Update: Dominions III has been released. So, this particular item is probably irrelevant now, unless you are interested in an extended demo.
These words the Seer on Mount Olympus spoke: "
Come and see me, my young 'prentice. I know power awaits in your young heart, but far from wisdom you are still. Many a training you shall spent in training at my side, until I finally deem you ready for the greatest challenge. For if you keep straight to the four pillars of Honour, Discipline, Excellence and Intelligence, perhaps you might ascend to a higher state of being."
Meanwhile, a more matter-of-fact recruiter yelled around town: "
Wanna be a god? Just sign up there"
.
Dominions II is a turn-based fantasy strategy game, where the player incarnates a Pretender seeking godhood. The universe makes some effort to stay away from Elves, Humans and Dwarves against Goblins, Undead and Dark Elves, using nations rather than races and a more in-depth background. Among the seventeen nations are wild Pangaea, avalonian Man, notorious R'lyeh, or the lizardmen of C'tis. The graphics in the sequel are quite a bit clearer than the ones in the first game; I have found these ones to be so unclear that I simply gave up (I don't mind text games).
Unlike many other similar games (Age of Wonders or Heroes and Might and Magic), Dominions does not allow the player to directly control battles; instead, the player gives orders to the troops, so it is a matter of planning rather than tactics. As a result, the game plays quite differently than most others, and battles carry more risk since you cannot intervene if something goes wrong.
Magic tends to play a very pivotal role in the game, though its potency can be reduced somewhat. Spells and items come in great variety, and can be pretty effective at high levels - assuming you can actually lay your hands on all the shiny magical tools. Research is necessary to access worthwhile spells, mages cannot cast most spells, and many spells also require special magical gems in order to be cast. Still, magic certainly is nasty at the end of the game.
While the game can be played in single-player, the AI is not particularly bright (as in most strategy games), and Dominions shines in multiplayer instead. Up to seventeen players can take part in the same game (can you say "
diplomacy"
?), with the usual format being close to play-by-mail (PBEM). Once a turn has run, all players have a fixed amount of time to send their orders (usually between 24 and 72 hours), with no fixed order of play. So, games with the full 17 players are perfectly feasible.
A last interesting point is the customability of the game. Maps, settings and game parameters can be modified at will (or nearly so), so it is possible to create a game with very little magic set in the Eighth with new nations (that would require a bit of work, of course).
Miscellaneous information: Dominions II should run fine on any computer able to run Rooted Hold, and is available on several operating systems (Windows, MacOS and Linux); the same CD should work for any of these, if I understand correctly. My CD is hardly used at all, as it is only required to install the game, and my manual is a bit more used (there was no box with the game).
And more miscellaneous information: the game is developped by
Illwinter Game Design , and published by
Shrapnel Games . Screenshots for the game can be found
here . The original screenshot I had posted in this thread is
here .
[Last edited by Alneyan at 10-06-2006 07:09 PM]
