Reviews / previews
Forget about the extremely Nordic-looking Cleopatra on the box art: this game's an add-on module for Sierra's Pharaoh, which was in turn a redressing, in Ancient Egyptian garb, of Impressions' 1998 hit, Caesar III. It has as much to do with Marc Antony's main squeeze as sound bites have to do with ideas.
So what is Cleopatra about? It's a real-time strategy game focusing on the micromanagement of resources, rather than combat. As in Pharaoh, you begin with a piece of jungle or desert real estate, a sum of money, and a series of mission goals, which include achieving a set population, a series of ratings (prosperity, etc), adding a costly monument, or defeating a series of enemies. In theory, you can build any way you want, selecting from several dozen different buildings with unique effects-like clay pits, marketplaces, clinics, and temples dedicated to specific gods who, if not properly worshipped, will levy a curse on your people. In practice, you're severely constrained by climate, geography, your goals, the goods that other cities will trade for, and the aggressiveness of certain neighbors.
Cleopatra provides fifteen new scenarios, which can be played individually or as a complete campaign. There's no multiplayer aspect to the game, but the easy-to-use, highly customizable map editor allows you to create your own missions.
There are a few new minor elements added to Cleopatra. You'll need to harvest henna and build Paint Maker shops, so that members of the Artisan's Guild can add pictures to the walls of dark tombs.You'll also have to import oil for your new Lamp Maker. Challenges come from lions, asps, and scorpions, and you can expect attacks from Assyrians, Persians, Phoenicians, Romans, and graverobbers, although the primitive combat is still a matter of simply throwing melee troops at invaders and keeping archers at a distance.
While Cleopatra's more advanced scenarios are quite difficult, for the most part they're no more difficult than the average fare in Pharaoh. The greatest challenge isn't Romans, gods, or scorpions, but a tedium that gradually steals over the game. Like its predecessor, Cleopatra reaches a point where all the elements have been introduced and juggled to maximum effect. After that, it's simply a matter of (apologies to Hannibal) elephantine progression: developing a population of 10,000 instead of 7,000, or building the Library of Alexandria instead of a royal burial tomb.
That said, Cleopatra, like its predecessors, is just plain fun to watch, with its crowded streets thronged with servants, magistrates, and immigrants. There's a simulation aspect to Cleopatra that makes it resemble SimCity 3000, but with more individual personality.
If you liked Pharoah, you should enjoy Cleopatra. And if you enjoy both, keep an eye out for Zeus, a Greek recasting of the Caesar III engine, this fall. What's next after that, Impressions? Shangri-La? Atlantis? Peoria?-- Barry Brenesal / GamePro
Got an opinion about Cleopatra? Or maybe know a good cheat or strategy? Share it with the world!