Rating: 
Summary: Ultimately enjoyable!
Review: I've been a fan of simulation games for a decade and this is by far the best one I've played. I've had the game for nearly a month and I simply can't stop myself from sitting down at the computer and playing "just a little bit more."What's so great about this game is that even though it is in many ways a classic city-building game, it allows you to interact with it on multiple levels, has a wonderful sense of humor, and is excellent in presenting well-timed goals and objectives that make the game flow beautifully (while giving the player a sense of accomplishment). In addition to the game play itself, one thing that I find keeps me coming back is the time it takes to play the game...it's really up to you. (Aside: so many other games have bored me to tears because they took too long to get going and you had to commit yourself to such a large amount of time to feel like you're making headway.) Zeus handles the time quotient eloquently: It gives you a handful of "adventures" to choose from. Each adventure has a story line with emphasis on a specific aspect of the game, such as trade or interacting with the gods. The adventure is then further broken down into smaller "chapters," each with its own set of goals. The beauty of this breakdown is that allows you to sit down at your computer for a half an hour to an hour and complete a chapter, so you feel like you've accomplished something in the game. You can also sit down and attempt an entire adventure (or whatever fraction thereof) if you have the better part of the day to do it. Another note: The music and sound effects in this game are very pleasent and even though they're repetitive, they're not annoying.
Rating:
Summary: I'm On Diet...... Why? See below.
Review: I've played Caesar 3, Pharaoh and recently I finished the x-pats Cleopatra. Enjoyed a lot! Fun city building, resource gathering, manning armies etc etc. It's been a thrill! I used to spend hours staring at my computer monitor, watching tentatively as my kingdom grows. I fell in love with this type of games cause it test your mental power sometime's to the limit. After long hours of AI governing, once in a while I go meditate to ease my aching neurons... Tiresome but satisfaction I get. As for Zeus... I'm speechless! I suggest for you to learn Yoga. *One more thing, I usually raid many times before executing the invasion whenever a Rival Kingdom emerge. Manage to build 160 hoplites and 6 max Tiremes at one time with with only a tiny fraction of Drachmas as startup, 2 granaries around within 4000 population marks also there are no local olives, wine, sheep fleece and even bronze to mined around...... What I did was raid, raid, raid, raid their resources and finally invade whenever the enemy kingdom gone bankrupt! Thrilling to the extreme! Oh Yeah! I even discovered a perfect city building format for Zeus...... Sounds fun eh? Get one and you'll see. Good luck!
Rating:
Summary: Good graphics and interesting adventures
Review: This game is not your normal video game. The graphics are great and the adventures are challenging. The mythology aspect of the game adds spice to what I consider to be an exceptional game.
Rating:
Summary: WOW!
Review: Lets get this straight, You are playing in a city building game and get to build shrines for gods, Conquor rivals, Form an army and get attacked by the god's OR their pets. WOW! This game rocks this planet. When i first saw an advertisement in a magazine, i went haywire! I love greek mythology and all that other stuff about greek culture, and then this game comes out with all this stuff i love!AWESOME! The game is supurb and it reminds me of pharoah, which is a very good game, dont get me wrong, but Zeus is a lot better, believe me, anyone will agree. First, the good points: You get to conquor your annoying rivals who keep demanding stuff!(What a way to get even), Then build shrines for the gods and get to be attacked by the gods pets, or even get protected by the god you worship's pet.It is a very good learning experince also. Bad points: You cant get off your computer. Believe me, i tried, UH-UH, didnt work. You dont eat(i lost 5 pounds on the zeus diet!) you dont use the bathroom( i made a little mess,oops!) and you dont get to spend quality time with your family (Big Deal?) This game is awesome, and i recommend on buying it now! I did and look at how much fun im having!
Rating:
Summary: Zeus Rules!
Review: As an avid "non-player" of video games I was sceptical that I could ever get "enthused" about any video games. I purchased "Zeus: Master of Olympus" for my kid brother who is in high school, and boy was this present a hit! After I spent about an hour "investigating" this game on Christmas Day, I arrived at the following findings: The animation featured here is first rate. There are countless little "soundbites" that have hilarious "comments" when you click on them. It doesn't take that long to build monuments, but it's still challenging. If you want to, you can attack neighboring city states (yeah!). The overall looks of it as well as the superior audio effects are outstanding. Can a 38 year old still get into video games? My answer is YES!
Rating:
Summary: The best Of them all
Review: This is the third major game in the seirra series about building cities. In Ceaser you built rome. In Phoahor you built eygpt. Here you build Greece. This one tops them all. THe first thing you will notice is that the game graphics look much diffrent. I think this is much better.Some would say it is childish but infact it is easier to use and understand. This game has everything. here are the most interseting parts of the game compaired to its preisecers. First is the heros. You got a monster problem. Build a heros hall and meet the requirments and get him to take out the moster. One of the other things is cultural venese. Not only do you need them to keep people happy but you can take place in the games. If you win the olympics you get to host them next time. Also it is much easier to understand the rest of the world and fighting them. Along with trading. If you are a fan of the series than this is a must have. If you haven't played them before this is a good place to start.
Rating:
Summary: Ever Wanted to Live in Ancient Greece?
