Populous: The Beginning

List Price: $14.99 Discount Price: $49.98

Features:

• Action strategy game that lets you control nature
• 25 different worlds with beautiful 3-D real-time environments
• Annihilate enemies with spells such as lightning, tornadoes, and earthquakes
• Transform your worlds by shaping the land and sea, and commanding its inhabitants
• For 1 to 4 players, via Internet, LAN or modem

Accessories:
PC Gamer (1-year)	Games for Windows: The Official Magazine

Customer Reviews:

Total Challenge/Fun [Posted on 2006-08-02]
About 6 months ago my 14 year old son downloaded the demo of this game (we had never heard of this game before) from a Sim City 3000 disk, and then he got me into the game. We just recently found the full version on Amazon, after searching video and p.c. game stores all over the valley we live in to no avail.

We have both gotten into the game pretty big time. My son loves the cheats, but I try to do it the harder, but more challenging way. Thats what I love about this game. IT IS CHALLENGING. The graphics are pretty good, but that does not take away from the game at all!!!!.

Reading other reviews I came across a couple that were trying to disuade people from buying this game, well, I recommend buying it! One other that I came across and I hope this person reads this ( I dont know if it will help or not) cuz they say that they cant get the game to run with XP, but when we loaded it we have had no problems running it on XP -- maybe because you have to have the disk in the drive?

Well from a person who just likes to play, regardless of graphics or whatever, this game is awesome.

awesome game, but... [Posted on 2006-08-21]
this is an awesome game, but when i got a new computer it couldnt run the game, and now i cant find it.

As far as old school pleasures go... this one is at the top of the class. [Posted on 2007-01-09]
I must admit... Playing this game as a kid was an amazing amount of fun. No that I'm an adult... it really hasn't changed that much. Game play is smooth and creative. You'll spend hours building up your village and tech tree. Graphics are decent considering how old this game is... and the unprecedented camera controls make viewing the world a snap.
I only have two bits of beef with this game. One is everything is control with the left and right mouse buttons, there are no real hot keys to speak of this makes managing large groups of warriors a major pain. Second, there is no real strategy in battle besides using spells. The clumsy AIs and fight engine means whoever has the most units will probably win the battle. Be prepared to build lots of huts.
Other than that, this is a really fun game. I recommend it to anyone who is tired of the complete lack of diversity in modern strategy and war games. I'd really like to see Populous: The Beginning brought into the 21st century with new graphics and refined AI and hot keys. But since I haven't seen anything out of Bullfrog... its doubtful.

Standing The Test Of Time [Posted on 2007-05-14]
Though this game was released in 1998, it still is one of the most entertaining and addictive war games I have ever had the pleasure of playing. In my search to find it again after my parents sold it some years ago, I felt frustrated that I couldn't find it anywhere. Thanks to online buying, I found it again. And wow, after playing it again, I've realized just how much I missed it!

As soon as my package arrived with my brand new Populous: The Beginning, I opened it and let the old memories come flooding back. Even though this is an older game, the graphics are still a joy to watch. The opening scene as the Shamon foresees the wars ahead sets the mood perfectly. It's a battle to survive as you play the Shamon on her quest to destroy the other tribes before they do the same.

Learn new spells, perfect your battle strategies, and create a great civilization as you conquer the many worlds and their unique obstacles. Even when completed, the replay value is incredibly high. One time through just isn't enough.

A time tested, addictive and VERY fun game for even dated macines. [Posted on 2007-07-21]
Based loosley on populous II, Populous the beginning has got to be the best game I have played in a long time. It may be dated (1998) but you will be incredibly surprised. The game is in full 3-D, with the exception of the shaman(your character) and your folowers, which are sprites. My only gripe is the lack of a random map to play on, as in the game it is only the campaign that you play. And even bottom line computers can play this game in full detail level. It still is a very fun and challenging game for almost everybody.

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