I've run into a few games that work better on linux for me than in windows, so I thought I'd share my successes. I bought this two days ago, and have lost several hours playing it already. A melange of different game mechanics which haven't been brought together recently, executed very well. A strategy gamer's nostalgic dream. There are engaging strategic and tactical choices that need to be made. You are constantly doing both. Combat feels a lot like a cross between HOMM and Disciples. There is a full grid, but there are no stacks, just individual units which improve over time. The world map is reminiscent of mixture of Lords of the Realm 2 and Civ: you need to conquer each piece of the map before you can develop its resources. The strategic map feels more like a board game than a open world with sporadic encounters. Enemy armies can't sneak up on you on an enormous map (age of wonders 2), and each move seems weighted with purpose. A diamond in the rough for any strategy gamer looking for richly satisfying gameplay. Even better, it works flawlessly on linux through wine. Apparently it also runs well on a mac through wine. So, if you've been looking for a new strategy game, you can get this one running on your operating system of choice. Except maybe not. I haven't been able to get this run on my windows partition. So, maybe not your operating system of choice, but still works well on linux.
Hands down, this is the best, epic strategy empire game in a fantasy setting. The most compelling aspect of game play is that magic plays such a fundamental role, and not just on the combat level, but also on a strategic level. Are you playing as elves? Want to make the whole world turn into a lush green forest, so you can have the best travel speeds for all you units? You can. The wide variety of units and races,the global spells, and the development of your wizards particular skills all lean towards a wonderful strategic game, to compliment the deep and satisfying tactical combat. Shadow Magic provides both. There are two things that give pause however, first is that the game can be difficult. It can be especially trying when just starting out. After you have yourself established, things get easier, but sometimes it's difficult to get the ball rolling. Secondly, as mentioned in the review title, this is a slower paced game. If you are are interested in a faster paced strategy game, look to something like Heroes of Might and Magic 4, the maps are smaller, and the strategies for success are simpler. If the idea of a magic heavy epic fantasy saga unfolding before you appeals to you, then you have found your next favorite game.
