Imperial Glory

Imperial Glory is a real-time tactics game from 2005, created by Pyro Studios and released by Eidos Interactive for Windows. A Mac OS X version came out in December 2006, handled by Feral Interactive.

The game takes place between 1789 and 1815, covering the Revolutionary and Napoleonic periods. Players pick one of five major empires—Great Britain, France, Austria, Russia, or Prussia—and aim to take over Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East. Its structure mirrors the Total War series: a 2D strategic campaign map paired with fully 3D battles on land and sea.

Units

In terms of gameplay, the main unit types—infantry, cavalry, and artillery—are the same for every nation. Capturing certain provinces unlocks special units, like Arabian camel cavalry. Infantry options include militia, line infantry, light infantry, grenadiers, riflemen, and each country’s elite force (for example, Britain’s Black Watch). Cavalry consists of dragoons, hussars, lancers, and an elite cavalry type (such as Britain’s Life Guards).

Artillery pieces available are six-pounder cannons and howitzers. During the campaign phase, units are assigned to commanders, who hold ranks from captain up to field marshal. Commanders can lead a set number of units and earn promotions by winning battles. Naval combat involves sloops, frigates, and ships of the line.

Tactics

Tactics revolve around the musket as the infantry’s main weapon, which reduces the chance for hand-to-hand fighting, though players can order bayonet charges. Various unit formations help improve combat efficiency. Outside of fighting, players can engage in diplomacy, including multiple alliance types.

Peaceful activities

They can construct and fortify buildings, which provide benefits like unit recruitment. Research unlocks new unit types and building options. Trade routes can be established with other nations or for internal commerce.

Reception

According to Metacritic, Imperial Glory received average reviews. GameSpot praised its “picturesque” 3D battles and “rich” diplomacy system but noted that land battles lacked an epic feel, naval battles were hard to coordinate, and only five historical battles were available. The AI was criticized for lacking a morale system, making units behave unrealistically. The review concluded the game had promise and potential but also several missed opportunities.