Game Name: Praetorians
Platform: PC
Genre: RTS
Developer: Pyro Studios
Publisher: Eidos Interactive
Minimum System Requirements (recommended):
COMPUTER: IBM PC or 100% compatible
OPERATING SYSTEM: Microsoft Windows 98/2000/XP
CPU: Intel PIII-500 or equivalent
RAM: 128 MB
GRAPHICS: 100% DirectX 8.1 compatible 16Mb Graphics Card
SOUND: 100% DirectX 8.1 compatible Sound Card
CD-ROM: Quad-speed (4x) CD-ROM drive
HARD DRIVE: 600 MB free disk space
INPUT DEVICES: 100% Windows 98/2000/XP-compatible mouse and keyboard
Official site: http://www.praetoriansgame.com/
Commandos, like many in this word ... No, we have no evening of poetry, just the creators of the game decided to ask for them a new genre - real-time strategy. Saboteurs have destroyed a good half of strategic facilities, equipment and personnel to the Nazis, received well-earned break. They were replaced by the Roman legions, and including, the same Praetorians - Imperial Guard, the military elite of ancient times.
It takes place at the time of Gaius Julius Caesar (well, and who else?). The Roman Empire has been actively expanding in Europe and in Africa, seeking to seize the land of Gauls and, accordingly, the Egyptians (this is the second and third "race" in the game). And that means trouble for our protagonist, a certain unnamed tribune missing. Under his leadership will be very large units consisting of all the armed forces of that time, there will be all kinds of infantry and cavalry, and pride "pyromaniac" - a variety of siege weapons. All this variety we have to apply for 24 missions. Incidentally, the campaign, as you may have guessed, one - for the Romans. Apparently, the other parties are not actively aspired to world domination:).
It is gratifying that the game has a number of innovations that distinguish it from the numerous representatives of the genre of RTS, so beloved by developers. To begin with, that you command the squad as a whole, not individual soldiers, as usual. Among the Romans such units consist of 30 soldiers from the barbarians and Egyptians are about 2 times smaller. On the advantages and disadvantages of this approach argue, except to say that the detachment can be divided into several smaller ones, thereby achieving greater manageability. In addition, a detachment from the military services can increase in rank (transformed into a commander) of one of his soldiers, who then becomes a kind of ability, as well as an aura that improves the quality of all combat troops around him.
Also, it should be noted that the health unit consists of two parts - the current number of companies, and the average health of all its constituent soldiers. In addition to health is an indicator of how endurance. It allows you to move faster and use special skills, for which, incidentally, can be included autocast. For example, Legionnaires can throw a short spear, Gallic hunters - an ambush in the woods, Nubian archers - let poisoned arrows. At the same stock endurance decreases, but at any other time he recovered, even during the fight:.
Of course, in pretorians a battle formations, and an essential tool in the hands of the ancient military leader, including the virtual. Parameters of the unit is quite changed with different tunings.Say, the archers, standing on one knee and shoot more accurately, pikemen, with his spades into the earth, become an insurmountable obstacle for the cavalry, and finally the legionnaires, to build a "turtle", get almost impenetrable defense.
Another element of tactics - the use of the terrain. And here, too, was not without ideas. The game has several types of relief: plain (with her all clear), elevation (raising the review and firing range of those at the top, making them invisible to those at the bottom), forest (impassable for certain types of troops, hiding those who therein), high grass (hiding infantry, until she moves and does not attack, it can burn), water (through the deep "construction battalion" builds bridges at certain locations, which can destroy, through small can go almost all kinds of troops). As you can see, offers scope for tactical tricks with relief.
Another story - the siege of fortresses. This is not what we're used to seeing, for example, in a series of Age of X. Judge for yourself, is finally on the walls and towers can be placed teams. A auxiliary infantry (aka construction battalion) can build a pretty impressive set of siege machines and tools, including a ladder:), mobile tower, ballista, catapult, battering ram. Now imagine that you can push the ladders, and siege weapons to set fire - storm becomes a very difficult task. But what a pity, in multiplayer'e no separate treatment, not even a card from the fortress, so that all this grandeur is almost irrelevant. That is, you can build and make sense?
As regards the economic side - she is minimized, which could not affect its quality. Construction of the base and collect resources in the conventional sense of the hot Spaniards abolished, apparently considering it a boring lesson. But resources are still there - it's the people and the glory. First we get, taking the next village, and the second - killing n-Noe number of enemy fighters. Capture the enemy's village is quite funny: first, all together they demolish some hovel near the village, then beat face with the local commissar, then "construction battalion" (the cheapest form of troops) is building the same nondescript building, and finally, our commander has already lost in the village. After this difficult procedure to gain recruits, ie train all types of units, but only until enough people in the village. To hire certain types of troops, however, also needed glasses glory.
Now, the very tasty - on the schedule. She leaves a positive impression. Although neither of which supermnogopoligonalnyh models are not talking (not 3D-shooter all the same), animated, almost all very good. The trees swayed just perceptibly in the wind, the legionnaires are marching briskly, raising clouds of dust from the sky snow falling in large flakes. Although no blunders could not have done: notice how the soldiers were deployed to the stairs or running wolf. But this stuff. In general, the Praetorians look pretty cute. Sound too at, but it can not be called outstanding. Music in classic style, which is quite natural for the historical strategy.
In general, the game is pretty interesting. There are a number of interesting innovations, there is scope for tactical thinking. But there are a few things that do not give a hundred percent record in the game hits. One of those moments - it's what you can not order the squad, which came in a close fight, to retreat. Several times lost only because he could not bring critical to the mission of the character from hell. On the other hand, it is nice to see how, under good control your troops "utterly" divide the enemy forces ... equivalent.
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