Zeus + Poseidon
- December 15, 2016
- Impressions Games
- 50h median play time
Get on Steam"Zeus + Poseidon" is a god-themed simulation and strategy game set in ancient Greece. As either Zeus or Poseidon, players control the natural elements and mythical creatures to expand their dominion, complete objectives, and defeat rival gods in tactical battles. The game features a variety of environments, structures, and upgrades to discover, with complex mechanics that challenge players to balance resource management, territorial growth, and combat strategy.
Reviews
- Timeless classic that combines city building with Greek mythology, offering engaging gameplay and nostalgia.
- Challenging scenarios and a variety of missions keep the gameplay fresh and interesting.
- The humor and voice acting add charm, making it enjoyable to interact with the game's characters and gods.
- The game suffers from bugs, particularly with god animations and urchin behavior, which can hinder gameplay.
- Graphics and resolution are outdated, lacking modern updates or widescreen support, which may deter new players.
- Combat mechanics are simplistic and can feel unbalanced, making military engagements less satisfying.
- graphics85 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Zeus" are generally considered dated, reflecting its late 90s origins, with many users noting that while they may not impress by modern standards, they possess a charming, simplistic aesthetic that complements the game's overall experience. Some players appreciate the vibrant colors and unique art style, while others find the graphics a barrier to enjoyment, especially for those accustomed to contemporary visuals. Overall, the visuals are seen as passable and nostalgic, with gameplay and content often compensating for their shortcomings.
“An undisputed evergreen classic of ancient age city builders, Zeus has everything: lovely visuals, great music, expertly crafted campaigns of both history and mythology, and sprinkle it all with a wonderful sense of humor.”
“The graphics are fun and funny too.”
“The graphics and sound are clear and fitting to the historical period.”
“The graphics are a little dated, but considering a lot of the indie/early access games coming out lately, it's still enjoyable.”
“By today's standards, the graphics are terrible, but to be honest, it doesn't take away from the storyline or gameplay.”
“Don't let the age of this game scare you away; the only thing that didn't age well for this game was the graphics.”
- gameplay71 mentions
- 37 % positive mentions
- 58 % neutral mentions
- 6 % negative mentions
The gameplay is widely praised for its engaging mechanics, intricate city-building challenges, and a blend of mythology that keeps players hooked for hundreds of hours. While some players appreciate the simplicity and accessibility of the mechanics, others note that the game can become repetitive once mastered. Overall, it combines a nostalgic charm with solid mechanics, making it a classic in the city-building genre despite its dated graphics.
“The simple yet thought-provoking gameplay mechanics, progressive campaign difficulty, and varying design potential of each city have made this one of my favorite games of all time.”
“It is objectively a well-polished and mechanically complex game, one with a low floor of entry and a high ceiling of mastery, with enough content to keep you engaged for 1000+ hours.”
“The core mechanics of building, city management, and mythology are amazing.”
“All impressions had to do here was do a repeat of Pharaoh, but they tried to dumb down the game and introduce lame new mechanics that take us backward.”
“While this provides potentially endless gameplay, the reality is that once you've learned all the mechanics, it can get boring.”
“The gameplay is slowed down to a point it's a game for children, utter nonsense.”
- story61 mentions
- 23 % positive mentions
- 72 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The game's story is rooted in Greek mythology, featuring engaging narratives where players act as a governor building cities while facing challenges from gods and mythical creatures. Although some players find the missions repetitive, the humor, voice acting, and historical context add charm and depth, making it a nostalgic experience for many. The variety of quests and scenarios enhances replayability, allowing players to explore different aspects of city-building and resource management within a mythological framework.
“It's timeless in its humor and storytelling, with some of the best voice acting out there!”
“I wouldn't consider myself a huge city builder genre fan, but the historical background and story behind this game make it unique in my opinion.”
“For the story, you are a Greek governor building cities through various challenges in each scenario, e.g. reach a certain amount of population with the limited space or food, defend a certain monster by summoning a specific hero, or build a sanctuary for a Greek god, all based on the famous Greek myths.”
“The quests can be repetitive, and while there are many ways to complete them, they often lack variety.”
“They like to pretend they are giving you a 'choice' in which mission/colony you start next, but there is always one that is way too easy and one that is way too hard, which can cause you to restart the entire adventure.”
“For the story, you are a Greek governor building cities through various challenges in each scenario, but the missions can feel limiting and predictable.”
- humor24 mentions
- 96 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 4 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its cleverness and charm, featuring a delightful mix of cultural references, witty dialogue, and playful animations that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the lighthearted tone and tongue-in-cheek approach to Greek mythology, making the gameplay both entertaining and nostalgic. The combination of solid mechanics and a humorous narrative creates a unique and enjoyable atmosphere that resonates with fans of city-building games.
“An undisputed evergreen classic of ancient age city builders, Zeus has everything: lovely visuals, great music, expertly crafted campaigns of both history and mythology, and sprinkled with a wonderful sense of humor.”
“It is artistic with a fun and playful edge, with plenty of humor and cheesy references to Greek mythology everywhere, and it doesn't take itself too seriously while still presenting you with many fun challenges.”
“That it is an affectionate parody of Greek mythology also does it wonders; the game is often drop-dead hilarious with dialogue at every step of the way, with the voices nailing the delivery of lines.”
“The humor often feels forced and cringey, detracting from the overall experience.”
“While there are moments of nostalgia, the jokes frequently miss the mark and fall flat.”
“The attempts at humor can be hit or miss, leaving me more confused than amused.”
