- Centurion: Defender of Rome
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Centurion: Defender of Rome 
PC cover art of Centurion: Defender of RomeDeveloper(s) Bits of Magic Publisher(s) Electronic Arts Designer(s) Kellyn Beck Platform(s) PC DOS, Amiga, Mega Drive Release date(s) 1990-1991 Genre(s) Turn-based strategy, real-time strategy, action Mode(s) Single player Rating(s) N/A Media/distribution Floppy disks, ROM cartridge Centurion: Defender of Rome is a turn-based strategy video game with real-time battle sequences, designed by Kellyn Beck and Bits of Magic and published by Electronic Arts. Originally released on the DOS platform for the PC in 1990, the game was later ported to the Amiga and the Mega Drive (Sega Genesis) in 1991. Centurion shares much of the concept and feel with Beck's earlier game Defender of the Crown (1987) and might be regarded as its spiritual sequel.
Contents
Story
The game begins in Ancient Rome in the year 275 BC, placing the player in the sandals of a centurion in the Roman army, at first leading a single legion. The player's ultimate goal is to become a caesar through a mix of successful military conquests and internal politics of "Bread and Circuses".
Gameplay
The bulk of the game involve turn-based strategic planning and management on the world map and the real-time battles (with on-demand pauses to give orders to formations) against various enemies of the Roman Empire, such as the Celts, Carthaginians and Parthians. Centurion also featured other "side-show" activities, such as gladiatorial combat (the player's duties involve financing the ludi events), chariot racing in the Circus Maximus, and naval battles. There is also some diplomacy (it is even possible to seduce the queen Cleopatra after forming an alliance with Egypt).
Development
The game's designer, Kellyn Beck, was also the creator of several Cinemaware games and Centurion was similar in look to those games, featuring "cinematic" graphics, animation and sound effects. His inspiration for the game came from watching the films Ben Hur and Spartacus and the game's working title was Caesar.[1] The team Bits of Magic, who co-designed and programmed the game, included Nicky Robinson.
Reception
The PC version of the game received 3 out of 5 stars in Dragon.[2] Other magazines, however, usually gave the game better reviews, with scores mostly in the range of 75-90%.[3]
See also
- Rome: Pathway to Power
- Rome: Total War
References
- ^ Computer Gaming World 55 (January 1989), p.14
- ^ Lesser, Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk (November 1990). "The Role of Computers". Dragon (163): 47–50.
- ^ The game's review chart at Amiga Magazine Rack
External links
Categories:- 1990 video games
- Amiga games
- DOS games
- Electronic Arts games
- Real-time strategy video games
- Roman Empire video games
- Sega Mega Drive games
- Turn-based strategy video games
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