But when two armies meet in Warlords 3 the outcome is resolved automatically - there's no tactical game to control. The point about Warlords 3 is that it is a turn-based grand strategy game, and like HoMM 2 it's played out in a fantasy world of elves, dragons and giants. Much the same can be said about another classic, Masters of Magic, a great game in its time but sadly featuring a rather weak AI. Players enjoy taking their dragons into battle, they enjoy casting spells and having direct control over the action. When two armies meet up on the game map in HoMM 2, battles are resolved with a tactical mini game.
The graphics are strikingly colourful and well animated, the menu screens are slick, the game rules are simple to understand, the background music is superb and, last but not least, the tactical combat system is very enjoyable. That's a game with super presentation and a style of gameplay which is very well suited to attracting a wide base of players. Interest in fantasy strategy games has been fueled of late by the excellent Heroes of Might and Magic 2.
WARLORDS BATTLECRY 2 VOLLVERSION DEUTSCH SERIES
So the question is is Warlords 3 worth the wait? Is it really a gaming classic? Is the series still alive and kicking, and has it been updated enough to lure in a more demanding gaming public? We've just had X-COM 3 released - a real classic - and there's talk of Civilization 3 being on the way.
In the list of forthcoming strategy releases I have before me the only other one I can see is Populous 3. It's usually a mark of a good game that it makes it to the sequel of a sequel.