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Excellent for some people, but not for everyone

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 29 / 30
Date: June 24, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Concerning "Disciple 2: Dark Prophesy," there's just about as sharp a division in people who like and dislike it as there was on the first Disciples. And understandably so since it's not for everyone. Why? Disciples 2 is a very unique fantasy role-playing turn-based STRATEGY game. And no, it's nothing like Warcraft or Starcraft which are real-time strategy games where you amass hordes of armies and attack in mass. (Sidenote: If that's the gaming experience you're looking for, turn to the latest and best in that genre -- Warcraft III). So what's Disciples 2 all about?

The name of the company who made this game is called "Strategy First" and by looking at this game, one can see that their company name is also their motto. This game takes thought, preparation, and there are many different options to win. Basically, you're given an objective or quest to complete -- how you do that is up to you. First, you select a monarch -- either a Warrior, Mage, or Guildmaster, each of which gives your empire certain bonuses. Next, who will you hire as your first general? For example, if you are the Human Empire (1 of 4 races) then you can choose the Knight, Ranger, Archmage, Archangel, or Thief. They cost different amounts, with each having their own strengths and weaknesses. Now you must select what other 0 - 3 individual units will serve under that leader's command from out of 4 other different units types -- again, with varying strengths and weaknesses and at different costs. (Note: An army of 1 - 6 units MUST be lead by a general.)

Now what? Well, your group's formation is key to winning battles. Once that's setup, will you upgrade your capital with various buildings to enhance your armies once they reach a certain level of experience? Or will you research spells? And once your generals themselves upgrade a level, what extra empowerment will you give them out of several different options? Etc, etc.

Then the battles. It's important who you attack, and not every unit can attack every other unit. Some can only fight adjacent units, others can fight any, and others can attack all at once. Note that the characters don't "walk around" during battle, but rather face off one in a static picture on a seperate screen. Once they choose their attack they become animated, but that's the extent of it. The graphics are excellent, as is the artwork, though I'd have to say I prefered Disciple 1's artwork.

Think of the game like this -- a chessboard. Each unit has a certain value set upon it, and each has their own abilities. The difference is YOU get to setup the chessboard with whoever you want. Buying all queens would be too expensive, while buying all pawns will give you numbers, but no backbone. As in chess, the pieces have to work together, but in this game, your units gain experience, becoming stronger and stronger through battling or potions and spells they come across.

One thing I'll also mention is the limitations on the army size. Yes, I also found it annoying at first that I had a minimum of four units (including the general) and a maximum of six after a LOT of fighting. However, I soon came to realize this was all part of the strategy element. "Finesse and tactics" play a larger role here than "might makes right." In fact, the company thought about bumping up the min and max units to 6 and 8 in the upcoming sequel, but they found that it took away to much from the strategy element. (Sidenote: If you are interested in VERY detailed battle tactics -- meaning taking control of every single movement and action of every single unit in every single battle -- then check out Age of Wonders 2, though it's not the best game in and of itself).

I like not having to run around managing multiple things at once, but instead I can sit back and think, "Hmmm. Now what are my options here, and what's going to be the best way to win this." It's STRATEGY FIRST as the company name implies. And if you like that sort of thing, then this will be the game for you, otherwise, if you're looking for non-stop action, go somewhere else.

Note that there are 4 empires: The Human Empire, The Mountain Clans, The Undead Hordes, and the Legions of the Damned. I only mention this in the event that some people and/or parents may have reservations about fighting with creatures like zombies or demons from the latter two empires. Otherwise, turn on your brain, toss in some imagination, and enjoy!

One Final Note: this game is almost identical to Disciples 1. Yes, the graphics are far, far superior, and there are some additional choices and units to level up as you gain experience, along with some rules which have been modified, but nothing drastic. So why did I only give it a 4? Had I not played Disciples 1, I would have given it a 5 because I love this type of game. However, after finding out it was merely Disciples 1 with better graphics, I found myself less enthusiatic and I never completed the whole thing, though I was still glad to have made the purchase.

Disappearing hours

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 16 / 17
Date: February 06, 2002
Author: Amazon User

