Warlock: Master of the Arcane

 PC
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 229 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 160 out of 229
  2. Mixed: 50 out of 229
  3. Negative: 19 out of 229

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. Syzygy
    May 9, 2012
    10
    Does anyone remember the combat in Civilization 4? Yeah, it was pretty tedious and annoying, wasn't it? Thankfully, Warlock: Master is a civ-style turn based strategy game all ABOUT the combat! Gameplay revolves around the 4X style of gameplay (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, eXterminate) and while the game RIGIDLY follows that formulae, the way it does so, combined with a friendly userDoes anyone remember the combat in Civilization 4? Yeah, it was pretty tedious and annoying, wasn't it? Thankfully, Warlock: Master is a civ-style turn based strategy game all ABOUT the combat! Gameplay revolves around the 4X style of gameplay (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, eXterminate) and while the game RIGIDLY follows that formulae, the way it does so, combined with a friendly user interface, fantastic graphics and a variety of units with distinct appearances and situational modifiers allows for tons of replayability, completely nailing the "just one more turn" aspect of these civ-style games. The most interesting feature I found in this game, however, is the ability to allow for multiple "worlds" to exist in the maps you generate. These "worlds" are basically separate maps you can access via portals on the main starting map. These additional worlds provide unique or rare resource nodes as well as monster dens that, if destroyed, yield very powerful spells. These worlds, are of course absolutely TEEMING with powerful monsters, to the point where they often overflow into the main map, so they aren't exactly something you can just claim unprepared.

    Now, time for the breakdown, this score is based on a 10 point system:

    Presentation: 8. Graphics and art style manage to be both cartoonish AND badass, but nothing really unique or too interesting.

    A.I.: - 2. The A.I. is sort of all over the place, no matter the difficulty. Making the game harder seems to just give the A.I. a resource advantage rather than making it play smarter.

    Gameplay part 1: - 4. I'm knocking 4 points off for the hideously bare bones diplomacy system. Or, lack thereof. Every so often a rival player will attempt to extort money or mana out of you, and your ONLY two responses are "WAR!" or to capitulate to their demands. I suppose this was the developers way to try and foster a cut-throat mindset in the players, by attempting to make war an inevitability rather than something that can be avoided. If you aren't currently attempting to murder the crap out of an opponent, stealing their land to add your glorious war machine, you're plotting how to.

    Gameplay part 2: +3. I'm giving 3 points back due to the aforementioned "glorious war machine" thing. Because while combat is the sole focus of this game, it manages to be DAMN GOOD. Every battle, every personal campaign I have launched or fought, every one of them has felt like an epic siege. The developers took the combat system from Civilization 4 and 5 and made it actually fun and interesting. For one thing, you can't stack units on the same tile. a single squad of units is a significant time and resource investment, which means you'll be handling a siege consisting of maybe 3-5 squads at any given time. That may seem like weaksauce weakness at first, but combine that with the spellcasting system and suddenly you've got 2 squads of black minotaurs with VAMPIRIC AXES and immunity to ranged attacks, leveled up and specced for city attacks laying waste to your enemies defensive fortifications while your shamans constantly heal them to full health while you're waiting for your Apocalypse spell to finish charging. And yes, there IS a spell called Apocalypse, it's basically the nuke from Civilization 4: Beyond the Sword, except in this case it actually DESTROYS CITIES and is a GUARANTEED one hit kill to any and all units in a 3-hex diameter radius from the epicenter. The only reason I didn't give all four of those points back is because naval warfare is really... lacking at this point. There are only 2 naval units at this point, as far as I know, and none of them are any good at damaging the various sea serpents that plague the oceans (which incidentally are capable of killing your ships in 1-2 hits) Transport ships are a non-issue, as moving a land based unit onto a water hex automatically spawns a transport ship for them.

    Music/Sound: 0. No points given or taken away for this, as the sound effects and music are exactly what you would expect, nothing spectacular but nothing horrible either.

