Posted July 21, 2009
I'm glad I gave this a couple weeks time before I reviewed it. That said, I don't get too many hours in the day to take a break and play a game, and some aspects of this game might be better suited for those who do have a lot of free time on their hands, to give them a chance to repeat missions over and over again until they're able to get things right.
That said, I really love the town building aspects of this game. It's not overly complex or difficult, and the leisurely pace lets you relax and take your time planning your town. But what I don't care so much for is the inability to choose a difficulty level (it's preset to a high level), and how combat can be cumbersome to deal with. For example, turning your archers in the exact direction needed to "see" and fire upon the enemies can be a bit frustrating. Wouldn't archers in real life automatically be able to see enemies coming from a new direction? Especially when said enemies are just 20-30 feet away from them?
The lack of difficulty settings makes it frustrating for someone like myself, with not too much time on his hands. It would be nice to have Easy and Intermediate levels, for those times when I just want to build my town and keep the combat elements of the game just challenging enough to make it enjoyable. Some may like the high level of difficulty, and that's fine, it's just that I wish you could modify it if you wished.
Even with the issues, the game is worth the low price, though. Nice graphics, animation, and thoughtful town design elements all lend to a fun experience. But as mentioned, the lack of difficulty settings and sometimes awkward combat control, (against hordes of computer-controlled enemies who obviously don't seem to have the same control issues that you do), can make it a bit frustrating. I'd rate it a 3.5 if GOG allowed, but since I can't, I'll have to round down to 3 stars.
That said, I really love the town building aspects of this game. It's not overly complex or difficult, and the leisurely pace lets you relax and take your time planning your town. But what I don't care so much for is the inability to choose a difficulty level (it's preset to a high level), and how combat can be cumbersome to deal with. For example, turning your archers in the exact direction needed to "see" and fire upon the enemies can be a bit frustrating. Wouldn't archers in real life automatically be able to see enemies coming from a new direction? Especially when said enemies are just 20-30 feet away from them?
The lack of difficulty settings makes it frustrating for someone like myself, with not too much time on his hands. It would be nice to have Easy and Intermediate levels, for those times when I just want to build my town and keep the combat elements of the game just challenging enough to make it enjoyable. Some may like the high level of difficulty, and that's fine, it's just that I wish you could modify it if you wished.
Even with the issues, the game is worth the low price, though. Nice graphics, animation, and thoughtful town design elements all lend to a fun experience. But as mentioned, the lack of difficulty settings and sometimes awkward combat control, (against hordes of computer-controlled enemies who obviously don't seem to have the same control issues that you do), can make it a bit frustrating. I'd rate it a 3.5 if GOG allowed, but since I can't, I'll have to round down to 3 stars.