Hegemony: Philip of Macedon

[DecimusCaesar]

Just caught this on Steam this week, a newly released strategy title about Philip of Macedon's conquest of Greece by a low budget independent developer. The game was made on a shoestring budget - and it shows. The graphics are about a decade old, although it's still a fun, charming and addictive game.

I found it hard to get into at first as it didn't look particularly appealing although the more I play the more engrossed I become. It sort of combines the Total War series' strategic and tactical maps into one seamless interface so that you can have a grand strategic view ,based around a Risk style map of Greece, and a tactical battle view by zooming down on the map, so there's no need for loading screens between both sections.

 

One thing I find original and great is how they implemented supply lines into the game. Your army needs to be fed and paid, so you must link up your food/gold sources to your local towns or cities. The food is then transported to your army - although enemy soldiers can raid your supplies, while you can raid their's. One thing I do find frustrating though is how the battles are handled. You can mass an army of phalanxes, hypaspists, companion cavalry and peltasts; although when you send them to battle only one battalion can engage the enemy forces at a time, while your other soldiers stand back and watch the outcome. I also find the real time element frustrating on the strategic map as it can be difficult to deal with so much going on at the same time, although there's a pause button for that I suppose.

 

In the end though I find it difficult to to be overly harsh on such a low budget independent game. Whether it's going to hold my attention as the game gets harder is another matter, and it is already a difficult game...

 

Anyone else played this, any thoughts on it?

 

A link to the game's page -

 

Hegemony: Philip of Macedon