Games

Best of 2008 | 07 | 06 | 05
Advanced Search

Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed games.

Ancient Wars: Sparta

EMAIL PRINTpc

6.6 User Score:

Mixed or average reviews

Based on 21 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 14 votes
Read user comments
Rate this game >

Game Info

Publisher: Eidos Interactive / Playlogic

Developer: World Forge

Genre(s): Real-Time Strategy

Players: 8

ESRB Rating: M (Mature)

Release Date: April 24, 2007

Summary

Anciet Wars: Sparta is based on the history of the ancient ages and their main nations. Spartans, Persians and Egyptians are fighting for influence around Little Asia, Europe and North Africa. Historical correct timeline is 700-300 BC and the action takes place with different campaigns for all three races. Sparta represents 3D strategy in real time with the new developed Ancient Wars Engine (AWE), where the player will have to use each nation’s powers to be superior over other competitors and build up a driving and ruling faction. The main emphasis is on large-scaled battles and complex tactical manoeuvres. Additional to this, a new method of army equipment is represented. Warriors can be equipped with weapons and shields, can be put on horses or on chariots and be given special abilities. The player can collect abandoned weapons after battles or import powerful weapons from other cultures to build more powerful and different special units. Additionally the forces of nature are very important, because fire, find etc. will affect the whole environment. Cities can be upgraded (e.g. turned to fortresses), workers gather resources to ensure the economic part. [Playlogic]

Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

PC Format

It may not be particularly beautiful to look at, but it's tactical and challenging enough to keep you occupied. [June 2007, p.64]

GameShark

A game with a different and effective spin on an old idea.

Read Full Review >

PC Zone UK

Wannabe "Age of Empires". [July 2007, p.82]

Gamers Europe

If you stick with it, though, and you don't mind your games on the slow but strategic side, you should find a fun and inventive title hiding under all the faults.

Read Full Review >

Game Over Online

Lacking. It lacks original gameplay. It lacks excitement. It lacks anything that might set it apart from any number of entirely uninspiring RTS games that have come out in the last 2 years. And most of all, it lacks the level of interest required to have me write another word about it.

Read Full Review >

PC Gamer

Sparta doesn't have much meat on its bones - we've all been there and done that, just maybe not as Spartans. [Sept 2007, p.62]

Worth Playing

A very generic RTS game. It's graphically appealing, but in terms of gameplay, there are many better RTS offerings out there.

Read Full Review >

GameSpot

Don't expect any grand, over-the-top treatment of Spartan history, as Sparta: Ancient Wars is a very generic real-time strategy game.

Read Full Review >

IGN

None of the presentation, unit design, tactical options, or factions were interesting enough to capture my attention and when an RTS junkie like me doesn't want to jump back in for another skirmish, there's definitely a lack of substance, style, or both.

Read Full Review >

PC Gamer UK

Grossly predictable. [June 2007, p.84]

GameZone

If you want to jump in with the current "300-craze" and play it your way - this will sate your cravings with no regrets. However, if you have a shelf of BC themed RPG titles, you won't feel like you have anything new.

Read Full Review >

GamingExcellence

However, it hasn’t been patched yet, six months after its release, so it’s unlikely it ever will be. Sadly, this game is thus doomed to end up in the bargain bin.

Read Full Review >

Game Chronicles

A by-the-numbers RTS that offers few surprises.

Read Full Review >

Cheat Code Central

There really isn't a lot going on in Ancient Wars: Sparta in terms of strategy. That said, it's not an easy game to play, but you have to play by a specific set of rules - rules that would rather have you collecting resources than employing strategies on the battlefield.

Read Full Review >

Play.tm

Given the intriguing nature of the narrative and the potential for development in such a plot, it's surprising to see such a bland title. 300 offered a glimpse of what could have been created with a little imagination and it is a shame that Ancient Wars - Sparta, despite the innovative unit management system, fails to deliver overall.

