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Great game w/ some problems. . .

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 3 / 5
Date: November 25, 1999
Author: Amazon User

Ok, I love this game. It's one of those "what time is it" games that keeps you up until 3:30 in the morning. I really like the feel of the planets you work on. It's actually a small globe with horizons that curve. The twist, scroll, and zoom control kinda reminds me of Dungeon Keeper (that's a good thing). It feels like the landscape is a piece of paper you can twist or rotate to any angle you want. I only have one problem. I get my characters confused with the opposing guys quite often. This is due to the fact that your people are colored blue and cyan, and the enemies are cyan and light yellow, making it quite difficult to control dozens of little cyanish blobs during battle. But other than that, It's great!

Do you like playing God?

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 3 / 3
Date: December 20, 1999
Author: Amazon User

Video games for the most part, I leave to the kiddies, but with the release of POPTB, the simulation genre of PC entertainment has attained the next evolution. The strategy involved is similar to that of chess; position your forces where they have the best chance to triumph in combat, but the similarity ends there. You preside over the specialty of each and every follower, and you do not take prisoners. Followers can be warriors, preachers, even spies, and you can assault by sea, air, and land. Once specialized, the follower can work independently, but you can intervene and retask at will. You can acquire various spells in each world to aid your conquest, but be careful, for each spell has a particular area of effectiveness, and a misplaced spell may not only be a waste of resources but it may backfire and kill your own followers. The ultimate goal is godhood. The 25th world (named 'The Beginning'), you ascend into heaven and become a god. This perspective is remenicent of the original populous, where you can rove the landscape, delivering your wrath to the unbelievers, whereas in the first 24, you are a shaman, which means that not only do you have to be within a set proximity of the reciever of your magic, but you can also be killed, depriving your followers of divine protection until reincarnation. If you have ever asked 'Why me, Lord?", then this experience will show that being a god is a full time job.

Ever played this game?

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 4 / 26
Date: May 10, 2000
Author: Amazon User

Well, don't! I can't tell you just how horrible it is. First of all, you are not an all powerful entity. The graphics are slick, but sometimes choppy. Things that die also have the tendency of blocking the screen. The spells you can cast ... . You must "worship" totem poles to gain these spells. They take forever to get and are extremely limited in range or power. There are few things interesting. There are only five units is this game, and most of them are illogical. Take my word. Dont buy.

Great graphics, an outstanding game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 9 / 9
Date: May 19, 2000
Author: Amazon User

I love this game. The graphics are beautiful, you can rotate the whole globe, and watch the mountains move below you. Watch the detailed sky, with clouds moving on in the wind. The gameplay is easy to learn, and there is a built-in tutorial section which teaches you the basics: casting spell, training warriors, building huts, and fighting the opponent. True, there are only five types of military units in this game, which you might not like after playing a game like Age of Kings for example, but the fighting looks great! And of course, the spells. Only your shaman can cast these powerful spells, so you must guard her with your troops. These spells include drastically changing the terrain, again with beutiful graphics while doing this. There are also attack spells, like lightning, which you can use tokill the enemy shaman or units. There are many more spells, which are very fun to try out. The whole game, in single-player mode, is your journey through different planets to gain control of a galaxy and become... a god! The levels get harder and harder, while giving you new spell to use, and step-by-step introducing the aspects of the game. The computer AI is smart enough in this game to give you a challange, which cant be said for all strategy games. Also, there is a multiplayer mode, where you can play with a friend on two computers (too bad it requires 2 CD's), or you can also play on the internet against other gamers! Summary: if you like a cool strategy game with beautiful graphics and great action, this game is 4 U. Thank you for reading my summary. If this helped you, please click YES below...

It's time to become a god

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 39 / 41
Date: May 20, 2000
Author: Amazon User

You are the shaman the leader of a primitive tribe, if you are to realise your dream of becoming a god, you must defeat your foes and conquer all 25 worlds in the solar system. To conquer the worlds you must use your minions, spells and houses. You could send a few fire warriors by boat for a devastating sea attack or send spies to burn their houses or say what the heck and use the volcano and wipe out their whole tribe. Build huge cities complete with civilian houses boat shacks, churches, spy huts, guard posts and many more. Have faith in the elements as you use 26 unique spells like the Tornado, Earthquake, lighting and Meteor shower spells. Then send your braves, warriors, fire warriors, priests and spies into battle against the enemy.