    Graphics: +1. Looks pretty without bogging down my computers framerate (I have been playing this game on a 2011 Acer Aspire laptop with AMD Radeon HD 6650M graphics card)

    Mics. : +0.5. I'm giving a bonus 0.5 due to the fact that I can skip my opponents turns by clicking the mouse repeatedly. Final Score: 7.5

    So close to perfection, but a few nagging problems keep this game from being perhaps the best 4x turn based strategy game I have ever played. Hopefully the negative elements can be fixed through either patches or expansions. I mean c'mon, as much fun as I have duking it out against the other empires on the field of battle in this game, it would be nice to be able to ally myself with another empire so I don't feel like it's just me against the world all the time.    … Expand
  2. uNapalm
    May 12, 2012
    8
    Where did last night go? Do not play if you have anything pressing to do (like eating / sleeping) because you'll find your eyes twitching and your bladder bursting and realise a) it's 4am and b) you've been playing just one more turn for 6 hours straight. Warlock:MotA is a combat-centric turn-based strategy game that clearly loves the fantasy setting it uses so well. You play as a greatWhere did last night go? Do not play if you have anything pressing to do (like eating / sleeping) because you'll find your eyes twitching and your bladder bursting and realise a) it's 4am and b) you've been playing just one more turn for 6 hours straight. Warlock:MotA is a combat-centric turn-based strategy game that clearly loves the fantasy setting it uses so well. You play as a great mage against a number of other AI controlled mages, each one raising an empire using one of the three selectable races of humans, undead and monsters. The hexagonally tile based world is imaginative, colourful and full of unique touches like portals to different worlds (that you can visit and settle in), and monster-invested caves that spawn evil meanies if left alone. Every unit feels real and unique and can be upgraded with perks through buildings, experience or magical blessings. Trust me, losing a buffed up and beefy veteran can tug at the emotions, not to mention the purse-strings. The magic system and variety of buildings, units and upgrades makes for a deeper experience than first appears and the (almost) constant stream of monsters adds a nice layer of variety. It's the little things also, like the creeping dread of scouting the land knowing that an ogre or elemental could be hiding under the fog of war. Such encounters, especially in the early game, can prove lethal. There are a few shortcomings, such as the lack of keyboard shortcuts, underdeveloped diplomacy and a poor manual but the game itself plays very well and the £14.99 price is bonkers. Also, donkey knights.… Expand
  3. Minty13
    May 12, 2012
    9
    Can't believe the "expert " reviews are low so far. It's much more fun than civilisation. Something is happening every turn whether it's fighting, preparing for war, deciding which spell to cast etc. In civ you often just clicking end turn over and over while waiting for the next lot of research. War is also way better. Every unit is useful for quite a while as you can't afford a big armyCan't believe the "expert " reviews are low so far. It's much more fun than civilisation. Something is happening every turn whether it's fighting, preparing for war, deciding which spell to cast etc. In civ you often just clicking end turn over and over while waiting for the next lot of research. War is also way better. Every unit is useful for quite a while as you can't afford a big army of the latest units most of the time- their upkeep and cost is going to be way to high. You can also actually work with an ally to defeat an opponent. In civ you hardly ever see 2 vs 1 ganging up on the same screen. More likely your ally is not going to send out any units and will just declare peace on your mutual enemy making your whole plan a waste of time. There are some issues. On normal enemies seem to target neutrals and others rather than you most of the time. They also don't optimise cites well rather making them jack of all trade places which disadvantages them. They also don't expand as much as they can (maybe they stop after a certain number of cities or are too afraid of highish level monsters). The lack of any negative side effect of having many cities may mean that when multiplayer comes- whoever has the most cities early on will almost always win- time will tell. If you like turn based strategy this is a must buy, especially at the price.

