Platform: PC

Developer: Impression Games

Publisher: Sierra Studios

Release Date: October 22nd, 2000

Genre: City-Builder

Nerd Rating: 8 / 10

Reviewed by Rhutsczar

Hello hello! It’s February and at Nerd Bacon that means an entire month full of our favorite retro games. It’s time we started off on this adventure and soil our hands with blood and sweat as we build the greatest empire in all of Greece in Zeus: Master of Olympus. For those familiar with city-building games around the turn of the new millenia, this one may have slid right under your radar with its similarities to the Caesar and Pharoah franchises.

Just like the other variations of city-building games from Impression Games, Zeus tasks the player with the position of a mayor who needs to build the latest city to influence the land of Greece. Pretty open-ended right? Well if you want just an extra dose of structure, feel free to tackle one of the multiple campaign scenarios available. Unlike Pharoah and Caesar, Zeus directly derives these campaign objectives from either history (Peloponnesian War) or Greek mythology (the slaughter of Cyclops). One of the smaller scenarios available in sandbox modes even allows you to participate in the Quest for the Golden Fleece. Yeah, Zeus goes hard in the paint when it comes to their mythology.

Even though we have a reasonably clear idea that Impression wanted to push the level of mysticism found in Pharoah to its limit in Zeus, we aren’t exactly surprised. Why would you pass on the chance to utilize the rich lore of Greek mythology? While Zeus could have easily been just a cosmetic swap, Impressions gives the player the chance to inject a heavy dose of mythology if they wish. In most scenarios, you are given the chance to build temples to various gods (Ares, Artemis) who will assist you in their own ways. It doesn’t just stop at gods though, as you can even build quarters for famed warriors Perseus (Medusa) and Jason with his Argonauts (Golden Fleece). Everything is up to you, as if you just wanted to grow olives and grapes, you could make some fantastic wine…until Athena shows up.

When did we move to Napa Valley?

Now if the mythology didn’t hook you, Zeus: Master of Olympus is the collaboration of everything that the developers had learned from Caesar and Pharoah. Zeus definitely has the basic fundamentals of the city-building genre down, giving the player plenty of resources to balance in order to make your city the greatest in the region. However, you won’t be able to generate all of the necessary resources that you need, and Zeus makes it easy to set up trade routes with your neighboring city-states. Only if they are willing because Sparta is damn persistent in bringing your city down.

Since Impressions tried to make the Zeus as authentic as possible, they change how the military works to continue in their pursuit of realism. While previous variations in the city-building series have permanent military forces once crafted, Zeus utilizes common and noble citizens who live and work in your city until they are drafted, which can severely affect your workforce in times of crisis. While a few states may have had the extra bodies to throw into a standing military force, many armies during this time period incorporated the average citizen. Be warned, as I have made the mistake too many times of losing hundreds of workers to the navy and losing key infrastructure in the process. Yeah! Running a city is easy!

Completely Easy mode. No big deal.

Now AI isn’t exactly a core element to this particular genre, and this is where Zeus: Master of Olympus extremely lacks. Starting off in the trading sector, your nearby rivals and allies are set to two modes: incredibly aggressive conquering tyrants, or fragile despots looking for handouts.  As long as you have enough money in your treasury though, you can pay off any would-be intruders and earn a memorial for stopping the invasion in the process? Really, a surrender counts as a win in your citizens’ eyes? This unreliable AI is not just with other city-states, but with any invading monsters in your territory. While it seems like they move about with free will causing destruction in their wake. However, once they reach their stomping grounds they will move onto a set track. How disappointing.

The key question is, how quickly will you get bored with Zeus and shelf it away? Well to give you a quick example, I have continued playing Zeus off and on since I discovered it back in 2005. Over the last 14 years, I have only completed 3 of the story scenarios and find it very hard to leave the multiple sandbox modes where I can play to my heart’s content. Haven’t you ever wanted to take out the mighty Troy at the knees and topple Sparta to dance among the flames? You can do that easily. How about Athena and her soldiers fighting Hades and Cerberus? Go for it.

As the humans build, the gods GET LIT.

Now that you have have been given the taste of life as a Greek socialite, can we task you with building our next thriving city? If you have been in love with Greek mythology since the days of old, this is definitely a game for your next retro obsession. You can actually find it on Steam right now with its expansion pack Poseidon for a mere $9.99. Let me know in the comments if you want a Poseidon deep dive next.