Age of Conquest IV

Being a king or an emperor back in the day was quite the stressful job, especially if you planned on expanding your territory a bit. War was always just around the corner back then, which is why everyone had tall walls and fortresses to make sure that they resisted a sudden assault. On the other hand, global politics did not really exist, which meant that no one complained if one empire held dominion over everything in sight.

Age of Conquest IV is a turn-based strategy game very similar to Risk, but which provides you with additional options and scenarios. As such, although the experience feels very familiar, you get to play with a few new toys and apply a few interesting strategies, some of which are not possible in Risk. However, there are drawbacks as well, mainly because the gameplay is a bit too simple in some cases.

To begin with, it is worth noting that the game provides you with multiple maps and scenarios to choose from. The maps include the Ancient Europe and a few other continents, but the scenarios are the most fun part, because you can really customize your experience. As such, it’s possible to live through the rise of Rome, see it fall, or even go much later than that and watch over a more modern civilization.

The simplicity can be hurtful sometimes, especially since there’s not much of an option when it comes to the troops you are using. Instead, most of your job is making sure you produce as many of them as possible, which is achieved with a few clicks. Granted, it’s your duty to use them wisely and capture as much territory as you wish, because more territories under your control means more currency earned after every turn.

Speaking of which, the action takes place in a turn-based manner, and you do not see the consequences of your actions until after you press the “End Turn” button. This makes things a tad more uncomfortable, but it’s still not difficult in any way. As long as you remember to defend your territories and put every cent to good use, it’s all a matter of how you wish to approach each conflict.

In the end, Age of Conquest IV is not a wargame for hardcore enthusiasts of the genre, but it can be the perfect stepping stone for someone trying to get acquainted with the atmosphere. Hence, if your palms are aching for some conquest, this might as well provide you with satisfaction for a period of time.