Fantasy Wars

While the translation isn't exactly the best, it provides a nicely built world for you to play in. Worth buying as it still holds up pretty well for today's standards.

I want to confess my love for this game. For me, it is the true successor to Fantasy General. I love the gold, silver, bronze winning conditions rather than losing the game after X number of rounds. It gives me as a player more flexibility. I love the perks, when my units level up, and specialize them in certain areas. I love the effort the designers put into the campaign. I did not have the impression that some missions were "gapfillers I love the way, the heroes grow into my heart. I love horseeaters, though I dont eat horses. Thank you 1C: Ino-Co and GoG for giving me the opportunity to enjoy this game.

Despite what may be the most generic-sounding title ever conceived, Fantasy Wars is a quietly brilliant little strategy game. Each of the three factions has dozens of different units, upgrades, abilities, heros, and items to use, and the different terrain types and river crossings ensure that you will need to use all of these features to win. What I really like here is that many different army compositions are viable and no units types feel superior; you must use everything you have to win. The story is nonsense, but who cares?

It's definitely got the "indie" feel. But that doesn't mean it's an eyesore! Turned-based grid RPG/tactical game. Various units for various things. Multiple races with their own versions of units, and with unique units. Story is interesting! Politics, twists and turns. The three campaigns share the narrative of one larger overall story. Can be a challenge! Graphics are decent for this sort of game (old-school polygonal). Music score gives it an epic Middle Ages feel. I loved this game, bought the sequel. The sequel is honestly a less-polished "more of the same" although there is a decent continuation and eventually conclusion to the story (once you get used to the quirky translations).

Fantasy Wars is an old-school turn-based strategy game. Fixed maps, ugly time (turn) limit system, slow-paced gameplay and best when playing on hard difficulty. It is slow and hard because you beat a larger and stronger army, including ambushers in hiding, with limited scouting potential and some randomization of adding -1/0/+1 to damage scores. The randomization may seem to be not a big deal, except when you wither down fortified enemies with damage rolls of 1’s and 2’s, and after 5 damage make them break and flee their fortifications. Hence, you can guess Fantasy Wars includes trial and error when exploring the map and engaging enemy forces. It also includes load-spamming to get rid of the randomization or always get +1 damage rolls. Without, I was not able to achieve hard/gold victories. That aside, Fantasy Wars features a good story, great units (brute orcs, charging knights, goblin skirmishers, etc.) and characters (hexers, orc mages with fungus spells, hero berserker, etc.) with interesting skills and sufficient terrain features and well-placed enemies to more than scratch that strategy/tactician itch.