Within minutes of initializing gameplay in Black & White, it's readily apparent you're not looking at a clone of a typical good versus evil adventure or a god game. Mixing elements of empire building, resource management, life simulation, survival and brawling with complex strategies and tactics in a gorgeous fantasy setting seems too good to be true -- but that's exactly what famed Populous designer Peter Molyneux accomplishes in developer Lionhead Studios' first effort.

Rather than bombard you with gushing platitudes regarding the nearly uncontested beauty of the game, the focus here is on gameplay, style and innovation. While it's fun to play the supreme decision maker in games such as Afterlife and Dungeon Keeper, the unbridled enthusiasm of characters in Black & White simply takes your breath away. Rarely does a game immerse you so quickly and so completely in the fortunes or failures of its protagonist (or antagonist).

Black & White is the ultimate in strategy games. You play as a god, competing against other gods for the right to dominate an entire world! Black & White is a role-playing game unlike any other you've played before. You play the role of a deity in a land where the surroundings are yours to shape and its people are yours to lord over. Black and White 2: Battle of the Gods Lionhead Black and White 2: Battle of the Gods Black & White 2: Battle of the Gods once again makes you into a nameless god whose very existence depends upon having devoted worshipers. Game Features 3 Lands Battle with the enemy god over three lands including two hitherto undiscovered ones.

So much effort is eventually expended in molding your character into exactly the type of deity you want him to be, including personality, foibles and moralistic bent, you find yourself really caring what happens to him and fiercely defensive of any enemy who might presume to challenge his domain. All of this builds from a seemingly innocuous beginning as a god-in-waiting or rookie god, if you will.

The plot is not, in or of itself, particularly new but does have a twist. You're in charge of getting things done not by a specific hands-on approach but through manipulation of your subjects, whether they're groveling, sniveling and cowered minions under your unrestrained and turbulent dominance or happy creatures entranced by your gracious kindness. The methodology behind this control is at the core of Black & White and it works on all cylinders. The environment is so convincing that suspension of disbelief is not a problem -- you are immersed in a luscious and live world teeming with entities begging for guidance from the start.

Usually games of this nature give you two choices: good or evil. Black & White, on the other hand, offers a third possibility. Some may think it just a sub-set of evil, but the unmistakable fact remains that you can mold your character to a level beyond evil -- pure unmitigated nastiness. There may be a fine line between evil and nasty but, in this case, nasty can reach a new level. And yet, with all the possibilities, success can be achieved and be just as sweet regardless of the path chosen -- scare tactics, rewards, cajoling, demands, beatings, threats, trust, starvation -- the options boggle the mind. Let your personal preferences soar and become one with your god.

The aspect of watching your character take on your own personality over time can't be overemphasized. While manipulating the populace is a means to one end (specifically the overriding game goal of defeating your arch rival Nemesis and his minions), how you handle your own creation is another facet of gameplay altogether and one just as rewarding, if not more so. Through subtle changes brought about by your ministrations, corrections and guidance, a complex personality emerges that will make you either proud of your progeny or downright upset if he fails miserably -- you'll take it personally.

Are there any clouds in the otherwise clear skies of Black & White? Some gamers may not like the somewhat limited creature combat setup, which basically consists of in-your-face, creature-to-creature, non-lethal slugfests incorporating special moves, agility, and the occasional miracle (synonymous with spells and magic in similar games). While effective at determining immediate confrontations, the combat interface is a bit awkward and creatures don't actually die -- they recover from wounds in their temple. These conflicts occur mainly in skirmishes and multiplayer sessions but are rare in story mode and are not to be confused with important combat in the macro-sense of destroying enemy villages, sacrosanct temples, inhabitants, and even resources to prevent expansionism by your opponent.

Story mode is consistent with similar games in the genre. Manage your village, construct buildings, produce or forage for resources (wood and food are the staples), and explore to discover mini-quests (in this case, scrolls) that can enhance your chances for success. While not overly challenging, the puzzles provide a means for increasing your arsenal of tricks and items. Gold scrolls, for example, are essential to story advancement.

What the game boils down to, though, is user preference. Fans of linear, do-this-to-accomplish-that goal-oriented adventures may be put off by the open-ended quality of gameplay, which is somewhat reminiscent of The Sims. Those who decry micromanagement in any form may be dismayed at the level of involvement required to keep the villagers from whining and complaining constantly. Still others may be turned off by the overabundance of defecation and puking sounds.

