I would be ashamed to admit how many hours of my life I’ve wasted on this game. And yet, theoretically, there’s nothing to recommend it: the graphics weren’t even considered good in their time, the RPG elements are thin (character development is somewhat simple; the number of quests is few, and their constant repetition is tiresome; the NPCs that join you are essentially just basic soldiers). Still, there are two factors that make it impossible for me to ever get bored with it. One is the combat: I’ve never enjoyed swordplay and archery as much in any other game, and while the controls are easy to learn, they are also versatile, and they demand (yes, demand!) that the player themselves become more skilled. The other is the battles and sieges, where you have to command armies made up of various troop types and emerge victorious, all while not observing from a bird’s-eye view but directing the action from the battlefield itself. In short: despite its flaws, the game always lurks on my computer, waiting for me to feel the urge to crack a few skulls again.