I was hesitant to rate this a five star game, there are a few quarks in D2 that irritate me to no end. I realized though, that any game that can make time fly by like this one, deserves five stars. The play is very dark, as compared to other turn-based strategy games. The plot is excellently written and not for the simple minded. The scenarios are well designed with a definite artistic vision. So encompasing is the appearence that at times it is difficult to spot your smaller units. After you play the game for a few times, you'll might view this as a challange and real aspect of war; as one side you're not always sure where the other side is. There is the option to turn on a 'banner' locator for everything in the game, but i feel it detracts from the beauty. The resource system in this game is somewhat different. You must still defeat many foes to reach various resources(and these foes are rather tough even on easy), however, you do not then simply take over resources. You must use a very specialized unit, unique to every race, to claim the resource as your own. This dictates very strategic management of your funds, trust me. The battles are something akin to Ogrebattle, if you've ever played that classic. For those of you that haven't, as the controller, you see your unit with its characters faced at an angle against the enemy unit in similiar stance. Based on the speed of your individual characters, the characters take turns striking at one another or performing their allotted spells. The spells are interestingly designed, and their conduct of use is complex in its practice but easily understood. The units themselves are richly drawn, detailed to the very shadow and ripples of their garments and skins.
The few irritations I have with this game stem from the game play. When one unit is in a dwelling, that's it. you can only have one unit in a castle at at time and their are also no battle advantages to the defending unit of which I know, with the exception of raised defence. Also, your type of leader greatly limits the accompanying characters that suit him or her well. If you're looking for an enthralling game full of challenge and fun, and demanding the skills from that sponge in your head, D2 is for you. *In addition to my original review, I wish to add this: Once you play the game as one race, playing it again as another greatly changes your objectives, and the units are so different, its a totally different game. Also, the storyline is deep with this game, each race has a different perspective and the story itself is tweeked just a little for each race. Its really enjoyable because each race fills in little vague gaps in the storyline.

Turn Based Heaven

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: March 29, 2002
Author: Amazon User

As a man who loves turn-based games, I have to give this game the highest rating. I almost didn't because it doesn't have play by email. But, it seems that I am one of the very very few PBEM players left, so the makers can't see any demand. The reason I bumped it back to 5 stars is because it does have hotseat play (multiplayer on one system). My son and I both appreciate that feature.

My system is maxed out cutting-edge tech, so I can't say if there are any bugs to worry about; on my system (64MB accelerator with 512 RAM) it is absolutely gorgeous. As you decide what to do, you can watch flocks of birds cross the map, and enjoy the beautiful waterfalls. The graphics that come up when spells are cast are also very sweet eye candy! Of course, that is all fluff - the real meat is in gameplay. It is a very challenging game. The size of your parties are limited by the leader they have, and the items you can utilize are limited by the type of leader that is carrying them. You can't always have the right group with the right equipment go up against the right enemy - and taking on an enemy when you aren't fully prepared can be costly! One character I really like is the thief; he can steal, spy, assassinate and do other underhanded deeds - but he can also get caught! That can be very costly, and resources are usually a bit tight in this game.

I could go on and on about little things I like about the game, but suffice it to say that is very enjoyable and highly recommended. But don't cry to me when you realize that you have to go to work in 2 hours and you've been up all night thinking, "Just one more turn!"

Good gaming!

Very Good Turn-Based Strategy Game

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: March 24, 2004
Author: Amazon User

As of this writing, this game is pretty old. However, I'd just like to add my two cents: This is a very good turn-based strategy game. You can play either the stand-alone scenarios or the story-based sagas (I played the latter). You can play through the sagas as any of the four races. And, since the sagas are different for each race, you really should play each race. Also, within each race's saga, you can play with a focus as a Warrior, a Magician, or the Guild (a Thief?). Each focus will add a different twist to the way you play. Plus, no matter what focus you choose, you can create and use five different types of heroes. Only three of them (Warrior, Magician, and Explorer) are really good for transferring from scenario to scenario. But, regardless, there's a huge replay value in this game.

The problems I have with this game are minor. The biggest problem is that when you transfer a hero to the next scenario, you can only transfer the HERO and five items. The party members you've spent all that time training don't transfer. Also, the spells that you've researched don't transfer either. This means that at the start of each scenario, you spend a lot of time just getting your party members up to a usable stage. Another problem is that you have to choose your upgrade path for your party members at a global level. It would have been really nice to have each city have its own upgrade path for the characters it generates. The last quibble that I'll talk about is that the cities themselves aren't of much use. Capturing a city doesn't give you any inherent income or resource streams. If there are sources of that stuff outside the city and within its area of influence, then you get those streams. The problem is that you can do the same thing by having a hero just plant rods at the resources.

I highly recommend this game. Old as it is, it's still fun to play.

Definitely not for the fiegn at heart....

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 8 / 9
Date: March 06, 2002
Author: Amazon User

Disciples 2 is truely a work of art. Every image, and every map shows you artistic works of high quality. This game was long in the waiting, and it is evident in the final product. The rich adult story line was a refreshing change from the classic good VS bad, and shows that perception opens up to shades of grey instead of white and black. The gameplay is also a nice change of pace, as a leader in Disc 2 you are not a lumber jack, and you are not fisherman. Personaly I am not a big fan of the micromanagement strategy games as they tend to distract from your primary goal -- To destroy your enemy. In Desc 2 you are a tool of war. Many people believe that this game is a clone of Heroes of Might and Magic, I beg the differ. There are many original concepts and game play mechanics that seperate the two. If you like turn-based strategy games with mature content, this game is for you. Something worth mentioning is that two months after release and there are no patches for Desc 2 showing that they did not just push this product out the door early for revenue. This is a refreshing ideah to actually test your product before it goes gold.

