Rage of Mages 2

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So, what can I tell you about Rage of Mages II: Necromancer that I haven’t said before in my review of the original Rage of Mages? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.  Except I was appalled at how this essential add-on pack (and a poor one at that) is being showcased as a sequel.  Besides the actual plot (which is on the thin side), nothing is different.  It is the same graphics, gameplay, character choices (warrior or wizard, they never bothered to add even one new character profession), etc.  If you’ve never played Rage of Mages, let me give you a recap:

  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 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 any one 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. 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.

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.  A miniature map lies just overhead.  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 (e.g. 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 it’s back to the city to buy better equipment and to pump up the skills. If this game had come out around the time of WarCraft II, it would have been a groundbreaking hit.  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.  That is, of course, if you have never played the original Rage of mages, or just haven’t gotten enough.

If this sounds like your cup of tea, grab Necromancer.  If you’ve already played the original and crave me, here’s more of the same.  Just understand that in light of recent releases, even RoM is showing its age.  In other words, I can’t really recommend this game to anyone.