Read Full Review >

AceGamez

For a brief play it serves a purpose well enough, but if you really want to get the most out of this exciting period of ancient combat then you'll want to wait until something more inspired comes along, because Ancient Wars is just a bit too spartan to give you the experience that you are hoping for.

Read Full Review >

Strategy Informer

If you have the sheer will power to push on through the vast mire of early drudgeries, there are jewels to be found buried deep within Ancient Wars: Sparta, but whether you’ll still be motivated enough to really enjoy them is another matter.

Read Full Review >

Eurogamer

Instead of the kind of solid, varied combat which the RTS genre has been steadily evolving towards over the years, Ancient Wars: Sparta falls back on resource management for its core gameplay. Distressingly, this is a sub-"Age Of Empires" affair which rapidly becomes a chore.

Read Full Review >

Sydney Morning Herald

There's no option to edit the keyboard layout; the way your soldiers navigate the terrain can be erratic; tight map designs feel tactically restrictive; building armies is a slow process; and the overall presentation is extremely rough around the edges, including clumsy dialogue and grainy cut-scenes. "Total War" or "Supreme Commander" are better options.

Read Full Review >

Games Radar (in-house)

A slower, less colorful Age of Empires. None of the research trees make much sense (you need to go through multiple steps just to get a spearman) and by the time you get to the cool weapons like scythed chariots and elephants you won’t care very much.

Read Full Review >

G4 TV

Ancient Wars: Sparta just isn’t an enjoyable game. The only reason it’s not getting one star is because technically, the game is very proficient and quite polished.

Read Full Review >

What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 6.6 (out of 10) based on 14 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Alex Q. gave it a10:
Exquisitely crafted with exceptional beauty and easy flow of Graphics. Although it may be a little hard to follow at first, and the overwhelmingly customizable might shook some people. But it is over all a solid RTS Old-places game.

Tristan H. gave it a1:
It Sucks. The graphics is nice, the Requirments to get up the Tech tree are Lame. The Plot could use some work, bigger maps. and better work on the economy, i spent 9/10 of my time Collecting Resources then marching over enemies.

Stu M. gave it a3:
This is an extremly poor RTS with a number of huge flaws. The most irritating of these is the voice acting which is appaling i personally could not cope with listening to the voices in the cut seen so i skipped every single one. Secondly if you are a fan of ancient history this is not a game for you the flaws in the story line or so astronomical as to make it entirely pathetic it looks like someone with the most basic and limited knowledge of the eras invovled took a stab at making up their own storyline. Third, the human controlled AI is sometimes so stupid its ridiculous, walking into walls rather than arround them, you sometime have to lead them round to areas bit by bit, very annoying to say the least. Other lesser problems include the insane economy everythings so over priced the only way to build an army is by collecting arms not in itself a bad concept but theres little differences between the different sides weapons and theres no bonuses or limitations from using a differents sides weapons to your own troops. Which seems like its lacking. Aside from a few economic problems the campaigns are reasonable but boring you just come away feeling this is a very basic game that got pushed through to try and make money off the back of 300 the movie. Anyway, its not good and anyone who thinks it is chould play c&c3 or supreme commander.

Aaron P. gave it a10:
This game is awesome. You get to have naval battles and you get to equip your troops with custom weopons. This game is a must buy for rts fans

Sam A. gave it an8:
I found it very enjoyable but some aspecs will anoy everyone except the most avid RTS fan. Not for everyone but it is a fairly solid RTS game.

Joe M. gave it a3:
This game just isn't very fun. It seriously looks like a game you would buy 10 years ago. The graphics are nothing special, and the characters just look weird. The whole feel to the game is just way overused. Theres nothing new added to the RTS genre, it just uses old school ideas.

Games

Sony

Microsoft

Nintendo

Other Platforms

Upcoming &Recent Releases

Ancient Wars: Sparta

Game Info

Summary

What The Critics Said

What Our Users Said

Upcoming &
Recent Releases