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Empires: Dawn of the Modern World

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8.3 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 22 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 41 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Activision

Developer: Stainless Steel Studios

Genre(s): Real-Time Strategy

Players: 8

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Release Date: October 21, 2003

Summary

From renowned game designer Rick Goodman and respected game developer Stainless Steel Studios comes a detailed RTS that lets you completely command unique, historically accurate civilizationsfrom China to Germany and the United States. From the Middle Ages to World War II, lead your nation to dominate the globe. Each civilization's strengths and weaknesses affect the gameplay experience. Your ability to adapt to these differences is only one of the challenges you will face as a world leader. [Activision]

Also On Metacritic

GAMES: Empire Earth

Also On The Web: GameSpot Preview GameSpy Developer Diary GameSpy Preview IGN Preview 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...

Game Chronicles

The team really outdid themselves in differentiating the different societies. This was done while still keeping a delicate balance. No one "civ" has the advantage.

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GameZone

This focused approach allows the game to present more of a story-driven environment that is effectively dramatic in its mostly factual portrayal of historical events.

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IGN

I simply can't think of an RTS this good that lets you get this close to your units. When dropped down the ground, the camera reveals lots of fantastic detail on each of the units.

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PC Gameworld

A great Real Time Strategy from the company behind "Empire Earth," this game will keep you coming back for more.

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GameSpy

The basic gameplay is rock-solid, and fans of multiplayer RTS games will get far more than their money's worth out of it.

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Armchair Empire

An undeniable solid gaming experience that should be in the library of hardcore strategy fans. Any failings are mostly made up for in Empire’s shear depth.

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ActionTrip

May not be as involving and complex as the Microsoft’s classic "Rise of Nations" or Creative Assembly’s epic "Shogun: Total War," but it does blend many different gameplay elements that make it an exciting RTS experience. Visually breathtaking scenes coupled with intriguing scenarios and a well-structured storyline should be enough to satisfy any RTS fan.

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GameSpot

As a refinement of the "Age of Empires" legacy, Empires offers enough that's new to even appeal to those who aren't card-carrying RTS fans.

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Game Informer

Multiplayer is an incredibly diverse experience, and offers something quite different from the big boys. [Dec 2003, p.182]

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Game Over Online

The three storylines, united by the common theme of treachery, are wonderfully scripted, making Empires a vast improvement over its predecessor.

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Gamers' Temple

Anyone willing to put in the time and effort, though, will find Empires: Dawn of the Modern World has it where it counts. The basic gameplay is rock-solid, and fans of multiplayer RTS games will get far more than their money's worth out of it.

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Computer Gaming World

A solid entry that makes some great, if initially unapparent, changes to the standard formula. [Feb 2004, p.66]

PC Gamer

Nothing truly groundbreaking, but it's an excellent multiplayer RTS game. [Jan 2004, p.106]

Yahoo! Games

The variety of nations means there's a lot here to experience and master, and the interesting and novel tactical choices the game offers will bring smiles to many faces.

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GamerFeed

While the end-game phase can sometimes feel like it's lasting forever, and some of the more difficult missions may turn away most casual players, this is a very strong game.

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Worth Playing

A solid game with some good personality built into it compared to Stainless Steel's first offering, "Empire Earth."

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G4 TV

Certainly the most mature and well-balanced of Goodman's titles, and it succeeds more often than not.

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Gamer's Hell

An improvement over Empire Earth, with newer graphics, more settings, options, and the original EE editor. Some serious work went into this game, just not enough polish overall.

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Computer Games Magazine

Empires isn't flashy or exotic enough to be crowned the new event horizon of the now officially clogged "historical" real-time strategy wheelhouse, but it's likable and shinier than most. [Feb 2004, p.64]

eToychest

A solid entry in the RTS market, but it's marred by appalling AI which detracts greatly from the single-player experience. Additionally, it's so similar in gameplay to Empire Earth that I find it hard to believe that it didn't begin its development as an add-on for that title.

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Gamer's Pulse

It doesn’t do much to further the genre.

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Gamezilla!

This lack of variety in empires also leads to limited possibilities for opposing forces in your random games, to say the least. You'll spend a lot of time facing the Koreans.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 8.3 (out of 10) based on 41 User Votes

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

Dom G gave it a10:
Let me just start out to say that this is a game that I personally love. This game features many different environments and civilizations. Very high quality game and I recommend it.

[Anonymous] gave it a10:
This is the best god-strategy game I've played ever. Though the character animations are a bit choppy at times, the vehicle detail is excellent and the water is awesome for a game as old as it is.

Nick H. gave it a6:
Such a horribly average game. Nothing special whatsoever. It's not bad, but it's not good. The thing that I hate (maybe too strong of a word) most of all is that it plays like a rip off of it's creators game "Empire Earth." Basically E:DotMW has taken Age of Empires, Age of Empires 2, and Empire Earth... rolled them up in better than average engine and then stripped itself of everything neat and innovative. You've played it before. You'll play it again. If you do buy it, turn the sound off (horrid effects and acting) and crank the diffuculty up to something above normal (AI is average, at best). Wait until this game lands in the bargin bin - which won't be long... it's 18 bucks at Best Buy. (liked the English campaign though... think it was English... all ran together)

Manny B. gave it an8:
To me this is one of the best RTS games I have ever played, the only bad thing about it is the lack of variety of Countries to play and troops.

Alessandro T. gave it an 8:
I really like this game. The nations really differentiate themselves during the game and the graphics are very beautiful. You can also implement massive cities and armies and the game is still fluent. Very good game, an improvement from Empire Earth. The campaing are also long and interesting (Richard Lionheart, General Patton, Admiral Yi).

[Anonymous] gave it a 10:
This game is truly awesome. Especially the multiplayer. The only downside is the gamespy arcade but it isn't their fault!

Rodger E. gave it a 3:
In this game, some of the possible military outcomes are very strange. To take but two examples, medieval cavalry can defeat tanks and sailing ships can sink 20th Century battleships. I acknowledge that reality sometimes needs bending in order to give a good game, but hey, this product makes claims of "realism", and I think that the liberties taken here are plain daft. Oh, and the AI is very poor.....

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Empires: Dawn of the Modern World

Game Info

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