    Latest patch has made the enemy more aggressive.    … Expand
  4. guinevere2
    May 11, 2012
    8
    Quite enjoyable 4x game, with a load of content to keep you occupied for the whole time. Sure it has some bugs, and AI is not very challenging, but tbh it almost never is, unless it cheats. The game utilizes fine graphic and music, although some units could use a little more details/polygons. The game is really easy to grasp and the mechanics are not very complex, but still the amount ofQuite enjoyable 4x game, with a load of content to keep you occupied for the whole time. Sure it has some bugs, and AI is not very challenging, but tbh it almost never is, unless it cheats. The game utilizes fine graphic and music, although some units could use a little more details/polygons. The game is really easy to grasp and the mechanics are not very complex, but still the amount of content (building/units/spells/gods/terrain's types/unit perks etc.) makes it interesting even for folks who already played all 4x games out there. Some features just scream to be developed further, but well, it is as it is. Maybe some mods or expansion can build upon them... This is not Realism Invictus or Fall from Heaven in the terms of sophistication and complexity, but it has its moments. I should also mention that the game works flawlessly so far on my rig - even after 7 hours of game play the time it takes AI to do its turn is virtually the same as it was at the beginning of the game. It crashed on me once (luckily there is an autosave ) when I clicked on a message related to a building in a city I just razed. so I guess the message pointed to some content that was not in the memory anymore. It is a very minor issue thou. There is a demo available, so everyone can check it out before buying. Overall it is a solid game, well worth 20$.… Expand
  5. marianojoey
    May 10, 2012
    8
    This game is great for what it has. If you ever played Masters of Magic, this game runs the same concept. You are a great mage in Ardania and want to become the BEST mage. You can do that by several ways (supposedly), and have a lot of units to help you get your utopia. The graphics are nice, the sounds and music are ok, and you can play on very different challenge levels, with more orThis game is great for what it has. If you ever played Masters of Magic, this game runs the same concept. You are a great mage in Ardania and want to become the BEST mage. You can do that by several ways (supposedly), and have a lot of units to help you get your utopia. The graphics are nice, the sounds and music are ok, and you can play on very different challenge levels, with more or less enemies and a few customizations for your avatar that make the game more interesting. Now what this game lacks (so far, as I've read in the official page that some of this features will be released later) are first and more importantly, a multiplayer (LAN and Hot-Seat at least) option, and from MY point of view, a campaign mode (since you only get to play on the map you created at the moment). Units are varied, but there is only 3 species you can use (humans, monsters and undead). And the units on each are virtually the same, but with special features each (undead are immune to dark magic, for example, but can't be cured with healing magic). The AI is quite straight forward, and there's a lack in the diplomacy department (when the NPC mage ask for money or mana, you can comply or declare war, there is no middle point). If you "ask" (demand is the button) something from them, even a little, is war. Once you take the capital, that NPC is dead, and all his remaining cities and units become something like "pirates" (they attack every other creature on the game, except themselves). Here is the winning option I mentioned earlier. You could try to destroy the gods, or become their friend (a pope of sorts, I guess), but so far, all the games I started ended with the heads of my "colleagues" at my feet... If the developers solve this little (but important) things, this game is priceless. :)… Expand
  6. Madroxmultiply
    May 10, 2012
    7
    It's a fun and addictive game with the combat and units. You get obsessive about being able to eventually make the highest tier of units (court werewolves are overpowered with buffs). Plus if you find special resources on the map, you can build unique buildings on it which can either give a resource bonus, an upgrade to all your units, or a whole new unit can be built. Very fun combat andIt's a fun and addictive game with the combat and units. You get obsessive about being able to eventually make the highest tier of units (court werewolves are overpowered with buffs). Plus if you find special resources on the map, you can build unique buildings on it which can either give a resource bonus, an upgrade to all your units, or a whole new unit can be built. Very fun combat and upgrade gameplay.

    Points where the game can be improved: (1) Better AI combat (they can defend fine but they don't seem to be upgrading their units and they don't get aggressive unless you wage war). (2) Better diplomacy system (you can only declare war, make peace or trade one resource for another. Plus trading resources can be super biased in your favor because the AI is stupid). (3) Summary UI elements (Currently you can only see what the town has built by going into that screen and hovering over each hex. It gets confusing once you have upwards of 10 towns. You don't know which town can build what unit). (4) Objectives path (The game doesn't tell you how you can win or the progress you are making towards it. You just sorta romp around doing stuff until otherwise dead).

