SpellForce - Platinum Edition Reviews

good old times

It's like TV programming. You love whatever is on, get really invested into it and then you do a sidequest in a level 15 area and a level 28 enemy spawns and 3 shots you. So you roll up with your entire army that took an entire real life week to build up and the enemy casts some bullshit AoE spell, so you have to retreat again. That's when you wait for 20 seconds, finally get to attack and see that your army gets decimated because why the fuck would you fight a level 28 enemy? Breath of the Winter is wild. On the other hand, Order of Dawn is peak fantasy and Shadow of the Phoenix is great. It will swallow up your life if you let it. 19/10. I'd give 20 but no Atack-Move.

They missed the mark on this one. What is the point of building a character if you have armies that just plow through enemies? I picked a fire mage only to realize it is pointless. I can fire two spells in a battle and that is it. My soldiers clean up the rest easy. I feel like the hero part is just useless. I don't feel my hero has any kind of impact on the game and my attacks with a staff are melee as a mage. WTF kind of sense does that make? Why would I face check enemies as a mage when I am supposed to be weak close range? I have no idea what these guys were thinking.

I tried. I was so close to beating this game but I couldn’t take it any more. I will get it why I stopped later, but let me get my verdict out of the way first: 5-6/10. It works but a lot of things haven’t aged well and a lot of small things that add up to big things. The version I have does have two expansions but I need a break before I touch this game again. Story So long ago, there was a great war between call the convocation which split the land into a series of islands. But trouble seems to be brewing again so a great mage summons you to help, and to sweeten the deal, he gives you your rune so you can decide for yourself and not let others control you. But you are quickly ambushed by Cliche Evil Name and find out the wizard who summoned you is in danger. Now you must hurry and save him before he’s killed in a ambush. So the story is okay for the most part, nothing ground breaking. Just a normal generic fantasy world with elves dwarfs and orcs. I will say the structure of the plot does have solid foundation. Like the opening act involves you chasing the wizard while dealing with a group of organised bandits, ending with what you’ll be dealing with by the end game. Then you’re on the search for a Macguffin to help save the world for the second act before having to assault the forces of evil for the third. Character however aren’t that memorable. Sure there might be an interesting sidequest here or there like finding out the fate of some lovers or go back and forth to several NPCs which ends with a boss fight, but I dare you to name me a single character. Also, I’m disappointed in the main campaign you don’t go to an orc or troll village with NPCs. At most you just see them as bandits and later use them as units but that’s it. Also I was playing as a female rune warrior and I was constantly misgendered. Just something they didn’t bother to correct. Presentation: Environments and player models are alright. Sure the models look a little ugly nowadays but and there is a third person camera which I never used but you mostly going to be looking from above anyway so it’s acceptable. However from a distance, units from the same faction look the same with very few exceptions like the ice elves or the mighty titans but all the faction units blended together for me. Also the voice acting is okay at best and bored at worst. And I mean the voice actors sound bored. Gameplay: Okay now the beef and potatoes of this review. Lets start with the rune warrior since the only thing I have to say about the tutorial is that it’s too long. Now you could your own character over the couse of the game or you can select one of three premade builds like the shadow mage, fire warrior or archer. But to prevent any first time