Spring, as it turned out, is quite time for strategies. Moreover, for the strategies of the „old school“ – step by step, global and about magicians. Very soon the Russian studio Ino-Co Plus Release Warlock 2, And shortly before that, the Light was seen by the long -awaited continuation Age of Wonders – Games from which the Russians largely took an example.
Due to the abundance of diverse information, the interface often makes many extra body movements make.
Do not https://centredge.com/account-mining-a-managers-perspective/ forget your roots!
For the sake Age of Wonders 3 Triumph Studios even postponed the development of a new part Overlord. The studio decided to shake the old people and somewhat rethought her main strategy, with which she debuted 15 years ago.
Two parts Age of Wonders Together with the addition Shadow Magic, published from 1999 to 2003, formed a peculiar concept of the game. This is such a mixture „Heroes of Sword and Magic“ And Master of Magic: We, in the role of one of the powerful magicians, investigated the global map, conquered and developed cities, saved resources, hired troops and participated in step -by -step battles on crossed terrain. The highlight is that at the same time the player constantly studied a bunch of various spells for all occasions. Some spell were allowed to use in battle, pouring enemies with fire from heaven, others – and this is much more interesting – used on a strategic map, for example, to call on the help of hellish hound or find out what is happening in enemy cities.
In the third part, the foundations of this mechanics remained untouched. We still manage an authoritative wizard, who do not feed bread-give me only to conquer the neighboring lands with a sword and magic. He still explores, hires, rebuilds and studies the move. And his opponents do the same, with whom, however, negotiations can be held: to offer them an alliance, a free passage through the lands, as well as a gold or a spell in addition. Or, conversely, declare war.
In the cities conquered or founded by your settlers, you still need to build different buildings, barracks, magic towers and fortifications. As the population grows, they enlarge, expand the zone of influence (it is especially pleasant if it got sources of resources) and receive new statuses – from the village to the Metropolis. In cities, you need to prepare and hire the „units“ of different races: if you took the storm of the settlements of orcs or goblins, then you will produce the corresponding green -skinned warriors there.
However, as before, no one will forbid you to populate the city of your hero’s native race, for example, elves or people. Although true magicians, if desired, can gather entire armies from called creatures, animals and all kinds of monsters. The main thing is that there are enough mana (for hiring ordinary troops, of course, gold is going on). True, the maximum size of one army has slightly reduced – now it is 6 detachments, not 8, as before.
Nature is against technology
Much more important are other changes that occurred with a series in the third part. It is clear that the authors brought the game in line with modern trends. A three -dimensional and very pretty picture appeared here, a new interface. And the battles now remind of Total War: instead of lonely two -dimensional figures of a swordsman or knight who poke the enemy with pixels, we control whole detachments of well -animated fighters – they effectively attack, crashing into a group of opponents, or dashing them with spells.
The assault on which the game still pays increased attention is especially great. We see really huge cities and fortresses, on the walls of which the defenders are located. Therefore, you have to actively use rams and demand, force infantrymen to crawl up the stairs and send to the advanced flying fighters.
Like Heroes 6 or Disciples 3, New Age of Wonders took a tangible step towards the plot role -playing game. In addition to numerous scenarios, the authors came up with two campaigns, where there are much more texts, dialogs, directors and quests, including side effects. Both campaigns from different points of view illuminate the history of the confrontation between progress, technology on the one hand and nature – on the other. The first is the Commonwealth, led by people, the second, of course, troubled and always dissatisfied elves.
Moreover, plot missions are very reminiscent of the same Disciples 3: We just as accompany important characters in their search or desire to get to important artifacts, for example, to wash the egg in the sacred source (thank God, dragon). This, of course, is not high literature, but watching the plot is quite interesting.
Cool magic
As for the role component, now a full -fledged class system has appeared in the game. If earlier only the race and the selected magical sphere affected the set of spells available to your leader, now this is mainly determined by the class specialization. In total, they, like Ras, six – theocrat, fearless, archdroid, sorcerer, military leader and rogue. And if, for example, fearless relies on cars, guns and technologies (he can even produce fiery tanks), then the sorcerer prefers to call many diverse monsters to her help. And Theocrat loves to call his enemies heretics and lower the crowds of fanatics and crusaders on them.
