High expectations are a curse. While everybody envies developers who make games as great as Rise of Nations, nobody envies them when sequel time comes around. And you can really see why with Rise of Legends. Big Huge Games' follow-up to its instant classic from 2003 is a pretty good RTS, but it is also an awfully familiar one that doesn't bring anything new to the table aside from some snazzy new graphics, a few rule tweaks, and a quirky storyline with three oddball races. After a dozen hours or so of the campaign and noodling around online, the novelty vanishes...along with a fair number of the compelling reasons to keep playing the game.
Story is one of the big reasons why Rise of Legends feels a bit flat. Although the title of the game leads you to expect some kind of Ray Harryhausen-style extravaganza with Greek gods and gorgons, this is not the second coming of Age of Mythology. Instead of rehashing well-worn folklore, Big Huge Games decided to try something new and craft an original setting complete with three unique races and loads of zany units that rework just about every fantasy and science fiction convention out there.
Big Huge Games was obviously trying to manufacture one of those "you got peanut butter in my chocolate!" moments where an off-the-wall combination works out perfectly. The only problem here is that the fantasy and sci-fi doesn't so much blend together as it does clash, at least in the campaign, when a story interferes with taking the races and units on their own not inconsiderable merits. The three races, each fanciful recreations of cultures from disparate eras and far-flung corners of the globe, seem to have been pulled from different RTS games. You've got the steampunk-flavored, quasi Venetian Vinci, who utilize tech derived from the sketches of Leonardo da Vinci, like wobbly gyrocopters and clockwork robots. Then there are the Alin, a civilization of sinister Arabian wizards who battle with magic and fiery efreeti footsoldiers. And finally there are the Cuotl, Mayan-like aliens with E.T. technology such as energy shields and flying saucers.
