Well, my semester is currently hell. But the weather report forcasts a severe break in the storm front on April 20, and I fully plan to reward myself. Now, my primary form of reward is going to be to go to a bunch of minor league baseball games, a trip to Chicago and possibly a camping trip. But I also need to plan for that stretch of rain that will pile up during some midweek in May.
And to the Teeming Millions I turn. I need a good strategy game. I would prefer something turn-based. Something I can save at 4:00am and turn back on when I get back from work. For the record, I love Civilization I/II, and am considering Civ III. But then I saw Heroes of Might and Magic IV in the computer store at lunch today, and it looks fantastic.
So I did a cursory search on GameSpot to see what good strategy games are out there - and it looks like there’s a bunch. And I can’t possibly comprehend and process all of that information. I imagine that there are several Dopers who have a pretty good grasp on the market out there, and can give me an idea of what I’m looking at.
Also, I should mention that I don’t want something that’s primarily multiplayer - I don’t have the time or dedication (or connection) for something so complicated.
Civ 3 is pretty good, and makes for an extremely long game on the huge world settings. (The problem, as with other Civs, is not saving at 4am, but rather saving AND quitting! No, just one more turn, and then I’m going to bed.)
My personal favorite is Alpha Centauri, because I love the unit design framework. Colony pods with helicopter rotors! And sea cities!
I second Europa Univeralis 2. It’s best on multiplayer of course, but the computer can give you a run for the money. Especially if you get a bad reputation, then you’re in perpetual war. This is good because it’s not strictly a war monger’s game, economy and diplomacy are very important.
If you want to save some bucks, try to get the complete HOMM 3 series (in case you don’t have it already). For less than what you’d pay for Heroes 4 you get a complete game and the 2 expansion sets - I think in all it comes to over 200 maps and scenarios, not to mention the Random Scenario Generator, the map editor, and (in case you get lonely) multiplayer.
You can’t go wrong.
Unless you already own it. In which case I suggest… MAME and a bunch of early-80’s arcade ROMS.
JohnT, is there any significant difference between HMM III and IV? Did they add anything extra to the new one to make you quit your day job and shun the sun?
Because I really like your idea - I’m especially warming up to the prospect of not having to wait for patches to come out and also having immediate access to the expansions.
Actually, the difference between HoMM3 and HoMM4 are QUITE significant. It’s not simply a facelift or new maps, quite a bit of the engine (especially combat and towns) are different. As a huge fan of the series, I’d recommend HoMM4 at this point, although you can’t go wrong with 3 either.
Another vote for Europa Universalis II*. Deepest historical strategy game there is ( steep learning curve as well, but it is very satisfying once you get the hang of it ).
But myself, I’m off to pick up HOMM IV which I didn’t realize was already out .
The Red Alert and Command & Conquer games sound about right for what you are talking about.
If you want something more realistic, the Close Combat series of WWII-based RTS games is supposedly very good, but they are pretty different from AOE II - there is no resource gathering or building of units, you are usually assigned a certain number of points to ‘purchase’ what units you want, and you have to deal with morale - your units will disobey you if you tell them to do something clearly suicidal, and will flee without you asking them to if things start getting too bad.
Has anybody played Black & White. It looks interesting in a supreme-being-ruler-of-the-known-universe type way.
You should get that one, Munch, and then tell me if I should buy it.
I was disappointed. Interesting concept, but the controls are clumsy and difficult to master, the original release was buggy as hell ( that may be fixed now, but I still want to bitch about it ), and after the novelty wore off, I found the gameplay pretty boring. It did not enjoy a long lifespan on my harddrive ( not as short as Pool of Radiance though - Now there is a piece of crap game which I had really been looking forward to ).
YMMV however. I know a few people that really got into it, so it might just be personal taste and/or lack of patience on my part ( the controls really buged me ).
), and after the novelty wore off, I found the gameplay pretty boring. It did not enjoy a long lifespan on my harddrive ( not as short as Pool of Radiance though - Now there is a piece of crap game which I had really been looking forward to ).