I have been playing this game for quite a while now but I still keep seeing new things and still havent tried everything out yet. The new class system with the specializations works really well. Every class is has a foundation of spells, units and empire upgrades which make it different and unique, the "Archdruid" for example has many summon spells and empire upgrades so that these summoned units dont cost as much. On top of that there can be any combination of three specs including : Air, Fire, Water,Earth, Destruction...and some extra empire upgrades not included in the classes. I dont miss the spellbooks anymore. That tactical gameplay is clearly the bread and butter of the game and its really top notch. Many many units, environments, abilities and spells make for even more tactical options. And the AI is a very worthy challenger, only rarely do I see it make an obvious blunder. The strategic level isnt quite on par with the tactical level but there is still a lot to do for the player in the form of city building, map exploration, spell research, item making (!), army movement and diplomacy with the AI. The graphics, soundeffects and especially the music far surpasses my requirements and expectations. As far as I can see there isnt any form of DRM, all patches are available on GOG, the signup for the forums is optional. I bought this game at full price, it wasnt cheap but I think its worth every cent!
