Calling XIII Century: Death or Glory a poor man's take on the Total War series may seem like a condemnation of this tactical RTS with mere faint praise. But even though this compendium of great medieval battles might not be as all-encompassing as its big brothers from Creative Assembly, first-time developer Unicorn Games Studios has put together a challenging historical warfare simulation with outstanding depth. It feels a little stripped down when it comes to frills and extra gameplay options, although the game has it where it counts if all you're interested in is pitting your mettle and might against enemy generals on the battlefield.
The Good
* Deep, challenging battle mechanics
* Wide range of historical battles from the entire 13th century
* Detailed terrain has a tremendous influence on battles
* AI that knows enough to use the terrain and exploit your weaknesses.
The Bad
* Gameplay deals solely with tactical RTS combat
* Direct-IP multiplayer only
* Some performance glitches with video and sound.
GetGames has slashed 50% off of 1C's XIII Century Gold Edition through Sunday as part of its weekend sale.
Game Debate writes: "Death or Glory" harked XIII Century's tagline; death or glory, love or hate, respect is due to developers 1C company for having no interest in catering to the middle ground. XIII century is strategy game with detailed 'hardcore' gameplay mechanics and and more than a passing interest in medieval history.
1C Company and Unicorn Games have released the PC specification requirements for the forthcoming XIII Century: Death or Glory. XIII Century: Death or Glory is a Real-Time Strategy (RTS) game which immerses players in the Middle Ages. This is a world of noble knights and ruthless nomads, a world of courageous deeds and internal wars.
