To blend an RPG and RTS is no easy task, but its one that Spellforce carries out with aplomb. Gameplay-wise, the game impresses - keeping mechanisms simple and encouraging individual character design. Artistically, it meshes beautiful landscape design with an intuitive camera system. It is also deep (the platinum edition features three campaigns) and has an innovative free-skirmish mode that builds up characters map after map.
Of course, between two stools isn't always the best place to get caught. Even within the GOG catalogue, I'd argue that Sacrifice is the better avatar-centred RTS, eschewing ludicrous multiple resource management in favour of 'souls'. If you're looking for an action RPG, I'd be hard pushed to recommend Spellforce over Sacred Gold, as the latter features deeper character development, a huge gameworld and a bundle more mindless fun. And if you're looking for a pure RPG, why not the excellent Gothic series from Jo Wood? There are also a few minor quibbles here and there: units move slowly, worker management can be slightly twitchy, the voice acting and the cut scenes is utterly atrocious.
Yet there is much to admire in the game. What makes this package so attractive is how much value is included for $9.99/ First, the inclusion of the expansions, Virtually impossible to find outside the 'Spellforce Universe' package, which itself is pretty rare, the complete platinum package that gog.com offers is second to none. Second, any game converted from the misery of Starforce by GOG deserves an extra point!