Title: Empire & State

Developer: Novel Incorporated

Java platform web browser game, empireandstate.com

Empire & State is a new free to play, massive online multiplayer game where you work with other real players to create influential businesses, crime syndicates, and military intelligence depending on your choices in your path to power.

I played this game for about 20 minutes until I ran into the virtual wall and gave up. If anyone has played Mafia Wars on Facebook, it’s basically the same format: do jobs to earn money, items, experience and fight other players and NPCs (non player character). Each task was fundamentally the same; you earn more experience and take more damage simply by clicking your mouse. There’s a reason why these games are popular, but it’s not for someone who doesn’t get a lot of enjoyment from a monotonous game. A game like Farmville was more stimulating than Empire & State.

The game is currently in its beginning stage, and could get better with some more tweaking, however it’s not as appealing as Mafia Wars because climbing a virtual corporate ladder or becoming a crime boss or general seems kind of lackluster and redundant. There’s already established games that have cornered that market.

Total Rating: D

Reviewed by JM Willis