The Wargamer

E3 2005 Impressions

While empire-conquering games like Civilization IV, Rise & Fall, and Age of Empires III seemed to be a dime a dozen at E3, we were surprised to see virtually no city-building games at this year's show. The genre which brought us such classics as Caesar and SimCity wasn’t represented, save for a single title: Heart of Empire: Rome. Thanks to German publisher Deep Silver, we got a chance to see firsthand this new city-building and management game.

The concept is an interesting one: players will begin in one of the neighborhoods of Rome, during the early days of the Roman Republic. While the game won't be focused on historical accuracy, it will follow the approximate timeline of Rome's development: players will build up their neighborhood using period appropriate buildings, ranging from small merchant shops to massive coliseums and amphitheaters. The powerful 3D graphics engine was able not only able to show hundreds of city blocks stretched across the seven hills of Rome, but also zoom in all the way from a world view to an over-the-shoulder view of a citizen. The effect of zipping down from the clouds over the Italian peninsula to a Roman citizen walking about the city is quite dramatic, and really captures the overwhelming scale of game.

Of course, the ancient city of Rome wasn't only about the architecture. It was also the bustling center of the world at one time, and Heart of Empire: Rome will model some 150,000 inhabitants, each of whom will have their own wants and needs. The mob of Rome can be controlled by maintaining a good standard living and by providing entertainment, so both aquaducts and entertainment venues for gladiator fights will play an important role in the player's success. That success will also allow the player to climb the political ladder, with the ultimate goal of attaining the rank of Caesar. 

While ancient city-building games aren't a novel concept, the genre is filled with many well-regarded titles, including Impressions' Caesar and Lord of the Realms franchises. We were struck by Heart of Empire's political management, which seems reminiscent of the ambitious but fatally flawed Republic: The Revolution and Pax Romana. Its graphics engine also deserves mention, especially considering its attractive rendering of the cityscape of ancient Rome. 

Heart of Empire: Rome is planned for release in Europe this fall from Koch Media and Deep Silver. As of this writing, it is unclear if the game will be published in North America.

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