Centurion: Defender of Rome
| Company type | Video game developer |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founder | Kellyn Beck |
Centurion: Defender of Rome is a turn-based strategy game featuring real-time combat sequences, created by Kellyn Beck and the studio Bits of Magic, and distributed by Electronic Arts. The title originally launched on MS-DOS in 1990 before being adapted for the Amiga and Sega Genesis platforms in 1991. Centurion expands upon the gameplay style and themes introduced in Beck’s earlier work, Defender of the Crown (1987).
Plot
Set against the backdrop of Ancient Rome in 275 BC, players take on the role of a centurion leading a single legion. The aim is to ascend through military victories and political maneuvering to ultimately become a Caesar, skillfully managing both warfare and domestic policies commonly referred to as "Bread and Circuses."
Gameplay
Gameplay centers on strategic turn-based management across a global map combined with real-time confrontations against foes such as the Celts, Carthaginians, and Parthians. The game also incorporates elements like funding gladiator matches, engaging in chariot racing at the Circus Maximus, conducting naval battles, and navigating diplomacy—including alliance-building and courting Queen Cleopatra of Egypt.
Development
Kellyn Beck, recognized for his contributions to various Cinemaware projects, led the design of Centurion, which showcases cinematic visuals, animations, and audio inspired by classic films like Ben Hur and Spartacus. Initially titled Caesar during development, the team at Bits of Magic featured co-designer and programmer Nicky Robinson.
Reception
The PC edition of Centurion earned a rating of 3 out of 5 stars from Dragon. Other publications generally gave it higher marks, often ranging between 75% and 90%. In 1990, Computer Gaming World awarded it slightly over three stars, commending its VGA graphics and sound design, noting that while it was not a strict historical simulator, it "succeeds admirably" for enthusiasts of classic gladiatorial cinema. By 1993, however, the same magazine downgraded it to just over two stars, describing it as a "graphical tour de force—a historic tour de farce".
Reviews
- Consoles Plus (September 1991)
- Raze (August 1991)
- Amiga Action (June 1991)
- CU Amiga (April 1991)
- ASM (Aktueller Software Markt) (July 1991)
- Zero (June 1991)
- ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment) (September 1991)
- Zero (August 1990)
- Amiga Computing (August 1991)
- Amiga Format (July 1991)
- ACE (Advanced Computer Entertainment) (September 1990)
- Tilt (September 1991)
- ASM (Aktueller Software Markt) (September 1991)
- Video Games (September 1991)
- Amiga Joker (June 1991)
- Amiga Power (June 1991)
- The Games Machine (August 1990)
- Amiga Power (July 1991)
See also
External links
- Centurion: Defender of Rome available to play at no cost directly in the browser via the Internet Archive
- 1990 video games
- Amiga games
- DOS games
- Electronic Arts games
- FM Towns games
- NEC PC-9801 games
- Real-time strategy video games
- Sega Genesis games
- Single-player video games
- Turn-based strategy video games
- Video games about gladiatorial combat
- Video games developed in the United States
- Video games set in the Roman Empire