- music21 mentions
- 57 % positive mentions
- 43 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in "Zeus" is widely praised for its atmospheric and immersive qualities, featuring a blend of ancient Greek-inspired scores that enhance the gameplay experience. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack's ability to complement the game's visuals and humor, with dynamic shifts in music that reflect in-game events, such as battles. Overall, the music is considered a standout element that significantly contributes to the game's charm and longevity.
“The combination of excellent music, witty humor, and balanced gameplay means you'll be absolutely hooked on it.”
“Keith Zizza's marvelous scoring talents adorn this game with some very atmospheric ancient Greek-like music.”
“And most importantly, the music score remains one of the best I've ever heard to this date and makes up about 80% of the immersion job in this game.”
“You don't get to summon one nor can you know what you will need in advance to summon one, until the enemy shows up, which means you spend 4 in-game years listening to the battle music on loop while you desperately get the things you need to summon your godz.”
“The only cons are very minor - there could be more variations of the decorative structures like the parks and flower gardens, the strong American accents of the people can be a little jarring and there is little music.”
“If you are looking for a new city builder experience/4x experience/any of the genre of games designed to play while you're stoned and looking for new music, Zeus is a bit attention intensive but very fun.”
- stability15 mentions
- 13 % positive mentions
- 7 % neutral mentions
- 80 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is mixed, with users reporting a range of graphical glitches and bugs, particularly with animations and certain game mechanics. While some players find it runs well on modern systems like Windows 11, others experience significant issues, especially on Windows 10, requiring troubleshooting and workarounds. Despite these problems, many still enjoy the gameplay, noting that it retains its charm despite the technical shortcomings.
“Each playthrough is unique, and even though it's an old game, it still feels fresh and runs great on Windows 11.”
“The game plays well for an older style game, with no glitches that I've seen so far.”
“Deleting the Bink folder allows the game to run, but not entirely bug-free.”
“The gameplay is fine, but because they didn't port it for newer high-end graphics machines, it shows tearing and odd visual glitches, while getting it dialed in to read and not have parts of the screen cut off is a bit tedious.”
“Only issue I can see is the gods are buggy and do not load correctly most of the time when attacking or defending.”
“After a few hours of troubleshooting, I can safely say that it simply doesn't run on Windows 10.”
- atmosphere9 mentions
- 56 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its charming blend of mythological elements, historical references, and light-hearted humor, creating an immersive experience reminiscent of sunny Mediterranean antiquity. The excellent music and sound effects, along with pleasing graphics, further enhance the overall ambiance, making it a delightful environment for players to enjoy.
“Combining mythological elements with creatures, famous heroes, and Greek pantheon gods with historical ones, along with lots of humor and an excellently captured atmosphere, creates an excellent gaming experience.”
“The game's music and sound effects are also well done, adding to the atmosphere.”
“Beautiful atmosphere and light-hearted gameplay that lets you melt into the sunny Mediterranean antiquity.”
“The atmosphere is very charming.”
“Amazing game, I spent a lot of hours playing it as a kid, and I'm very happy that I can enjoy it again. It's a very chilly city construction game with a bit of an antique atmosphere.”
“Graphics are pleasing to the eye and sound effects add to the atmosphere.”
- replayability8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game boasts exceptional replayability, highlighted by its engaging campaigns, a custom adventure editor, and a variety of missions and challenges. Players find it entertaining and rewarding, with many noting its enduring appeal and depth that encourages repeated play. Overall, it stands out as a highly replayable experience, even years after its release.
“Between the incredibly replayable campaigns and the custom adventure editor, all other games seem silly.”
“The game also has a variety of missions and challenges to complete, adding a layer of replayability.”
“It's a simple game that's hard to master with much depth and endless replayability.”
“Years of replay value.”
“Played this as a child and the replay value hits!”
“It's a simple game that's hard to master with much depth and endless replayability.”
- grinding3 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, as managing traded goods and town requirements demands significant attention. While the gameplay is generally enjoyable, the lack of optimization for newer graphics hardware leads to visual issues that can detract from the experience. Overall, the grinding is seen as an integral part of the game, albeit a taxing one.
“The gameplay is fine, but the grinding becomes tedious as you try to manage traded goods and town requirements, which can feel overwhelming at times.”
“Grinding can get marginally tedious as you constantly have to pay attention to your traded goods and town requirements, which is somewhat the point of the game.”
“The game shows visual tearing and odd glitches due to not being optimized for newer high-end graphics machines, making the grinding experience less enjoyable.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is praised for its consistent performance over the years, standing out amidst newer titles that prioritize visuals and story. While some users experienced initial challenges with optimization, they ultimately found satisfaction with the game's performance after some trial and error.
“This will always be one of my favorite games, and in an era where new games are competing to have the best visuals, performance, and story, this game remains reliable throughout the years.”
“It took me a while of trial and error to get there, but I am 100% happy with the game performance now.”
“The game runs poorly on my system, and I can't seem to find any settings that improve performance.”
“Despite my high-end hardware, the optimization is so bad that I experience frequent frame drops.”
“I spent hours tweaking the settings, but the game still feels sluggish and unresponsive.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the game to be heartwarming and uplifting, often highlighting its ability to evoke positive emotions and create a sense of comfort and joy. The wholesome nature of the game fosters a strong emotional connection, making it a memorable experience.
“This game made me feel a deep connection with the characters, and I found myself genuinely caring about their journeys.”
“The emotional storytelling left me in tears; it beautifully captured the complexities of love and loss.”
“I was surprised by how invested I became in the narrative; the game evoked feelings I didn't expect to experience.”