    It's a decent game with potential. I just hope successive patches will flesh out the content until it's a better game than what it already is.    … Expand
  7. kilwar
    May 10, 2012
    9
    Great game! While you get the feel of Civ 5 with the grid layout, the comparison ends there. The focus of the game is combat and everything you do is related to this. I love how the city management is focused. You can't build every single building in every city you build. You have to focus on which resource your city with produce. And this can change depend on which resource tilesGreat game! While you get the feel of Civ 5 with the grid layout, the comparison ends there. The focus of the game is combat and everything you do is related to this. I love how the city management is focused. You can't build every single building in every city you build. You have to focus on which resource your city with produce. And this can change depend on which resource tiles you have in your city limits. This game has hooked me better than both Civ 4 and 5 did. The low price is also a big +.… Expand
  8. barbecue
    Jul 15, 2012
    8
    I don't understand the comparisons to Civilization. Aside from being a turn-based hex-map resource management game, they don't have all that much in common. The Master of Magic comparison is a bit more accurate, because rather than a deity overseeing the development of an entire civilization, you're a wizard striving for supremacy in a regional conflict. If you really want to compare thisI don't understand the comparisons to Civilization. Aside from being a turn-based hex-map resource management game, they don't have all that much in common. The Master of Magic comparison is a bit more accurate, because rather than a deity overseeing the development of an entire civilization, you're a wizard striving for supremacy in a regional conflict. If you really want to compare this game to another of the genre, the best comparison is to the Age of Wonders series. Even the artwork and flavor text are reminiscent of AoW. That said, this game is on a smaller scale. It's streamlined, in some cases perhaps a bit oversimplified. Terrain affects movement, but nothing else. The races, units, and spells are more limited, and you don't have the same degree of specialization you had with MoM or AoW. At first I found that limiting, for example I didn't like not being able to stack units. But you can't stack units in the tactical combat maps of MoM or AoW either, and that's where all the fun was in those games. That's when I realized that W:MotA is essentially an entire game devoted to the tactical combat aspect of fantasy 4x games, and started having fun. As with Master of Magic, all maps are procedurally generated, which means there's not really a story line, but if you're a real RPGer, you'll create your own story line anyway. If you loved Master of Magic, this isn't its successor, but it may tide you over until someone does finally come up with the real thing.… Expand
  9. Darius2301
    May 13, 2012
    10
    This is a great game! It is fun and addicting and well worth $20.00. Also, the game is quite polished. I truly cannot understand why someone would say otherwise. I've put about 10 hours in the game so far and have not encountered a single but or problem.

    As others have said, this is basically Civ 5 with magic and mythological creatures. The game looks beautiful and plays well. It    This is a great game! It is fun and addicting and well worth $20.00. Also, the game is quite polished. I truly cannot understand why someone would say otherwise. I've put about 10 hours in the game so far and have not encountered a single but or problem.

    As others have said, this is basically Civ 5 with magic and mythological creatures. The game looks beautiful and plays well. It is true that the game is lacking a "Civ-pedia" type feature, but the game play is straight forward enough that I never found the need for it. Also, you can right click on pretty much everything in the game and get a good amount of useful info on it.

