Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends cover art

Rise of Nations: Rise of Legends

Fantasy RTS spin-off of Rise of Nations with three wildly asymmetric civilizations and hero units.

Here's the argument for where this game sits - disagree freely.
Match your experience?
EXECUTION5 /10READS4 /10VARIANCE2 /10OPTIMIZATION8 /10

the cheat-test profile

The four axes - the argument

Each axis is rated on its own - how far one cheat would trivialize the game here. They don't trade off; low on all four means the game is an experience, not a contest.

  1. Execution

    cheat: Aimbot - perfect inputs

    5/10

    Real-time economy and army juggling needs speed

  2. Reads

    cheat: Out-predict an adaptive opponent

    4/10

    PvP rewards countering opponents' hero and tech commitments

  3. Variance

    cheat: See what's hidden / map the RNG

    2/10

    Map layouts and neutral sites vary

  4. Optimization

    cheat: A perfect solver / coach

    8/10

    Asymmetric faction trees and expansion timing reward deep study

How to read this

Each axis is named by the cheat that would break the game along it. Execution is the hands. Reads is out-thinking an adaptive opponent. Variance is hidden information & RNG. Optimization is the solvable systems layer. A game's region is the top one or two axes.

These four aren't one rating split four ways - they're independent 0-10 questions. A 9 on one axis takes nothing from the others, and a game low on all four isn't missing data: it's telling you there's no skill here to cheat.

The basis is how the majority actually plays this game - not a niche mode or a personal run. For a game with very different modes (a story campaign versus ranked multiplayer), that's the version most people mean.

Compare with

Similar games

see all →

Ranked by shared genre first, then by how closely the cheat-test profile matches - a cross-genre tag means a pick matched on skill profile alone.

Command & Conquer: Red Alert cover art

Command & Conquer: Red Alert

Pure Optimization · real-time strategy

E
R
V
O
Command & Conquer: Red Alert
The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II cover art

The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II

Practiced Mastery · real-time strategy

E
R
V
O
The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth II
Age of Empires II: HD Edition cover art

Age of Empires II: HD Edition

Pure Optimization · real-time strategy

E
R
V
O
Age of Empires II: HD Edition
Warcraft: Orcs & Humans cover art

Warcraft: Orcs & Humans

Practiced Mastery · real-time strategy

E
R
V
O
Warcraft: Orcs & Humans
Guild Wars cover art

Guild Wars

Pure Optimization · PvP MMORPG

E
R
V
O
Guild Wars
Conan Exiles cover art

Conan Exiles

Pure Optimization · survival sandbox

E
R
V
O
Conan Exiles

Game details

Released
2006
Developer
Big Huge Games
Platforms
PC
Modes
Single player, Multiplayer
IGDB critics
80/100
IGDB users
80/100
Real Time Strategy (RTS)StrategyScience fictionHistoricalWarfare