Caesar IV

Caesar IV is a city-building game set in ancient Rome, developed by Tilted Mill Entertainment. The game was released on September 26, 2006 in North America. The game features a three-dimensional game engine and individual modeling of game character behaviors.

Caesar IV
Developer(s)Tilted Mill Entertainment
Publisher(s)Vivendi Universal Games[lower-alpha 1]
Producer(s)Mat Williams
Joseph Selinske
Designer(s)Chris Beatrice
Programmer(s)Mike Gingerich
Artist(s)Mike Malone
Adam Carriuolo
Composer(s)Keith Zizza
SeriesCity Building Series
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
Release
  • NA: September 26, 2006
  • AU: September 28, 2006
  • EU: October 20, 2006
Genre(s)City-building
Mode(s)Single-player, Multiplayer

Like its original release Caesar in 1992, the game simulates city administration in historical Rome. Like its sibling release Children of the Nile in 2004, the game continues a new trend in the city building game genre to use more interactive and detailed game video game design and play.

Gameplay

In a departure from older versions in the series, Caesar IV is equipped with variable, realistic 3D instead of fixed, isometric 3D. This means more realistic landscapes and city views, and the ability for players to better see and use game building space. In addition, buildings and roads may be placed at 45 degree angles to the playing grid, as well as aligned with the grid, allowing game players more options in creating efficient and visually appealing city layouts.

Housing

In an attempt at historical realism, the game tries to stay as close to proper Roman lifestyles as possible. To this end, Sierra Games did detailed research into Roman lifestyles using secondary sources and primary sources.

Scenarios

The game is divided in three parts, named after the three traditional eras of Ancient Rome: "Kingdom", "Republic" and "Empire". The Kingdom part is a tutorial, while the Republic and Empire parts make up the campaign, where one can choose between peaceful and military assignments.

Scenarios
RankPeaceful assignmentMilitary assignment
Kingdom
ClerkArretiumN/A
Verona
Capua
Genoa
Brundisium
Republic
ClerkSyracusaeMediolanum
DeputyNarboThessalonica
DecurionCaralisBurdigala
MagnateCorinthTarraco
QuaestorNaronaEmerita Augusta
AedileCondate RiedonumHippo Regius
PraetorCarthagoLondinium
Empire
DecurionViminaciumArgos
MagnateAlexandriaVirunum
QuaestorLugdunumUlpia Traiana
AedileCaesareaAntiochia
PraetorEphesusMoguntiacum
CensorTingisTarsus
ConsulNicomediaColonia Agrippina

There are still five more scenarios that are sandboxes: Amida, Corduba, Cyrene, Djedu and Roma. The last is only available for people who pre-ordered the game directly from Tilted Mill Entertainment. In all these scenarios the rank that is used is "Quaestor". There is also a level editor available for the game.

Reception

Caesar IV received mixed reviews, with review aggregator website Metacritic giving it a rating of 74.[3] Positive aspects mentioned were the city building, large amount of content, visually appealing 3D graphics and professional sound and music. However, there were complaints centering around crashes, user interface issues, lag problems and repetitive game play.[4]

The Australian video game talk show Good Game's two reviewers gave the game a 6/10 and 8/10.[5]

References
  1. Blyth, Jon (November 20, 2006). "Caesar IV". PC Zone. Archived from the original on November 25, 2006.
  2. Staff. "Rome if You Want To. Again". Computer Games Magazine (193). Archived from the original on November 29, 2011.
  3. "Caesar IV for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2 March 2014.
  5. "Good Game stories – Dead Rising and Caesar IV". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2006-10-10.
  1. Released under the Sierra Entertainment brand name
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