p55carroll's reviews on GOG.com

Created on 26 December, 2022 02:39

Updated on 15 January, 2026 17:20

New Skin for the Old Ceremony

I posted a hasty review here after playing for about twelve hours. Now that I've played for many more hours, completed a few games, and bought all the DLC, I have to revise my review and up the rating I gave this game. Btw, I borrowed the title from an album by Leonard Cohen. It seems to fit here. I started playing the original Master of Magic when it was new, in the mid-1990s. It kept me up late many a night and was one of my favorite games for years. I only stopped playing because of my lag in keeping up with technology. And by the time DOSBox made MoM available again, it showed its age; it looked and felt kind of clunky and old-fashioned. I'd also grown used to faster-paced games, so MoM felt painfully slow. From what I've read, that was what a lot of gamers experienced. Seravy made a brave attempt to bring MoM into the modern world with Caster of Magic, and it's cool to play that faster-paced, debugged, fleshed-out version of MoM with a diplomacy system that actually works (the original is more or less broken). But I found it hard to get into a game that looks like MoM but isn't quite. I grabbed Slitherine's 2022 version on release day. My wife and I had both been into the game, and we were both eager to revisit it. Unfortunately, we found it too slow. For her, it was slow just because she had grown used to faster-paced games. For me, it literally ran much too slowly on my slightly outdated laptop. Thus, I had to let the game sit until I upgraded my hardware. With all those obstacles behind me, and having gotten back into playing MoM, I'm now very impressed with this remake. The original game is still there and very much alive, under the new skin. The joy I experienced in the 1990s is back again. And the game looks and sounds and plays better than it ever did. An old-timer like me can stick to the basic "vanilla" game and get immersed in a nostalgic trip. Yet MoM '22 offers more: new random-event choices, new races, new skills. And diplomacy works too. It's not a groundbreaking diplomacy system, but it works well enough for trading and staying on good terms with some rival wizards while fighting others. There are also setup options that can speed up the game--especially the early part, where there's not much you can do. But I find myself enjoying the game without those options. The slow start is welcome in a way; it lends the game an epic feel, since you have to build up your empire over time. For those new to MoM, it's a 4X TBS strategy game with a big box of fantasy-themed toys thrown in. The gaming experience is an exercise in creativity, beginning with your choice of unique standard wizards or customizing a wizard of your own. The mix of skills and spell books can give each playthrough a different feel. And for those who've been disappointed with the tedium of "playing wide" in a strategy game like this (gradually painting the map your color), the Spell of Mastery offers a "playing tall" option: You can win simply by researching and casting that spell. Of course, it takes a lot of preparation. Among the games inspired by MoM are Age of Wonders, Fallen Enchantress, and Endless Legend. All fine games. But now that this MoM remake is available, we have another top-notch choice. For me, there's nothing quite like MoM; it's the root of all the rest and still an excellent game in its own right. For anyone new to the game, I'd say it's well worth spending some time with. No comment on the purchasable DLC, as I haven't tried it yet. Bought it, though, just to make sure it's there when I'm ready for it. The free DLC, "Through the Myrror," meshes nicely into the game, IMO, spicing up MoM with a few new races and stock wizards. Cool stuff. Bottom line: MoM '22 has become my go-to version of the game. I don't see myself revisiting the "old MoM" in any of its forms. For me, this one's the real deal.

