I was about 9 years old when I used to launch games on Windows XP/7, and Rise of Nations was one of those games that genuinely changed my life.

Some games can shape you forever especially when you’re just beginning to explore the world. I’m glad I opened myself up to something new back then. This game, along with a few others, helped me become a more structured and strategic person later in life: learning how to think ahead, earn money, build a reputation, and position myself in society.

Back then, things were different. Games could actually develop you, not just push you into repetitive actions. Now it often feels boring to play-AAA companies are mostly trying to squeeze money out of players, while indie developers are the ones still trying to impress.

Ironically, many AAA companies built their fortunes on games like Rise of Nations-deep, thoughtful, and made with passion. And now they often follow a path focused purely on monetization.

So here’s the point: if you want to understand what a real RTS is, think a little, and still relax-give Rise of Nations a try.

I wish I had bought this earlier as I really forgot how good it was! Such an enjoyable RTS game that deserved game of the year way back then. I actually enjoy this more than Age of Empires 2 which is crazy considering how much extra support AOE2 gets and here is this gem only getting a mild update. The graphics are fantastic for such an old title and I am playing on an OLED screen which looks awesome and the soundtrack is pure nostalgia absolutely love it. There are so many upgrade paths for so many things it seems overwhelming at first but you get the hang of it pretty quickly. The fact you can start out at spears and end up with nukes is wild. I honestly dont have a bad word to say about the game, truly an enjoyable classic!

best RTS ever