thvaz

Doesnt matter how incredible are the mechanics, a game about eugenics using pets and drawnby a disturbed child is a hard no-no for me.

Good concept but (like most of the recent **** titles) failed execution. You can see the reused assets from Fallen Enchantress...even the glitches are still there. It is a very boring 4x fantasy game, even inferior to Fallen Enchantress as they removed what made that game interesting for the sake of streamlined gameplay. Tactical combat is devoid of any tactics, and the strategy element is devoid of any strategy. You just go from quest to quest collecting loot and leveling your champions (the only thing remotely interesting in this game) and pressing NEXT turn after turn. I fell asleep many times while playing the game, expecting something interesting to happen. I have no expectations the game will be better by the launch, such is the state it is now.

Being formulaic, think Heroes of Might and Magic meets Mount and Blade on semi historical medieval Germany. This game is a unique gem, however. It mixes smart tactical combat, solid looting and leveling game play, good art, amazing music, a sense of immersion I struggle to find nowadays in games (I'm an older gamer) and an absolutely great story. The tactical combat looks simple but surely it isn't. It is a smart and different take than HOMM series, as you have to act with your units, and move is a consequence of the attack order. Every action you have a series of decision to make and it is very interesting for a long **** you are an experienced strategy gamer, however, if you don't go for the higher difficulties it could be a bit too easy, and after while it gets a bit repetitive, but until there it is very fun. The leveling and looting system makes managing your party interesting. There is a nice variety of loot and troops, and simple but rewarding upgrade trees. The story is top notch, though the storytelling is a bit lacking. Some say it is complicated and really is, you have to pay attention. I would say the story is on par with King of Dragon Pass. You don't have a lot of choices, though, as the story unfolds, but the quality makes for it. The worldbuilding is awesome as well, you really feels like you are in medieval Germany. At the end of the campaign the game play gets a bit repetitive, though, but is mostly a case of the campaign being too long than the game play being boring. I only kept going for the story. Overall, a great game. 8/10

It is turn based (both the strategic map and the battles, an interesting campaign, has random events, a deep building and item system...what more could I want? Well, a game that wasn't unplayable for me at release, but now (two months later?) I didn't found any game breaking bug, the game runs and plays fine. Its fails aren't that many as I had a lot of fun with Eador already.

This game set the parameters I judge all the others. It is a game so complex that there isn't just one way of having fun with it. You could have fun making great projects, trying to optimize the processes of your fort, or just doing how I prefer, to observer all the little stories the game procedurally is showing you all the time, making you completely absorbed by them.

A good game that just fell short of greatness, I had some good hours of fun with it, but ultimately there isn't enough of the game systems too keep you coming back. The AI is annoying instead of challenging, always sending cannon fodder that couldn't possible threaten you. However, the game tries being many things at once, and succeeds in many of them. Maybe the expansions will polish this rock into a gem.

There is almost no AI of note the squads won't even eat when they are hungry, making the game a micromanagement hell. Monsters freed from their rooms won't run rampant through your dungeon, making the game boring. The cut scenes are a pain to watch, the humor is very bland. I will give a 5 because despite all these flaws, the game is playable enough, though it still has an unfinished feeling about it. It could be a better game, even if different from Dungeon Keeper, but is failed in being so.