WorthPlaying Review: Populous DS

WP writes: "I’m a sucker for nostalgia. As a teenager I spent countless hours daydreaming of a future in which I, as an adult, held the reins to my own life. Having finally reached that dizzying plateau, though, I’ve found that I waste just as much time now pining for a return to the simpler and less frightening days gone by. To that end, I nurture a voracious appetite for the pastimes of my youth. This hunger has been curbed somewhat recently by the advent of the DS, a platform on which the paragons of reminiscence at Nintendo have re-released a slew of my old favorites.

Populous DS is one such favorite. The gameplay, which has remained remarkably faithful to its original incarnation, is deceptively simple. Taking on the role of a fantastic deity, the player is tasked with the care and command of a legion of faithful servants. It is the player’s duty to flatten inhospitable terrain, remove obstructions such as rocks or rivers, and protect the growing population of his followers. The tiny congregation, for its part, will use level terrain to build houses, temples and cities which will in turn allow the worshipers to live longer and multiply more quickly. This is essential because each devotee contributes Faith, which is the currency that fuels the powerful miracles the player must use to defeat the rival deity."