Previewed: March 30, 2004
Previewed by: Henry Kim

Publisher
Enlight Interactive

Developer
Haemimont Games

Release Date: March 26, 2004
Genre: RTS
Players: 8
ESRB: Teen

View Screenshots (9 Images)

Nemesis of the Roman Empire is the sequel to Celtic Kings: Rage of Wars, both by Enlight. Celtic Kings has received many accolades and from what I’ve read was an excellent game in its own right. Nemesis seems to have expanded on many elements from Celtic Kings as well as continuing from the same storyline.

Taking a page out of a history book, Nemesis of the Roman Empire is somewhat of a time machine transporting players back to the Punic Wars between Rome and Carthage surrounding Hannibal Barca. There, they get to choose either side and basically play as an all-seeing god in a very realistic and well-crafted war simulation.

You can choose from four races: Gauls, Romans, Iberians and Carthaginians then start from scratch with the basic elements standard in a complex war strategy such as the hero, a nearby village (a.k.a. a farm that provides resources), and a town from which you will command and protect. It’s up to the player to gather resources (food, gold, etc.), train soldiers and build their respective empires.

I was a tad overwhelmed with the basic “learning the ropes” mechanics of the game but could still appreciate the amount of depth involved. Nemesis of the Roman Empire goes beyond just building units and sending them out to seek and wreck havoc on the darkened areas of the map. Extra care is needed for your soldiers and units since they use up food even after you’ve sent them away. However, after a few skirmishes and getting the knack of things, the game grants players with upgrades in the way of items that provide heroes and units with special abilities.

There’s also side quests/tasks to find particular items needed for battle. In this aspect, Nemesis of the Roman Empire has the aura of an RPG and gives you a chance to evolve your favorite character(s). This provides a high amount of depth and potential to the game. Probably one of the most important effects of this game is that it truly makes the player think. Yes folks and parents, games have the ability to flex our brain muscles in addition to wearing out our fingers/eyes. It features actual historical battles and real world maps. Nemesis of the Roman Empire will please fans of RPG and RTS alike all while giving them a chance to learn and immerse themselves in a part of history.

In terms of the technical aspects, this is where the game has its most compelling points. The graphics were smooth and very detailed. It supports up to a 1024x768 resolution. The animations were fluid from the lowly peasants gathering food to the heroes trotting on horseback. Along with a well-crafted and ambient orchestral soundtrack with trumpets blaring, Enlight Interactive does their job in creating the ancient Romanesque atmosphere.

I did however have a bit of a quibble with the game interface. As mentioned briefly before, I consider myself to be a very novice RTS gamer, but could still appreciate a good RTS game that was quick to pick up and would suck me into their little worlds. Nemesis of the Roman Empire challenges the player to think, however for me personally it challenged me to think a little harder than necessary.

The tutorial was helpful at first, but soon enough the explanations and commands they required seemed a little tedious. Following through like any new player willing to learn, I felt the interface was a little vague to understand. I found myself spending a good deal of time trying to send food and resources from the nearby village to my stronghold in town. After endless right-clicks and five mules later, only then was I able to figure out that it was an understated matter of clicking on the village and then the town.

The help guide that comes in the form of notes wasn’t specific enough and I found it to be rather frustrating. I read them over and over again and at one point exclaimed to my monitor “OK I got you but how?!” It explained in more detail when the tasks were first assigned, but when I looked back to the notes for reference, those details were gone. Perhaps a more intuitive and step-by-step interface would have made for a more smooth and enjoyable gaming experience. It didn’t have the simplicity and ease of learning that the other RTS games I’ve tried had. I didn’t want to feel like the tasks and commands were tedious chores, but they became such anyway.

However, I understand that in order to have the amount of depth and challenge the game offered, it had to go beyond having a standard number of units and resources all laid out for you. It certainly had the experienced RTS gamers in mind, who most likely could figure the basic steps easier than a newbie like myself. Once again I could appreciate the amount of realism involved by having to start from scratch, I just didn’t want to feel like I had to go truly grass roots to begin my empire.

That said, Nemesis of the Roman Empire will definitely quench the thirsts of die-hard RTS fans who crave a little something extra to their tactical battles. It certainly has debuted as one of the deeper and complex RTS games out there. The added RPG flavor is a welcome element and adds more involvement to the entire experience.

Nemesis of the Roman Empire promises a customizable map editor, 25+ capacity multiplayer modes, two in-depth single player campaigns, and support for up to 8 players in the LAN and Internet games. This was definitely designed to be a game that the entire block could play simultaneously.

For those new to the RTS genre, this game may scare you off from any future games of this type, and that would be a shame considering the plethora of quality titles available; however, for the expert and seasoned veterans of commanding peons, marines, elves, and protoss, Nemesis of the Roman Empire looks like the title to both enthrall and educate you at the same time.