Summary

Release Year: 2014
Genres: Indie, Simulator, Strategy
Platforms: PC (Microsoft Windows)
Developers: Aartform Games
Publishers: Aartform Games

Spice Road (2014): A Comprehensive Review

Spice Road is a town building, social and economic simulation game developed by Cardboard Sword and published by Merge Games. It was released for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux in 2014.

In Spice Road, the player takes on the role of a colonial governor in the 18th century, tasked with building a town on the Silk Road. The game is set in a time of war and discovery, and the player must manage their town’s resources, trade with other towns, and keep their citizens happy.

The game is played on a hexagonal map, and the player can build a variety of buildings on their land, including houses, shops, farms, and mines. Each building has its own unique function, and the player must carefully plan their town’s layout in order to maximize efficiency.

One of the unique features of Spice Road is its social and economic simulation. The player’s town is populated by a variety of characters, each with their own needs and desires. The player must keep their citizens happy by providing them with food, water, and shelter, as well as by meeting their social and cultural needs.

The player can also trade with other towns on the Silk Road. Trading is essential for obtaining resources that are not available in the player’s own town. The player must carefully manage their trade routes and negotiate with other towns in order to get the best possible deals.

Spice Road is a challenging and rewarding game that offers a unique blend of town building, social and economic simulation, and strategy. The game is set in a fascinating historical period, and the player is given a lot of freedom to develop their town in their own way.

Gameplay

Spice Road is a turn-based game. On each turn, the player can perform a variety of actions, including:

Building new buildings
Upgrading existing buildings
Training new units
Trading with other towns
Exploring the map

The player’s goal is to build a prosperous and successful town. To do this, the player must manage their resources carefully, keep their citizens happy, and defend their town from attack.

Resources

There are four main resources in Spice Road:

Food: Food is essential for keeping the player’s citizens alive. Food can be produced by farms, or it can be traded from other towns.
Water: Water is also essential for keeping the player’s citizens alive. Water can be found in wells, or it can be traded from other towns.
Wood: Wood is used to construct buildings and units. Wood can be harvested from forests, or it can be traded from other towns.
Stone: Stone is used to construct buildings and walls. Stone can be quarried from mountains, or it can be traded from other towns.

The player must carefully manage their resources in order to build a successful town. If the player runs out of a resource, their citizens will start to die.

Citizens

The player’s town is populated by a variety of characters, each with their own needs and desires. The player must keep their citizens happy by providing them with food, water, and shelter, as well as by meeting their social and cultural needs.

There are four main types of citizens in Spice Road:

Laborers: Laborers are the backbone of the player’s town. They work in the farms, mines, and workshops to produce the resources that the town needs.
Merchants: Merchants trade with other towns, bringing in new goods and resources. Merchants can also be used to spy on other towns.
Scholars: Scholars research new technologies that can improve the player’s town. Scholars can also be used to convert citizens to different religions.
Soldiers: Soldiers defend the town from attack. Soldiers can be trained in barracks, or they can be hired from other towns.

The player must carefully manage their citizens in order to build a successful town. If the player’s citizens are unhappy, they will start to leave the town.

Combat

Spice Road features a simple but effective combat system. When two armies meet on the map, they will engage in battle. The outcome of the battle is determined by the size and strength of the two armies, as well as by the terrain.

The player can control their army in battle, or they can let the computer AI control their army. The player can also choose to auto-resolve battles, which will instantly determine the outcome of the battle based on the strength of the two armies.

Diplomacy

Diplomacy is an important part of Spice Road. The player can trade with other towns, form alliances, and declare war. The player must carefully manage their diplomatic relationships in order to build a successful town.

If the player is not careful, they can find themselves embroiled in a war that they cannot win. The player must also be careful not to antagonize other towns, as this can lead to trade embargoes and other diplomatic penalties.

Historical Context

Spice Road is set in the 18th century, a time of great change and upheaval in the world. The Silk Road was a network of trade routes that connected the East and the West. It was a major conduit for the exchange of goods, ideas, and culture.

The 18th century was also a time of great conflict. The European powers were vying for control of the Silk Road, and there were frequent wars between the different empires.

Spice Road captures the spirit of this fascinating historical period. The player is given the opportunity to build their own town on the Silk Road, and to experience the challenges and rewards of living in this tumultuous time.

Conclusion

Spice Road is a unique and challenging town building game that offers a unique blend of social and economic simulation, and strategy. The game is set in a fascinating historical period, and the player is given a lot of freedom to develop their town in their own way.

If you are a fan of town building games, or if you are interested in history, then I highly recommend Spice Road.