Hail Caesar!
The Caesar series is a superb set of strategy city building games, like a mix of The Settlers and SimCity, and this third entry in the franchise is perhaps one of the better efforts, making it a fine choice for any genre fan. In many ways, it's not overly original, but it's simply put together so well that you can easily forgive this and if you do play it, be prepared to say goodbye to the real world. As you might expect from the title, this one puts you in the role of a mighty Roman leader and it's your responsibility to develop your province and turn it into a thriving city. You start out with just a small area under your control, so you'll have to start placing buildings, creating transport networks, building up your defenses and all the other myriad things that need to be taken care of, all while keeping an eye on your resources and finances. Adding to your problems are the Gods, which may send disasters your way if you're not pious enough, while the attentions of rivals may come your way too and which will lead to battle, so be prepared. Caesar 3 really is a great entry into what is a very crowded genre. It's the attention to detail here which helps make it stand out, and there's no denying the sense of satisfaction which comes from gradually building up your city into a bustling metropolis. There's plenty of options and elements to experiment with and which adds much to the long term appeal, while the interface is a breeze to use and the visuals simple but very effective. All in all, a top notch bit of city building fun.
