Spellforce 2: Shadow Wars

7.8
Good

Gameplay	7.5	"A solid, if not always sensational, RTS/RPG hybrid."
Graphics	8.0
Sound	7.0
Value	7.5

By Tristan Clark

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The first Spellforce, released in 2004, mixed role playing elements into a real-time strategy game, a technique popularised by games like Warcraft 3. The end result was a fun game, but one which suffered from a few significant flaws. Two years later, developer Phenomic are set to release Spellforce 2: Shadow Wars, hoping to take the series to new heights, while also fixing up the various problems that plagued the original. The result is generally a success, although a few small issues do still rear their ugly heads from time to time.

Essentially, Spellforce 2 combines a traditional RTS model - where you gather resources, construct buildings, upgrade everything in sight, and raise armies – with an RPG-like customisable character whom you can level up and develop over time. Other heroes will also join your side, all of whom can be equipped with spells and items you find on your travels.

The game boasts all the usual options you’d expect to see in a strategy game. The campaign mode follows a small group of Shaikan, a race of humans who mixed their blood with that of a dragon. Along the way you’ll fight against the Pact, a group of Dark Elves aligned with the Shadow, as well as the Clan, a mixture of orcs, trolls, and barbarians. Your main allies are the human-based Realm, a side diametrically opposed to the forces of evil. All three sides are available in skirmish and multiplayer games, which are generally more traditional RTS affairs.

In games that attempt to mix two genres like this, it’s common to see one or both aspects suffer due to the larger scope. Luckily, this is not the case with Spellforce 2 – both the RTS and RPG elements are fleshed out enough to be enjoyable. The transition between the two is actually one of the game’s greatest strengths – in any given level you could start off with just a few heroes, adventuring through a perilous dungeon or enemy-strewn forest, until you stumble upon an allied base that allows you to build up an army to storm the enemy’s encampment. This fluid type of gameplay keeps things fresh and varied – you’re never doing the same thing from level to level.

It’s to the game’s credit that either element of the game taken on its own is still satisfyingly solid, but comparisons to pure RPG or RTS games are always going to expose a lack of depth in Spellforce 2. The strategy portion of the game, for example, essentially encourages you to build up the biggest army in the shortest amount of time. Granted, that’s all that a lot of traditional RTS games let you do, but it would have been nice to actually have a few tactical alternatives available. Likewise, the RPG system isn’t as deep or rewarding as a normal role-playing game. However, like I said earlier, the real fun in the game comes from the interaction between the two elements, and while neither aspect is as deep as other games, they still do the job.

The game’s design sticks quite closely to the tried-and-true conventions of both the genres it uses – perhaps too closely. The result is a game that will appeal to hardcore RTS fans that enjoy a little bit of role-playing on the side, but casual gamers may find it a bit much, at least to start with. It’s not a problem with the game so much as it is with the genre as a whole – it would be nice to see a game like this that is more user-friendly, and is looking to capture a new audience instead of preaching to the converted.

That aside, Spellforce 2 is one of the better-looking RTS games out there, at least from a technical standpoint. Grass and trees sway in the wind, and day segues into night in a very impressive manner. The units and buildings all look good, although I would have liked to have seen a bit more artistic flair in the designs. The sound is generally fine, if unremarkable: the sound effects do the job, and the voice acting is neither brilliant nor terrible; the music fares a bit better – it sounds like your standard fantasy score, but it’s polished and fits the game well.

Spellforce 2 will appeal to its obvious audience – those strategy fans who enjoy the occasional RPG. If you’ve never played a game like this before, it’s definitely worth a look, but you may find it hard to get into. Put in enough time with this game, though, and you’ll probably find plenty to like.

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