128 gamers found this review helpful

Created on 24 December, 2021 21:55

Updated on 24 December, 2021 22:11

A Timeless Classic for Strategy Gamers

I played Warlords II Deluxe back in the day. By the time Warlords III: Darklords Rising came along, I was on a long hiatus from computer gaming, so I missed out on it entirely. Only heard about it recently. Now that I've played full games of both Warlords II and Warlords III, I can unhesitatingly give them both five-star ratings. It took me a while to readjust to the interface and get oriented again, but now that I have, it's a game I know I'll keep on playing all the time. Like the original Master of Orion, this is a timeless strategy game. Why? Because of its elegant simplicity. It's noticeably more streamlined than modern games (e.g, Heroes of Might and Magic or Age of Wonders). With less clutter to keep track of, it plays faster, as the player can easily focus on strategy. Some players object to the lack of tactical combat in Warlords. You see that it's happening, and you see which units are killing which, but once battle starts you have no control over it. That means you have to plan in advance--bring in the army you need to do the job. And in my opinion, that makes a wargame more realistically strategic, since the overall commander doesn't control each and every unit like a puppeteer. Besides that, switching to and from tactical battlefields takes a lot of time and compels you to play two games, not just one. Every tactical battle in Age of Wonders or Heroes of Might and Magic is a minigame that you have to play, since autoresolving puts you at a disadvantage. Mercifully, Warlords frees you from that and calls upon you to focus squarely on strategic moves. It's not for everyone, but it's a timeless classic for strategy gamers.

21 gamers found this review helpful

Created on 24 December, 2021 21:35

Updated on 24 December, 2021 21:52

A Great Game, Not Just a Fond Memory

I played Warlords II Deluxe a lot back when it was new. Due to tech advances it got to where I couldn't play it for years, but now GOG has brought it back. Fond memories made me buy it right away, but at first I wondered if I'd made a mistake. The relatively clunky old interface made the game seem like a relic of the past. Recently, though, I took some time to relearn it, get used to the interface, and play a full game. Now it's a game I'll be playing all the time. Some reviewers compare the Warlords games unfavorably to the more modern Heroes of Might and Magic series or the Age of Wonders series. I've played a lot of both, and I can honestly say Warlords is superior in at least one way--elegant simplicity. Modern games of this type tend to throw in everything but the kitchen sink, making for clutter and needless complication. Warlords is refreshingly streamlined. It plays faster while affording all the interest and challenge a player could want. It's not for everybody. It's probably not for anybody who values all the cinematic effects of modern video games. But it's a highly rewarding game for those who appreciate the strategy genre.

17 gamers found this review helpful

Created on 27 January, 2016 18:40

Created on 06 January, 2016 19:33

Superb RTS Game

Might be misleading to call this a castle simulator. It's really more of a base-building RTS game--with lots of emphasis on building and protecting the base. Absolutely wonderful game in any case! There's much more of a politico-economic aspect than in other RTS games I've played: various resources to manage, and you have to watch your subjects' morale too (while also taxing them to get the gold you need). It works because you're at a walled-in base (after you build the walls), not scouting and conducting seek-and-destroy missions against a hidden enemy. However, the game does include many features, so you can assault enemy castles as well if you like. The excellent tutorial eases you into the game, and the combat campaign progresses--at first--in baby steps, giving you time to learn and try new things out. There's also an economic campaign, which is surprisingly interesting, though I haven't gotten far in it yet. Besides the two campaigns, there are stand-alone scenarios, which you can edit or customize as you like. There are also historical scenarios--various actual castles you can try defending or assaulting. The audio-visual effects are great, in my opinion. One small downside is that there's nothing like a smooth-scrolling camera; camera angle shifts 90 degrees at a time. But actually you don't even need to use that, as you can just press the space bar to make everything above ground level disappear. That's a very handy feature; it allows you to do most everything from just one angle. The game can be very challenging, if that's what you're looking for. Even on Introductory level, it has been too hard for me at times, and I've had to replay a few campaign missions. I got through them, though; and I've gone back to replay them on the Normal difficulty setting and won there too. Some of the early missions are child's play, but they get tough soon enough. Throughout, there's a bit of humor mixed in. It's not obtrusive, but it's there, and you'll find yourself smiling at the remarks of your scribe, your advisers, and enemy leaders. Though this is a serious enough game, it doesn't take itself too seriously. For me, that helps take the edge off and adds to the enjoyment. Top-notch game. Highly recommended.

2 gamers found this review helpful

Created on 06 January, 2016 19:32

Created on 06 January, 2016 19:31

Discover CD PROJEKT RED games

Highlights

Featured

Close, but not an exact hit

We couldn't find this game on GOG. Vote to bring it to our platform and check what others say about it on GOG Dreamlist:

Recommended games from our store:

New Skin for the Old Ceremony

A Timeless Classic for Strategy Gamers

A Great Game, Not Just a Fond Memory

Superb RTS Game