Populous™: The Beginning

About

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!

Genres & Tags

Role Playing

Play Modes

90%

Audience ScoreBased on 340 reviews

graphics8 positive mentions

monetization6 negative mentions

Populous: The Beginning is a nostalgic classic that combines real-time strategy with god game elements, 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 provide satisfying gameplay.
Despite its dated graphics, the game runs well on modern systems with community patches, and it has a supportive online community that keeps the experience alive.

The game suffers from significant compatibility issues on modern systems, particularly Windows 11, leading to crashes and loss of save files.
Controls and AI are outdated, making gameplay frustrating at times, especially for new players who may find the lack of quality-of-life improvements challenging.
While the nostalgia factor is strong, many players feel that the game does not hold up well against modern standards, leading to mixed feelings about its current release.

graphics
48 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
17%
77%
6%
The graphics of the game are widely regarded as dated and awkward by modern standards, with many users noting issues such as crashes and graphical glitches. However, despite these shortcomings, the game is celebrated as a cult classic that was revolutionary for its time, particularly in its use of 3D graphics and dynamic camera angles, which contributed to an immersive gameplay experience. Many fans express a desire for a remaster that retains the original gameplay while updating the visuals to contemporary standards.
- “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.”
gameplay
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
80%
7%
The gameplay of "Populous: The Beginning" is characterized by its innovative mechanics and strategic depth, blending real-time strategy with god game elements, which creates a dynamic and engaging 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 beloved title for fans of the genre, offering a rewarding and immersive gameplay experience.
- “Balancing population growth, defense, and offensive operations creates a dynamic gameplay loop that keeps you constantly engaged.”
- “The campaign is lengthy and challenging, offering a perfect progression curve that introduces new spells, units, and mechanics at just the right pace.”
- “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 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.”
- “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.”
- “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.”
music
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
45%
15%
The music in the game, composed by Mark Knight, is widely praised for its atmospheric and calming qualities, enhancing the overall immersive experience. With only a few in-game tracks and a menu theme, the soundtrack effectively complements the game's visuals and sound design, creating a magical and lively atmosphere. Players appreciate the hauntingly ethereal soundscapes and sound effects that contribute significantly to the game's charm.
- “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.”
- “Also love the sound effects and the music set to this game; they really make it the fun that it is to play.”
- “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).”
atmosphere
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
The game's atmosphere is significantly enhanced by a hauntingly ethereal soundtrack and immersive sound effects, creating a magical and alive experience. Coupled with striking visuals, these elements contribute to a captivating environment that stands out 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.”
story
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
50%
25%
The story of *Populous: The Beginning* revolves around a shaman leading her tribe on a quest for godhood by conquering rival tribes across 25 diverse planets. Players engage in a variety of missions that range from warfare to resource management, ensuring a unique experience in each level. While the game lacks voiceovers for mission introductions, it includes a bonus campaign that adds to its replayability.
- “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.”
- “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.”
- “The missions vary widely, from all-out warfare to careful resource management, ensuring that no two levels feel the same.”
- “There's no voice over for the beginning of each mission anymore, which detracts from the storytelling experience.”
- “The plot feels repetitive and lacks depth, making it hard to stay engaged throughout the game.”
- “While the aesthetic is appealing, the story fails to deliver a compelling narrative that keeps players invested.”
replayability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Players find the game highly replayable due to its non-linear progression, which allows for varied paths and choices, enhancing the overall fun and replay value.
- “The non-linear progression allows players to choose their path, adding replayability and variety.”
- “Lots of fun and replayability.”
monetization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization aspect of the game is criticized as a cash grab, with users expressing disappointment over its performance and suggesting that it lacks the necessary updates and features to justify its pricing. There is a call for improved graphics and gameplay options to enhance its appeal and potential success.
- “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.”
- “As is, just a cash grab.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
34%
33%
The game is criticized for poor optimization on current generation operating systems and hardware, making it difficult to run smoothly without community patches. Users recommend seeking out the "Populous: Reincarnated" community for solutions to improve performance.
- “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.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
Overall, while Populous is praised as a classic, users note that it can be buggy and features outdated controls. However, it performs well on the Steam Deck, indicating a generally stable experience on that platform.
- “This runs great on Steam Deck.”
- “Populous is a great classic; it might be buggy and have old controls.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
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 repetitive and frustrating gameplay.
- “The gameplay can be quite tedious due to the lack of waypoints, poor AI, and the absence of hotkeys or binds for skills, buildings, and characters.”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews highlight that character development is a strong point of the game, with players appreciating the depth and complexity of the characters as they evolve throughout the story. Many noted that the interactions and choices significantly impact character arcs, enhancing player engagement and emotional investment. Overall, the character development is seen as a key element that enriches the gaming experience.
humor
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is characterized by its quirky and absurd elements, often described as having a "funny smell" that adds a unique and whimsical charm to the overall experience.