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Req.: P2 233, 32MB RAM, 8MB Graphics card, 200+ MB hd Reviewed On: P4 2.5Ghz, 512MB DDR Ram, GeForce 4, SB, Win XP Pro | |||
Intro Disciples II has allowed gamers to take the lead role as one of a resurrecting Empire, an Undead Horde, one of the Legion of the Damned, a member of a Dwarven clan, and now, an Elf. Following the previous two expansion packs, Guardians of Light and Servants of Darkness, Rise of the Elves follows similarly to its fellow expansion packs by remaining enjoyable, despite very little being done to enrich the series. Gameplay: 6.5/10 It isn't easy being an elf. Those who played the previous expansions had a few run-ins with them, and they know that, once they get powerful, they are a tough bunch to control. The same applies to the gamer in Rise of the Elves. While they will find the early portions of the level tough, they will come to dominate the battlefield once their units get a few levels under their belt. Until they do, though, some ingenious hit-and-run tactics have to be utilized to ensure that the units will last that long. For those unfamiliar with the Disciples II series, we have a review of the original here and of Guardians of the Light here. Very little has changed from Guardians of the Light, so the few additions it made, increasing map size and additional menu features, is about all that is new here. The expansion is bare-bones, but newcomers will appreciate that the original Disciples II is included. For fans who already own the expansions, you now have your fourth copy of the original. The best way to describe the gameplay style is that it's very similar to Heroes of Might and Magic (last one I played is III, so go with me on this), but here, the capital is almost impossible to lose (thanks to massive guardian units who can't be moved out of their respective kingdom's capital), heroes participate in combat, and the units are fixed in their positions on the battlefield. Running around on a large world map to collect goodies and fight bandits is also here; one difference, though, is that resources have to be flagged by a special rod-bearing unit to be taken by a kingdom. The game also has a main quest and minor quests; the minor ones are played independently of one another. For those who have played the series before and enjoyed it, Rise of the Elves delivers much of the same experience. The fun of leveling up heroes and units and trying out all the different upgrade paths and new spells is just as enjoyable with the elves as it was with the other factions. Those expecting something new will be pretty disappointed. The new units and spells look cool, but any fundamental enhancements, like making objects transparent when a unit is behind them or increased resolution on the battlefield, are absent - which is a shame, because the series is beginning to feel a little stagnate. Still,
the game takes advantage of the 'must level up' mentality well and does so with
beautiful art and a well-defined gameplay world. Also, the story is also pretty
interested as well. With a faction of the elves causing problems for the traditional
group and raging dragons on the loose, you have yourself a party. Although, there
was one bug: I did experience a scripting error in one level that forced me to
cheat to complete the level. So, Rise of the Elves is a fun, if rehashed
and oh-so-slightly problematic, release.
Graphics: 8/10 Sound: 7.5/10 Overall:
6.5/10 [ top ] |
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