Strategy game Great Invasions focuses on the tumultuous times of the Medieval period between 350-1066 AD. The time period ends before the start of the Crusades, but remains a critical period when kingdoms were formed and destroyed, with a small handful growing powerful enough to become empires.
In order to gain a strong foothold in history, players need to maintain military, economic, diplomatic and religious influence. Although the world map looks like a board game, the game plays in near real time, with a game clock that can be slowed or sped up. Virtually everything bases itself off the timer, from troop movements to production. Combat takes place, in an almost cartoon fashion, with animations like dust clouds and swords appearing.
However, something should be said for a game that attempts to tackle a very complex and virtually untouched era of European history, plus the fact that it pays so much attention to incorporating religion as a heavy influence of the time. For instance, players of the Islamic nations can launch jihads, which resolve after five years in either failure or success. The influence of religion often goes lightly touched in most strategy games due to its charged nature, despite its enormous impact on history.
Underneath the lackluster and low resolution graphics, lies an extremely complex strategy game. Using different map screens and menus, players need to manage all facets of trade and military strategy. Unfortunately, the "tutorial" doesn't help much, since it lacks hands-on contextual windows, and instead relies on players to follow along with the relatively dense manual in hand to learn the button functions and commands. A great deal of attention has been paid to historical accuracy (almost to a fault), but user friendliness does not rank among this game's positive traits.
Great Invasions offers a great tribute to retelling history, offers loads of options, but its almost unavoidable complexity leaves it unapproachable to all but the most determined history and strategy fans.
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