Theocracy is a real-time strategy game developed by Philos Laboratories and released in 2000 for PC and Linux. Set in 15th-century Mexico and Central America, it places the player in command of a pre-Columbian tribe with a single overarching objective: prepare for an inevitable Spanish invasion within a 100-year timeframe. Expansion across the Central American map is central to the experience, achievable through military conquest, diplomatic alliances, or trade relationships with neighboring tribes. The game blends traditional RTS mechanics with a historically grounded premise, using the looming threat of European colonization as a long-term strategic pressure rather than an immediate military challenge. The combination of territorial growth, resource management, and inter-tribal diplomacy gives players multiple viable approaches to consolidating power before the Spanish forces eventually arrive.
