In the middle nineties, Gloriana, alternately titled Elisabeth I, was both produced and published by Ascon GmbH. It was created explicitly with the home computer in mind, and plays only on the MS-DOS operating system. It is a single player (although there is a weak multiplayer option) strategy game that plays entirely from the first person perspective. It can also be flung into the managerial category, since it does give the user the chance to control a small trading company. This is a turn-based strategy game.
Gloriana takes place in the middle of the sixteenth century in England. Elisabeth the First has recently been made the Queen of England. She is the new ruler of what will become one of the world’s strongest nations. It will be up to you, the gamer, to help her gain fame, fortune and glory and build her empire by acquiring wealth for the motherland through your small but lucrative trading company.
You will play the part of a very small merchant from very modest beginnings. You have managed to land an outfit based out of the London port, and from there, you will be able to launch your budding business, visit other merchants, and buy/sell/trade
| Screenshots: |
 | | |
your way to the big leagues. There will be a lot of travel involved as you seek out the best deals on a variety of merchandise, and also look for the most lucrative markets in which to sell them in order to make the greatest profits. This is the main crux of the game.
There is a lot to this game, and it is somewhat similar to Sid Meiers’s Pirates or even a Tradewinds style of game. There will be inns to visit in most ports, and these will afford you some great clues and tips, and can also gain access to special (but usually well-paying) quests for many individuals. You will have the option of turning somewhat pirate and plundering lesser vessels, but you can also collect bounties on the notorious. Most ports have land for sale and purchasing it can place you in the landed gentry social ladders, climbing each time you earn more.
Gloriana features some fun cartoonish graphics and many unique cities and ports to visit, all in vibrant color. There is a renaissance-sounding tune playing in the background that is pleasing and does a fine job of adding to the experience. The controls are simple and mouse directed, and the interface is very easy to use. Hints are abundant, so you will always have a direction. This is a nice, lightweight strategy game.
