Rise of Nations

Rise of Nations’ 2-D world may not boast the visual shock and awe sufficient to show off your gaming rig, but dismissing this war-and-pony show solely on appearances would be like kicking Jennifer Garner out of bed for a bad hair day. Think real-time Risk, only with Colin Powell’s diplomacy and troops that smoke cigs while waiting to be sent into the meat grinder. Use either tactic (but do you really want to be diplomatic when you’re playing video games?) to fool and rule the world, or research new strategies for fun (nerd). The game spans the world’s history from cavemen to a Jetsonian future, 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.