Zeus + Poseidon

Graphics: Graphically, I find that this game actually holds up remarkably well.

It has both campaign and free-play options that allow you to experience however you want.

I've long since mastered the game loop to the point that I can explain my exact strategy for it, and I have techniques for keeping things from spiraling out of control while creating so much excess that money ceases to be a concern (and pacifism becomes simpler than defending my territory).

The audio design enhances the experience further—flutes and harps give a distinctly Greek flavor to the soundtrack, while the lighthearted voice lines of citizens and advisers inject humor and character into the simulation.

The city building and management genre was something that Impression Games really seemed to have nailed down, and it shows in this one, that confidently offers and experience that's both ahead of its time and comfortably intermediate in terms of difficulty and complexity, all set against a convincing backdrop based on Greek mythology and tradition.