In addition, all your leaders and heroes joining them capable of leading the army not only receive levels and try on different equipment, but also study many active and passive skills for all cases of life – many of them are again available only to representatives of a certain class. So, at a new level, you can increase the defense or health of the character, teach his treatment or, for example, the ability to throw wards directly beyond the walls of a defending fortress.
All open skills act only within the same mission – on the new map you have to start all over again. And new complexity settings are associated with this. If earlier we could complicate our lives by endowing the hero with some negative quality that gives different fines, now before the start of each mission we are asked to determine how many skills will be available to the hero to study initially: the more there are, of course, easier.
And the mood improved
At first it seems that along with this, after the two above games, a new Age of Wonders also lost in complexity and depth. The first missions are held by one left, artificial intelligence practically does not resist, and we can only save, study and collect armies, then go through enemies.
But it is worthwhile to twist the difficulty at the maximum and a little further advantage of the plot, as everything falls into place: Magic-optists begin to mercilessly press, develop rapidly, make impudent sorties, sow riots in your cities and punish for the slightest mistakes. For example, it is too early for you to quarrel with the leader of the local goblins, as a formidable leader-Ork will immediately intercede for her, and you will find out how much a pound of a dashing. That is, a long language and diplomacy in Age of Wonders 3 They matter.
In addition, now you have to take into account moods that reign both in your individual cities and in general in the empire. This affects relations with other factions, and income, and moral spirit, combat effectiveness of the troops. Satisfied subordinates, instead of riots, will arrange holidays in your honor, collecting additional gold, and morally stable „units“ will never desert.
The moods depend on many factors – on whether you lost or won the battle, destroyed the conquered city, plundered, annexed to your empire or moved their native race there. And even from the type of landscape on which your troops and cities are located – gnomes, for example, adore mountains and do not like volcanic surfaces, and people do not digest cold and arctic lands.
The war of the thrones
In addition, employees Triumph Studios came up with a system of good and evil deeds. The same plunder or destruction of the city is evil, joining is good. You can either pursue the retreating enemy or spare – this also affects your positive or negative reputation, and therefore the mood in the empire and the attitude of rivals to you.
Well, in general, in Age of Wonders 3 There are more different strategic lotions. For example, the authors came up with a system of capital. In the first city you found, the throne of the empire is set. If its leader perishes in battle, then the game does not end immediately, as before: after a few moves the leader is revived in the „throne“ city. The main thing is that the enemies do not capture the capital during this time – then there is definitely a failure. However, in case of danger, you can transfer the shades to another city, which will require a certain number of moves.
And in the game a new type of resources appeared: “Mana”, which are spent on global spells, were added to the gold and crystals, “Knowledge” was added – it is they who are spent on the study of the spell. The more knowledge your power “produces”, the less moves the moves on teaching magic. By the way, this resource is also needed to study special passive skills: some, for example, allow you to build ports in cities, others turn rogratic rogues into experienced assassins.
As before, the effectiveness of long -range attacks is affected by the presence of obstacles in front of the shooter. But the distance to the target in past games of the series was not taken into account.
As you can see, Age of Wonders 3 became more solid, more, more beautiful and diverse than the previous parts. There are many new opportunities and conditions. This does not mean that playing is now more difficult. We repeat, in some plot missions everything comes down to gradually annoying stripping and accumulation of resources. Yes, and AI used to be smarter. Nevertheless, we received a very interesting and diverse game that combines the spirit of Oldskul and new trends and is able to tear you out of real life for a couple of weeks. Especially if you launch one of the numerous „riccers“ scenaries or multiplayer, where you allow you to configure your leader and the conditions of the game in detail. But it is in such regimes that the true strategy is manifested.
Pros: tested by time, supplemented by the new capabilities of the mechanic;pleasant graphics and music;a more interesting plot;A curious role system;Spectacular battles.
Cons: not in all convenient interface and management;at times too passive AI.
Neueste Kommentare