Trade Empires

by Eidos

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00005JTVK
• Media: CD-ROM
• Release Date: September 25, 2001
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #37,220 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

Beginning at the dawn of human civilization and progressing through the 19th century, Trade Empires is an episodic transport and trade simulation that lets you create a merchant empire. Controlling your family dynasty of merchants, your mission is to build vast transport and trade networks that change over thousands of years as new technologies are developed and more modern products are discovered.

In Trade Empires, you'll start out simple, with one merchant and his donkeys. Gradually you'll build up your merchant empire until you control a vast trading web. You can manipulate the supply and demand economy to dominate the other merchant families. Or you can corner the market and undercut their prices. Perhaps you'll want to explore and exploit, continually discovering new markets and products, from silk in the Far East to steel in industrial Europe. You can adapt your family's trading network to an ever-changing economy or face defeat when your competitors purchase advanced technology and deliver superior products. Build vast transportation networks, using anything from dirt trails to railroads, and compete against other merchant families who are powered by a clever artificial intelligence. There are more than 200 structures and 30 units in 15 different episodes.

Product Description

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I have played the Demo, and based on that..., September 7, 2001

By 

Jvstin "Paul Weimer" (Circle Pines, MN United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Trade Empires (CD-ROM)

I have played the demo of Trade Empires, and have found it to be a most interesting and varied game.
To wit, you control a merchant family (or clan perhaps) which singlehandedly helps to develop your home civilization--to make it grow, to prosper, to develop, while at the same time amassing wealth and power.

It is real-time strategy...and so feels like the hybrid cross of the old Merchant Prince game, combined with a game from the Seven Kingdoms game. I don't know if the full game or later episodes will have offensive units, but the demo only has traders as your "pieces"--a refreshing change from games such as Age of Empires. Instead, you concentrate on building trade networks, building and acquiring artisans to turn that raw copper or silk into goods that your cities will want to buy at high prices.

Based on the fun I had in the demo, I will be looking to purchase this game. You don't NEED to swarm the map with tanks or dragons in order to have a fun time with a RTS.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Trade Empires, July 3, 2004

By 

Jason Huddleston (Atlanta, GA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Trade Empires (CD-ROM)

1. Technical problems: I have encountered no technical problems with this game. It functions equally well on windows 98, ME, XP, XPpro.
The game once installed does not require the disk for play and has never caused a problem with my computers. I have encountered no errors.
2. Graphics: Graphics are simple and not particularly impressive in comparison with other games in the same venue.
3. Sound/Music: the game has a limited variety of sounds. There are several music scores for different ages and cultures.
4. The game is somewhat challenging and complex so it probably isn't the best choice for young children. Although it is rated for young children I assume this is on account of the fact that there are no adult content (read sexual or violent) considerations to worry about.
5. Game play: In this game you manage a Trade company in one of several offered regions and eras. Essentially you buy or produce products at the lowest price you can find and sell them for a profit. Changes in technology cause markets to open and close and political considerations can cause markets to be more or less profitable. The game offers other factors in regards to transportation systems, improving ones own market by placing civic improvements and the competing trade companies.
5. I have no reservations recommending this game to strategy enthusiast. As an older game the price should be reasonable ($10-$15) and the game is exceptional in that it works without the need to download patches and reconfigure your system with fixes just to play. That by itself is quite refreshing. There is or was at the time of this post (7/3/2004) an additional scenario available for download. I hope you find this review helpful. Happy Gaming.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Wait for the bargain bin on this one., October 23, 2001

By 

The Feisty Curmudgeon (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Trade Empires (CD-ROM)

Trade Empires isn't different enough from other, older strategy games for me to recommend it. The game's biggest lacks are personality and originality. As I watched my trade routes increase and my markets grow, I felt no sense of accomplishment. New items and options that are added as your empire grows don't seem to add anything new to the "feel" of the game as a whole. In addition, everything is so small and bland-looking, much like strategy games that were released several years ago. I never felt a pressing need to finish one more task or to continue playing. The ... price tag is too high for a game that doesn't really add anything new to the strategy genre. If you can later find the game for ... in the bargain bin, it might be worth a look.