1602 A.D.

I’m a sucker for pirate/colonial games. Ever since Sid Meier’s (tm) Pirates, where I could cruise around the Gulf of Mexico seeking rogue pirates, Spanish gold and the progressively more attractive governor’s daughter. Ah. Then came the Monkey Island series. Who couldn’t love Threep. Ok, 1602 A.D. doesn’t have *too* much in common with these games, and pirates only make a brief appearance, but hey, that’s a good start. You do get to run around tropical islands seeking your virtual fortune.

GT Interactive has finally brought Sunflower’s European hit Anno 1602 over to the States. The game is set in, yes, 1602, and plays like a mix between an RTS and a colonial simulation. Find an island suitable for starting your colony, looking for mix between ore deposits, forests, and fertile soil (because you know how those colonials like their tobacco products). You play the part of the governor/king of the island and your job is to make it attractive to settlers. First build them some houses, then give them something to do, like fishing or farming sheep. As they develop, their abilities will grow, giving you more options, like vineyards, mines, and ranches. But their tastes also grow, and they soon pine for schools, doctors, and fancy cathedrals.

Really it's all standard Simulation fare at this point; the wheat farm leads to the mill, which leads to the baker, and then the little cart-pushing guys haul it to the warehouse for consumption or trade. Trade is really the area where 1602 starts to distinguish itself. Most games allow you to be rather self sufficient, and just ward off the various attackers. The economy of this game is such that you simply must develop trade with your neighbors if you plan on advancing. Your island won’t be able to meet all the spice, cocoa, and whiskey requirements of your spoiled settlers; and even if it could, the cost of producing each crop would put you in the hole. You have to specialize and develop the trade lines. It can be kind of a pain, and in truth, half the time I didn’t know what I was buying or selling. To be really sure you're getting the best deal, you have to pay attention to the demand on the other islands, their surpluses, and the going rates. To that end, the game gives you plenty to do, and plenty of strategies to explore. Of course, there is combat, simplified into a few warships and a couple different types of soldiers. Defenses consist of walls, gates, and the like.

1602 A.D. doesn’t try to trick you into thinking it's something revolutionary; the next big game. It isn’t and it doesn’t need to be. It is a fun little game that runs solid, is well balanced, and presents a few new ideas to the RTS genre.

The graphics are good, but nothing remarkable. Nice little animations of your town going about its business. The models aren’t as detailed as, say, the Settlers, nor is the "food chain" as elaborate; but 1602 emphasizes other aspects such as trade and ships. I was disappointed there was no animation of the construction of buildings. They pretty much just pop up in place when purchased.

Installation is a breeze. 1602 only needs a thrifty 90 megs, and the enlightened folks at Sunflower saw fit to let the game run sans CD, which is a convenience I wish more developers provided.

Another feature I love to see in a game is the ability to play in different video resolutions. 1602 has 3 modes from 640x480 up; and since the system requirements are low, older systems should be able to handle whatever your style dictates.

Online and LAN play is fully supported, allowing for easy hookups with human opponents.

With so many big budget lame games out there, it's refreshing to see some quality creative games like Roller Coaster Tycoon or 1602 A.D. that didn’t rely on a truck load of money to make something fun. Chances are that you can find 1602 for less than $30.00 new.  If this genre interests you, you’ll find it to be an entertaining diversion.

Gameplay:   6.5
Wading through the selections takes some getting used to, and managing trade routes can get tedious.

Graphics:     7
Standard renderings of buildings and landscapes. Nothing remarkable, but enjoyable.

Sound:         7
Average music and sound effects.

Difficulty:     8
The emphasis on trade forces you to manage more assets and make the game rather challenging.

Concept:       6
Well executed, with some nice variation on the standard RTS.

Installation:  Easy!

Overall:        7
It's no Age of Empires II, but 1602 A.D. is a solid game in its own right.