Regardless, the game has the potential to give each player a real insight into his or her own psyche. The name of the game is self-expression through the character you develop. Besides, the game is simply pure fun once the learning curve is behind you and offers an immense canvas on which to paint any god-like aspirations. Go forth, multiply and rule!

Graphics: Absolutely stunning and gorgeous graphics add to the belief that you're really a part of this fantasy garden of Eden. Fluid movement of characters, luscious backgrounds and general environmental settings are praiseworthy. Oddly enough, though, individual villagers are simply and undeniably ugly (by design perhaps?) and occasional clipping and overlaps occur.

Sound: Creature sounds, voice effects and general ambiance is of high quality, ranging from villager-speak to subtle audio clues as to what's happening around you. Humor, terror, death rattles, screams, streams, wind, life-affirming sounds and more create a wonderful mix of aural complexity that reverberates throughout gameplay.

Enjoyment: Rarely is an immersion factor and identification with characters so prevalent as in Black & White. Creature manipulation is nearly honed to a science and small complaints like the combat interface, the unavoidable tutorial required for each restart, and somewhat excessive resource management for villagers (especially for only two resources) don't detract appreciably from the overall immersion of gameplay. You can be good, evil or as nasty as you want to be -- playing a god has never been such a fulfilling enterprise. Even the overall mouse-intensive interface can be adjusted to keyboard input if desired.

Replay Value: Even with initial gameplay, be prepared for some very long and intensive hours and the occasional restart as you learn the complexities of Black & White. The game demands literally hundreds of hours to completely explore and reap the benefits of total character creation and the multifaceted aspects of gameplay. Add the diversity of the main characters and the nearly unlimited permutations of possible gameplay to its sheer size and multiplayer aspects, and a long game life is guaranteed.

People who downloaded Black & White have also downloaded:
Black & White 2, Diablo 2, Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos, Age of Empires 2: The Age of Kings, Age of Mythology, Age of Empires III, Age of Empires, Lord of the Rings, The: The Battle for Middle Earth II

10 Black And White Alternatives & Similar Games for Mac OS

1. Spore

Spore is an Open World, Sandbox, Sci-fi, Strategy, and Single-player Simulation developed by Maxis and published by Electronic Arts. The game provides you with action role-playing, real-time strategy, and combat elements and lets you control the development of a species.

You must explore the spacefaring culture and developed social and intelligent creature. The game takes place in the procedurally generated world and consists of various stages. Develop a species from its beginning as a microscopic organism into a complex animal.

Each stage of the game offers a different playing style that you enjoy. The game has the primary condition to win; the player must reach a massive black hole situated at the center of the galaxy and receive a staff of life.

Complete challenging levels earn experience points and progress in the game. The game consists of various stages, and each has its playing style with different tasks to achieve. With the best mechanics, addictive gameplay, brilliant visuals, and immersive story, Spore is a beautiful game to play and enjoy.

2. Thrive

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The game offers addictive and quite engaging gameplay and lets the player navigate the game world around him with editors to change organisms, solar systems, culture, and technology.

It consists of seven different stages, such as Aware, Microbe, Society, Space, and more. The game offers competitive gameplay inspired by strategy and rough-like games.

The player can create and customize his organisms on its journey from different insignificance, use various tools to raise and convert them into complex creatures. The game includes core features such as Strategy Gameplay, Rough-like Element, Simulation, and more.

3. Darwin Pond

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The game allows the player to dive into the virtual world filled with millions of wiggly things known as the Swimmers. The primary task is to control all the swimmers and raise them from a tiny organism to the complex creature.

During the gameplay, the player must help the Swimmers from the beginning and use all the resources to survive them. It consists of challenging levels, and each level offers its unique gameplay and creatures. The game looks simple yet hard to master.

Explore the game world, complete challenging stages, and earn points. With cool features, addictive gameplay, brilliant mechanics, and fantastic background sounds, Darwin pond is a beautiful game to play and enjoy.

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The game includes a massive series of objectives, in which the player has to conquer dozen of planets and destroy thousands of asteroids. The player can customize his spaceship loaded with deadly weapons. It unlocks powerful weapons and items as the player completes the level.

