One of the best games of the year
The Bad:
- economic micromanagement simplified. Personally I loved the part where peasants had to travel between the working place and the resource stockpile building. Beside the fact that it added to the realism, it also offered a tactical option to cut the enemy's supply lines. In an effort to concentrare on the military tactics alone, this was cut ... damn.
- strange behavior of units (especially naval - watch a passing ship get hit by enemy fire and observe how it turns to respond)
- the factions aren't different enough, they tried to make them appear different but worked on balancing them by matching unit type for unit type instead of a tactical balance (like Starcraft). Looks and sounds don't help keeping the appearance that you're playing different factions.
- the card system just replaces the research tree.
The Good:
- home city/experience points system. They really give the feel that you're an explorer in the New World, being backed by a hometown and all, not to mention the new vision in strategy.
- the look & feel of battles. The units arrange themselves in proper formations, the sounds are very cool.
- battle micromanagement: it becomes a must, you need grouping by types and getting the grip in a fight.
- terrains and scenarios offer a lot to the field tactician.
Personally, I love it but I do hope for some better division between nations.