The gameplay is great fun. It combines the linearity of mission-based games with the semi-nonlinearity of being able to choose just what mission you go on next. This sort of control in real-time strategy games really hasn’t been seen since
Dune II. There are gobs of units that can join your little party, which is nice, and the fact that your characters advance in ability as they slaughter creatures is cool. No more static heroes. There are lots of weapons and armor that you can find, and plenty of spells, all of which can be bought in the stores in the various towns.
As you wander around the allod (floating island), you’ll encounter lots of different missions. You can save towns, rescue princesses, and other fun things. The gameplay is fast and furious in battles, although it takes a bit of getting used to -- and prepare to die a lot when you play. There are some enemies on the maps that you’re just not powerful enough to go against. You have to tinker with your characters’ equipment before each battle to make sure that you’ll be able to survive it. The reloading and playing with the system never really gets old, though.
As Rage of Mages II goes along, the plot unfolds, like any good game of the genre. The only truly depressing thing about this game is that it never really bothers to be more like an RPG, which it could be easily. The stats are there, the five spheres of magic and the various weapons and such are all implemented, yet the game stays firmly rooted in the real-time strategy genre. Even the character “development” doesn’t make up for the potential.
