PowerMonger takes the basic design and concepts of Bullfrog's previous game Populous, and places it in a war context. The game casts the player as a dispossessed warlord plundering his way through 195 territories on the way to world conquest. Several other leaders have the same goal.
The gameworld is now made up of polygons, so the view can be rotated and moved with greater freedom than Populous. Trade, diplomacy, inventions, and scorched earth invasions all play a key role in how the player progresses through the game. Two-player games via modem links are available on computer versions.
PowerMonger is a strategy game that challenges players to conquer territories and eliminate opponents through various means such as trade, diplomacy, inventions, and military force. The game's polygon-based gameworld allows for greater freedom of movement and rotation compared to its predecessor Populous.