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(More customer reviews)The Dominion series is a turn-based multi-player fantasy strategy "god" game. The technology is not new (it's a few steps-up from text only) but the sheer depth of this game has to be seen to be believed. If you are a fan of turn based strategy or fantasy, you owe it to yourself to check this game out by downloading the free (and very capable) demo at Sharpnel Games website. Illwinter is obviously most interested in putting out a product that gives players options . . . thousands of options . . . and a compelling reason to play a game again and again and again. Appropriate comparisons for this game include any of the old turn-based map strategies, Master of Magic and the Total War series.
The mechanics of game play are basic. The bulk of play is executed by issuing orders to "hero" units. These heros can be military commanders, mages, priests, scouts, assassins, or even your pretender-god. You can also build armies to assign to your units. After all orders are issued and build queues are filled, you process the turn results (this is when battles are fought) and repeat.
Sounds simple but there are dozens of different hero types, each with a couple score attributes, a few magic item slots, the possibility of magic and other unique abilities, and even different potential order options (assassination, preaching and casting spells are not available to just anyone!) Add to this hundreds of spells, magic items, unit abilities and units, and you begin to see the possibilities.
Combat is unique in this game because you script your starting tactics and battlefield positions beforehand and then let the computer duke it out between forces. The net effect is you can determine how you will start your battle . . . but after that the tide of war determines how it ends (frighteningly similar to actual war in the ancient world.)
Victory conditions can vary as with almost a dozen other game options so it is hard to say what your ultimate goal is. Crushing the other pretender gods can't hurt!
The game background draws heavily from history, mythology and fantasy. Units range from grecian hoplites to hindu-influenced monkies to lovecraftian deep ones to clasic undead to the physical forms of the Pretender Gods themselves (dragons, demi-gods, mages and . . . weirder) Notably absent are the "normal" fantasy races . . . if you are looking for tolkienesque elves you'd better keep looking.
Just to help you wade through this mire of options, Illwinter has included a 300 page game manual. Not only is this a normal manual but it includes tidbits like quick-lookup tables and even a smattering of "standard" play strategies (which are a great starting point when you have this wide of a set of choices.)
Quick list of pros and cons:
Cons:
Graphics and audio (sprite based grahics, surprisingly good music but not much of it, "Cute" sound effects)
some potentially objectionable themes (human sacrifice, demons, raising the dead, magic, claiming godhood)
overwhelming array of options (you'll probably spend more time designing your pretender-god than actually playing the first few games.)
Price (not cheap)
No downloadable game.
Pros:
Options, options, options make for great replayability (which offsets some of the bite in the price)
Spectacular "atmosphere" on top of some very inventive background.
Simple enough to play right away even with the variety of options.
Simple system requirements.
Broad range of OS's.
Dedicated and global multi-player base.
Wonderful demo to try . . . and get hooked on.
So give it a go, you have nothing to lose and a whole lot of exploring ahead of you!
Click Here to see more reviews about: Dominions 3
Dominions 3: The Awakening gives you a chance to save your world from the coming chaos -- or take advantage of it to see your god ascend and rule. Awakening from a slumber beyond comprehension to mortals, the gods promise much to their followers -- and to their enemies they will deliver blood, fire, and death. The war for true ascension to godhood begins and a new chapter in the Akashic records is about to be written in the tattered flesh of the fallen...Turn any image into a map -- battle across Faer n or Middle Earth Choose whether you want you chosen god awake or dormant when the game beginsRebalanced rates for income, supply and resources to enable larger conventional armies Streamline play by checking for taxes & unrest automatically, through the Autotax functionNew music from Erik Ask Uppmark and Anna Rynefors, the duo behind Dominion 2's lilting musical score Features 300-page printed manual with a play-along tutorial, spells reference, nations info and so much more
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