frustration DON’T PICK THE MAGE. Unless you spec him right and keep up with you spells, he’s going to be useless since spells don’t level up with you. You have to buy them or find them in loot. I started with the mage but after four maps I had to start a new game cause she was so weak. A fighter with one speciality is way easier to manage. Also you know how in modern game when you want to raise some stats and then press a confirm button when your satised? Not here, as soon as a stat point is allocated, it’s spent. No take backs. Now once you start playing, it’s alright, you learn how base management works, you learn destroy enemy bases stops enemies from spawning. And by the end you end up in a city with shops and sidequests. I won’t bother talking sidequests since it’s the normal RPG fair, the shops I will say that there’s a cruel air of everything being disposable. Sure, old equipment can be sold since you won’t need it, and I already talked about spells and having to keep them upgraded. But things like your factions level and even party members can been thrown away and sold. Don’t really like treating my party members like that. But that;s a me issue. Don’t really have much to say on the RPG front except it tries to mix it up one time with a stealth map and it’s alright. Not the worst map. So lets move to the RTS portion. For starters, you can’t decide where your base is. You have to find these monuments for the different factions to summon your units and then produce some workers to get supplies. And you have to either find the units and buildings during the story or buy them early. And building the bases aren’t too complicate, just have some resource buildings near a resource, some unit buildings or headquarters in a safe spot, maybe some defence towers at you entry points. Also when making your army, don’t bother with support units as soon as combat starts, their use all their spells then rush at the enemy. Something you don’t want you healers to do. But I think I should explain why I eventually quit playing. First off would be the lack of a reset map feature. I admit it’s impressive that this game is and interconnected world with a handy fast travel system (sucks that enemies can disconnect these points), but the cost was that several minutes in a map you realise you messed up and if you saved, you have to shut up and take it. There was this quest where I had to kill four undead commanders but I couldn’t see where the iron I needed for my army was so I send my workers to destroy the spawners. It wasn’t till I kill two of them and made a worker army I noticed there was iron outside my base in a very easy to miss spot but I was to committed to my plan to change now. That first one was a me mistake but this next one made me go down to easy and that is the constant swarming. Early on I was frustrated by the constant enemies, even with a full army that I medium was clearly not for me. Most of time it would annoying scouts but you can still see another group approaching not even a minute after the last. Next issue is you Player AI during combat. It feels like during big army pushes where your tearing down enemy bases and after you player kills one guy, they just stand. No auto attacking to the next target, just stands their motionless till someone hits them. And finally, and this is a late game thing I notice that annoyed me, and that’s the enemy regaining their health. One thing I thought was forgiving was that even if you die, you just respawn at the last fast travel point you touched with at best nothing happening or at worst an invading horde is destroying your base. But in the last few maps when I made a retreat from from some ice golems, I notice that they were regain health. And these weren’t bosses where I would accept that, these were just normal enemies. So when I made it to the map with the cat people and after they destroyed me and all the damage I made just went away, I was done. Maybe I’ll try the expansions another time or maybe Spellforce 3. But for now I want a break.

