Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

First of all you'll need a video card that supports pixel shader 2.0 or higher or you won't see many of the eye popping graphics featured in the screenshots, such as water, weather, your "good" alignment effects, sun and moon, ants, the list goes on. That being said, thats all this game really is - eye candy. It only resembles the 1st game on the surface. Once you get into it you find out that its been "dumbed" down - ALOT. The first map will have a tutorial on how to move your mouse left. Then it will teach you how to move your mouse right. Then Up. Then down. And thats just getting started on moving the mouse. You'll spend parts of the following 2 maps on tutorials as well that you can't bypass. As for gameplay, the creature has lost all personality. Its now more robotic in nature as your training involves petting (or slapping) it to move a slider bar which determines to what degree it will or wont do something. Its basically "set it and forget it" You cannot teach it miracles anymore. You simply purchase them. You cannot control it in fights with other creatures like the first game. They duke it out on their own while you just watch. The entire belief system is gone and your influence ring is now determined by your most outer edge buildings. You either spend all your time building cities to impress nearby towns to join you or building an army to take them over by force. Neither method is challenging and gets boring very quickly. There are only 3 unit types for armies and they are limited to move, attack, defend, get on walls, and disband. There was some strategy in the first game but you wont find it here. The enemy AI is horrible. It simply sends out wave after wave of platoons to your city walls whether it had the resources for them or not. It will also ignore you when you attack their towns unless you get close enough to the actual platoon itself. The enemy will also constantly taunt you endlessly. Many of the features that were promised didn't make it into the game and there is no multiplayer. I waited for this game for 4 years and its a huge disappointment and a step backwards. Unless you enjoy a game for its graphical presentation well over its gameplay, length, and replay value, save your money and avoid this title.