The Nations
Three alien factions compete for supremacy on the planet Lukkat.
The Nations (German: *Die Völker 2: Aufstieg zum Königreich*) is a real-time strategy game for Microsoft Windows, released in 2001 by Austrian developer and publisher JoWooD Productions. It follows the 1999 title *Alien Nations* (German: *Die Völker*).
The story picks up on the planet Lukkat, where three alien factions—the Pimmon, the Amazones, and the Sajiki—live. A Pimmon named Korn sparks unrest by prophesying a divine prophet who will transform life on the planet. This leads to chaos as each race competes to prove its own importance.
Gameplay remains a real-time strategy focused on resource management and building a tribe from one of the three races. Players must satisfy unit needs through resource and production chains that vary by faction. Victory can be achieved through military conquest or by uniting tribes through diplomacy. The main innovation over *Alien Nations* is that units now act independently, each with its own name and personality. They can move and make decisions on their own, though the player can indirectly steer their priorities. Other new features include merchants, trade of goods, production chains, and expanded options for combat and diplomacy.
The game was released internationally in June 2001 by JoWooD Productions in Germany, the United States, and the United Kingdom. A Russian version was localized and released by Snowball Interactive in October 2001.
A downloadable Bonus Pack arrived on November 23, 2001, adding 22 new missions, a new story, more music and video sequences, a new research system, bandits, and adjustments to trade, production chains, and unit strength for better balance.
A retail revision, *The Nations: Gold Edition*, was released on February 15, 2002. It includes all Bonus Pack improvements, plus a mission editor and other tools.
English-language reviews were lukewarm. Critics praised the theme and presentation: *PC PowerPlay* called the design ethic wonderful, with smooth animation, bright colors, and amusing visuals. *Computer Gaming World*'s Mark Asher noted the well-drawn graphics had a storybook whimsy that made observing enjoyable. Reception of the unit personality system was mixed.
Quick Facts
- Title
- The Nations
- Developer
- JoWooD Vienna
- Publisher
- JoWooD Productions
- Platforms
- Windows
- Released
- 2001 · 6
- Genre
- Real-time strategy
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The Nations features three alien factions: the alien-like Pimmons, the human-like Amazones, and the bug-like Sajikis, all on the planet Lukkat. The story follows a Pimmon named Korn who creates unrest by prophesying that a divine prophet will arrive to revolutionize life on Lukkat, leading to chaos as each faction competes to be seen as the most important race. The gameplay emphasizes resource management and building a tribe, with victory achievable through military conquest or diplomacy. Key innovations include units that exist independently with their own names and personalities, able to move and make decisions on their own, though the player can indirectly steer them. Merchants, trade of goods, production chains, and new options for military conquest and diplomacy were also introduced.
Reader's Guide
The Nations received lukewarm English reviews, with praise for its theme and presentation. PC PowerPlay noted 'the overall design ethic of the game is wonderful' and 'smooth animation, bright colours and amusing design combine to make a visually splendid game.' Mark Asher of Computer Gaming World observed 'the well-drawn graphics engage with the whimsy of storybook art.' Reception of the unit personality mechanics was mixed: Keith Pullin of PC Zone stated 'it's surprising how much you genuinely care about what happens to this utterly bizarre collection of creatures,' while Bruce Geryk of GameSpot found the mechanics shallow, noting 'it really amounts to absolutely no personality at all...all the units do basically the same things.' Overall, many reviewers found the game mechanics did not cohesively work well. Mark Asher stated 'at times you may feel a bit besieged by how much you need to manage.' Daniel Wilks of PC Powerplay critiqued the gameplay as 'repetitive and leaves a lot to be desired,' with the tutorial 'proving to be one of the most singularly uninformative pieces of training in recent memory' and the pace being 'seriously, detrimentally slow.' A Bonus Pack released on November 23, 2001 added 22 new missions, a new story, more music and video sequences, a new research system, bandits, and tweaks to game mechanics. The Nations: Gold Edition, released on February 15, 2002, included the Bonus Pack improvements, a mission editor, and other tools.
Did You Know?
- The Nations was developed and published by Austrian company JoWooD Productions.
- The game features three alien factions: Pimmons, Amazones, and Sajikis.
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