The turn-based
strategy genre can, at times, be a challenging, quick-decision, exploration that
feels like chess on steroids. You don’t have a lot of time to think so you react
and that translates into victory or defeat that is played out rather well
graphically. On the flip side, though, it can also digress into a ponderous
micro-managing affair in which each turn seems to last forever and progress
feels agonizingly slow.
Lost Empire:
Immortals tends toward the latter category simply because the development team (Pollux
Gamelabs; Paradox is the publisher) has packed so much into this that it has a
grander scope than a Cecil B. DeMille epic from the latter portion of his
filmmaking career.
The plot line
is a bit tired. An ancient race is down to its last two living beings, and they
wish to rebuild the empire they once knew. To that end, they are calling in
existing mortal races to further their cause by colonizing the galaxies. Sounds
simple, but when you consider that hundreds of star systems occupy the smallest
of the game’s maps, you begin to get the feeling that this is not a game you
will conquer in a weekend. That’s the good news. The bad news is that unless you
are an absolutely dedicated fan, the pacing is such that you may give up and
move on to something else long before you conquer even a single small map.
But the nuances
of Lost Empire does manage to generate a sense of wonder, once you get past the
daunting feeling.
Micro-management is the key to this game. You have to colonize planets and do so
to the benefit of your burgeoning empire. You will need to find planets to
sustain a growing population simply because you will need the revenue generated
from taxes; mining worlds provides the materials for the huge
resource/technology tree; agricultural planets feed the populace, and so on.
Some of the worlds, if you plan correctly, can act as a hub for resources to
move outward.
As you climb
the tech tree, you receive better bonuses to your abilities, but each time you
research you have to invest time to progress along the tree and that is another
of the game’s attributes or failings (depending on your perspective) – Immortals
is a huge time sink that requires dedicated time to move through the world
toward the end game.
The game itself
can be played in either a sandbox mode or in the campaign mode. The latter does
have a story arc that pulls players through the game. The game has an
interesting dynamic when it comes to combat. Everything you have done before
comes into play, but you don’t actually handle the combat yourself. This is a
turn-based game, so while you are making your decisions, the computer is doing
the same. At the end of all your management, you hit the button that ends your
turn and that is when any conflicts are resolved in a 3D-esque display. Yes, you
can move the camera around to watch the battle, but you can’t have any input.
This is where the time spent in ship design, armament and such pays off. If you
have done your research correctly, you may win. If not, the outcome will likely
not favor you.
The game’s
graphics are not what one would consider to be in step with some of the latest
releases, but manage to get the job done. The controls are accessible, but there
is a minor learning curve with this game.
Lost Empire:
Immortals is not for the faint hearted in the TBS genre, nor is it really an
introductory title for those wishing to get a taste of the strategy class. This
is a game that is built for the hardcore turn-based enthusiast who enjoys
spending hours micro-managing virtually every aspect of their civilization.
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Gameplay: 6.0
This is the type of
game where you feel that you have just invested a lot of time and accomplished
little. The game moves at a snail’s pace, with the requirement that each step is
carefully measured. For those that enjoy that kind of in-depth gaming, this is
exactly what the game guru ordered; for the rest, this pacing will prove
frustrating. The control scheme has a minor learning curve, but once you
understand the scheme, everything is accessible and you can focus attention on
the game itself not in trying to figure out what you need to do to accomplish a
set task.
Graphics: 6.5
While not stellar
(pun intended), they do manage to get the job done. The focus here is on the
gameplay, not on the imagery.
Sound: 5.0
Not much here and
you can turn off your speakers without losing too much in the process.
Difficulty: Medium/Hard
Concept: 6.5
This is a hard
category to grade out simply because the game seems to have incorporated all the
elements that any good TBS should have, and then does it on a grand scale. But
if there is such a thing as being too big, or too grand, Immortals flirts with
that concept.
Overall: 6.5
Massive and daunting
easily describe this game. Lost Empire: Immortal is not a game for the
first-time turn-based strategy gamer, but rather for that niche that wants to
micro-manage every nuance of a society and slowly (sometimes it feels
agonizingly slow) build up to a point where you truly are the power in the
universe. If you are prepared to invest a lot of time in this game, you will see
the rewards. For those, though, wanting to get in, play and accomplish something
substantial in small time windows, this is not the game for you.
