PowerMonger (Sega Genesis, 1991)

The following is a fair and just review that this game more than deserves:
I don't use numbering systems for the aspects of a game, and, since Powermonger is over 13 years old, that wouldn't be exactly fair anyhow. I use the following system:
Exceptional - Nothing can be improved about this aspect.
Good - Exceeds standards yet has some room for improvement.
Average - Meets the standards of the time, yet fails to impress.
Poor - Below-standards, suffers from terrible quality.

GAME-PLAY Powermonger delivers something that no modern RTS has ever duplicated - a living, breathing world that reacts to your decisions and changes accordingly. Each little man you see has a background story. The world is alive in that you will see it change with the seasons. In the spring, birds will return to the forests. (Fluttering birds can indicate enemies manoeuvring towards you in the woods - an impressive strategic feature that I've never seen replicated). If you cut down a forest while crafting a fleet of rowboats, the weather will be affected by this drastic alteration to the environment. Now, what you do in this game doesn't qualify as "RTS" by modern standards, but modern RTS games don't deserve their own title. Rather than queue up 50 tanks and sit back waiting for them to be constructed, you begin each level with anywhere from 7-40 men in your army (functions as a single unit). To earn more, you must conquer towns and recruit their populace. How many men you recruit is directly related to the stance of your army (and yourself). A passive attack on the town followed by aggressive conscription yields best numerical results, just as an aggressive assault leaves none alive to swell your ranks. Passive yields boats, ploughs, and pots. Neutral tends to produce light weapons or boats. Aggressive will land you bows, pikes, swords, catapults, or even the mighty cannon. Geography plays into what you can research. Obviously, you won't be making boats if your town is in a mountain. Attacks on enemy towns or armies are not carried out like a game of Starcraft of Command & Conquer. You select the stance representing how much damage you wish to do, click the attack icon, and lastly click your target. Your army marches off and you get to watch the melee unfold. This might sound like it has no strategic element, but believe me - it does. Waiting around for enemy armies to fight, looting the battlefield for items, and then tracking down the survivors can help you get an edge on tough enemies. You can harass the enemy position by killing and eating all of their sheep, cutting down their forests, and capturing local fisherman's huts. Anyone who thinks that RTS means building a hundred tanks, surrounding a base with gun turrets, and firing nukes will not appreciate Powermonger. It does not disappoint. Game-play = EXCEPTIONAL
VISUAL This part of the game really helps a lot. Birds will flutter if an oncoming army approaches. Very interactive in a sort. Camera angles get very annoying after a while but what game doesnt? Exceptional
SOUND Not a whole lot of greatness here. The baaing of sheep and grunting of men dying. It gets a GOOD.
REPLAYABILITY I could play this game for days. Not only is there a campaign mode but you can also play against the computer to take over land uknown just for kicks, EXCEPTIONAL.

Overall this game was groundbreaking. I love it. Too bad nobody has picked up its rights for a remake.
I take my hat off to you Power Monger...