Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic

 PC
User Score
8.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 135 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 117 out of 135
  2. Mixed: 12 out of 135
  3. Negative: 6 out of 135
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Voyou
    Sep 5, 2016
    5
    Don't expect a review of the multiplayer options, the editor or the mods. I don't have time for these. I'm happy enough when I find time for playing solo. Anyway, I did notice that the game offers plenty of these options, which is a good thing if they work (you'll check that in other reviews.)

    This addition to the genre has many more features than its competitors of the day. Too many if    Don't expect a review of the multiplayer options, the editor or the mods. I don't have time for these. I'm happy enough when I find time for playing solo. Anyway, I did notice that the game offers plenty of these options, which is a good thing if they work (you'll check that in other reviews.)

    This addition to the genre has many more features than its competitors of the day. Too many if you ask me, as it becomes perhaps overcomplicated, but what is of little interest to me is a turn on for others. In fact, in general, I like the features. It's the interface to use them that I find improperly adapted, tabs cluttered with hard to read texts and numbers, a microscopic, useless minimap, unintuitive series of clicks, and so on. Another issue of mine is that the game is very battle oriented, to the detriment of exploration.

    But let's face it: the real problem is that the graphics, as pretty as they might be, are an unclear mess when it comes to actual play. Half the time I can't see enemy units, often not even mine. I can't see bonus trees and magic bushes. I'm never sure on which hexagon I'm standing. Possibly the most annoying is that I never know if I'm going to click on my wizard or on the city. In fact I never know who is defending a city, as there is no clean garrisoning system and cities are where I lose sight of my units the most. The button for cycling is not that great a solution. I know, it doesn't help that I play in short sessions separated by weeks.

    As for the music, I turn off the annoyance, like in 90% of games. I don't lower the rating for this (I give a point when a music compels me to keep it on.) I mention it because, with the music off, I notice that the sound effects are mediocre at best. As mediocre as the animations.

    Still a decent title for strategy buffs, but I believe it requires a strong investment and long sessions.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

37
#37 Best PC Game of 2003
60
#60 Most Discussed PC Game of 2003
59
#59 Most Shared PC Game of 2003

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 22 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 22
  3. Negative: 0 out of 22
  1. Yahoo!
    90
    A perfect place to jump into the Age of Wonders series. It's "Age of Wonders II," only sporting a few refinements and a lot of extra content.
    Read full review
  2. Computer Gaming World
    90
    The largest maps, which have three different levels of land, can provide dozens of hours of gameplay. [Nov 2003, p.128]
  3. IGN
    85
    There's lots of new stuff to play with, many new units, many new spells, plenty of campaign scenarios, single scenarios, and a random map generator that actually works like it's supposed to.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »