Had this title on CD. Found it cheap in a bargain bin. Boring. I gave it away.
I bought this one despite the reviews as I love chess games - especially with graphics/animation beyond basic chess pieces. However, I must say it let me down in every major area. I gave it two stars (being generous) due to a couple of redeeming features: 1) there is a slider control for level of mistakes that the computer will make. THIS IS GREAT! I wish other chess video games had this. One downside of playing against a computer opponent is that the machine NEVER makes mistakes - despite the fact that you may be able to adjust the overall difficulty level - it's NOT the same thing. One thing unrealistic about playing a CPU is that unlike human opponents, you never get that chance to capitalize on an oversight by your opponent - you know you're playing a computer. 2) The 2D accompanying window is also a nice feature as it allows you to use a "fancy" board while at the same time being able to quickly glance at a clear view of the board. Now for the fails: fullscreen is 640x480 only, the animations are slow and repetitive, there are no alternative chess sets or boards, there are very few options to adjust, the soundtrack is dull and monotone, there is no display of think lines, captured pieces etc.
This one was a heartbreaker for me when I bought it for the PS1 the day it hit store shelves. I had Livingstone's Fighting Fantasy book (a classic) and thought that making a video game based on it was the greatest idea. I paid full price for this title (obviously) and TRIED to like it. The gameplay was horrible, controls were terrible, difficulty was insane, and was just a miserable frustration. Then soon after it's release, in came the scathing reviews (deservedly) and buyers remorse had set in completely. My recommendation is to avoid this stinker and look elsewhere for dungeoning fun.
I bought the playstation version when it came out. The graphics were awful, the game was a half-assed rush job that I abandoned after a couple of hours. It's a shit-stain on the good name of Might & Magic. To this day I have never purchased any M&M titles (to my loss) due to the scars left on my psyche by this atrocity.
I got this game on CD-ROM from a store that was giving it away free to customers buying video games. I guess it wouldn't move off the shelf any other way. Anyway, I played it extensively enough to give it a fair shake, as I often like games that others don't. I didn't like it. It sucked. The graphics were rather nice actually, but the gameplay made me wonder if it had been playtested at all. The difficulty level beyond the first few missions is staggering. The defender seems to be at a 10:1 advantage every time. That would be the biggest flaw. Eventually I gave it to my nephew as a "gift"... he's probably passed it on by now. Don't buy this title.
One of my favorites - I spend many, many hours on this one. I have the original on CD-ROM that I played on my Win95 PC. One feature that always stood out was the user interface. Simple, intuitive yet comprehensive - I barely read the manual but was fully immersed in the gameplay almost immediately. For what GoG is charging for this one, it's a no brainer. If you like these type of games, pick up Caesar 3 here.
This game is a must have for any RTS or even RPG fan. I've played all the "major" titles like Warcraft 3, Age of Empires 2/3, etc, and this lesser known title blows them away. If you like fantasy this game is the top of the genre. A seriously underrated game. More races, more spells, more items, open ended campaigns that let you steer, and level up. Beautiful 2D graphics and detailed RPG-like animations, awesome soundtrack. Do yourself a favor, stop reading this review and buy this game!
