Empire: Wargame of the Century
| Industry | Video games |
|---|---|
| Products | Empire: Wargame of the Century |
Empire: Wargame of the Century is a 1987 strategy video game created by Walter Bright and Mark Baldwin, and published by Interstel Corporation. This title is a modern adaptation of Bright’s original 1977 strategy game Empire.
Description
As a segment of Interstel’s Star Fleet collection, Empire: Wargame of the Century centers on conflicts involving the Krellan species. The storyline revolves around thwarting the Krellans’ plan to seize planets with minimal resource expenditure. The gameplay incorporates military units reminiscent of those used during World War II, including submarines, aircraft, and ground forces.
Development
Walter Bright first developed Empire in 1977 for the PDP-10 mainframe computer at Caltech. Following limited commercial success from a 1983 assembly language port for the PDP-11, Bright rewrote the game in C programming language for IBM PC systems, which resulted in increased sales despite initially low expectations.
After licensing Empire to Epyx, and following the distribution of a public domain version through DECUS, Trevor Sorenson of Interstel obtained the license in 1986. Mark Baldwin collaborated on this Interstel version, introducing new elements such as escort units, patrol mechanics, accelerated destroyer speeds, and battleship bombardments. The game was subsequently launched on various platforms including Amiga, Atari ST, DOS, Commodore 64, Apple II, and Mac.
Interstel humorously warned potential buyers about the game’s highly addictive qualities, acknowledging its significant impact on users’ productivity. The original mainframe iteration was known to cause considerable distraction among Caltech students.
Reception
In 1984, Creative Computing commended Bright’s Empire for IBM PC for its "simple yet elegant design" paired with challenging military scenarios. Although it faced criticism for a "complex command structure" and inadequate documentation, the publication praised its intense excitement, concluding that "Empire demonstrates that the mainframe era’s excellence persists on microcomputers."
Computer Gaming World characterized Empire: Wargame of the Century as an engrossing grand strategic wargame—more intricate than Risk yet more accessible than Third Reich. Reviewer William Kritzen highlighted user interface improvements over previous versions that enhanced gameplay experience, ultimately urging readers to "buy this game!" The title earned the magazine’s "Game of the Year" accolade in 1988 and was inducted into its Hall of Fame in 1989 with a rating of 9.71 out of 12. In 1990, readers voted it their "All-Time Favorite." Later evaluations assigned ratings ranging from three to four and a half stars out of five.
Neil Randall from Compute! praised the Atari ST edition’s interface and described the game as "superb," blending exploration with strategic elements. Kritzen observed that Interplay’s modifications made it "too user friendly," contributing to its highly addictive nature. Steve Panak from Antic found the Atari ST version extremely engaging despite desiring improved pathfinding features. The Amiga edition received over four stars from Info, which labeled it "the most entertaining 'world conquest' game" with a strong addictive appeal. The Commodore 64 version also earned more than four stars for its historical importance and captivating gameplay, though reviewers noted that graphical clarity could be enhanced. BYTE’s Jerry Pournelle emphasized the game’s ease of use, rapid combat sequences, and intuitive interface as factors that made it addictive without overwhelming micromanagement.
The Amiga and Atari ST versions were rated 618 and 606 out of 1000 respectively by ACE, which cited basic graphics and sound but enjoyable gameplay that could become repetitive over time. Ahoy!'s AmigaUser recommended it to gamers seeking deep strategic engagement. The Atari ST release received four out of five stars in Dragon issue #131, with a comparable rating given to the MS-DOS version in issue #142.
Reviews
- ASM (Aktueller Software Markt) – March 1988