#19
'Rome: Total War'
for the PC released in 2004.
'Rome: Total War' was a stroke of brilliance when it came out, revolutionizing the turn-based strategy genre. Still, no other game has surpassed it in it's near perfect balance of gameplay. Even it's successors. No doubt, 'Medieval II', 'Empire', 'Napoleon' and the new 'Rome II' are all very good games on their own, but none has hit the mark like this game does. This game has it.
As a turn-based-strategy game, the game is both accessible and 'deep' at the same time. People are able to understand the basics of the gameplay fairly quickly, but there's quite a lot to keep track of if one wants to look a little deeper. Personally I usually only like games that cut the unnecessary parts and keep the simple no-nonsense stuff, or at least makes the complicated statistics optional. Luckily, this game does just that very well.
The game is essentially split in two parts, one construction and managing part that takes place on a campaign-map and a real-time strategy part where armies are controlled in battle. I really only care for the campaign-map gameplay, though I played battles as well naturally. The objective is simple, as one of Rome's esteemed families, you must conquer the known world in the name of the Senate and the People of Rome! Until you decide to take power as Imperator yourself that is...
#18 Hint:
Solving puzzles in this game is really a ball!
