Sanctus57

Dominions 4 can be favorably compared to getting a Bachelor's degree in Wine Tasting. It's difficult to get into, ridiculously time-consuming, and ultimately a ton of fun. But, like a Wine Tasting degree, it requires a lot of effort and will cost you considerably without getting a great deal back beyond pure enjoyment (and maybe better reading/memory skills). Besides the steep price tag, it will eat into your precious free time and your mental stamina. But, at the end of the day, life is short and you should spend a large part of it doing something that you enjoy. If you like 4X/adventure/strategy/imaginatively rich games, then this is absolutely something that you will enjoy. Now you just have to decide if that enjoyment is worth the cost...

This game gives you the ability to lead an army into the field using a variety of magic disciplines and fighting styles that you select and level up and watch as you and your men(or elven women) burn enemy villages to the ground and desperately defend your own settlements. The RPG system is solid, and the RTS system is great because of the variety of races and "bonuses" that each have(Dwarves gain experience, dark elves summon skeletons from slain enemies at night, elves are tougher when fighting in forests, trolls go berzerk at half health, etc). It is a little rough around the edges, but there is a spirit to the game that goes above and beyond. The small touches, such as the orcs crawling away from battle when they become critically wounded, the humans having limited viewing distance and fighting skills at night, and the tiny mushrooms that line the forest paths that can only be appreciated from first-person view that really bring the game to life and flesh out the experience. Much of the game is easier from the RTS-style overhead view, but you get to choose how to view your game... I recommend playing from first-person perspective of your hero during all significant battles, but you need to hit tab to select enemies from that viewpoint, which will prevent you from having trouble with targeting. Playing an RTS game this way will give you some of the most epic experiences of your gaming life. And the Very Best Thing about it, in my opinion, is that the RTS game is pretty good and after you win those battles you will have treasure, money, and a more powerful hero/leader to show for your efforts. Definitely worth your time, definitely highly recommended.