From Caesar's Rome you can travel in time and space to China, Egypt or Greece.

Caesar IV (4) didn't live up to the greatness of Caesar III. My only real problem is just the way the game moves with the keyboard and mouse. It feels awkward. It looks great, it has fresh challenges and overall it is a good upgrade to Caesar games past. I just didn't enjoy it as much as other games in the Caesar series.

There are other games in the series which are not extensions of Caesar IV but individual games which can be played on their own. Each is based in a different time period. So, give them a try, become a time and place traveler while building cities and not getting picked off by armies, locusts and other problems.

I have played:

• Caesar II (I found it as a free download and was curious to see how the old version played)
• Caesar III
• Caesar IV
• Pharaoh (with the Queen of the Nile expansion)
• Emperor
• Master of Olympus

Of them all Caesar III is still my favourite for just the simple, easy game play. There was a strategy to figure out and the balance is tipped easily enough that you do have to adjust your strategy when you try to do things a slightly different way. I've yet to complete all the levels - which is a good thing because I don't want a game which doesn't give a challenge and is all over in a week.

I am the Extreme City Planner

What do you most enjoy about city building games? For me it is the time to play god, to arrange a city just the way I want it. I am the city planner. I design my city while the game tries to kill me off with advancing armies, sneak attacks, crime waves, poverty, lack of water or other resources, tributes to Caesar and Rome, a demand for frivolous things like entertainment and decorations and the mood of my workers.

Second to city planning I try to find the balance of conditions and resources which will create a thriving village, city or town. Caesar is a good game for changing the conditions and limiting or switching resources. This makes the game challenging just on the city building level.

However, city building is not enough. You can't neglect or take your military for granted. In the early levels you can manage but as the game progresses you really need to find the best way to quickly build up your city and your ability to protect your city too. All while not going bankrupt. Caesar doesn't like it when you run out of money and can't send him gifts and resources which he demands. If you fail... he sends his armies to attack you. Your city is destroyed and you - start the level over.

Aren't you glad it's just a game sometimes?