Caesar II

The second installment of the popular series of economic games, in which we play the role of the manager of the Roman Empire. The aim of the struggle is to expand the city in the designated provinces and turn the virgin land into a vibrant metropolis, which is a commercial, industrial and cultural centre.

When expanding the city, we must take care not only of plots for houses for future residents, but also of other facilities, such as theatres, hospitals, schools and shopping centres. All residents also need a constant supply of drinking water, which we bring to the city through a dense network of aqueducts. Equally important is the construction of religious centres and buildings serviced by municipal guards. In order for the metropolis to function properly, we also need to ensure that a sufficient number of plebeians are employed. A shortage of employees in one of the branches may cause undesired effects. For example: the lack of people needed to keep roads in a proper order, is going to cause their slow destruction. In such cases, the player is forced to send out additional funds from the city's ticket office, which are necessary for costly renovations.

Due to the fact that maintaining employees and expanding the city are very expensive, the player must pay close attention to the state of finances and, if possible, acquire new sources of income. In addition to the classic form of collecting money from residents through taxes, there is also the possibility of developing industry and trading in the manufactured goods. Here we bow down to the provincial screen, in which we see our city in great diminution. By connecting the metropolis with the neighbouring provinces, we establish trade routes, establish production points for raw materials, and also control the army. Our estates are often attacked by barbarians, so border protection is as important as the classic extension of the city. Admittedly, the military aspect is not very complicated, but it is enough for Caesar II not to be treated only as an economic game.

The program offers an extensive campaign in which we have to conquer a pre-determined number of provinces (their number depends on the level of difficulty chosen). After moving on to the next stage of the competition, we choose the region we are interested in, which in a sense will make it easier or more difficult for us to continue the game. When settling in new Provinces, it is important to think about oneself all the time. Reserves on the manager's account may be useful when the city's ticket office runs out of funds. In order to finish the struggle in a given area, we have to meet the criteria required by the game in one of the four areas: peace, culture, wealth and the development of the empire. They are symbolized by columns and are easily accessible from the program menu.

Caesar II offers nice, colourful graphics in isometric projection, displayed in high resolution mode (640x480). Carefully constructed buildings turn into beautiful objects before our eyes, which additionally increases the visual experience. As befits an economic game, the program is equipped with a number of options, which will allow us to check what investments seem to be most needed at the moment. Despite its apparent complexity, the user interface is extremely easy to use and allows you to easily access the necessary functions of the program.

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Last updated on August 14, 2015