Empire Earth remains one of my most favorite games for a reason. The game is a sandbox not just a game you play and put away then come back to it. It is a game that says you should inhabit it in order to truly enjoy it. This is what makes the earlier RTS games quite different from the later ones which feel more like a genre that wished it was something else. They are not sandboxes and try to get beyond the genre.
The RTS genre has been stagnant largely since Age of Empires. After Dune II in 1992, there was period of experimentation. However, by 1997, Age of Empires would solidify what RTS genres would be. After the original game, Age of Empires II: Age of Kings would become a phenomenon. To this day, the game still has thousands of players actively competing in competitions. Such games are rare to see. In many ways, Age of Empires II: Age of Kings is the digital chess and probably the only game comparable in its influence on e-sports other than the Starcraft games.
In Empire Earth, there are multiple civilizations to choose from. One of those civilizations is called Byzantine Rome. This is a combination of the two epochs of the Roman Empire, both pagan and Christian. As a result, the game allows the player to utilize their strengths, especially in a game where it is quick to build walls and gates are very durable.
The main strength that I want to focus on here is the walls.
In Empire Earth, their walls are stronger than that of other civilizations. I am more of a turtler in RTS Games and this the civilization just for me.
The screenshots below are of a game that I played a week ago, going for a wonder victory. The AI even on Easy is a pain to deal with here. The AI can just build tons of units without gathering resources. Such advantages make games on big maps a real slog as you have to contend with an enemy which isn’t playing by the same rules.
This is why I prefer the wonder victory condition. I just wall myself behind my fortifications and just let my enemy come to me. What results is a battle for power and control as my soldiers and artillery attempt to protect the wonders.
Again, here are screenshots of my session as Byzantine Rome. The wonder in the first screenshot are the Ishtar Gates, which makes your buildings stronger.
Empire Earth is truly a unique game that I wish more people would play and enjoy in order to understand the brilliance of some of these early 2000s RTS games which make the modern era look placid and really boring in comparison.
Byzantine-Empire.com 