Battle for Wesnoth

1. loloynage

   Nov 29, 2011

   10

   Funny of how one of my favorite games is free, yet I have so many paid games. This game, visually, is simple, yet, those visuals make such aFunny of how one of my favorite games is free, yet I have so many paid games. This game, visually, is simple, yet, those visuals make such a great mood and such a great background for the gameplay, I don't dare to say it's bad. Now, for the game, amazing. Everything about it is amazing. It is such a great game, from the campaign to the online matches, this game is fantastic. The only complain I got is that the community in the games can be a little rough on newbies, but that's not the game's fault. If you always wanted a clash between chess and warhammer, here you have it.… Expand

   • 7 of 7 users found this helpful
2. evansgreen

   Feb 1, 2012

   10

   ¡¡¡Do not read this review!!!...
   
   If you like TBS, go ahead, download the game, and play it to death.¡¡¡Do not read this review!!!...
   
   If you like TBS, go ahead, download the game, and play it to death.
   
   ¡¡IT'S FREE!! Now seriously it's a hell of a strategy game if you're really into the turn based thing. Been playing for quite a while this genre and this game is a jewel in the field. A little on the retro graphics side, but personally I like that...… Expand

   • 2 of 3 users found this helpful
4. Kai82

   Nov 24, 2020

   10

   An excellent free to play turn based strategy game. It follows the easy to learn and hard to master rule as there is much that can be used toAn excellent free to play turn based strategy game. It follows the easy to learn and hard to master rule as there is much that can be used to your advantage (Will give examples later on). It existed as open source project since 2005 and I am deeply impressed by the progress since then. There are multiple available scenarios to play. I advice starting with the “Heir to the Throne” scenario as you get a good introduction to many fractions and learn a lot of the mechanics. Others I recommend are “Delfandor’s Memoirs”, “Son of Black-Eye and “The Rise of Wesnoth”. There are many more to try. Gameplaywise it is played on hexagon graduated maps. You are a commander of an army. There are different fractions. It ranges depending on the scenarios from humans, elves, dwarfs, orcs and others with sub factions. From your bases (and enemy bases) you can train unit (types) or rehire units from previous battles (If you had some). This of cause depends on available money that is also needed as there are wages per unit per turn. There are towns on the map that generate money each turn (and a portion of your money is transferred to the next battle). If you move a unit into a town it generates money for you until another enemy unit enters it (Also units in towns recover health and have higher evasion). There are also terrains like forests, mountains and deserts. These influence the movement range and evasion. As to be expected elves are best in forest, dwarfs are best in mountains and horseman are inferior in caves and mountains. Each unit can level up with enough experience. Then they become better, stronger or have new abilities. There are some branching paths for some unit types. Normally it is a difference between better stats vs a new abilities. There are many abilities that a unit type can learn (It is fixed for each unit type). For example: The unit has now ranged attacks, is invisible in forest, prevent enemies from moving around them or improves damage for adjacent lower level allies. Remark: Ranged and melee combat are separated but both are only possible to adjacent enemies (Just a separated mode of attack). To spice up things each unit gets two characteristics at character creation from an available pool. It can be a bit more health including a slight bonus for each level up, less experience needed to level up or an extra movement point. There are also unique characteristics like regeneration for Trolls or loyalty (unit cost no money to uphold). Also each units has vulnerability stats. Some are resistant to certain type of damage like piercing or vulnerable to fire (undead). As you can see there is a lot of depth and I have forgotten to mention the day night cycle. Some units have benefits at night others in daylight and some are not affected. The graphics are good for open source and improved a lot. There are some hand-drawn pictures for the characters and I think this is a hit and miss. The soundtrack is also pretty good. I think I can give you some good advice: There are already a few good advises displayed in the title screen. Stop near water to lure the enemies into it. It is a position with low evasion performance. Plan ahead so that the unit you want to level up delivers the killing blow. A unit that levels up is fully healed and this can be used well. You can always reload ad depending on version you can save in enemy turns (You can save when the turns of enemy fraction change. Exact timing needed). As you can see there is a lot to learn and master. There is of cause a multiplayer mode with good options. Also there are so many available languages that I am quiet impressed. Overall this is an excellent free to play game and a remarkable example for an open source game. I give bonus points for free to play model and say we need more games like this.… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
5. Type4101

   Sep 13, 2013

   10

   A free (totally free...not fake free to play with micro-transactions) turn based strategy game that has more depth than a huge number of fullA free (totally free...not fake free to play with micro-transactions) turn based strategy game that has more depth than a huge number of full priced games. With a dozen or so campaigns, and at least a hundred battles, Battle for Wesnoth is clearly a labor of love for its creator, and it shows. Bug-and-typo free, this game even has more polish than many AAA titles. It has a fully fleshed out world and history. Amazing. Did I mention it is free, a gift to anyone who wants it? A game with literally no downside.… Expand

