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"Ahoy Strategy Fans.."

An interesting simulation game can be found here with 1869 in which you aren’t trying to take over the world or destroy a faction that is against you but rather creating a large shipping company. Set back in the past, it is up to you to create, manage and build a huge shipping company within a certain amount of time while maintaining your holdings with little or no loss in the process. Though the game may seem tedious and boring, there is actually quite a bit of strategy and luck that is involved in making it through. If you’re into the more intricate strategy and simulation games, then 1869 is just what you might be looking for.

There really isn’t much of a story that comes long with this title and you’ll be playing as a merchant who is looking to create a successful company. Through long expeditions and sometimes-tedious shipping arrangements, you’ll earn money that will allow you to create a powerful company. In your adventures, you’ll undertake passengers and even transport materials from the New World to the Old World and back again. Fans of the genre will find this to be impressive, though most will not find any joy in the constant disk swapping that this title takes.

-The Game Play-

When you first start out in the game, you must select a homeport and work from there to buy more ships and work with the bank of your choice. The first part of the game is exceptionally difficult to deal with simply because the game just doesn’t allow any sort of error. This will make it hard for first time players because all it takes is one simple mistake to leave you with no money and no hope of continuing onward. After you’ve selected where you start, you must select a time limit that will ensure you either victory or defeat, so be aware that the shorter the time span, the harder you have to work.

The second part of the game has to do with management of both your people and your holdings, so you’ll have to find a good balance for both. If you pay your crew more, they will be happy and will work harder, but you’ll drain your holdings if you aren’t making all that much money. If you pay your crew less and attempt to be greedy, your crew will mutiny and leave you with neither a ship nor any people to run it, so you have to be aware of what’s going on. The game doesn’t really pick up immediately, so you’ll be left with some boring jobs to start and you’ll have to do them to earn the money for later.

Control isn’t an issue here and you’ll find that working with the different menus doesn’t take a degree in rocket science to figure out. Most of what you’re working with has to do with the different ways that you can upgrade your ship, take on more crew, make more money and find more places to sail to. Aside from that, you’re really not dealing with anything too strenuous and you’ll be able to find everything you need in just a couple of short minutes. Veterans to this type of game shouldn’t have a problem getting through it and beginners will only need a couple of minutes to figure it all out.

-The Visuals-

Visually, the game is bright and appealing without getting too much into the overall detail that you would probably expect from a game of this type. The use of proper lighting and shading techniques with the ships and people you come into contact with it first rate. You won’t find anything too impressive such as lips moving as people talking or things of that nature. The overall map is a little hard to read though as some of the icons can be relatively smaller and you’ll find that the game can be hard to watch if you have a monitor with a low resolution option.

-The Audio-

There isn’t much here to report on aside from a small theme that loops over and tends to drone off after just a few minutes. The sound effects are minimal if existent at all and the only thing that I really heard were some small blips when selecting some of the options on the menus. Aside from that, there isn’t much that will accompany you through your attempt to be a business mogul, so be prepared to have something on hand to listen to aside from the soundtrack to this title.

-The Verdict-

While this might be the dream of any strategy fanatic, there is little here for anyone else who is looking for a little more action to go along with their gaming. The visuals are solid and the game play is tough, but there isn’t much here for the action fan who wants to capture ships and play pirate. A straightforward approach to the strategy genre, you’ll have to work with what you have in order to have fun. Not for the faint at heart and really not for beginners, you’ll find that 1869 is for those who have nothing better to do than play another simulation game!



Reviewer's Score: 6/10 | Originally Posted: 09/27/02, Updated 09/27/02

Title 1869
Game Type Strategy
Players 1
Compatibility All
HD Installable Yes
Company Max Design/Flair Software
Submission Stuart Wilson

Review
As the name would suggest, this is a Sea Trader Simulation set initially
in 1869, in the same sort of mold as ''''''''Pirates'''''''', but without the looting
and pillaging aspect. You start off in a small port, and it is your job as
head of your company to make it as profitable as possible within a certain
time limit, ranging from 5 to 25 years.

This is done via the usual import-export routine: Take raw materials from
far flung colonies, back to the ''''''''Old World'''''''' where they can be processed
into goods and sold back to the colonies for a profit. This is more
interesting and much more challenging than it sounds. You obviously have
limited initial funding from the bank in the port of your choice. Also
there is a ship to purchase, then maintain; as well as looking after the
crew you''''''''ll need to sail it. The more you pay the crew, the better they
perform, the more reliable the ship and the happier everyone is, but the
lower your profit revenue. It can be very difficult to juggle the balance
between profit and loss, especially when you start off with a few
particularly poor ships.

The graphics themselves are colourful, at least on my A1200 system. The
play is centred on part of a map of the world. Right clicking on your home
port brings up a menu of small icons which control how you organise your
company: You can buy goods at shops, have them stored at your warehouse,
hire crew and buy ships. It has to be said that because the icons are so
small they can be a pain if viewed on a TV screen but should be fine on a
high resolution monitor.

If I had to fault this game though, it would be because of the tediousness
with which this sim is executed. You find yourself repeating the same old
boring cargo/passenger runs time after time, although my playtesting of
this was not really long enough to reap the fruits of my labours. This
will almost certainly appeal to fans of this particular genre, the
graphics are quite colourful and functional; the interface remarkably
simple once understood. However, the sound, as expected with a simulation
is pretty dire. And there is also the aggravating disk swaps to contend
with...

Graphics: 76%
Sound: 34%
Playability: 81%
Addictiveness: 69%
Overall: 65%

Summary: A well executed game but will only really appeal to fans of this
genre.