For the most of us that grew up on some kind of an RTS, Playlogic’s new game will become familiar in just minutes. Adapting to the strategy and learning the maps may take longer, but anyone familiar with RTS game-style will adjust to Ancient Wars: Sparta in no time.

I made it a point to not open the manual just to see if AWS plays like all the other RTSs and guess what? It sure does. The game was actually quite easy to pick up. AWS is also very mouse friendly. As a matter of fact, the only time I actually used the keyboard was to place selected units in groups and later on to call up those groups with the corresponding button.

Since we’ve established that AWS is in fact an RTS, perhaps now it’s the time to remind everyone that most RTSs’ victories depend on quick, very quick mouse clicking, and a good zerg force, and this game keeps the same tradition as its RTS predecessors. More equals victory; who has time for strategy in an RTS?

All kidding aside, AWS actually has a lot of strategy going for it for being an RTS. It is one of the few RTSs that actually permits us to customize our own battle force. Because of this customization different tactics and strategies can and sometimes must be used. Research of new technologies allows for an even great customization level.

Troop creation deserves some applause. Every troop-producing building lets you design and outfit your soldiers to your liking. Each faction has 3 levels of armor that can be researched, yet the weapons are as different as the factions themselves. Once you got your combatant equipped to your liking just save the creation and then start the mass-production.

Looting the battlefield is another really cool feature of this game. You can assign your civilians to loot weapons and shields from fallen enemy soldiers, giving you the ability to produce some really interesting combinations. Wind is also something that you can base a strategy around, but in all honesty the game is just too fast paced, to the point where you can’t take advantage of that factor.

The way cavalry is introduced to the game is an amazing concept done rather poorly. I really like the fact that anyone can grab a horse. I also like the fact that the horseman can die while the horse is left alive for another rider to grab. Horses play a key role in the game. Cavalry is powerful, and at the same time, horses can change hands quick.

The navy in this game is embarrassing at best. I was playing a skirmish mission the other day and had to delete half my navy for the transport ship to find its way to the other side. The navy in this game looks like a bumper-car race driven by retarded monkeys.

Another poor concept of AWS involves transport ships and cavalry. I had a game in which I had a massive cavalry force and once I loaded them on the transports my troops dismounted. Once I reached my destination and disembarked them, my troops did not remount, as a matter of fact my horses were stolen by my enemy. That map I had to restart.

On the other hand, most of the problems that I’ve encountered so far can easily be fixed by just patching the game a few times.