Jason
chasing a bee
<strong>[ Review ]</strong>
<p>Game Tunnel recently reviewed yet another goofy-looking shareware game (hard to believe, I know). This time it was <a href="http://www.anarchyent.com/aoc/manual.asp" title="AoC">Age of Castles</a>, a medieval strategy game in the tradition of Lords of the Realm. Since I had never heard of this one, it's worth quoting a section about the gameplay:</p><blockquote><p>The game is played day by day, as players manage money, rotate builders, soldiers, merchants, and clerics around as well as managing other resources. Deciding what the villagers become (builder / soldier / cleric / merchant) determines how the player's castle will grow. Builders allow for housing more gold, while soldiers increase the castle's defense and armory; clerics are able to persuade more people to join the village, and merchants work to make the player more money. Each class serves a different purpose throughout the course of the game, and they each add necessary resources to the players cache. Soldiers, though, require money to increase the castles defenses and raise the player's offensive strength. Because of the amount of money soldiers need to operate, players must fluctuate their management tactics. Players can increase the percentage of villagers assigned to each class increments of 5%. This adds an extra element of strategy, as players will constantly have to keep a watchful eye on the progress of their kingdom, rotating each class as necessary. </p></blockquote><p>GT quite enjoyed all that, but was less enthusiastic about the battles.</p><blockquote><p>The problem came in with the battle sequences...players coming off fun titles like <a href="http://www.gametunnel.com/gamespace.php?id=297&tab=3">Tradewinds Legends</a> will be highly disappointed with the lackluster, cheesy battles in this game.
Clicking the mouse button repeatedly while two pictures have "hit" or "miss" underneath them just doesn't carry the same effect as guiding troops across a battlefield, even if it's in 2D. There are recoverable aspects of the gameplay, though, namely with the balance players must keep with building up their castle or managing their villagers. The economic feature is what keeps Age of Castles a fun, addictive experience. </p></blockquote><p>Read: <a href="http://www.gametunnel.com/gamespace.php?id=316&tab=3" title="Review">Age of Castles Review</a> </p><p>Spotted @ <a href="http://www.gametunnel.com/">Game Tunnel</a></p>
<p>Game Tunnel recently reviewed yet another goofy-looking shareware game (hard to believe, I know). This time it was <a href="http://www.anarchyent.com/aoc/manual.asp" title="AoC">Age of Castles</a>, a medieval strategy game in the tradition of Lords of the Realm. Since I had never heard of this one, it's worth quoting a section about the gameplay:</p><blockquote><p>The game is played day by day, as players manage money, rotate builders, soldiers, merchants, and clerics around as well as managing other resources. Deciding what the villagers become (builder / soldier / cleric / merchant) determines how the player's castle will grow. Builders allow for housing more gold, while soldiers increase the castle's defense and armory; clerics are able to persuade more people to join the village, and merchants work to make the player more money. Each class serves a different purpose throughout the course of the game, and they each add necessary resources to the players cache. Soldiers, though, require money to increase the castles defenses and raise the player's offensive strength. Because of the amount of money soldiers need to operate, players must fluctuate their management tactics. Players can increase the percentage of villagers assigned to each class increments of 5%. This adds an extra element of strategy, as players will constantly have to keep a watchful eye on the progress of their kingdom, rotating each class as necessary. </p></blockquote><p>GT quite enjoyed all that, but was less enthusiastic about the battles.</p><blockquote><p>The problem came in with the battle sequences...players coming off fun titles like <a href="http://www.gametunnel.com/gamespace.php?id=297&tab=3">Tradewinds Legends</a> will be highly disappointed with the lackluster, cheesy battles in this game.
Clicking the mouse button repeatedly while two pictures have "hit" or "miss" underneath them just doesn't carry the same effect as guiding troops across a battlefield, even if it's in 2D. There are recoverable aspects of the gameplay, though, namely with the balance players must keep with building up their castle or managing their villagers. The economic feature is what keeps Age of Castles a fun, addictive experience. </p></blockquote><p>Read: <a href="http://www.gametunnel.com/gamespace.php?id=316&tab=3" title="Review">Age of Castles Review</a> </p><p>Spotted @ <a href="http://www.gametunnel.com/">Game Tunnel</a></p>
