From: alkrieger@vaxsar.vassar.edu
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games
Subject: Warmonger Review
Date: 14 Apr 92 13:20:22 +1000
Organization: Vassar College

Having received several requests to post a review of Warmonger, I'll do so but
with the caveat that I don't think the game is available on the Mac yet so
all I can do is make you drool.

In some ways the game is similiar to Populous but it is much more detailed
and much more fun to play.  Granted, you're no deity this time but hey, you
can come close.

There are several different ways to play, but I'll just discuss the basic
defeat-your-enemies-and-rule-the-continent mode.  You are a general, with a
whole bunch of lieutenants etc. and y'all are quite artistically rendered
overseeing a populous-like map of the world.  Your underlings are more than
mere yes-men....you can make some more aggressive than others, etc.

Your people aren't just slash-and-burn soldiers- they lead full lives from
birth to death (it's cute to see the little angels floating to heaven) and in
between they fight, settle, farm and invent things.  Yup, if you make your
people smart (versus good at fighting or agriculture, etc.) they can invent all
sorts of nasty little weapons which they can hurl, poke, or drop on their
enemies.

There's religion in this game as well, but sorry they ain't praying to you. 
It definitely does affect their fighting, tho.  Religious fanatics are NOT to
be f***ed with.

You can send spies out as well, and they can WREAK havoc with enemy
populations.  Lotsa valuable info can be gained, but if they are
caught....the comp gets PISSED.

And there of course is fighting.  You can make your guys fight in lotsa
different ways, instead of just en masse invasions.  You can have them
following one of your underlings around (as long as you are nice to your
people, they will REVERE your lieuts.) or attack a specific place.  The
fighting animation is cool too- the clanging of swords is seen and heard and of
course again you can see your poor soldiers floating off.

The game does have its faults tho.  There is a lotta busy work to be done, as
in scrounging up food for your people and other agricultural bores.  It is
extremely complex as well...takes a few readings of the manual to understand
and you'll get yer butt kicked quite a few times at first.

But the animation is superb.  You dont just hear about all the things i have
mentioned, you actually SEE them.  Such details make the game that much more
enjoyable. You have so many more options in this game than Populous, and you
really get a chance to see the hard life of a dictator up close.  ;-)

I really hope this game is out/comes out for the mac.  Its perfectly suited for
that mouse click-and-drag action and I have a feeling Mac's cutsie sounds could
really add to the game's enjoyability.

One last thing- this most definitely is not an all-encompassing review.  I only
played Powermonger for awhile- I started to get good, actually was winning at
the levels where the comp has some decent AI.  Then I discovered Wing Commander
2 and Red Baron....The joys of IBM ownership!  P.S. Anyone played Red Baron and
know anything about it.....like how to survive?

Any further questions about the game I'd be glad to answer.  In the meantime,
someone start posting news about something other than HotP.  I HATE hearing
about cool games that i can never own.

alex
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.games