AGEod is a company specializing in the development and publishing of PC games. The acronym used stands for Adaptive Game Engine, which is the proprietary game engine used in the development of their games, while the “od” part stands for online distribution.
Founded by Philippe Thibault (designer of the Pax Romana board game) and Philippe Malacher (creator of the AGE) in 2005. In December 2009 the company was acquired by Paradox Interactive and taking a trip down memory lane, we’ll now go back in time to find the best AGEod game.
5. Birth of America
| Developer | SEP BOA |
| Release Date | 24 February 2006 |
| Platforms | PC |
As a video game company, AGEod is known for their history-oriented strategy games. The game centers around a very particular period in the history of what would later be known as The United States of America, namely, the American War of Independence, ranging from 1755 to 1783.
The scope of the game can be praised for having more than 700 provinces, covering the whole of North America, each with its own civilization levels, climates and unique terrain.
The player is in control of the military action that occurs in the 10 scenarios on offer and staying true to the historical record, each month corresponds to a single turn.
Both the French and Indian War is covered along with the American Revolution, so the game has great depth. Land and sea battles are a prominent feature with real political events affecting the game’s outcome.
Turn-based strategy might not be to every gamer’s taste and this might also just come across as an interactive history lesson that may again only appeal to some. It can be perceived as a serious game with great historical depth which makes it a niche title and not for most casual gamers looking for a quick thrill.
4. World War One
| Developer | AGEod |
| Release Date | 14 November 2008 |
| Platforms | PC |
World War One covers the events of the first global war in human history, as the name suggests. Another one for history buffs and you could probably use this game to write a decent essay.
The maps have unprecedented levels of details and the player has several outcomes that can be unlocked. Given that any scenario or Grand Campaign selected has over 50 pages of overview stats on offer, World War One has all the information you’ll ever need.
For fans of political intrigue, economics and diplomacy play an integral role to completing the game.
The level of detail can be too much to bear and an assault on the senses. The tutorial is so bland that you might not feel inclined to complete it or better yet, opt to read a textbook.
AI is another major drawback with lag times making it infuriatingly slow, especially when one considers battles to be a pleasant break from the mandatory history lesson.
3. Rise of Prussia
| Developer | AGEod |
| Release Date | 9 March 2010 |
| Platforms | PC |
Developed by AGEod and published by Paradox Interactive, this grand strategy wargame covers the European campaigns of the Seven Years’ War that spanned from 1756 to 1763.
To address the bugs inherent in the first game, a remastered edition was released that included improvements while adding three new scenarios.
With 200 leaders having 300 units at their disposal, players can choose between the two sides, namely Prussia and Austria. This being an AGEod game, one can expect the maps to be absolutely huge and not only is all of Germany covered, but its 1000+ regions as well. With 20 scenarios to play through, 12 being key historical battles and seven which represent each year of the war.
There are better strategy games out there for fans of the genre and the intense micromanagement required in this one doesn’t do it any favors.
The game’s tedious pacing is enough to distract anyone and most campaigns usually become a battle of attrition that may be even less exciting for the person playing it, than the game sprites enduring it.
2. Pride of Nations
| Developer | AGEod |
| Release Date | 8 June 2011 |
| Platforms | PC |
Pride of Nations has to do with industrialization and expansion by means of military might and colonization. Set in the 19th century the player has a choice between Japan, Russia, Austria, France, United States or United Kingdom.
Deep turn-based strategy is again an integral component of the game and fans of the series will dive right in.
The game sports the same level of detail one would come to expect and the economic system has been praised for its depth. It is the definition of “slow and steady” especially for gamers who like to take their time to enjoy the experience.
Considering the system it was built on, the poor graphics and poorly designed User Interface is quite unacceptable.
It also slows down the game considerably, despite this game being a slow-paced affair from the outset. The outdated game engine feels a little too familiar and does very little to innovate.
1: AGEod’s American Civil War: 1861-1865 – The Blue and the Gray
| Developer | AGEod |
| Release Date | 26 June 2007 |
| Platforms | PC, Mac OS X |
We round off our list with a game that sports the longest title in the series. AGEod’s American Civil War: 1861-1865 – The Blue and the Gray takes place in the American Civil War period and players have a choice between choosing either the Confederate States or the United States.
A sequel was published to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the American Civil War, with a portion of the proceeds donated to the Civil War Trust.
Giving the player a real sense of scale and depth as it pertains to one of the greatest events in American history, the game does well to depict the various conflicts that took place.
It has everything a hardcore strategy gamer or Civil War enthusiast could ask for, from setting up lines of logistics to engaging with the enemy in various terrain. The battle of the North vs South is so carefully constructed that it almost comes across as a documentary.
Complaints about the micromanagement in this series is unavoidable and the pacing can be tedious enough to reduce one to tears. That being said, this is the best AGEod game in the series that gives us a keener insight into the war that shaped modern day America.
It’s also one of those rare games, that once completed, you wear as a badge of honor due to its complexity and steep learning curve.
