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When Disciples first appeared late in 1999, reassuring words were spoken of shipping an add-on within six months. As we’re now well into 2002, this period has to go on record as the longest six months in history. Fortunately, Disciples II makes it worth the wait. While the new game is less than a revolutionary makeover, it’s distinctly more than an add-on. It’s stuffed with great fantasy atmosphere, and could be worth up to 150 hours of entertainment for anybody who enjoys the challenge of good turn-based strategy. Tickets
Disciples II offers 20 standalone scenarios, a four-side campaign, a scenario builder, and hotseat play. The scenarios are one-shots for two to four players. (A new import/export facility lets you save a hero in one scenario and import him into another.) The same sides are available for your selection in the campaign: the Empire (human), the Mountain Clans (dwarves), the Legions of the Damned (demons), and the Undead Hordes (undead — kinda obvious, innit?). Each side has unique spells, magical artifacts, and unit types, plus seven linked scenarios with a variety of objectives.
One of the more interesting aspects of gameplay is that you get to select a Lord as your in-game avatar — someone who affects but never shows up in the game. The troops of a Warrior Lord regenerate lost health on the road, while the forces of Mage Lords can research higher spells, and cast them more often. Guildmaster Lords add extra options to thieving units, like assassination and the ability to bribe enemy towns.
Gameplay is similar to that in Heroes of Might and Magic: you hire leaders
and troops, send out small squads to gather resources and gold, pick up experience
by killing monsters, and ultimately achieve the immediate scenario’s goal.
Along the way, you decide how to upgrade your main city and also learn spells,
while your troops evolve into advanced units. Everything carries across from
scenario
to scenario, too.
There’s a lot of depth to this seemingly simple strategy game, though combat remains Disciples II’s one significant weakness. Troops take positions in front and back ranks, and once in battle, nobody can move. The result is a bit too much “watch ’em fight” and not enough “you are fighting.”
By contrast, AI is significantly stronger in Disciples II than in the Heroes series. Enemies aren’t gifted with heavy resource bonuses on normal difficulty settings (you can choose from four selectable levels). I miss Internet multiplayer options, though the hotseat play is better than nothing. The good news is that the AI opponents are just as strong as human ones, and as apt to employ different strategies.
Then there’s the artwork. I don’t normally think of art as a plus: it’s either suitable or inappropriate. But the graphics in Disciples II are exceptionally good, and reminiscent of the dark, detailed work of the great early 20th-century fantasy illustrator Arthur Rackham. For sheer beauty alone, this game deserves an award.
And for sheer fun, it’s obsessive. For well-crafted turn-based strategy with stunning artwork and powerful AI, Disciples II is the way to go.