SpellForce 2 can best be described as an action-RPG with real-time strategy
elements. When you have cross-genre games like this they usually do a mediocre
job of trying to integrate elements of play from multiple genres – and most of
them only try to blend two genres and not three like SpellForce 2. However,
SpellForce 2 is one of those rare games that pulls it off and manages to be an
enjoyable game. Granted, when taken on their own its RTS, RPG, and action
elements can’t compete with the best games in each of these genres, but the sum
of the parts makes for some good gaming.
In SpellForce 2 you play one of a unique breed of people who have a special
relationship with dragons. Your special background makes you a bit of an
outcast, but you’ll find that your services are in high demand when the
mysterious dark elves go on the war path. You’ve got ro defend the kingdom from
the invasion and then determine why the elves are attacking in the first place.
The game’s campaign follows this storyline, but the missions are more akin to
those that you’d find in an Action-RPG than in an RTS game. You’ll have to do
your share of resource gathering and army building in the campaign, but this is
done more to provide additional back-up in the pursuit of quests than it is to
wipe-out an enemy base. This style of campaign works nicely for the game,
providing a good variety of gameplay and quests without ever getting bogged down
in a repetitive series of similar missions. The game’s campaign is also on the
same scale as you’d find in an action-RPG, and there will be times that you’ll
be pursuing a couple of quests at once, This is in contrast to the typical
collection of missions you’d find in a pure RTS campaign and the game is the
better for it.
As you make your way through the campaign your heroes will gain experience
and level up and you’ll come across a wide variety of weapons and armor. The
game uses two skill trees for each character, one combat-aligned and the other
magic-aligned. You can choose to put all of your skill points in one tree or the
other to make a pure fighter or magic user, but you also have the option to
split your points between the trees and make a custom hybrid character. The
skills are tied to special abilities that can be used in battle such as spells
to cast or powerful attacks.
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