    For anyone who is interested in this genre, I can easily give this game my highest recommendation! Also I think the game is a steal at the current price, it's easily worth 2x the price.    … Expand
  10. Evil_Unk
    Sep 12, 2012
    9
    Picture a fantasy-based Civ 5 turn based portion of the game. The big difference is this turn based portion is FUN to play even if you aren't a history buff trying to re-enact Napolean's battles.
    I have enjoyed playing this game more than I have enjoyed any of the Civ games. Maybe I am not high-brow enough? Anyway if you are looking for a fun experience that is easy to learn, but has more    Picture a fantasy-based Civ 5 turn based portion of the game. The big difference is this turn based portion is FUN to play even if you aren't a history buff trying to re-enact Napolean's battles.
    I have enjoyed playing this game more than I have enjoyed any of the Civ games. Maybe I am not high-brow enough? Anyway if you are looking for a fun experience that is easy to learn, but has more depth that you will learn as you play grab this game. But grab the demo first to make sure it is your cup of tea.
    It says it is just Single Player on Steam, but in game there is a Muiltiplayer (beta) menu.    … Expand
  11. Chubzdoomer
    May 13, 2012
    9
    [INTRODUCTION]
    What if Sid Meier's Civilization V was not based on the long term, historical progression of a nation, but instead revolved around a powerful mage leading his empire to victory through might and magic? Paradox's Warlock: Master of the Arcane is perhaps the best answer to that question. Warlock takes many of Civilization V's elements -- a hex grid, combat in which ranged    [INTRODUCTION]
    What if Sid Meier's Civilization V was not based on the long term, historical progression of a nation, but instead revolved around a powerful mage leading his empire to victory through might and magic? Paradox's Warlock: Master of the Arcane is perhaps the best answer to that question. Warlock takes many of Civilization V's elements -- a hex grid, combat in which ranged units can shoot across tiles, and the franchise's trademark empire building -- and turns it upside down with an intense focus on war and many unique gameplay features that harken back to past fantasy turn-based strategy games like 1994's Master of Magic and 1999's Age of Wonders. [CITY BUILDING]
    Warlock's city building is among the best I've seen in the genre. As opposed to Civilization V's cities which are always visually represented by one hex no matter how many structures they contain, in Warlock structures are individually placed on free hexes within your city's boundaries. Better yet, some hexes contain special resource nodes on which unique structures can be placed for special bonuses. [SPELL CASTING]
    Rather than spending time researching technologies like in Civilization, in Warlock you research a wide variety of spells that you can cast on any turn to try and tip the odds in your favor. These range from offensive spells like fireballs and shadow bolts to defensive ones like melee and ranged resistances. There are even support spells that can be cast to summon friendly units that remain until death -- upkeep and all. [QUESTING]
    Questing is a staple in most fantasy titles and here, it's implemented brilliantly. At certain intervals in the game, sometimes even at the very beginning, you're assigned quests which task you with either killing one or more monsters, constructing a building in one of your cities, or even founding a new city in an allotted number of turns. Upon completing these quests, much like looting monster dens, the rewards range from extra resources to brand new units. Although failing some quests results in no penalty, others give you a slap on the wrist by decreasing your status with the gods -- something that seems insignificant at first but can cripple you later in the game once you gain access to powerful spells that require a certain standing with the gods to cast. I would have liked to have seen a greater variety of quests, but I think they work to improve the game by giving you even more incentive to continue playing for just "one more turn." [DIPLOMACY & VICTORY]
    One area in which passive players might be put off by Warlock is that of diplomacy. Although rival mages do exist, most of your interactions with them will consist of handing over resources when they demand them or engaging in all out war. Non-aggression pacts can be formed by handing over some mana or money and you can make demands of your own, but those are the only alternatives at your disposal. In most games, expect brutal wars sparked by ridiculous resource demands that would put you in the hole if you were to follow through with them. Although there are victory conditions that don't require demolishing the empires of others, because of resource demands alone you'll need to maintain a powerful economy to meet them. [PRESENTATION]
