A bit of a forgotten classic, did you play this one back in the day? Caesar III, released in 1998 by Impressions Games and Sierra, is a city-builder set in the Roman Empire. As a provincial governor, players zone housing, farms, and industries, managing complex supply chains - citizens roam roads distributing goods like wheat, pottery, and wine. Balance food, health, education, religion, and trade to evolve simple houses into grand villas, while appeasing Caesar and fending off barbarians with forts and legions One of the best historical sims I ever played, I feel that among the incredible quantity and quality of other similar games during the mid to late 90s era, this one almost flew a bit under the radar. Really gorgeous graphics, a banger soundtrack and a gameplay that let's you get lost in time - what more could you ask for?

I often think about why older games (80s and 90s era) have such high emotional value to me, while modern games (almost everything after the early 2000s) do not. I think it's not just for one reason but several. The first one is pretty obvious, the second one became clearer to me today, the third one is the reality we live in today. 1) When it comes to the past, we tend to remember mostly what was good and what we liked. It's just how the human brain and memory works. It's also true for movies, music and other things from our past. 2) Games in the 80s and 90s didn't have to compete with the mass media and sensory overload we face today. Games in the 80s were more "magical" in a sense that they let you dive into a fictional/fantastic world, just as you might have done with a great book or movie. They didn't look realistic by today's standards, but they stimulated your mind and senses, so you could fill in the blanks and create your own world, while playing the game. We had 3 TV channels in the 80s, one rotary phone, obviously no social media, Internet, mobile phones, or streaming. I know, the Internet grew in the 90s, the first mobile phones were available, more TV stations emerged - but still, no social media, no streaming, no "media overload" as we have it today. A game in the 90s could still have that magic, because it didn't compete with other digital distractions that much. We had to read about games in print magazines first, then wait to buy them (a physical product, in a shop), the anticipation and joy was all connected to that process. 3) Today, the gaming industry is a billion dollar business, often based on micro transactions, addictive gameplay, fully grown up, mostly run by publicly listed companies where CFOs reign supreme. We have endless choices when it comes to streaming, we are constantly connected/online, and social media (and AI junk) is ever present. Our brains can only process a limited amount of input, while today more games are available than ever before (think Steam, Roblox, and so many more). No wonder we don't form the same emotional connection to games these days. At least that's how I see it. If you ask me about any pre-2000 game, I can tell you a lot about it and what it meant to me. Ask me the same about any game after the early 2000s and you will get mostly a blank stare from me.

One of the best turn-based strategy games of the 90s was Heroes of Might and Magic III, which turns 25 this year. While RTS games took a much bigger market share (think StarCraft, Age of Empires, Command & Conquer...), I always had a soft spot for the "less hectic" and almost soothing type of turn-based games. Among the greats from the 90s era, I think the Heroes of Might and Magic series is among the very top. The incredibly beautiful, detailed, and vibrant design, the iconic soundtrack, the classic gameplay - all that made for perfect late night sessions that usually went on for way too long because "just one more turn... ok, maybe one more... oh dang, it's 3 in the morning". If you've been there, you know. Heroes of Might and Magic is one of the longest living series in gaming history, now entering its 31st year, with the first release in 1995 and latest release in 2025 (Heroes of Might and Magic: Olden Era). If you were/are a turn-based strategy fan, I bet you played this classic gem of a game.