Imperialism 2: Age of Exploration

by Mindscape

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00001X4Z3
• Media: CD-ROM
• Release Date: July 6, 1999
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #22,380 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #72 in Video Games > Mac Games > Strategy
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

An unknown land unfurls before you. In this strategy game, to become one of Europe's great powers, you'll have to parlay this discovery into conquest. You'll be called upon to exploit the New World's exotic resources and, in doing so, swing the balance of power to your advantage. An anchor in the New World means this: the riches and resources to dominate Europe once and for all. Strengthen your power base back in Europe. Deploy spies to help stay ahead of the technology curve. Build a formidable military, because you can get more with a kind word and a gun than with a kind word alone. And don't forget, the object is to unite Europe under one flag--yours!

Product Description

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Everything the First Game Should Have Been, and Then Some, June 27, 2000

By 

Rod D. Martin (Grace Hall, Destin, Florida) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Imperialism 2: Age of Exploration (CD-ROM)

Plenty of people have said what's right with this game, so letme take a different tack. What was wrong with Imperialism One was primarily three-fold:

1) Time-frame. By setting the game in the 19th Century, rapid technology change was inadequately represented and often overwhelmed the game. Imp. II two solves that by stretching over three centuries, and not only that, but three centuries where the change is extremely significant and yet not overwhelmingly so (plus Imp. II has a better tech tree anyway).

2) Victory conditions. The victory conditions in Imperialism One were so horribly put together that you almost never got a truly satisfying victory, and "victory" often got in the way of a good game. Imp. II corrects that and then some: the victory conditions are realistic and well-designed, but more than that, they actually drive the game the way it ought to go, and force you again and again to act as you "ought", by which I mean within the economic and political realities of the time you are modeling.

3) Lack of scenarios. Because of all this, scenarios were vital to making the original game work, because you usually didn't want to play the game "as-is". There were a few scenarios included with the game (and two of them were pretty good), but no additional scenarios were ever released, and there was no way to program any of your own. This game, by contrast, is so well done that any scenario would be a waste: simply altering the starting parameters will create just about whatever scenario you're looking for, and I never found myself longing for one the way I did with the original.

(ONE KEY TECH NOTE: I've played this both on a Performa 6400 with a 200MHz 603ev chip and on an iMac with a 233MHz G3. The iMac, which should have been a lot faster, wasn't. The box minimums will work, but you'll be frustrated and it will run almost intollerably slowly. Try to run this game on at least 300MHz G3 machines if at all possible.)

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding!, July 15, 2003

By 

Paul Emmons (West Chester, PA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Imperialism 2: Age of Exploration (CD-ROM)

Perhaps I'm a stickler for playability. One of the design challenges of any empire-building game is that the more territory you conquer and govern, the more details you typically have to manage. If you (and the designers) are not careful, you can eventually get swamped with them-- especially if you are a perfectionist.

An outstanding feature of Imperialism II is that this does not occur nearly as much as in other games of its type. It is, instead, a true strategy game. You are not a paper-shuffler, you are the pilot of the great ship of state in a multi-dimensional ocean. You need to think carefully under ever-changing conditions to decide where to chart your course and keep it in good trim. If you are going in the wrong direction, heaven help you if you don't realize it soon and face the facts: and then you need a sharp lookout and patience, because a ship of state doesn't turn on a dime.

A key concept is balance. You can never do everything you want or need with available resources. At every turn you face policy decisions: Should you increase your road and port building? Your food production? Develop forests, mines, or plantations? Build transport ships-- oops, not enough food for the sailors, but how do you get more food without more ships? Do you sell goods to get money to buy various raw materials? Do you buy raw materials because you need them, or can you afford buying something just to curry favor with a potential colony or ally? Invade Indian territory, or invest in it and try to keep your rivals from invading? Build up your armies, even if it seems that you never have the funds to send them into battle? Join alliances and risk being drawn into a war before you're ready? Or stay aloof and risk the rest of Europe's ganging up on you? Do expensive research yourself out ahead of the pack, or spend less (usually) money and resources for spies, forever playing catchup learning what others already know? The choices are innumerable and the relationships among them infinitely subtle.

I do not place a lot of stock in fancy graphics, but must say that the colorfol look of this game, compared to the muted and vaguely depressing colors of Imperialism [I], is another attractive feature. The sugar... the tobacco... the spices, gold, and gems in the New World: they make your mouth water with the desire to reach out and grab'em. It's hard to remember that they are just means to an end, as territory in the old world is the key to winning or losing.

I've played many such games, and aside from Civilization, I think Imperialism II has gotten the most things right to date.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Weak Gamers need not apply, July 9, 2000

By 

"jrtablum2" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Imperialism 2: Age of Exploration (CD-ROM)

When I heard about this game I was addicted to Age of Empires 2. I lived AOE2 and my blood was AOE2 I was over at my friends house playing AOE2 24-7. "The most in depth and greatest game ever" Little did I know 6 months later I would be playing a older game that could easily top that hype. This game is by far and away very deep. There is about a hundred techs. that you can get to improve your society, army, and navy. This aspect of the game can give you an early edge over your enemy or a early death sentance. Once that first obstacle is cleared you must also have earned, conquered or aquired, New world countries to supply the home world with materials needed to defeat the other Great powers. While these prior goals were being obtained you must also prepared your great power to be a strong one. Will you be a diplomat or a Glorious General? Will you be a friend or foe of the natives? Will you be strong at sea or strong at land? Will you be a nation of knowledge or simply use knowledge to obtain weapons? These questions face every ruler of the six great powers, and the path traveled is always different. Sound difficult don't fear. You are lead through a easy tutorial which will get you on your feet and walking into a world of depth and endless choices. There is also a multitude of options one being the tactical field option. If this is on you can fight your own battles which adds a very intresting concept of crushing the enemy or being crushed.

While the graphics are nothing to ohhhhh at it works in a turn based world. I feel like I have just covered the surface of this game so just take my word it is awesome.