Praetorians Review

Praetorians Review

Review by Alex

Praetorians is a real-time strategy title which lets you take the reins during the glory years of the Roman Empire and Julius Caesar leads the Roman Army in Gaul.

Combat Only, No Resource Management Needed

Praetorians differs slightly from other RTS titles in that the focus is all on combat and there is very little resource management or base building. In fact, the only resource in the game is the slow growing town populations which you can utilize only after capturing the settlement and building a barracks there. Other than a defensive tower, that is about all the base building you can do so the emphasis is really on the tactical combat which is very fun and addicting.

Units With Special Abilities

There are the basic unit counters, such as cavalry are strong against archers but weak against pikemen and the like, but there are also several options with the different special abilities of your units. For instance, you can set your pikmen into a stationary position where they dig in their lances and are extremely effective at holding off both infantry and cavalry charges or legionnaires turtle formation which creates a protective shield around them to repel arrow fire.

Use the Terrain To Your Advantage

There is also a strong advantage with certain terrain features. For example the high ground is very beneficial since you are concealed from units below you and you can both see and shoot arrows farther from there. You can also set up ambushes in dense forests or have your archers lay down in the tall grass. These various options provide plenty of variety in strategies and gameplay situations which keeps things fresh and interesting.

A Couple Camera and Multiplayer Issues

The only issue with such an emphasis on the terrain features and tactical advantages is that you cannot rotate the camera which hampers your effectiveness a bit, it is a bit annoying when you can't see some troops behind a small ridge. This isn't a huge detriment to the game since most of the gameplay is still quite enjoyable, it is just an inconvenience at times. Also, the only other problem with Praetorians is that the Multiplayer could be slightly easier to use since you have to use a third-party application to set up matches.

Conclusion - Excellent Value

These few problems don't impact the gameplay to a great extent and Praetorians does provide many satisfying RTS moments. The intelligent use of terrain and units' special abilities add plenty of strategic depth and is perfect for RTS fans old and new. With a lengthy campaign, custom skirmish modes, and multiplayer options, there is plenty of action to be found and you're sure to get your money's worth.