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REVIEWS

The once noble Kania Empire has spent the last few centuries in war. Their only hope in breaking this cycle is a magical weapon that resides on the mysterious island of Uimoir. You and a few adventurers are to be teleported to this hero’s graveyard. Called that because none have returned.

And so begins your journey in Rage of Mages, Nival Entertainment/Monolith Productions real-time strategy/rpg title. It essentially takes the strategy element from WarCraft II and combines it with the role-playing element found in Diablo. The question is, does it work?

You begin the game by choosing your hero, a Warrior or Wizard. Each has a certain amount of ability points that can be taken from one attribute (Body, Reaction, Mind & Spirit), to be put into another. While the Warrior chooses a specialized weapon class, the Wizard chooses particular spells. As your hero gains experience and gold, weapon proficiency/spell knowledge can be increased.

You are than plunged into Uimoir. You spend your time between the city and the quest maps:

In the city, all manner of hero tailoring can be accomplished. You will visit the blacksmith to sell items and purchase better armor, weapons and magical items. In the Inn, you will pick up rumors that lead to new quests, find heroes willing to join you and purchase mercenary units. At the training center you will use gold to increase your skills.

Part of the fun within the game is to complete quests in order to gain more gold so you can purchase the high priced weapons and armor at the smithy. Part of the strategy comes into play when you need to purchase the correct mercenary units to help you in a quest. Archer units are great against flying creatures, but lack the armor that knights have in order to vanquish a foe from up close. After you have finished within the city, you are presented with a map of the lands. Several quests may be available at anyone time, all ready to be conquered in the order you choose.

The quest maps are where the majority of the gameplay lies. The maps themselves are all interestingly set up so that no two seem the same. Objects and obstacles scattered about in a purposeful pattern. Here you have direct control over you, any heroes with you and the mercenaries you have hired. The quests are all different. From killing off giant turtles that have been threatening a local town, to finding hidden treasures or lost peasants. Enemies lurk around the corner, waiting to spring out at a moment’s notice. Sometimes the solution to a quest lies within a secondary quest on the map. One such scenario required the finding of an Ogre lair. However, with Ogre’s all over (and they are TOUGH creatures), it appeared impossible. That is until I wandered in the opposite direction of the Ogres and discovered a small tribe of goblins that were protecting a potion of changing. With this, I could disguise myself and get past them.

The interface is easy point and click fare. You have the main screen to one side, your hero on the other. You can open his backpack to change weapons or use potions by merely double clicking.  The gameplay is essentially WarCraft II. Left click and drag to group your heroes (or use the hot keys) and than point and click on a destination to move to or an enemy to kill. Events in-game are triggered by walking over them (eg. To talk to someone you move into their vicinity if it was meant to be). Alas, all conversation is to move the plot along. You have no choice in dialogue.

The maps are small enough to whip through them without spending hours scouring the area trying to find the object of your quest. Yet, they are well constructed enough to provide the right amount of challenge. Than its back to the city to buy better equipment and to pump up the skills. The game, while not being completely original on its own, somehow comes off so. It is a different experience. All the little things that you notice missing from other titles never crops up here. Everything is well thought out. If this game had come out around the time of WarCraft II, it would have been a groundbreaking hit. A few years too late, it comes off as a fun, good time type of game. No brains needed, but enough of a fantasy/strategy blend to pull you in. With the maps as small as they are, you start getting into the just one more quest before I hit the sack type of dilemma. I can not see anyone being wowed by this title, but I also can not see anyone being disappointed by it either.

Reviewed by A. Sage

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