Big Huge Games Reviews and Awards

Over the course of its history, Big Huge Games has won numerous awards and accolades from notable gaming media outlets for excellence and innovation. Below are just some of these:

PC Zone UK 91% "Rise of Legends is a work of genuine brilliance, an RTS packed with innovation, strategy, imagination and endless hours of enjoyment."
1Up.com 9/10 "Steampunk and fantasy mesh in a way that's thrilling and engaging, and perilously addictive."
GameInformer 9.5/10 "Everything about this title is simply executed on a level that we rarely see."
PC Gamer 89% "Rise of Legends looks fantastic ...the art direction is breathtaking and imaginative."
Yahoo! Games 4.5/5.0 "Rise of Legends pulls off a rare real-time strategy feat: Brilliant interface, sly mechanics, and diverse, finely tuned races. ...if you want something from the other end of the spectrum that plays unlike anything else, this is the game for you."
ActionTrip 89% "The graphics are superb, convincing story, fun single-player and multiplayer."
GamingTrend 88% "Graphics are stunning... perfect balance between all three factions. Near the top of a short list of great RTS titles."

G4techTV 5/5 "Thrones and Patriots marks a newfound maturity for the genre of real-time strategy. The battles in Rise of Nations still take center stage. They are fabulous. But it’s the added complexity and context garnered from these new campaigns that keeps us coming back for more. "
GameSpot 9.0/10 Editor's Choice - "In the end, Thrones and Patriots is a definite must-have for fans of Rise of Nations; the new nations offer up interesting variety and gameplay styles, while the new campaigns introduce the narrative drive and focus that the original campaign lacked."
GameSpy 4/5" Thrones&Patriots proves once again why Big Huge Games is in the process of building an almost flawless reputation previously held by RTS stalwarts Blizzard and Ensemble. It's an extraordinary addition to an already extraordinary game -- one that fits so seamlessly into the original title that once you've played it's almost impossible to imagine a complete Rise of Nations experience without it."
Computer and Video Games.com 89% "What makes the campaigns such a joy are the masses of scenarios they contain - some 130 in all. Practically every individual territory now has its own associated mission, giving each game a unique flavour."
Fragland 90.7% "The new campaigns are by far the best surprises that will keep you clustered to your screen for hours and hours. The whole has become even more than before one hell of a game and a must for every RTS lover!"
Armchair Empire 9.0/10 "In a true stroke of genius, there are also spy missions in this campaign. In them you receive a bunch of spies with specific targets to destroy. Successfully completing these missions will grant your side special bonuses."
CGW 4/5 "There's almost enough gameplay packed in here for a full-fledged sequel, so it's definitely worth the price of an expansion pack."

GameSpot 9.3/10 "The best strategy game to come out this year...Big Huge Games has created a truly outstanding game."
PC Gamer 93% "Big Huge Games delivers a sensational strategy game and early Game of the Year contender. ... BOTTOM LINE: This Big Huge Game is a new high water mark in RTS gaming."
Games Domain 5/5 "...it becomes apparent after just a few games that somehow this incredibly complicated, deep, and involved game dances and whirls with undeniable and unprecedented grace. Everything is interrelated and balanced. There isn't a single vanity feature or rule that begs removal. Rise of Nations is a triumph in streamlined, quality game design."
GameSpy 90% "...Rise of Nations has everything it takes to be a huge success: a historical setting, a big name publisher, an easy-and-effective multiplayer setup, and a highly tweaked version of a classic design model. Classic real-time gaming simply doesn't get much better than this."
Adrenaline Vault 4.5/5 "Rise of Nations is a towering aggregation of everything that's good about strategy gaming. Framed upon an excellent tactical engine, a swathe of factions, technologies and historical ages, it all congeals into a solid block of fun. Moreover, the Civilization-esque complexities and novel turn-based strategy map add a depth that elevates Rise of Nations from the crowd. It's certainly as addictive as they come."
TechTV: X-Play 5/5 "At first glance, you'd think "Rise of Nations" is just another "Age of Empires" clone. But you'd be wrong... horribly, shamefully, stupendously wrong. ... In short, [Rise of Nations is] everything you could ask for in a real-time strategy game."
GameZone.com 9.5/10
Gamers Depot.com 5/6 "If it’s been featured in an RTS, odds are it’s included and probably improved upon in Rise of Nations. Microsoft went to great lengths to include what works and keep out what doesn’t. RTS veterans will most likely eat this one up, and those new to the genre will really have an easy time getting into it with the Learn to Play tutorial mode. We definitely recommend this one to anyone who enjoys a good RTS and even those who are thinking of giving the genre a try."
Maxim 4/5 "...but what truly sticks out about this real-time strategy game is that it never lets its engrossing depth create a dull moment. And, even more impressive, it makes you feel infinitely smarter than you really are."
WorthPlaying.com 9.3 "Truth be told, Rise of Nations generally lives up to the hype it created for itself."
Firing Squad 88% "If you’re the type of gamer who values the refinement of a tried-and-true concept, this is one of the best releases of 2003, thus far."
Thunderbolt Games Online 10/10 "Quite simply put, this is the pinnacle of RTS excellence. I would be shocked and dismayed if any other RTS game released in the next two years, excluding a sequel to this one, was better than this. Seriously people, this is not only one of the best RTS games ever made, but quite possibly one of the best games ever made, period."
Computer and Video Games.com 90% "VERDICT: One of the most original and playable RTSs ever."
GameFirst! 4/5 "With the release of Rise of Nations it looks like leaders of the strategy genre are going to have to make room for a new player."
TELEFRAGGED 90% "Battles in this game look tremendous; the vehicles look great, soldiers go through very dramatic deaths, and buildings crumble in a cloud of dust. When a nuke goes off, everyone in the game will know it..."
Gameplanet.com 5/5 "Big Huge Games lives up to its name by delivering a huge gaming experience that is a must buy for all RTS fans. It's a stunning debut title that deserves all the accolades that are being heaped upon it - go and buy it NOW."
World Wide Game Net 95% "The words 'standard game' are a faux ami here in Rise of Nations. What with national borders, city assimilation, and so many other new features, Rise of Nations definitely blows the winds of change in the world of real-time strategy games, and let's hope future games raise the sails and take the flow."
GameAxis 8.8/10 "There's just so much depth, fun and variety so cleverly designed into Rise of Nations that it's nearly impossible to put down."
ELiTeD A+ "Rise of Nations is definitely in the running for best RTS game of 2003, and it most definitely deserves our Editor's Choice Award. It is easy to pick up and learn, and the gameplay is everything you would want from it's genre plus some."
CNN "'Rise of Nations' is worth $50 for its deep-but-accessible game play and clever fusion of real-time and turn-based strategy game elements."
Armchair Empire 9/10 "Thoroughly engaging and completely fun, any RTS gamer will be able to appreciate what the developers have achieved here."
PC Arena 4.5/5 "...Rise Of Nations has Gameplay that rocks and beats out any recent RTS offerings and at a pace that you can be done in 90 minutes or less - all of which makes this an ideal game for almost any gamer."
Silicon Fusion 9/10 "Rise Of Nations is a game of truly epic proportions."
Gamers.com 8/10 "With a large selection of nations, game styles, and maps, it offers a lot of bang for your buck. All the new game concepts allow for varied styles of play and help keep the experience fresh in each game."