Disciples II is a turn based strategy game that I picked up on Steam for cheap during one of Steam's weekend sales. Although released in 2002, it wasn't until I started mucking around with Gametap early last year that I actually played Disciples II for a short while. Unfortunately, I didn't get very far into the game before I stopped playing (due to Gamestop changing its business model) but I did enjoy the little that I played hence I jumped at the opportunity to play the game for cheap when it was on sale on Steam.
The game itself is an interesting mix between HOMM (Heroes of Might and Magic) and D&D (Dungeon's and Dragons). Also, why the hell am I idiot proofing this post? If you don't know what HOMM and D&D are, you probably wouldn't be reading this blog in the first place...
Anyway, like HOMM, the game has an overland map that you explore in turn based format. You wander around the map, doing the odd side-quest while clearing the map of random monsters and not-so-random opposing factions. The overland map portion of the game is almost identical to HOMM except that there isn't quite as much stuff on the main map for you to interact with.
Where Disciples II differs significantly from the HOMM series is the combat portion of the game - which is also where the D&D influence comes in. In HOMM, the focus is on small unit tactics as you build up an army and lead that army in a (hopefully) unstoppable wave of destruction. However, in Disciples II, the focus is very much on individuals.
In Disciples II, you have a hero unit which can recruit up to a maximum of 5 units to take adventuring with you. And seeing as the first faction I started playing with was the Empire, which has fighter units, clerics, backstabby assassins and mages, you can clearly see why playing this game feels a little like D&D. Naturally, these units start off as level 1 and pretty weak. However, as they gain experience (and assuming you spent enough money buying the requisite upgrade options in your home base), they can level up and become pretty powerful in their own right.
The D&D influence is made even stronger as wiping out the opposition is never the main quest. In fact, other than in exceptional circumstances, you can pretty much forget trying to attack the enemy stronghold as each stronghold is defended by an insanely powerful demi-god who can wipe out your entire party in one attack.
Overall, this game is a surprising amount of fun. I still haven't gotten very far into the game (currently on the last campaign mission for the Empire) but so far, I'm really enjoying the individual unit feel of the combat.
7 comments:
Sounds interesting - I enjoyed the HOMM series, so may check this one out...
...that is, if I can find the time!!!
Mucking about right now with FM08 (of course), and Saints Row 2, whilst deciding on my next purchase.
Saints Row 2 is a sandbox crime game in a similar vein to GTA. I find it pretty fun, with none of the "maintaining friends" bollocks of GTA4.
Saint's Row 2? That is a surprise - I never figured you for that kind of gamer.
I know what you mean about the "maintaining friends" aspect of GTA4. It was fun at first, but after a while, it just got extremely annoying.
The good thing about it is that you can play a short time if you want, as the "missions" can be completed in about 10 minutes.
If you don't have time, then you can just kick back and spend a bit of time mindlessly messing up the city. I'll load it up, then pull one of the pimped up cars that I've got stored in my garage, call for a couple of homies as backup then head over the the rival gang territory for a shootout :)
The game tries to focus on the fun, and is generally very unrealistic. As per the older GTAs, death doesn't mean anything - you just respawn at the nearest hospital and lose some cash for hospital fees! You can carry a ridiculous selection of weaponry (ala most FPS). Because you are much tougher than the rival gangs and because of your rebirth at hospitals, you choose weapons for fun more than for greatest effectiveness e.g. I'm wandering around with a sawn-off shotgun rather than the auto-shotgun at the moment just for the hell of it.
I;ve mentioned the garage where you can store your cars. Basically you can steal any car that you see, then store it in your garage where you can always get access to it. I've been busy collecting all the coolest cars in the game, as well as some of the rival gang vehicles as well as some of the police vehicles (the SWAT ATV with chaingun was a particularly satisfying steal :)). I've also got a selection of boats, aircraft and helicopters :)
All in all, worth the money I've paid, as its given me quite a few hours of mindless pleasure, which is exactly what you want sometimes from your gaming.
You should really reconsider a game console - in particular, the Xbox 360.
:P
The kind of experience you talk about on Saint's Row 2 (ie mindless fun) is, imho, much better on a console with a big screen TV and a nice comfy sofa. Even if you don't jump online, its hard to beat the feel of playing a pretty action game with your butt firmly parked in a huge sofa with corresponding footrest!
Yeah, but its easier with the PC as the wife can be doing her own thing in the same (study) room e.g. being on her laptop, whereas if I used up the TV in the living room then she would expect us to do something together like watch TV instead...
hahahahahaha.
s'funny - I was expecting some kinda rant about region encoding.
Having said that, it does make an interesting comment on social expectations. I note your wife has a laptop which means that she could just as easily be on the laptop in the living room while you were on the xbox.
The only barrier to this is really the expectation that if you are in the living room, then you should be doing something as a family as opposed to the study, where you could each do your own thing (eg study?) in peace.
Theres a bit of that. In the study room, she has everything primed to allow her to spend an extended session on the laptop - desk, swivel chair, all her papers.
In the living room, she would be sat on the sofa with the laptop on her lap (wow!), which is less comfortable for extended usage...
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