    Presentation-wise, Warlock delivers on all fronts. Its interface is clean and streamlined, the game's visuals are colorful and detailed, unit animations are fluid, and the voice acting and soundtrack are top notch. The game's engine performs outstandingly, too, delivering high frame rates even on large maps with multiple rival mages and alternate worlds and tons of activity. [CONCLUSION]
    In some ways, it's hard to believe the quality of product Paradox has published for just $19.99. Warlock is an addictive, charming game that's just as fun to look at as it is to play. I can't recall the last time that I was so engrossed with a strategy game, I sat down to play for just an hour or two and found myself still glued to the computer in the wee hours of the morning. Although it could be improved in some areas, especially documentation and diplomacy, and is oddly missing features such as the ability to demolish buildings, Warlock's developers have managed to beautifully merge Civilization V's look and feel with the magical nature of older titles like Master of Magic while implementing many unique ideas of their own. Although multiplayer is currently missing, the developers have stated that they're considering implementing and including it for free in a future update. Needless to say, unless you're pinching pennies and refuse to play any turn-based game from which Sid Meier's name is absent, Warlock is an absolute must-play. For every bad taste pathetic past efforts have left in your mouth (Stardock's disastrous Elemental: War of Magic comes to mind), this one offers a nice, big glass of water to rinse it all out and then some.    … Expand
  12. Chaosmaker
    May 12, 2012
    9
    While the game looks very similar to Civ V, I think is actually better. And I'm saying this as a lifelong fan of Civilization titles. The battle is practically the same, but with the addition of damage types and wide range of hp points for units, which makes for a surprisingly better tactics. There are a lot of spell, and in my opinion, the balance of gold/research/food/mana production isWhile the game looks very similar to Civ V, I think is actually better. And I'm saying this as a lifelong fan of Civilization titles. The battle is practically the same, but with the addition of damage types and wide range of hp points for units, which makes for a surprisingly better tactics. There are a lot of spell, and in my opinion, the balance of gold/research/food/mana production is done much better than in Civ V. There is no penalty for expanding here! And dynamic and shifting god favor is quite nice - and adds real weight to gameplay. Diplomacy is not as advanced as in Civ IV - but better than in Civ V. All in all, it is a very solid and enjoyable game. I find myself going back to it.… Expand
  13. DigitalRonyn
    May 9, 2012
    9
    While taking several cues from "Master of Magic" it is definitely it's own game. The graphics and animation are superbly executed. The computer AI seems to "gang up" on you and there are a few quirks with the diplomacy feature that I wish were included (like the ability to negotiate for alternative goods / resources than just the ones that are requested by opposing characters. If you don'tWhile taking several cues from "Master of Magic" it is definitely it's own game. The graphics and animation are superbly executed. The computer AI seems to "gang up" on you and there are a few quirks with the diplomacy feature that I wish were included (like the ability to negotiate for alternative goods / resources than just the ones that are requested by opposing characters. If you don't give them exactly what they want...WAR!). There is no unit stacking so battles are played out on the world map. I thought I was going to be disappointed by this as I'm a huge fan of the Master of Magic micro battles, but this lends to the games pace and allows you to get to "the next turn" where your kingdom and battles continue to develop. Overall this game is a steal for $19.99 and FAR better than the last offering. If you're a fan of high fantasy and CIV games in general this ones worth your cash.… Expand
  14. Rygar
    May 13, 2012
    8
    Warlock is a very enjoyable game. It's approach is very similiar to Civilization in terms of city building and combat. Unlike Civilization, you quickly get to combat with neutral units, and while not groundbreaking, it is fun. The game has a wonderful selection of units, many of which are beautifully rendered. The game shifts away from Civilization style city building, in WarlockWarlock is a very enjoyable game. It's approach is very similiar to Civilization in terms of city building and combat. Unlike Civilization, you quickly get to combat with neutral units, and while not groundbreaking, it is fun. The game has a wonderful selection of units, many of which are beautifully rendered. The game shifts away from Civilization style city building, in Warlock you place buildings on the tiles, which does force you to make choices as you build your cities.