   • 3 of 3 users found this helpful
6. Tilt1k

   Nov 11, 2019

   9

   Incredible game for free, with some intuitive mechanics, its quite simple at first look, but it can get really depth strategy where you spendIncredible game for free, with some intuitive mechanics, its quite simple at first look, but it can get really depth strategy where you spend a lot of days :D… Expand

   • 0 of 0 users found this helpful
7. iseeall

   Dec 14, 2015

   9

   A freeware open-source TBS game which was, up until mobile platforms appeared, the best free TBS around. The graphics are rather average andA freeware open-source TBS game which was, up until mobile platforms appeared, the best free TBS around. The graphics are rather average and were drawn by enthusiasts. The music is also not very good. On the plus side, the game is translated to dozens of languages, and there is a multiplayer mode with players still playing it. What I didn't like about it was the too high randomness of the damage done by attacks of units. The authors' point about this is that the game is about managing risk, not just positioning units. It's a matter of taste, because higher randomness also adds more variety to the game.
   
   With time the game grew to enormous size, so now you will find tons of races, units and missions inside, all for free. Remeber, in 2000s "free" was really rare, and it was honest "free", not "free but then you need to buy coins or wait 24 hours until energy regenerates". I admire the dedication of the author who could manage a project of such size and complexity for years, and thank all the community and contributors for creating content for this game.… Expand

   • 2 of 2 users found this helpful
8. ptemplin

   May 7, 2017

   4

   Played off an on over several years always end up uninstalling.
   Pro's-Well thought out stories, battles, Game play roughly balanced. GreatPlayed off an on over several years always end up uninstalling.
   Pro's-Well thought out stories, battles, Game play roughly balanced. Great variety of units and maps.
   CONS-And these are big.
   1) forget about the supposed defense ratings. To you they mean crap. To the computer player they apply i.e. if it in terrain that gives you a 40% catch to hit it then you usually get around a 40% chance. Whereas if the computer has a 40% chance to hit you expect it to be closer to 60 or 70% chance instead.
   2) Random number generator for determining hits and attacks is anything but consistent. There will be stretches where you do very well (get beneficial rolls) and then stretches where you couldn't buy a hit (as in you need to get 2 hits with 4 attacks or else your critical unit is way exposed but you need this nasty gone, expect to regularly find yourself attacking with 4 units to finally get the second hit. Problem is you rarely have even a second unit to spare let alone the ability to get it into position to attack.)
   3) Many of your foes are things like Orc with 2 attacks. More often than not he will get at least one hit. Now your player with two attacks will almost never get two hits no matter what the chances (Unless you are in one of those stretch which favor you). And in fact you have about a 50/50 chance of getting no hits.
   4) Regularly, I have seen to many times with mages and others that have a 70% chance too hit. Expect to almost always miss the first attack. (In fact this is generally true across the board no matter the unit.) Expect as well your foe will about 50-60% of the time get a hit back on you the first time around no matter your defensive rating. So if one hit will knock each your unit and the computers out. Figure about 3/4 of the time you will lose yours.
   
   Now all the above could be worked around EXCEPT the game almost never gives you enough units, time, or gold to actually have a chance to keep your required units alive. this especially true when you have an ally to try to keep alive. The computer player you are allied with is about as dumb as a stump. You can supposedly give direction in some campaigns but that feature either has never really worked or the computer ignores it for the most part. They will get its units killed by attacking units regardless of the expected counter attack or any planning. It will use a high power unit to finish off an almost dead unit instead of attacking another healthy unit thereby leaving two weakened units who will likely not attack and instead leave you in better shape for the next cycle. The result, expect to play those scenarios multiple times trying to at least survive and not loose a bunch of important units. You always start with Level 1 units (or 0) when you recruit. The computer gets to recruit level 2 and 3 whenever it wants.
   
   One other good thing is the day night cycle occasionally comes in handy. But rarely can you really use it to your advantage. The 25% doesn't really do much in most game play. Another point here is you computer ally is also dumb as a stump in best using the day might cycle. launching attacks in unfavorable terrain at the worst possible times instead of being even a bit strategic about it.
   
   I gave it a fairly low ranking due to the continuous frustration that you will develop fighting the stupid random generator that is anything but random, and the obvious lack of factoring in the players actual defensive ground.
   This is a great game to get frustrated with. You have been warned.… Expand

   • 0 of 2 users found this helpful

See all 17 User Reviews