diciplesII

[Nightwing]

I was thinking of getting this off steam but is it worth it. I only play turn base games and I know it is turn based. Has anyone played it?

[Lucern]

It's okay. I'm a turn-based fan, especially fantasy strategy turn based games (Master of Magic, Age of Wonders, and to a lesser extent, Heroes of Might and Magic being highlights for me). I also like turn-based RPGs and tactical games.

If there's a demo or something, try it, because you may disagree with me when I say that the combat kills the game's potential. Each map is fairly deterministic: troops do the same damage all the time (unless they miss), and the battles are more like a final fantasy battle than an actual encounter. Here's how it plays from what I remember. You pick a leader, which are varied and pretty cool, and he'll follow you through the various levels. You get some money every turn depending on what you control, and you use that to buy and upgrade troops. There's not a lot of incentive to have more than one stack of troops, because only one can participate in any given battle. The only incentive is to provide multiple targets for the enemy's long range spells. You'll have one primary group, well rounded out, and you'll make sure they get all the experience they can to make sure you can beat the level's main enemy stack.

My feeling is that each level is just an exercise in going through the repetitive process of beating it because of the focus on so few units and the all-but-pre-determined outcome of combat. I was punished heavily for trying new things and trying to get more than one group powerful enough to challenge the bosses. After a few hours I began to cheat heavily, not because it was hard, but because I felt like not cheating was just wasting more time than I was willing to devote to this game.

Plusses: it's got great graphics, and is carefully stylized. I don't really remember the story, but it seemed compelling at least. The character advancement adds a little RPG element to it.

[bubbe]

sorry for off-topic but... have you guys tested dominions 3? I tested the demo a few weeks ago and it's pretty fun. Was even thinking of buying it and i'm not a big fan of turn-based games.

sorry again for off-topic... it was just a tip. :|

[Nightwing]

Thanks that's good info. I am trying to locate a demo but no luck yet

[Lucern]

Thanks Bubbe...I didn't even know there was a Dominions 3! I'd been looking to try one of those games anyway, and if you say there's a demo, I've gotta try it out.

Let us know what you think if you get to try it Nightwing.

[Variol (Farseer) Elmwood]

It's not ok; it's excellent! It's like heroes but you have idividual creatures in your army; not tens or hundreds. The units level up and become different in most cases. If you like turn-based strategy, it's pretty much my fav. along with most of the heroes series.