Review: If you are at all interested in the ancient Greek world, or if you like the Sim City games, you should definaely not miss this. In Zeus: Master of Olympus you colonize various cities and must avoid the troubles of the ancient world. You build monuments to the gods and establish shrines to the hero's. For a kid unexposed to Greek history, Zeus is a great way to learn about mythology such as Jason and the Argonauts and the many gods. Also Zeus provides historical insight into events such as the Peloponnesian wars. Go to the Sierra website to get the demo.
Rating: 
Summary: Zeus Master of Olympus
Review: Ever wonder why the Greek Gods treated their people so harshly and why the Greeks continued to work so feverishly? In Zeus: Master of Olympus, a game by Sierra Studios and Impression Games, you are able to come to your own conclusion. The third in a "City Building Series." Zeus proves that it's better to rule than to be ruled. Built on the same engine as its predecessors, Caesar III and Pharaoh, the subtle difference will make this one stand on its own. Your objectives are simple. Provide food and jobs for your cities inhabitants and some of life's other luxuries such as, entertainment, wine, and sport. Build an economy through industry, trade, and diplomacy. Have a stout army at the ready. Oh... and don't piss off the gods! Actually succeeding at these goals is not as easy as stated. Food and other commodities should be made accessible to your vendors who will then distribute them to the local residents. Leisure activities should also be a short commute. This flow of prosperity is symbolized by the walking citizens in you city. If a resident hasn't been visited by these folk then it will begin to suffer. This can be controlled by the use of strategically placed roadblocks, which will prevent access to certain citizens into already covered or unnecessary areas. Deliverymen, foreign merchants, immigrants, and emigrants amongst others will not be affected. This brings trade and industry to mind. You will have to farm, herd, mold, forge, and squish (wine and olive oil) your way to an economic Mecca. These goods can then be traded to other Greek cities or foreign lands. Instead of opening trade routes like in Caesar III. You have to build storehouses specific for that city or country. Here you'll be able to micro manage what is imported/exported and how much. Diplomacy plays a major role in all events. This aspect of the game is much more robust than its earlier counterparts. There are different levels of tolerance these city-states will have towards you, from being hostile to becoming your vassal, which will pay you tribute and meet your request for goods and military services. Giving gifts, making requests, raiding and full on invasion will insure your city's survival. You may even have the chance of establishing a remote colony that will serve the home city without question. Recruiting a military is done through your palace. A certain percentage of you population will be available for "Muster." Their type will depend upon the goods they have access to and what kind of resident they live in. The type of unit will also determine what kind of special tactic they can use. They can be set to defend the city or sent abroad for invasions, raids or even as help for a friendly city in trouble. Battle can take place on land and sea. If all is quiet, they can be sent home to work as civilians eagerly waiting for the next call to arms. If you think that the neighboring city that's monopolizing all the wine is your biggest fear, think again. This all sounds very typical to the average "City Builder" game. Well when you mix in a raging minotaur, a two ton bronze warrior, and a seven headed hydra you get something much more palatable. With the help of heroes such as Odysseus and Hercules, you will be able to counter such monstrosities. Then there are the gods. Who crave more attention than a newborn baby Spartan. Erecting immensely huge monuments in their name is the only way that seems to appease their appetite. Of course, if you do they will grant you some sort of blessing that can help you in many ways. You will even be able to pray at the temple for more favor. As with all immortal beings, they tend to get jealous if not shown an equal amount of attention. They may summon a monster to wreak havoc or jump in and get their hands dirty with the destruction of your beloved city. With five or more campaigns and an open economic or military scenario, ensures hours upon hours of replay ability. There is even a sandbox mode, where you are given a piece of land and a green light for city building fun. Packaged with a smooth in game tutorial and well-structured manual, Impression Games and Sierra Studios have yet again reached another pinnacle in their "City Builder" series. Get a copy now before Zeus opens a can of lightning bolt.
Rating:
Summary: Mythologically fun - Historically questionable - Very Fun
Review: I've been a fan of Impression's games since Pharaoh, which I found to be thoroughly enjoyable. It was with Pharaoh that I realized how much I like city building games. So I was really looking forward to Zeus when I first read about it earlier this year. After playing the game for probably over 10 hours, I believe I can honestly say that I like it better than Pharaoh. At first I was a little disappointed that the game wasn't as based in history as Pharaoh. Also, the graphics were a bit more on the cartoon side than I was hoping for. So my first impression was negative. But after playing it, I think I understand why they made changes that they did. The cartoon aspect to the graphics (the gods walk around your city blessing industry or possibly destroying it) I believe is intentionally done to illustrate that the game is not trying to be historically accurate. And the mythology aspect of the game is actually very engaging. Pharaoh often used the building of monuments as the goals for the different scenarios. Zeus often uses mythology as its main goals, which is a refreshing twist (especially if you enjoy Greek mythology). So instead of a mock history lesson (as you get with Pharaoh) with Zeus you get a mock mythology lesson. I also find the interface to the game a little improved the the interface with Pharaoh. It is similar, but somewhat stream-lined and you don't have to leave the main screen to visit your advisors. All in all, it is an improvement in their city building series. So if you enjoyed Pharaoh, I believe you will enjoy Zeus (probably a little more).
Rating:
Summary: Challenging and fun
Review: A lot like Sierra's "Pharaoh", this is a challenging and entertaining city-building game. I thought at first that the introduction of interactive gods would be, well, a little silly, but it works fine and actually adds a new dimension to the game. I might wish for a few more scenarios, since I'm sure to go through them all fairly quickly; perhaps there will be an expansion like "Pharaoh"'s "Cleopatra". Addictive fun.
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