0 A.D. vs Ikariam
0 A.D.
0 A.D. is a really unique game not because it is possibly one of the most well-made, open-source, historical real-time strategy games we've ever seen; the game started off as a mod for Age of Empires 2: The Age of Kings but ended up being a standalone game with its own game engine and everything. This is a pretty huge feat and puts 0 A.D. on the same level as other successful mod-turned games like Garry's Mod. However, the game may lose out a bit when it comes to popularity mainly because it's not available on Steam, which happens to be the current largest PC gaming platform, and partly because there isn't a lot of promoting from established gaming media, or marketing, even.That said, the game is incredibly impressive for an under-development and completely free game. You can play as a number of civilizations that has their own graphics and models to set them apart. There are also citizen-soldiers who like in real-life, can switch between gatheirng resources like a civilian and fighting as a soldier depending on need. Unlike certain RTS games that allow you to unlock every branch of the tech tree, this game offers technological tradeoffs between two equally important tech, forcing you to really consider your choices and pick one that fits your play style.
0 A.D. also tries to be as historically accurate as possible, conforming its 3D models and maps to actual historical depictions of the people and land back in the day. The effort into making game realistic is astounding, but of course, the devs have mentioned that if they had to choose between having a feature that's historically accurate or playable, they will definitely choose playable every time... naturally, since this is still mainly a game and all.
So, if you're interested, know that you can get the game for free on their site.
Ikariam
Ikariam is an online empire-building MMO strategy game that partly resembles games like The Settlers Online and Sparta: War of Empires, and yet manages to offer something else that's entirely unique. In this game, you play the role of a leader of a Greek polis (city) and it is your sacred duty to develop your polis' infrasructure and economy, build up an army to defend said polis and attack other poleis, as well as to bring about new technological discoveries that will aid the growth of your empire.Ikariam may feel like every other browser-based MMO strategy game, but once you get into the game, you'll quickly realize how much more depth this game has and how exciting it is to play the game. It's definitely not easy to succeed in Ikariam - only the best leaders and strategists will manage to get to the top... Are you among these few?