I will start this quasi-rant by presenting the strong points, and the weak ones bullet-wise, concluding by expressing an overarching opinion without too much lamenting. Before all of it, I must say that I do love incredibly much this jewel of a game, but the experience could have been superb by fixing a few issues (from where I am standing; it might be that those were intended). Strong Points: - atmosphere - story - depth (strategy wise) - diversity - questing - randomness (overall - events etc. - there aren't many games that managed to surprise me like this one did, keeping me engaged even after swearing furiously for each restart of the game) Weak Points: - randomness (yes, it's also the game's biggest weakness corroborated with the following point) - lack of explanation and context for various events / situations - AI (terribly weak at various moments, and frustratingly magnificent at others) - unit path-finding (combat) This game is one of the few within the last decade that managed to engage me, frustrate me, amaze me, give me "This is so incredibly cool!" moments. This game ate countless days of my life. It challenged me. I think that I can somehow compare it to Dark Souls when it comes to several stages of the game by how unfair it can be by not explaining certain things when they do happen in order for the player to create strategies, and give him the chance to prepare or properly react to what is happening in the game. If you like playing without saves, this game will consume your nerves. You will swear. So much. But, at the same time, that 'I really do not know what will happen next, and I must be ready for everything' feeling will force you to play the game 'safe', and everything you will be doing will have to revolve around a very 'tight' strategy and control of the lands, researches, and hero control, deployment, leveling etc. It takes a lot of time to learn this. Why? Because it is a very unforgiving game. But beautiful.