great gameplay combined with SUPERB graphics

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 8
Date: April 09, 2002
Author: Amazon User

To be honest, the heroes of might and magic series have always offered very addictive gameplay, but their graphics have always been too cartoonish. Then I played the demo of Disciples 2 and I noticed how magnificent the graphics are. They are just the best in the slew of games in its genre. The unit animations on the map as well as in the battle sequences are smooth and professional. The map is great also with its waterfalls flowing into lakes and lava pools boiling. The best part of the graphics is the battle scenes. You get a very close view of each battle depicting the monsters and heroes in their full might. The units are big and sometimes downright huge but they are prerendered beautifully. Then the battle animations... The only way I can describe them is by saying WOW!

The graphics are accompanied with great gameplay. You really have to use strategy and think in a tactical way to succeed in this game. The town screens aren't confusing at all which is the case with heroes of might and magic 4. With just a right click, you can gain access to all the information you need about what your cursor happens to be pointing at at that moment. The interface is clean and intuitive.

The unit potraits are works of art!! They are all hand-drawn and the overall design of the game is dark and epic. The stories for each of the 4 clans are very satisfying and besides these 4 sagas, there are a lot of stand-alone maps and quests that you can play. The objectives are almost always interesting, other than destroy the enemy all the time, which a lot of games base their campaigns on. One time you need to protect a certain town, another time you need to protect a certain unit from the enemy. These types of different campaigns require the gamer to use different kinds of strategies every time. This is why the game doesn't get old and tiresome at all. It always finds a way to get interesting and make you want to play.

Besides all that ready-to-play stuff, the game has an editor included, which allows gamers to create their own sagas and stories. This is one of those games which make you want to play "just one more turn!" Its gorgeous graphics combined with the addictive and extremely fun gameplay make this game a MUST-HAVE for turn-based strategy gamers out there. Even if you haven't played any turn-based game, this would be a good start because Disciples 2 presents the BEST in the genre so far.

Not much new, but still loads of fun!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 8 / 10
Date: February 02, 2002
Author: Amazon User

For those of you who haven't played the first Disciples, this is a turn based strategy game that could be compared to the Heroes of Might and Magic Series by 3D0. Instead of carrying large stacks of creatures though, your hero can travel with up to 5 other troops that gain experience and become more powerful as the game progresses. If you are looking for a laid back, easy game, look somewhere else. Disciples 2 can be VERY difficult. The computer makes almost no mistakes and the odds are almost always against you. The saga levels jump right into the fray with no easy beginning levels. In comparison to other turn based games, the combat in Disciples is very simplified. You can either attack an enemy troop(or heal if the troop is a priest type character), use one of your heroes equipped items, defend, or wait. The best feature in Disciples would have to be the artwork. This game if FULL of beautiful hand painted art. The maps also look great, although they can get a bit cluttered at times. The music and sound effects are equally impressive. The new combat mode models are a huge improvement over the grainy originals from the first game. The characters are rendered in beatiful 3D and the animations are smooth and at times downright impressive. For seasoned turn based strategy gamers, I would heartily recommend this game. If you haven't played many turn based games, I would suggest trying some of the more user friendly title like Heroes of Might and Magic 3 or Civilization 3.

The best turn-based fantasy wargame thus far

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 5 / 5
Date: July 24, 2002
Author: Amazon User

The original "Disciples" was a splendid addition to the turn-based strategy genre, but "Disciples 2" removes the "Heroes of Might and Magic" series forever from the throne (especially given a VERY disappointing "Heroes 4"). The graphics are out of this world; the gameplay is dead on; multiplayer rocks; and, perhaps best of all, there seem to be an unlimited number of units for your recruitment (if a very limited set of factions). It may not be as deep as the excellent "Age of Wonders 2," but "Disciples 2" takes the 1-spot on my list. Sorry, 3D0.

Excellent...Pure Genius...

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: February 05, 2002
Author: Amazon User

I can honestly say that this game has re-established my lost faith in turn-based gaming, esp of the strategy and rpg genre's. This game is a) Highly addictive b) Beautifully rendered c) Intellectually challenging...I could go on forever. I have not found a game that I can truly call my own for a long time, but this game is an inspiration. The funny thing is that it will easily work on my brand new system or my older piece of junk PC. The system requirements are not as bad as some games out there today - so for those PC gamers who are tempted to pick up a console based gaming system, STOP right there...Go pick up a copy of this game (I actually picked up the collectors addition which comes with extra scenarios aand a cool card-game based on the PC game). I guarantee you that you will be pleased.

the most addictive turn based style game i have ever played

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: May 22, 2003
Author: Amazon User

i have played allot of different games but disciples 2 stands out as the most addictive i have ever played i am at work thinking about new team setups how far i can level this one or that one up and what skills to choose when i do level up. this is a need to have game for all strategy game players

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