The main action window in Populous is viewed from an isometric perspective, and it is set in a "tabletop" on which are set the command icons, the world map (depicted as an open book) and a slider bar that measures the level of the player's divine power or "mana".

There are a number of different landscapes the world (depicted on the page in the book) can be, such as desert, rock and lava, snow and ice, etc.

Increasing the mana level unlocks additional divine powers that allow the player to interact further with the landscape and the population.

[8] In this game the player adopts the role of a deity and assumes the responsibility of shepherding people by direction, manipulation, and divine intervention.

The player has the ability to shape the landscape and grow their civilization – and their divine power – with the overall aim of having their followers conquer an enemy force, which is led by an opposing deity.

[8] Peter Molyneux led development, inspired by Bullfrog's artist Glenn Corpes having drawn isometric blocks after playing David Braben's Virus.

[9][12] One curious incident related in media coverage involved an attempt by Molyneux to investigate the displacement of water when adding blocks to the world model, this being frustrated by Lego not being watertight and thus causing a "flood" that "dissuaded further experimentation".

[15] Bullfrog produced Populous World Editor, which gave users the ability to modify the appearance of characters, cities, and terrain.

The game received a 5 out of 5 stars in 1989 in Dragon #150 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column.

Populous is a great game and PWE is an ideal enhancement that breathes new life into weary bytes.

The magazine called the Atari ST version "a fascinating, fun and challenging game.

Most video games posit you as a mere sword-wielding, perilously mortal human; in Populous you're a deity.

Slow-paced, intricate, and difficult to learn: You literally have to create entire worlds while all the time battling those pesky forces of evil.

Shortly after release, Bullfrog was contacted by the Daily Mail and was warned that the "good vs evil" nature of the game could lead to them receiving similar fatwā, although this did not materialize.

[9] By October 1997, global sales of Populous had surpassed 3 million units, a commercial performance that PC Gamer US described as "an enormous hit".

[35] By 2001, Populous had sold four million copies,[36][37] making it one of the best-selling PC games of all time.

The editors hailed it as "unbelievably addictive fun, and one of the most appealing and playable strategy games of all time.

"[41] In 1999, Next Generation listed Populous as number 44 on their "Top 50 Games of All Time", commenting that, "A perfect blend of realtime strategy, resource management, and more than a little humor, it remains unsurpassed in the genre it created.

Populous was also released on the SNES, developed by Imagineer as one of the original titles for the console in Japan,[10] and features the addition of a race based on the Three Little Pigs.