Rise of Nations vs Splendor
Rise of Nations
Rise of Nations is one of the most iconic yet somewhat underrated, completely unique real-time strategy game that is possibly inspired by games like Risk. Unlike most games where you simply build bases, amass armies and send them to destroy your opponents, Rise of Nations has more of a diplomatic and governing aspect that allows you to forge alliances and break them, as well as a series of Wonders of the World which, when built, will grant your nation unique bonuses. Aside from a ton of maps, the game also has a comparably wide variety of nations, each with their own special abilities and special military units, for you to play as.Although the gameplay in each individual battles are set in real time, the gameplay for the world map view is turn-based, supplemented with ability cards. There are also valuable resources that you can capture to give your nation certain perks. Best of all, you can immerse yourself in historical battles via the game's campaign which consisted of multiple scenarios or you can test your mettle by playing the game via its online multiplayer mode.
Rise of Nations is one of the best classic strategy games that definitely had managed to not only withstand the test of time but also thrive, somewhat, in today's day and age. If you're a fan of nation-building, this is a game you should most certainly play.
Splendor
Splendor is the official digital adaptation of the popular cards-and-chips game of the same name. In this game, you'll work on increasing your prestige by trading gems and developing your town. With time and enough development cards, you may even attract the attention of powerful nobles to gain even more prestige!The gameplay can be a bit harder to get into especially if you have not played the game before, but once you do, you'll realize that the game is actually quite simple to play. Of course, "simple to play" doesn't mean "simple to win" though! You will still need to play a ton of matches before you can develop your own unique strategies which you then use to one-up your opponents. There are also single-player challenges for you to hone your Splendor skills!
This digital adaptation of Splendor stayed true to its original cards-and-chips game, but I find it falls a bit short of its full potential, mainly because it doesn't make full use of what the digital world can offer.