Crown of Glory: Europe in the Age of Napoleon: Desura Review

I think almost all of Europe remembers the days when Napoleon commanded the parade. Fear, dread and hunger coexisted with people in Horror Games. And only one Great Power (don't think of the USA) was able to resist the tyrant. Let's once again plunge into that era and feel ourselves in the shoes of the commander of one of the six main warring parties, such as France, England, Russia ... Get world recognition and find out who should rule the world!

To achieve this very recognition, otherwise fame, will not be easy. But there are several ways. The first one is the simplest. Checkers bald and forward! The only question is who will have more strength. Well, you will have to be smart, not without it. The second way is more difficult, but peaceful. Improve the economy, conduct the right policy, and people will be drawn to you! In addition to this, you can set the level of taxes, distribute labor, pass or reject various bills, and much, much more. By the way, the changes will not take effect immediately, but, possibly, in a few months. But by "tuning" the country in the right way, in the future, you will avoid many problems. By the way, all sorts of economic and cultural gadgets are made much more conveniently than in the famous Imperial Glory .

But do not be alarmed, because most of these matters can be shouldered by so-called ministers. They will lead both the economy and the war. They will establish relations between the countries, make a short "pause" before hostilities for a period of a month so that you have time to bring the last detachments of troops to the border. Irreplaceable assistants, in a word.
In certain areas, you can appoint governors who will lead a certain "piece" of the territory. They will automatically sort out some minor issues, alert you to urgent news, etc. And on some lands you are "your own master" and have the right to lead them in full measure. Just look, do not overdo it, otherwise, no matter how game over overtakes you.
Acquaintance with the game will be mostly easy for you, but some moments will simply be deduced. For example, it is very inconvenient to "observe" the state. You can only look at certain areas, and you cannot see general statistics. Agree, it's strange, because there are about a dozen of these areas. Try to see everything here.

At the beginning of the game you will have very vast lands and a very large army, ready from the first minutes of the game to rush into battle and "cut off" a piece of land from your neighbors. They, in turn, also do not hesitate, and are looking, looking for how to secretly attack you. They will grab the land, and run back to their possessions! By the way, the army must always be protected, despite the good diplomatic relations between the countries. The hour is uneven, and your whole empire will collapse, but the army will remain and will do many more useful things. True, soldiers are a voracious society. Give them all the gold money, but more, more!

At first, the battle evokes not just a smile, but laughter. No, joyful laughter! Just look how wonderful everything is!
The forces of both warring parties are located on a hexadecimal battlefield, which, depending on the location of the battle, changes its color and weather conditions. If in Moscow, then snow, in Egypt - a desert. Battles can be completed in 10 minutes, or can be extended over several days, depending on how many troops have gathered. A simple and user-friendly interface will allow you to quickly move your troops, form them, etc. Brilliant!
The maps are well thought out and do not cause any complaints. And the objects on them are placed with special love, from rivers and forests to cities and fields. The fog of war, by the way, now depends on such factors as the visibility of combat units, weather conditions, time of day.
Fighting tactically became even more pleasant. Now the main thing is not to gather a horde for months and run headlong at the enemy, but to break his spirit. And this can be done in different ways: either by killing the commander, or by surrounding the enemy, or by inventing something of your own, original. As soon as he realized that he had a cover, he ran away. The main thing is to catch up and tear to pieces, then consider the job done.
And most importantly, keep an eye on the ammo. A lack of them can lead to a shameful defeat. So supply your army constantly.
For those who are already tired of endless wars and battles, and travel the world with the largest and most invincible army, a special option is in store - "fast battle". Clicked on this button, armies line up and begin to fight in real time. No tactics will help here. Banal head-to-head skirmish. The one who has more strength won.

Where the Crown of Glory falls short of games like Imperial Glory is the graphics. In our project, it is not out of the ordinary, but was sharpened specifically for this game. Judge for yourself, this is not so important for turn-based strategies, especially since low system requirements will increase sales, because not everyone now has hi-end computers.
But sometimes you will see a depressing picture. For example, cities here are represented by simple brown blocks. Fortunately, trees have not only different shapes, but also types. In winter - naked, in summer - "dressed".
Don't expect any special delights. Yes, the character figures are well done, but the almost complete lack of animation makes them look like wooden idols.
But here is where they pleased, so pleased. The volleys from the cannons are accompanied by abundant smoke, swirling gray smoke, which likes to hang in the air for a while. At the end of the battle, you may have difficulty distinguishing between your own and others' fighters. Fun!
The sounds in the game create a special atmosphere. Here is the beginning of military battles, music excites the minds. And here is a quiet peaceful time, and the music flows smoothly, without rushing. But in the ointment, as always, there is also a fly in the ointment. Some special effects can ruin the whole picture. For example, when one of the nations gives up, it plays something that looks like a MIDI melody. And so all is well.

Final comments.
Crown of Glory is a good pastime for gamers. Great project for fans of global games such as Rome: Total War , Imperial Glory and Hearts of Iron . Purchase for everyone without fail.

- The advantages are a well-developed military and economic system, the disadvantages are the graphics.
- Graphics level like board games. Too few items to brag about.
- Some music and sounds are pleasant, while others are just distracting.
- Now tactics is the most important criterion for victory!