populous

Populous is an English adjective meaning having a large population or being densely populated. It derives from the Latin populus, meaning “the people,” with the suffix -ous. In geography and demography the term describes areas with high population density, such as a populous city or country. While the word is commonly used descriptively, it is less common in everyday speech than phrases like densely populated.

In popular culture, Populous is also the title of a landmark video game series beginning in 1989. Developed by Bullfrog Productions and designed by Peter Molyneux, the original game is considered one of the first and most influential god games. Players assume the role of a deity who guides and expands a civilization by manipulating the landscape, climate, and inhabitants, in order to convert followers and defeat rival deities. The isometric gameplay emphasizes creation, management, and strategic use of terrain to influence population growth.

The Populous series continued with several sequels and spin-offs, including Populous II: Trials of the Olympian Gods (1991) and Populous: The Beginning (1998). The franchise is noted for helping to popularize the concept of players acting as gods within a video game, and for influencing later real-time strategy and simulation titles. Beyond the original title, the term Populous remains primarily associated with the game series in popular culture, while the adjective continues to be used in standard descriptive contexts.