I don’t know about you readers out there, but I’m really interested in playing a True Real-Time Strategy title. I’m not talking about C&C or Warcraft; to be more precise, those are Action Strategy titles that exist primarily on situation, action and response. No, instead I’m referring to those rare titles that are like an elaborate chess game, where you have to plan your moves in advance, prepare your troops thoroughly, and strike decisively at weaknesses in your opponent’s defense over time (hence the real-time distinction). The venerable Warlords series is a good example of this, balancing the demands of the genre with interesting plots and a dramatic fantasy setting. Strategy fans should get ready to rejoice, because the fourth installment in the series, Warlords IV: Heroes of Etheria, is about to come to computers everywhere. The plot of Warlords IV is rather epic in scope, covering over three thousand years of Etherian lore. According to the narrator of the intro, the actual story is so old that only the eldest dragons in the realm remember the full details of what happened. Basically, more than three thousand years ago, an elf with a thirst for power waged a civil war for the throne of a kingdom. Defeated and banished from the lands, the elf’s desire for authority quickly turned to revenge, and he sought to vanquish his foes by summoning four fiends from hell with the aid of dark magic. Unfortunately, his spells misfired, killing him and unleashing cataclysmic destruction on the world. Known as The Sundering in Etherian lore, this devastation seemed to be the last significant conflict the realm. However, recent events, including an organized orcish invasion, seem to point that something wicked is coming, something that could rival even The Sundering itself. Players take on the role of a hero investigating and attempting to stop this dangerous threat to their homelands. Unlike other strategy games where players are simply restricted to choosing a side, Warlords has a bit of RPG-like flair. Players choose from one of twelve races, which helps determine the type of units that they’ll field for their armies. However, fledgling warriors will also choose major and minor spheres of magic, which will influence the spells and abilities in-game heroes possess. See, the creative thing about Warlords IV is that your warlord doesn’t actually take the field of battle; instead, he or she remains sealed away in your capital city as a last line of defense against incoming hordes. Lose your warlord, and you lose the mission. Instead, armies are produced, hired and volunteered from the numerous cities scattered around each scenario. Since cities produce income and troops, its advantageous to attempt to control as many towns as possible to muster a large strike force. This may seem rather obvious, but since some missions can have as many as 75 neutral towns or keeps up for grabs, later skirmishes can involve huge armies of highly trained warriors. Combat, for those of you interested, is rather unique as well: each side chooses a soldier to attack.. Losing warriors are killed and have to be replaced by another member of their side, with repeating clashes until one side is completely destroyed. It’s a rough way to describe it, but considering the enormous amount of depth included in this game, this preview simply wouldn’t give it justice. Warlords IV isn’t going to be the flashiest title you’ve seen, but the graphics are restrained for a reason. The designers are trying to keep more of a focus on the strategy aspects of the game. Don’t be dismayed though; the animation presented in the game, primarily in the battles, is very smoothly done, and the cutscenes that drive the story of the primary quest are excellent. Add to that a dramatic and haunting soundtrack, and Warlords provides a great experience for strategy buffs looking to get medieval on someone. Warlords IV should be out sometime in October, so check back here for a full review! Questions or comments about the upcoming release of Warlords IV: Heroes of Etheria for the PC? Talk to us! [ E-Mail Jeff 'Linkphreak' Haynes ] [ Comment in our Forums ]

Copyright (c) 1998-2009 ~ Game Over Online Incorporated ~ All Rights Reserved
Game Over Online Privacy Policy