1503 A.D.: The New World

PUBLISHER: ELECTRONIC ARTS

DEVELOPER: SUNFLOWER INTERACTIVE

GENRE: HISTORICAL STRATEGY

ESRB RATING: TEEN; VIOLENCE

PRICE: $39.99

REQUIREMENTS: PENTIUM II 500, 128MB RAM, 930MB HARD DRIVE SPACE

RECOMMENDED REQUIREMENTS: PENTIUM III 1GHZ, 256MB RAM

MULTIPLAYER SUPPORT: NONE

Hmmm, a strategy game where you don��t have to smash, burn, and eradicate every last trace of your opponent to win��must come from Europe. Kill if you must, but 1503 AD: The New World is an RTS that��s more than content to let you build a peaceful colony and focus on economic viability.

The game begins with you scouting a promising location amid an island chain. 1503 has some nice 3D terrain, especially the island shorelines, but 2D units do some funny things, especially the ships, which go all Philadelphia Experiment when bunched too close together. The game��s overall look is nice in a two-or-three-years ago kind of way.

Once you��ve found your slice of paradise, it��s time to build your settlement. The city-building elements are far and away 1503��s most compelling feature. There are five settlement levels, each expanding an incredibly deep palette of build choices and production possibilities. You��ll need to leave space in your towns so you can strategically place advanced buildings later in the game.

As you build houses, the population increases. The citizenry��s happiness depends on your ability to provide a range of staple and luxury goods. If the people get really unhappy, their houses crumble as they abandon your settlement, costing tax revenue and delaying advancement. Their ever-expanding appetites inevitably led me to establish colonies on other islands and begin trading with other cultures. 1503 does a good job assigning hot-button toggles for your towns and ships, and if you set up automated trade routes to keep things flowing, you can develop some pretty efficient supply routes. Still, especially early in the game, it seemed I always needed something, usually salt or building tools. Fortunately, trade ships show up quickly, and you��ll soon find passive trading proves much more effective than active trading. Just offer a slightly higher than market price, and supplies will soon appear.

Compared to its economic side, 1503��s military aspects are somewhat limited. The 13 ground units are matched up in rock/paper/scissors fashion, so it pays to have a balanced army. While combat itself is scrum-like, I enjoyed 1503��s solution to conquering enemy territory: damage an enemy warehouse (which also doubles as a development hub) and then repair it. Voila! Every building in its control radius becomes yours.

But be warned: Military units are expensive to research, build, and equip. If your game economy is anything less than stellar, your conquering hordes will quickly run you to bankruptcy. This makes military expeditions a serious commitment. Harassment raids don��t bother the computer much at all, so don��t even bother to try.

1503 has other problems. It��s far too difficult to get a positive balance sheet going. I quit several games because I fell into negative income; it could be far more kind with trade. Also, I had trouble with any resolution but 1024x780. While 1503 won��t rock your world, it won��t be necessary to put a bag over your head in order to enjoy it.

VERDICT (3): The dated visuals won��t grab you, but the game��s depth keeps things interesting if not addicting

Copyright © 2003 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in Computer Gaming World.