Reviewed: November 6, 2008
Reviewed by: John DeWeese

Publisher
DreamCatcher Interactive

Developer
World Forge

Released: May 2, 2008
Genre: RTS
Players: 1-8

4
6
5
4
4.5

System Requirements

Look, I have no problems with developer World Forge changing how they market their products. But the new box doesn't warn Ancient Wars: Sparta owners that they already have this game. The only "new" feature is the Alexander the Great campaign, which for all practical purposes is the same as the original Spartan campaign.

Even if you're completely new to this game, I still can't recommend it. The RTS genre has come a long way in the past year, and the only improvements Great War Nations: The Spartans make on the first Age of Empires is nicer graphics and more gore. Otherwise, you're stuck with two boring single player campaigns, a handful of multiplayer maps, poor unit path finding, and a brain-dead AI.. Sure you can witness massive battles, as long as you’re willing to first spend a half hour collecting enough resources to buy your first spearman.

Players command one of the four world powers circa 500 B.C. – the Spartans, the Persians, the Egyptians, and the Macedonians. For the record, the Macedonians are carbon copies of the Spartans and only available in the Alexander the Great campaign. You’ll get a chance to control such historic heroes as the Spartan King Leonidas and Persian Emperor Xerxes in the Spartan campaign, or Alexander the Great and Persian Emperor Darius in the Macedonian campaign. These heroes have some special abilities and attacks, but should be viewed as super versions of regular troops.

One of the game’s few innovative features is the ability to customize your troops down to what kind of dagger they carry. The unit template system further makes it easy to crank out cheap cannon fodder or elite shock troops with the best weapons. You can also capture weapons from dead enemies.

Otherwise, Great War Nations: The Spartans does not fix any of the huge flaws of Ancient Wars: Sparta.. Units still get trapped in narrow corridors or suddenly freeze up and refuse to attack nearby enemies. The AI still poses no real challenge to veteran RTS players. Finally, the economy is a complete grind. Whereas most modern strategy games have either streamlined or eliminated resource gathering, this game takes an old school approach. Players have to create a legion of miners and woodcutters before you even think about producing your first warrior. The research system is even more painful, ensuring your troops will be fighting with clubs for several minutes until you can finally research a proper spear or shield.

Great War Nations: The Spartans has a solid physics engine. Soldiers fly through the air when hit by elephants or collapse in a spray of blood when they die. War galleys that suffer too much damage break in two and slip beneath the waves. I applaud World Forge for portraying actual blood in a war game, something surprisingly few developers do nowadays.

But the RTS genre has really advanced in the past year. New games such as Command & Conquer 3, or the upcoming Empire: Total War and Dawn of War II, have raised the graphics bar much higher, and this game cannot keep up with the competition. The music is decent and the sound effects are quite good, but unfortunately neither can truly overcome the painful voice acting.

Unless you're a hardcore RTS fan or a massive history buff, there's no reason to own Great War Nations: The Spartans. The campaigns are downright boring, and the lack of multiplayer maps means the game has little replay value.

If World Forge repackaged an old game for a quick buck, then they've pulled one of the lamest stunts I've seen in a long time. However, if they're trying to launch a new series of RTS games around the "Great War Nations" theme, I really hope they look into beefing up their AI and making combat more of a focus than chopping wood.

I really think there is a market for old school strategy games with modern graphics, but these games still have to emphasize fun over tedium. If you’re going to make a game about great historical warriors and legendary battles, make sure your players can quickly join the thick of the fight.