Surprisingly really good cinematics, but it tries to be Warcraft 3, and it just ain't. No amount of thirsty pictures of Elves you throw at me is getting around the bland and uninspired game design and mechanics.

This version is full of bugs, making it frustrating to play. I don't recommend.

It was a wonderful game when it first came out. Unfortunately time passes on and the game couldn't keep up with modern strategy games. It lacks basic QoL features (like double click selecting multiple units of the same type), it's very clunky to play, slow to start etc. Honestly I would only recommend it on a sale and only for nostalgia reasons. It deserves a proper remaster because it still wonderfully blends RPG and RTS mechanics, the story is pretty good and the world of EO is in itself quite interesting (even with some retcons from SF3). Also for whatever honorable reason this game somehow is more stable and runs better than SF2 AE.

SpellForce: Platinum Edition is a comprehensive collection that brings together the base game SpellForce: The Order of Dawn along with its two expansions, The Breath of Winter and Shadow of the Phoenix. Developed by Phenomic and published by Nordic Games, this edition serves as a definitive package for fans of the hybrid real-time strategy (RTS) and role-playing game (RPG) that originally launched in the early 2000s. Combining deep tactical combat with a sprawling narrative and character development, SpellForce delivers a unique blend of genres that still holds up well for players seeking a complex and immersive fantasy experience. One of the defining strengths of SpellForce lies in its ambitious attempt to merge the RTS and RPG genres into a cohesive gameplay loop. Players take on the role of a Rune Warrior, a hero with unique powers who can command armies while also engaging in traditional RPG elements such as questing, character leveling, and equipment management. This dual approach offers a fresh take on fantasy gaming—rather than simply controlling a commander on a battlefield or focusing solely on an individual character’s story, players must balance both roles simultaneously. This creates a layered experience that rewards strategic thinking on multiple fronts and encourages experimentation with army composition and hero builds. The narrative of SpellForce is a classic high-fantasy tale filled with intrigue, ancient magic, and the struggle against a looming evil force threatening the world of Eo. The story unfolds across three interconnected campaigns, each expanding on the lore and deepening the player's engagement with the world. The writing, while occasionally dated, captures the essence of epic fantasy with memorable characters, political conflicts, and surprising twists. Players can expect to encounter a variety of factions, from noble humans and enigmatic elves to ruthless orcs and sinister undead. This diversity enriches the gameplay by introducing distinct units, tactics, and environments that keep the experience fresh throughout the campaigns. The RTS component is where SpellForce shines in tactical depth. Players build bases, gather resources, and produce a wide range of units that can be deployed in battles against enemy factions or wild monsters. Unlike many RTS games of its era, SpellForce emphasizes smaller, more tactical engagements over massive armies, which suits the game’s integration of RPG hero units. Positioning, unit synergies, and spellcasting all play critical roles in winning battles. The inclusion of the hero character who can level up, equip gear, and cast powerful spells adds an RPG dimension that influences not only combat but also exploration and questing. The ability to customize your hero’s skill tree and gear allows for varied playstyles, whether focusing on brute strength, magic, or stealth. The RPG elements are well-implemented, with a sprawling world to explore that includes towns, dungeons, and wilderness areas teeming with secrets and side quests. The game encourages exploration and offers a good balance between story-driven missions and optional tasks that reward experience and loot. Dialogue choices and interactions with NPCs provide some degree of role-playing, although the branching narrative paths are relatively straightforward. Inventory and crafting systems are robust, allowing players to improve their gear and optimize their hero’s performance. However, some inventory management can feel cumbersome due to the interface’s dated design, which reflects the game’s original release period. Visually, SpellForce: Platinum Edition reflects the standards of its time but still manages to create an immersive fantasy atmosphere. The environments are richly detailed, with varied landscapes including lush forests, snowy mountains, and eerie ruins. Unit models are distinct and expressive, helping players quickly identify friend and foe on the battlefield. The game’s isometric perspective is traditional for the genre but effective in delivering tactical clarity. The soundtrack and sound design complement the fantasy setting well, with stirring orchestral themes and ambient effects that enhance immersion without becoming repetitive. While the game’s hybrid nature is one of its biggest selling points, it can also be a source of frustration for some players. The balance between RTS and RPG elements sometimes feels uneven, especially for those who prefer one style over the other. The AI opponents can occasionally behave unpredictably in combat, and pathfinding issues during battles can disrupt tactical plans. Additionally, the learning curve is steep—new players may find the multitude of systems and mechanics overwhelming without consulting guides or spending considerable time experimenting. Some pacing issues also arise from frequent loading screens and slow travel between locations. Despite these minor drawbacks, SpellForce: Platinum Edition offers a rewarding and ambitious gaming experience. It successfully carves out a niche by combining the strategic depth of RTS games with the immersive character progression and storytelling of RPGs. The inclusion of all three campaigns in this edition provides excellent value, allowing players to experience the full saga without needing to hunt down individual expansions. For fans of fantasy games who appreciate intricate strategy and character-driven stories, SpellForce remains a standout title with a unique identity and enduring appeal. In conclusion, SpellForce: Platinum Edition is an impressive and dense hybrid game that challenges players to master both the battlefield and the hero’s journey. Its fusion of RTS and RPG elements creates a rich and varied experience, filled with tactical combat, exploration, and narrative depth. Though it shows its age in some design and interface aspects, the core gameplay remains engaging and satisfying. For those willing to invest time and patience, it offers a memorable dive into a richly crafted fantasy world where strategy and role-playing intertwine in compelling ways. Rating: 8/10