An odd little game named Populous once combined strategy and social engineering with a godlike perspective and became an unlikely bestseller. The apparent inspiration for current hits like StarCraft and Total Annihilation is back, and it kicks theistic ass.
Unlike its testosterone-heavy successors, Populous: The Beginning is refreshingly matriarchal: Your avatar is a shaman demigoddess whose brawny tribespeople slavishly comply with her every order. (But left to their own devices, they'll stand around scratching their butts.) While real-time strategy vets will find much that's familiar, what sets Populous apart is its genuinely awesome use of 3-D rendering.
The game's multiplayer function also lets you challenge other deities on the Net. Just wait until you compete against a god who's had a bad day.
Populous: The Beginning: $49.95. Bullfrog Productions/Electronic Arts: www.populous.net.
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