I must say that Populous is the best computer game I have ever played. With 25 highly detailed 3D levels you will find yourself playing until late at night. You can have your attacks as basic as you want to as complex as you want. The really good thing with this game is that not only do you have the normal close up view but you can have a view from outer space which is excellent when you want access your options before going into battle. Even though I haven't yet done it, you can your play friends or strangers over the Internet. I feel if you want to get the most out of populous you must have "direct 3D rendered" it just makes the game 3D accelerated and the landscape is more detailed and as just more clearer but if you don't direct 3D it doesn't matter that much. I take my hat off to bullfrog with an anther superb 3D strategy game. I can't wait until I play Dungeon keeper 2 which another bullfrog game. If you like Populous then look out for Dungeon keeper and Age of Empires they'll be up your ally. 5 stars.

Appealing, simple puzzle game.

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 9 / 17
Date: July 05, 2000
Author: Amazon User

This appealing little game has wonderful graphics, complete with Bullfrog's trademark zooming/rotating camera (a la Dungeon Keeper) and an almost SimCity/Age of Empires feel. Neither heavy on the military (though the object of the game is to wipe out your enemies) nor on the building, the main gameplay consists of building enough huts to amass a big enough army to wipe the enemy out. This is particularly easy on the first few levels.

The only general twists are in the requirements that you discover technology by worshipping totem poles and pyramids (which again isn't necessary at the lower levels, despite what the scenario info may suggest).

Individual scenarios are more like puzzles. An early one gives you fifteen minutes to worship an "angel of death" statue, which lies deep in the heart of enemy territory. Once you figure out what needs to be done, executing the plan is relatively simple (though somewhat time-consuming; the game relies a lot on time-consuming tasks).

There isn't really a lot of "game" here, outside of the puzzles, probably less so than in the original Populous, but its look and interface give it an undeniable appeal, a kind of "well, that's cool" factor.

Oh, it is also somewhat unstable (even with the latest patches) in my experience (four different machines with different graphic cards) which is unfortunate, and the main reason I gave this 3 stars instead of 4.

MASTER OF DISASTER

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 9 / 17
Date: July 25, 2000
Author: Amazon User

Populous is a great game I control all of my people as I wanted, there alot of great spell I can destroy the enemy.The graphic is pretty good too also the music is very relaxing,Populous well take a month to finish the game because you need alots of men to gather together and make them fight another enemy and also worship the totem pole or what ever it's call to release the spell.It's cool went I destroy there town,my favorite spell to destroy the enemy are Volcano,Lightning,metero shower and the flying dragon,those spell well make it easy too kill them.So It fun and is my favorite game,"I'm still playing Populous today".END

Hooked

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 9
Date: October 04, 2000
Author: Amazon User

I'm Hooked on this game I played a demo and that was it for me I had to get it. This is one of my favorite games and every one who plays it on my system loves it too so what are you waiting for buy it.

Not for me

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 3 / 20
Date: October 16, 2000
Author: Amazon User

This was one of the worst games that I've ever played. The graphics were alright, but the game itself was bad. I mostly play games where you conquer,rule and build cites. Populous did let you build things - the options were very limited. The pleges weren't anything to get excited about either. Say for instance you were to do the plege with all the lochus-it looked so fake, it was as if a small tiny cloud was flying by. The tribe people practicly don't do anything. When you did let your people attack another tribe, there hardly was any action. When I bought this game, I expected it to be really good. Once I actually played it I wanted to return it.

A five-star game!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 21 / 23
Date: November 30, 2000
Author: Amazon User

Populous: The Beginning is a great game, and does't have any downsides. You control a tribe in their quest to promote the Shaman to God. To achieve this, you must guide the tribe through 25 levels, destroying any enemy tribes in the way. There are many types of followers: braves, firewarriors, preachers, Shamen, warriors, and spies. The Shaman is the most powerful follower; she can perform 15 spells, such as volcanos, lightning, tornados, and earthquakes, as well as four very powerful spells, Armageddon, Bloodlust, Teleport, and Ghost Army. Each spell has its own use, to guard followers, attack enemies, and other uses. There are three enemy tribes: Matak (green), Chumara (yellow), and Dakini (red). Levels can have one, two, or all three enemy tribes that you must destroy. In each level, there are Vaults of Knowledge, Stone Heads, and/or other special things to help you. Some may give you new spells, others can destroy parts of the enemy. You can also build buildings, but your braves must build them for you. All of the buildings have different uses, such as training followers to be warriors or other special followers (except the Shaman), or to reproduce new braves, to increase the size of your tribe. Overall, this game is great, and has no flaws, yet it is difficult, especially the levels toward the end, so I would recommend this game to people who have patience, lightning-fast reflexes, and intelligence to form strategies.

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