Great Powers is a premium strategy game by developer Flame-Dragons. It's an RTS wargame wherein players will get to control one of the Great Powers throughout the history of mankind and experience their rise to global dominance. It boasts robust economic and military systems and mechanics for better immersion and realism.

Similar to other titles like Sid Meier's Civilization VII or Crusader Kings III, Great Powers offers 4X grand strategy gameplay with deep in-game mechanics and systems that let players control and manage various aspects of their empire. They're complemented by retro aesthetics reminiscent of classic RTS titles.

The powers that be

As its name implies, this game lets you become one of the "great powers" throughout the history of human civilization and experience how they rose to global dominance. There are more than five countries available, including England, Prussia, and even the Ottoman Empire. Each one offers deep economic and military models that are distinct to their era for you to experience.

The core gameplay in Great Powers revolves around two major facets, with the first being a focus on developing a full-fledged economy by building structures to collect resources and encourage trade and commerce to produce profit. The second is amassing a mighty military force to serve as a deterrent to enemy threats, as well as a means of exploration and expansion, as you explore the New World.

Research over 100 technologies from as early as the 1500s to the 1900s, and explore the old world map with over 40 states as you develop diplomacy and make alliances or declare war and battle on sea and land. Unfortunately, the experience is hampered by issues that still need addressing. Some of them include the clunky UI, slow map navigation, and lack of autosave, to name a few.

Good but flawed

To sum up, Great Powers is an impressive RTS game with surprisingly complex and robust gameplay than its charming retro visuals imply. Sadly, it lacks the polish and quality-of-life tweaks to make it truly great. It's still worth checking out if you're a fan of the genre, but do expect some annoyances to pop up here and there as you play.