I've only played Malinese once (probably because I always change the leader name to that a different resident of their empire, and I don't know that many Malinese names), but I think the game crashed, or maybe it was one of those freaky starts that puts you on an small island in the middle of a big sea or something, because I don't remember ever finishing.

Of course, since I tend to stick with Epic and Marathon games, it may just be old age that keeps me from remembering finishing.