America (PC)

GameSpot editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 2.0 stars Mediocre
  Detailed editors' rating
  Overall score: 4.8 (2.0 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  Greg Kasavin
• Reviewed on: 02/16/2001
• Released on: 01/14/2001
• Originally published on GameSpot: America (PC) Review

America is a Wild West-themed real-time strategy game from German developer Data Becker. Although the setting of the game is distinctive, and some of the specific mechanics of play are fairly interesting, there is actually very little in America that isn't taken straight from other older, better real-time strategy games. More specifically, America is a plainly obvious attempt at borrowing the successful elements of the popular historical-themed game Age of Empires II: The Age of Kings. Unfortunately for America, its attempts to replicate the graphics, sound, gameplay, and balance of Ensemble Studios' excellent strategy game simply don't add up.

America isn't much of a history lesson. It lets you play as four different factions: settlers, outlaws, Mexicans, and Native Americans. As in any typical 2D real-time strategy game, each of these factions has some superficial and strategic differences and otherwise a lot in common. The game follows the exact same pattern that's typical of the genre: You must use your workers to build a resource-gathering infrastructure, gather a sufficient amount of these resources while expanding your territory, and then build up a force of armed troops with whom you eliminate the opposition. The pacing of the game is slow in the extensive resource-gathering phase and often much too fast once combat ensues. Generally, the battles are won by whoever manages to bring along the most troops.

It's easy to compare America with Age of Empires II because America initially looks so much like Ensemble's game. The isometric perspective, the earthy color scheme, and the tiny units are all very similar. However, America's graphics lack a lot of the detail and polish of those in Age of Empires II--the various units and structures can be very difficult to distinguish from one another. Yet while America doesn't look very interesting, it doesn't really look bad--but it certainly sounds bad. Each unit in the game has its own grating, repetitive catchphrase. These are often predictable and silly--the cowboys all say, "Hold your horses, man!" Also, in the single-player campaign, each mission opens with a long-winded spoken monologue that's delivered in what's meant to be that particular faction's dialect. The accents are so badly affected that it becomes impossible to take the game seriously. As in Age of Empires II, the game's soundtrack relies heavily on percussion and woodwind instruments, and as such it isn't nearly as bad as the speech.

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