Nebuchadnezzar
A capable city-builder, but one that becomes less fun as it goes on.
A city-building throwback that throws players all the way back to the cradle of civilisation,
Nebuchadnezzar arouses fond memories of games like Caesar III and, to a lesser extent, Age of Empires. Its classical style both looks and sounds great, while its systems delve deeper than what is apparent on the surface.
Unfortunately, as
Nebuchadnezzar grows in scope, it becomes increasingly burdened by micromanagement, while a couple of significant design flaws threaten to sink the whole enterprise. Set in ancient Mesopotamia,
Nebuchadnezzar’s campaign tasks you with building some of the world’s oldest and greatest cities – Ur, Nineveh, Babylon, etc. Guided by Gilgamesh through the game’s four introductory missions, the remaining nine levels involve constructing thriving metropoli, capping each one off with a great wonder such as Ashurbanipal’s Library, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, or your own customdesigned temple complex.
Successful city management involves mastering logistics and production chains, as well as catering to the ever-increasing demands of your populace. There are three different classes of citizen, each of which lives in a different building type that also has multiple stages of evolution. Regular workers will begrudgingly reside in a half-finished hovel. But supplying these houses with bread and milk will upgrade the house, enabling more workers to live in it.
Unfortunately, the deeper you delve into the game, the more stressful the experience becomes. Establishing distribution routes for your market vendors becomes a chore in any settlement. Not only must you establish a new route for every vendor in the city, you’ll also have to alter the route whenever you add buildings to that area, which you do constantly. It can be difficult to identify problems within your production chain.
There’s much about Nebuchadnezzar to appreciate, from its wonderful presentation to its dynamic city simulation. But the core systems are too stern and austere compared to the payoff of successfully building your city. It isn’t lacking for class, but really needs to dial up the fun factor. RICK LANE
City-building fun is hindered by micromanagement and trading issues.