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Assistant Editor My current favorites include Age of Wonders, Disciples, and Age of Empires II, but I haven't spent enough time with these games to know if they are worthy of being considered an all-time favorite. I have played Civilization II long enough to know that it is on my list. Its main competitor on that list is The Ancient Art of War, a real-time strategy game published by Broderbund in the mid-'80s. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to locate a playable copy of The Ancient Art of War. I saw a used copy for sale on an auction site, but I didn't buy it because I don't have an old computer capable of running the game. Maybe the Murry brothers will release a remake of the game through Evryware, but I'm not holding my breath. I'll have to rely on foggy memories from my youth. This makes the comparison between the two games somewhat unfair. Since I cannot possibly determine which game I enjoyed more, I will choose between them on the basis of how they each made me a better person. The Ancient Art of War integrated excerpts from Sun Tzu's The Art of War that made the game feel far more educational than the typical strategy game. Perhaps that is why my parents didn't mind my playing it for hours on end. I have found many of the strategies for war presented in the game (and the book) to be applicable to everyday life. Civilization II taught me how to rule a kingdom, and many of the strategies for ruling a kingdom can also be applied to everyday life. While both games undoubtedly sharpened my strategic skills, I believe Civilization II is more conducive to a peaceful world. The Ancient Art of War, as the title of the game implies, is focused on war. While Civilization II also allows the player to achieve victory through war, there are other possibilities for success that rely on less violent means. It is this peaceful component that tips my scales in favor of Civilization II. | |||||||||||||||||||||
