Rise of Nations: Thrones & Patriots
2004
- real time strategy (rts)
- strategy
- fantasy
- historical
- single player
- multiplayer
The story
Rise of Nations: Thrones and Patriots is the official expansion pack to the real-time strategy computer game Rise of Nations. The game is the second in a series of Rise of Nations games by Big Huge Games. Thrones and Patriots expanded on a variety of features in the original game, such as new monuments (called "Wonders"), nations, governments, and campaigns. It adds six nations, 4 new conquer-the-world modes, and the "Patriot" special general unit and the senate building. Gameplay still remains similar to Rise of Nations, with its wide span of ages and players still manage and expand their nations at the macro and micro levels. However, Thrones and Patriots has campaigns which offer more turn-based strategy features than the original and the ability to make decisions outside of combat. Up to eight players can play in multiplayer matches, with artificial intelligence being able to fill slots at the server host's choice. Various features were added to the game in an attempt to balance gameplay, including the addition of armed caravans and merchants.
What it’s like
Crisp, sun-bleached map views and busy, miniature cities built up across the ages, with tiny units streaming over rivers and desert dunes under a bright, mostly daytime palette. The soundscape is martial but unhurried: drums and brass swell as armies march, while city bustle, clinking mining carts and distant cannon fire fill the gaps. The vibe is brisk, cerebral and a little grand, the kind of game that suits a focused weekend session at the desk, an evening of one more turn-timer campaign, or a long run of skirmishes with friends. Pacing is steady and managerial rather than frantic, with economy building and expansion punctuated by sudden clashes; the emotional register is competitive and cool-headed, and the sense of arc comes from a small nation gradually becoming a sprawling empire. Intensity is moderate: warfare is abstract and bloodless, with explosions and burning ruins shown from a bird's-eye distance and no gore or sexual content. It is best for strategy fans who enjoy watching an empire grow, optimising resources and deciding when to go to war, and less suited to anyone wanting a gentle, low-stakes wander.
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