lords of the realm...

Author's Rating:

Pros: stunning graphics, easy gameplay, tough to master

Cons: not a new concept by a long shot

The Bottom Line: 
spectacular graphics, solid gameplay, a real star game, taking this concept as far as it can go with todays technology.

Author's Review
the smell of the moist grass after a short burst of rain, the sound of thunder in the sky. you peer into the distance and the sound of advancing forces reaches you before the sight of the disturbance of the bushes in the distance.

you order your men to stand firm. archers ready at the back. knights ready to charge. atmospheric music picks up in the background.

in just a few seconds your rule will be tested as the kings army goes to battle...

this ultimate realism was only a dream back in the days of lords of the realm (if any of you remember that and lotr ii). the concept of a medieval battle game where counties were fought for turn based, but battles were real time was born then. but the over the top view, and flat figures meant the realism was only taken so far.

now with the power of the intel pentium iv and modern sound and graphics cards, the full braveheart experience can be created. combine that with an enormous map, and a decent if not amazing standard of computer intelligence it is brought to life. (believe me though, you need the power of a p4, you may experience some lagging on a p3 which is a shame).

the basic gameplay
------------------

armies and the economy are managed in a turn based format where you have unlimited time to think. the map is divided into regions (much like the counties in the original lords of the realm). these regions are effectively economic and military units each capable of production and having a castle.

battles are fought in a stunning real time environment. the only thing missing is battle charges etc that were a real joy in the original lords game, but the music, weather, and awesome range of weapons and sounds more than makes up for that.

any drawbacks?
--------------

the only thing i'll say is that it's not a completely new game. it's a long long time since lords was around and i'd not played shogun so it was a real breath of fresh air for me. i loved every minute. but if i'd played either recently i'd feel really this isn't a big change, or a new concept. i don't think the addition of a few extra seige features will make the battle of rome game they are planning a big enough step forward. you do find that you develop a strategic pattern as you expand and it becomes a little samey as you begin to dominate the map.

perhaps smaller maps, where conquests are much more difficult (i remember in lords it was near impossible to defeat the strongest castle and take the province!!) would have added some value, as it is rarely necessary to assault a castle, even with the changes made in the download patch. some users (though not on my computer) experienced some lag in the battles after installing the patch which was not evident before which is also a shame.

summary
-------

all in all, i'd say this is a great game. don't expect something completely new, but expect it to be as good as it claims to be on the box, which is very rare indeed for games these days.

it'll keep you captivated for a long time as although you will start to win easily (shame the multi-player option is for single battles only not the whole strategic map) the challenge of taking on bigger and bigger armies with smaller forces (thus speeding your advancE) will keep the thrill alive more many a week of hard gaming!