Spartan (2004)

 PC
Metascore
56

Mixed or average reviews - based on 13 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 13
  3. Negative: 2 out of 13
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  1. Total Video Games
    80
    Spartan is extraordinary from the perspective of any old warhorse of a strategy player. It has graphical polish, longevity and some well crafted ideas that other developers should take note of!
  2. GameBiz
    79
    A refreshing game to play after the waves and waves of strikingly-similar Real-Time and standard Strategy games that have been unleashed over the last couple of years. It brings with it many new ideas and new approaches to the genre.
  3. Computer Games Online RO
    72
    Although Spartan is quite complex, it is faulted by some ill design decisions, like the inability to build new cities, or the way battles are fought, to which we must add the mediocre technical department.
  5. GameZone
    64
    There are so many areas that this game could have improved upon, such as the graphics and the sound, to make it a better overall game. While the game is fun, there are much better TBS games to spend you hard earned money on.
  6. Computer Games Magazine
    60
    Spartan's 3D battles look great, and the freer camera control give you a new perspective on hoplite warfare. [Sept 2004, p.74]
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  7. Gamers Europe
    60
    Considering that Spartan had a core staff of a dozen people and 170 QA personnel means that the game is quite an achievement – Diablo 2 took closer to 2,000 people to create. In that respect it’s a very good game and something Slitherine can be proud of, but other than that it falls short of engaging.
  8. PC Gamer
    58
    If you've just taken a course on Greek history, you might appreciate the setting, but for both strategy and visuals, Spartan is very...well, spartan. [Dec 2004, p.106]
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  9. Game Chronicles
    50
    Underdone graphics and sound that does everything except what it should dampen the already uninspired, copycat gameplay.
  10. Thunderbolt
    50
    There are a number of good ideas in Spartan, and though they aren’t particularly well-executed, some of them are fun to tinker around with and try out. But only tinker: Spartan is a slow and boring game that few will enjoy.
  11. IGN
    50
    The real time stuff is woeful and the turn-based management only has a few elements that can be considered in any way interesting.
  12. Boomtown
    50
    If games were right-angled triangles, Pythagoras would teach us that the value present on the 'quality' side would be directly related to the 'design' and 'execution' values on the other two and, without a particularly remarkable presence in either, Spartan is an also-ran.
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  13. DailyGame
    40
    Careful not to fall asleep.
  14. Computer and Video Games
    33
    Limited and uninspiring, Spartan won't satisfy anyone with an inkling of the quality of other games on the market.

Awards & Rankings

99
#99 Most Discussed PC Game of 2004
61
#61 Most Shared PC Game of 2004

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 32 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 32
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 32
  3. Negative: 5 out of 32
  1. gangrath
    Sep 15, 2015
    10
    I've been playing this since release, and I still to this day believe that it is the best turn-base game I've played. The Grand Campaign isI've been playing this since release, and I still to this day believe that it is the best turn-base game I've played. The Grand Campaign is something I still play to this day and the Gates of Troy expansion adds enough new maps. The game also has some ability to Mod. The two issues of not being able to build cities or move units in battle are part of the setting, and I don't find they detract from the gameplay.… Full Review »
  2. [Anonymous]
    Mar 25, 2006
    9
    taking into account that it was created by less than half a dozen people (visit the company website sometime), this is really phenomanal. The taking into account that it was created by less than half a dozen people (visit the company website sometime), this is really phenomanal. The two lacking parts are that one cannot build cities, which is ofset by the fact that it is meant to mimic the area as closely as possible, and the lack of battle-field control.… Full Review »
  3. DanM.
    Oct 10, 2004
    10
    This game rocks.
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