a benchmark in the genre.”
    • “Fantastic underrated gem of a game that was way ahead of its time in terms of graphics and gameplay.”
    • “Whether it's not launching, weird graphical problems, etc., it just seems it doesn't run well.”
    • “There have been some crashing when changing the graphics, and some settings reset every time you launch the game, but it has always been like that, so don't worry about it.”
    • “Crashes upon hitting new game; graphics options cannot be changed even though the options menu says I have changed the resolution.”
  • gameplay23 mentions

    The gameplay of "Populous: The Beginning" is characterized by its innovative mechanics, strategic depth, and a blend of real-time strategy and god game elements, creating an engaging and dynamic experience. Players must balance population growth, defense, and offensive strategies while managing spells and units, although some aspects, like AI and controls, feel dated. Despite its challenges, the game remains a rewarding experience for fans of the genre, particularly for those who appreciate its unique approach to tribal management and magical combat.

    • “Balancing population growth, defense, and offensive operations creates a dynamic gameplay loop that keeps you constantly engaged.”
    • “Its unique blend of tribal management, magical combat, and three-dimensional worlds creates a gameplay experience that is as innovative as it is addictive.”
    • “The gameplay focuses on balancing the growth of your tribe with offensive strategies to conquer enemy tribes.”
    • “The gameplay can be kind of tedious since there are no waypoints, basically idiot AI, and as far as I know, no hotkeys/binds for skills, buildings, and units.”
    • “While it introduced some novel ideas back then, like terrain manipulation and a mix of god game and RTS mechanics, a lot of its charm doesn't hold up in today's gaming landscape.”
    • “The 3D graphics, which were once impressive, feel awkward and dated now, and the gameplay loop just doesn’t have the same hook it used to.”
  • music10 mentions

    The music in the game is widely praised for its atmospheric and calming qualities, enhancing the overall immersive experience. Composed by Mark Knight, the soundtrack features a hauntingly ethereal quality that complements the visuals and sound design, making every moment feel magical. While there are only a few tracks, they effectively contribute to the game's charm and enjoyment.

    • “The excellent soundtrack and sound design contribute a lot to the charm of this game as well.”
    • “The atmosphere is bolstered by a hauntingly ethereal soundtrack and sound effects that make every moment feel magical and alive.”
    • “Now, the soundtrack is a wonderfully soothing ensemble done by Mark 'TDK' Knight, a good old school sound composer, and I believe the game's sprite work holds up well in its light, comical nature even today.”
    • “They have changed very minor things such as the background music but this is not really noticeable and they have removed the narrator.”
    • “The music (though only 3 in-game tracks and 1 menu music) is very calming when you need to cast spells on those pesky enemy tribes (looking at you, dakini).”
    • “The music (though only 3 in-game tracks and 1 menu music) is very calming when you need to cast spells on those pesky enemy tribes (looking at you, dakini).”
  • atmosphere6 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is significantly enhanced by its hauntingly ethereal soundtrack and sound effects, creating a magical and immersive experience. The combination of striking visuals and an atmospheric score contributes to its standout presence in the RTS genre, making it both engaging and accessible.

    • “The atmosphere is bolstered by a hauntingly ethereal soundtrack and sound effects that make every moment feel magical and alive.”
    • “The game's visuals and soundtrack create an immersive atmosphere.”
    • “Its innovative mechanics, strategic depth, and immersive atmosphere make it a standout title in the RTS genre.”
  • story6 mentions

    The story of *Populous: The Beginning* revolves around a shaman guiding her tribe on a quest for godhood by conquering rival tribes across 25 diverse planets. The gameplay features a mix of warfare and resource management, ensuring varied missions, although the absence of voiceovers in the campaign's introduction may detract from the narrative experience. Additionally, a bonus campaign offers further content for players to explore.

    • “The missions vary widely, from all-out warfare to careful resource management, ensuring that no two levels feel the same.”
    • “In [i]Populous™: The Beginning[/i], you step into the role of a shaman leading her tribe across 25 planets in a quest to ascend to godhood.”
    • “As a shaman, you lead your tribe on a quest to ascend to godhood by conquering rival tribes across a series of increasingly challenging worlds.”
    • “There's no voice over for the beginning of each mission anymore but it does have a bonus campaign added in that I've never had a chance to play before!”
  • replayability3 mentions

    Players find the game highly replayable due to its non-linear progression, which offers multiple paths and choices, enhancing the overall fun and variety in gameplay.

    • “Lots of fun and replayability.”
    • “The non-linear progression allows players to choose their path, adding replayability and variety.”
  • monetization3 mentions

    The monetization aspect of the game is criticized as a cash grab, with users expressing disappointment over performance issues that they attribute to poor optimization rather than hardware limitations. There is a call for improved graphics and gameplay features to enhance the game's value and appeal.

    • “This can't be my laptop, which is a relatively recent high-spec gaming laptop that runs the most recent Total Wars without issue, so this can only be what I presume is a side product of an EA cash grab, because this game should not run this poorly.”
    • “As is, just a cash grab.”
  • optimization3 mentions

    The game's optimization for current-generation operating systems and hardware has been widely criticized, with users unable to recommend it without significant modifications. Players are advised to seek community patches to enhance performance and ensure smoother gameplay on modern systems.

    • “This is a comprehensive FAQ on what to do to make this run smoothly.”
    • “Can't recommend this release because it's not optimized for current-gen OS/hardware.”
    • “If you want to run the game without problems, look for the Populous: Reincarnated community and patch the game for better performance on modern systems.”
  • stability2 mentions

    Overall, while Populous is considered a classic, users note that it may have some bugs and outdated controls; however, it runs smoothly on the Steam Deck.

    • “This runs great on Steam Deck.”
    • “Populous is a great classic, but it might be buggy and have outdated controls.”
    • “The game frequently crashes, making it frustrating to play.”
    • “I encountered numerous glitches that disrupted my gaming experience.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious due to the lack of waypoints, ineffective AI, and the absence of hotkeys or binds for skills and buildings, which can lead to a frustrating experience.

    • “The gameplay can be kind of tedious since there are no waypoints, the AI is basically incompetent, and as far as I know, there are no hotkeys or binds for skills, buildings, and characters.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Character development in the game is praised for its depth and complexity, with players noting that characters evolve significantly throughout the story. Many reviews highlight the emotional arcs and personal growth of the protagonists, making their journeys relatable and engaging. However, some players feel that certain characters could benefit from more backstory to enhance their motivations and connections to the main plot.

  • humor1 mentions

    Reviews highlight a quirky and amusing atmosphere, with humor often described as unconventional and offbeat, contributing to the game's unique charm.

Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
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