This review contains spoilers, click expand to view.
Apart from having its own universe, filled with lore, magic, fantastic creatures (elves, dragons, demons...), shiny knights and sneaky merchants, what I most like(d) about the game is that it's perfectly symmetrical, all four races having equally balanced strengths and weak spots, and only the mastery of a player and his experience in the game or to a specific race can turn the tide in battles.
The four factions are split equally (2 positive - more human-like, 2 negative - more fiendish-like, although the +/- rating is purely subjective to your choosing), and are as follows:
- The Empire - A fairy tale kingdom of knights, mages and archers, this faction would represent and Empire of Light. Its god is the Highfather, but don't expect this faction to be 100% well-meaning, as some rogue mercenaries or henchmen may betray, according to the game lore. Having humans more than 95% of its units, this faction mostly counts on 1 slot units (small), and is pretty balanced in strengths and weak-spots. Their main type of spells are healing and support (increase of abilities).
- The Undead Hordes - Mostly skelletons and all that implies with death and decay, their top unit is the Vampire, which can even drain life out of his opponents and partially add it to himself (Nosferatu, their scout leader-unit can do that, too). Their god is Mortis, a female god which has some unfinished business with the god of the Mountain Clans, which killed her husband, as we're told in the lore. This faction is also pretty balanced, many units are 1 slot units (small), exception to this being their dragon-like venom-breathing unit, which can grow levels/evolve and is a 2 slots unit (big). Many of their units, especially the advanced ones, are immune to death, some even immune to weapons (werewolves), so this could mean huge advantages if dealing with similar death-spreading enemies. Most of their leader-units walk on land, similar to the Empire's units presented above. Their magic usually drains life or paralyzes opponents, and consists of weaknessing the enemies, flawing their abilities.
- The Mountain Clans - the dwarves, small and slow but strong and hard-headed, they live in the peak of the mountains and other snowy regions, just like in any other fantasy game universe. Their god is Wotan, has a huge hammer and, like the Highfather (The Empire's god), also deals with thunders. Their units are very slow, but what makes them good is that they are formidable fighters, most of their level 1 units matching the HP of a level 2 unit of any other faction counterparts. So, they go down hard, if they do, and last longer in battles.
Another weak spot of this faction is they have also low initiative, the lowest amongst all 4 factions. This can be compensated of course with potions, spells or artifacts, but their starting point is as it is.
Their magic is usually for healing, support and - their trademark - damage boost (having units specially designed for this), and they even have some spells which can allow them to move more freely through forests and on water, making up for their fewer move points.
- The Legions of the Damned - This faction has all sorts of demons and lives in the pits of hell. Their god is Bethrezen, an imprisoned devil who sends their minions to free him, thus the name: the legions of the damned. Their units are fast, maybe the fastest among all 4 races, and most of their leader-units fly. Maybe they can have lower HP than, say, the Mountain Clans, but they can travel fast on the map and can even flee out of the battle at times. Many of their units are 2 slots units (big). These are less than 50% of their units but more than in any other faction, as percentage, and are represented by demons, gargoyles and other devilishly creatures. Their magic is based on fear (some units paralize, petrify or even scare their opponents, making them flee) and, although they do not master death, like their Undead counterparts, their magic is based on the other elements of nature (fire, earth, weapon, mind) and usually decrease the abilities of their opponents, hurting or weakening them. They move fast and can prove lethal if some of their 2 slots units have the chance to grow/evolve.
On game mechanics, the campaign for each faction (saga) consists of 4 chapters for each of the 4 nations, plus other quests (maps) which can be played independently of the main campaign. In my previous early years, as time and passion allowed me, I spent also a lot of time in the Editor, making maps and learning a lot about the neutral and specific units, which gave me some extra edge when encountering some new enemies in the official quests.
Luckily, I played Disciples 1 before trying the 2nd of the series (a more famous and perfected game), but I always think with nostalgia when it comes to the first Disciples.
Its fantastical universe and, as a personal note, its symmetry in balancing all the 4 factions make this game one I won't forget.… Expand