Planetoid 3D includes core features such as Exploration, RTS, RPG, Building, Fighting against opponents, and more. With the addictive gameplay, superb mechanics, and stunning visuals, Planetoid 3D is a beautiful game to play and enjoy.

5. Darwinia

Darwinia is an Action Role-playing, Real-time Strategy, Isometric, and Single-player video game developed and published by Introversion Software. The game offers a combination of fast-paced, strategy, and combat elements and takes place in a virtual world inside the computer and revolving around the life form called the Darwinians.

According to the story, the game world is overrun by the virus and become out of control. The primary task of the player is to destroy the virus infection and rescue the Darwinian.

The game consists of various levels and lets the player complete them and see how life evolves. The gameplay is a mixture of action, puzzle, hacker, god game, and strategy elements. During the gameplay, the player can operate multiple programs through task managers and can upgrade his weapons and programs with earn points and rewards.

Explore the computer world and wipe out all virus infections to complete the level and progress. Darwinia offers the best mechanics, addictive gameplay, and stunning visuals.

6. The Sandbox

The Sandbox offers exciting, Pixel Graphics, Sandbox, Building, Crafting, Cross-Platform, and Single-player Simulation created and published by Pixowl Inc. The game lets you assume the role of the lord and allows you to create and destroy what you want.

You can create different buildings with different blocks and craft items, weapons, and other things. Control pixel character and fight against enemies in your way to become the master. The game consists of fourteen different and allows you avatars to complete each one by achieving objectives.

It includes new vicious enemies such as a Mummy, a Slime, a Predator, and a Grunt Soldier. You have to survive in this horror world, which is full of many enemies, obstacles, and more. Explore different landscapes or design your own, various chemical reactions, compose your chiptunes, and more.

The game includes core features such as up to 200 Elements to Combine, 20 superb Campaigns, Intelligent Life Form, interactive Bodies, Craft World, etc. With addictive and wholly immersive gameplay, brilliant mechanics, and excellent pixel visuals, The Sandbox is the best game as compared to other god games. Try it out, and you’ll surely enjoy it.

7. Species: Artificial Life, Real Evolution

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8. Osmos

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During the gameplay, if someones touch the player during the navigation, he will lose a life. The game offers more than three different level zones, such as Ambient Levels, Sentient Levels, and Force Levels.

Each type will offer different challenging gameplay and a set of objectives to complete. Osmos includes core features such as excellent controls, infinite replayability, pleasant background music, and other amazing things.

With immersive and quite addictive gameplay, unique storyline, and stunning visual details, it is one of the best games as compared to the others of the same genres.

9. Encom Tron

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Before starting the race, it allows the player to choose his light cycle with different colors and get into the game world where he can freely move across the world using his light cycle and try to trap the opponents to earn points.

During the gameplay, the player must avoid all the walls, and upon touching any wall will cause a lose of life. There is a variety of modes and each one is offering fast-paced and challenging gameplay. With engaging gameplay, superb graphics, and cool visuals, Encom Tron lets you experience a new-style of gameplay.

10. Godus

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At the start, the player can create a tent for those people who were rescued from drowning. As the game advances, the player can breed his work to help himself during the gameplay. It allows the player to explore the massive world, interact with the environment, collect numbers of resources, and complete challenging tasks to progress.

The game offers excellent gameplay, offering brilliant mechanics to immerse the player deep into the brilliant world full of challenges. The gameplay consists of several levels, and each level of the game offers more enjoyable gameplay than the last one.

Godus offers the most prominent features such as unlockable achievements, Upgrades, simple controls, and collectible items. With quite addictive gameplay, a well-written storyline, and beautiful visual details, Godus is an excellent game to play and enjoy.

More About Black And White

Black And White is a god Simulation for those players who love playing strategy games. The game offers a combination of strategy, artificial life, and fighting elements.

The game allows the player to assume the role of the lord and lets him take over a village. The primary goal is to defeat Nemesis, who wants to destroy all towns and take over the whole world. The story of the game revolves around god and evil.

It includes deadly creatures who act as the servant of the player. He must control an island populated by different tribes. The player can control each and everything in the village and can perform other actions.

He must build and breed villagers, craft items, establish houses, and defend them from enemies. According to the story, the player act as a hero who appears to help out a family. Save the world, construct buildings, and more.