Eador. Masters of the Broken World - Allied Forces

Compared to Eador (classic), with Allied Forces DCL we get some new units and mechanism (like backstab). But generally this game is the same game, we have some unpolished mechanisms (i.e. revolts in provinces), stiupid AI that can only cheat like crazy (in every province puts guards that cost of upholding easily excess it's budget). Main problem of this game is net framework, and plague of bugs, from non braking like white magic harm our magican, to memory exception that kick you from game. Even that this game is interesting enought to spend, a few hundreds hours on play (maybe litte to monotonny in the end).

You can barely use the content of this DLC. All new units are high level upgrades to race units. If you played the base game already, you will know that all race units are available only after completing a quest. Since quests are randomized you are in a midgame when you finished them. All race units are tier 1 so in the midgame they will do close to nothing (tier 2 is much more powerful). To use new unit from this DLC you need to level up a race unit high level (like 10 or so). In the midgame those units die to anything so leveling requires many patience and is difficult. That means that you can use those units in end game where other units are more important anyway. Do not buy it, it is not worth it.

Without calling any one names… this game does divide people because it IS unstable! The trouble becomes obvious when you get into the middle campaign (or a large scrums scenario) where the armies get too big for the computer to handle and cashes to desktop. Yes you can lower the graphics to slow down the collapse and that will bye you extra turns but sooner or later the game will collapse again. I give the dc a 3 because the game is fun to play in a short (weekend) campaign or a medium scenario but if you want to play the game as it was intended i.e. a campaign taking up months of casual play then the game will eventually become unplayable and you have wasted your money.

This is pretty much a remake of Eador: Genesis. I think the original is a superior game largely because of the interface, which I found much faster. However, it wasn't a very nice game graphically, and this remake pretty much fixes that. Why it's a good game: There are really 3 layered strategy games here. At the lowest levels are the battles between individual warrior armies. The next level up is the territory map where you choose where to expand, resource management, technology. research, etc. But those are individual worlds. On top of that a later where you choose which worlds to invade` potential upgrades to research and other resources, and where you will face down other "Masters" for control of the world. In this top level you also interact with those "masters", learn more about the universe around you, form alliances... This multi-layers approach adds significant depth to the game and really makes for a complex mix of strategic modes of thinking. It also really redefines what "epic" length means. I just finished a campaign going for one of the faster victory modes (defeat all masters) and it clocked in at somewhere like 150 hours. To really enjoy the game, you have to really enjoy the core game play loops of bootstrapping a world & warriors up from square one to massively powerful, take over the world, and then start again on another world from square one. It can get very repetitive. However, for easier battles there is an "auto" fight mode to fast forward to the guaranteed victory, which helps. It also helps that a high level currency lets you carry over some limited benefits and even your leveled warriors to the next world, but that takes a fair many hours before you have enough of the stuff to really make an impact. Luckily those first 20-40 hours are the ones where things have yet to get too repetitive, so it all works out. All in all, an essential title for any fan of world building TBS games like Civilization etc. Buy it!