Review: Caesar 4 game

Eight years on from its prequel, Caesar 4 arrives in a gaming market that has drastically changed. City building titles, which used to be so ubiquitous on the home computer, have been replaced by sophisticated role-playing games.

However, that was part of the reason why we were so excited to see this classic series return, and on the whole it’s an accomplished and addictive title, if let down by a few quibbles.

The developer hasn’t reinvented the wheel here, but has tried to make the ideal of evolving your Roman town a much more absorbing affair. The link between your everyday activities, such as growing grain, and the key financial elements such as trading with other towns is beautifully structured and thoroughly satisfying.

As it’s based on an ancient civilisation, the success of your city requires that the upper classes, or nobles as they were known, are kept in good stead. Keeping the nobles happy is key as they are the ones that provide the tax revenue, which in turn allows you to generate the building blocks of ye olde metropolis.

Along with maintaining your own city’s growth, you’re at the mercy of the big cheeses in Rome. Upset the rulers by failing to provide them with goods and you’re a target for removal.

So while the bedrock of Caesar 4 makes for addictive gameplay, there are some aforementioned gripes that kill the flow enough to keep it from achieving classic status.

First up, while it looks extremely impressive, it’s still a smidgeon from great. You’ll also need a fast computer with a good graphics card to play it. Not helping is the dubious and sometimes inaccurate control system that forces you to make several clicks of the mouse to get a job done.

Next up is the occasionally overwhelming amount of information you have to deal with, and coping with all this can be extremely tricky. You’re left to keep tabs of so many components that at times you’ll forget about key elements and your hard work can quickly go to pot.

So while it’s great to have the franchise back, it’s not quite been worth the lengthy wait. But there’re lots of touches to admire here, and it also scores points for its excellent multiplayer, which contains a series of short challenges that are great fun. These offer a nice diversion to the sometimes cumbersome solo game, and make Caesar a recommended, if not essential, title.

Also consider:
Age of Empires III: War Chiefs
Overall: It doesn’t mess about much with the Age of Empires formula, but if you’re already a veteran, then War Chiefs is a must-have.
Rating: 4
Price: £25

Civ City Rome
Overall: Build it and they will come. Or not, as the case may be
Rating: 4
Price: £35

All simulation games