    The negatives are that the game could've used a bit more in the way of documentation and/or ingame screens to show you what the various spell paths and buildings open up as you progress. Overall, especially for it's price, I'd recommend it to any fan of turn based games and/or civilization.    … Expand
  15. Kronos362
    May 14, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I got the game on the weekend and was pleasantly surprised by it. Warlock: Master is a Civ style fantasy romp that can definitely be described as a 'just on more turn' experience if you're a fan of the turn-based genre. It's quite a simple game with some lovely variety, there are some slight balance issues (ie: once you get the big scary units you'll own the opposition), but I quite like this about the game.

    I am a fan of the genre however so will be slightly biased towards this game. I'll say for certain though that I preferred this to HOMM and a lot of the other fare out there competing with this, and for the price tag, this is some good bang for your buck if you're into turn-based games and are an old fantasy fan like myself.    … Expand
  16. Timeyy
    Jun 10, 2012
    9
    I absolutely love this game, the amount of complexity is just right and the interface is amazingly easy to use. The graphics are nice and colorful, the soundtrack is pretty cool and the maps are usually really cool.
    The only thing I dont like is the lack of a campaign mode. I didnt expect much fo a story but there is literally no story at all here. That and the AI which is a little weird    I absolutely love this game, the amount of complexity is just right and the interface is amazingly easy to use. The graphics are nice and colorful, the soundtrack is pretty cool and the maps are usually really cool.
    The only thing I dont like is the lack of a campaign mode. I didnt expect much fo a story but there is literally no story at all here. That and the AI which is a little weird sometimes are the reasons why I take away one point.    … Expand
  17. lonewolfs
    Jul 16, 2012
    10
    warlock est un tres bon jeu, pas aussi bon que civilization mais c'est une bonne alternative ! il manque quand meme une diplomatie plus developpée : c'est vraiment un probleme. sinon j'adore !
    (desolé pour les erreurs je suis pas tres fort en anglais)
  18. Valdamax
    Jul 23, 2012
    10
    Wow! What can I say... this game is FUN. Some gripe that the hexagonal combat system is taken from Civ5, when actually, if you've played some other older games developed by Ino-Co, like Fantasy Wars, it's easy to then see that Civ5 actually took a lot of their ideas from them. This game is quickly becoming the absolute "gem" of what I've always wanted. With the most recent 1.2 patch, whichWow! What can I say... this game is FUN. Some gripe that the hexagonal combat system is taken from Civ5, when actually, if you've played some other older games developed by Ino-Co, like Fantasy Wars, it's easy to then see that Civ5 actually took a lot of their ideas from them. This game is quickly becoming the absolute "gem" of what I've always wanted. With the most recent 1.2 patch, which includes new content such as heroes and artifacts, it absolutely shines. I feel like I'm playing with all the best elements of Majesty, Heroes of Might and Magic, and yes, Civ. Highly recommended!… Expand
  19. kantfoo
    Oct 27, 2012
    9
    Excellent game. Unpretentious, not too complicated, and just plain fun. The unit upgrade system is very elegant. The only (minor) detraction is that the pocket planes are too hard. By the time you can tackle them, you can completely obliterate the computer.
  20. Iyunzusto
    Dec 16, 2012
    10
    Damn, this game is fun. It takes half an hour to get accustomed to the mechanics, then you're away. I've been exploring a few games to get my strategy fix, and can happily say I've found what I've been looking for. Wasted 10 hours this weekend and would gladly waste 10 more if I didn't have to work tomorrow. Some reviewers will say the game lacks depth, and they're right, but I like whatDamn, this game is fun. It takes half an hour to get accustomed to the mechanics, then you're away. I've been exploring a few games to get my strategy fix, and can happily say I've found what I've been looking for. Wasted 10 hours this weekend and would gladly waste 10 more if I didn't have to work tomorrow. Some reviewers will say the game lacks depth, and they're right, but I like what they've built. The game is streamlined in places where it makes sense and is really elegant and liberating. One example is the ocean travel system. If you have a unit that needs to cross water, just walk it to the shore and next turn it will build its own boat and take to the seas. No building a dockyard, then a transport, then loading the transport. This is daring, and ingenious. Basically, Warlock gets out of your way so you can engage in tactical fighting non stop for hours on end. No doubt it will lose its pull a bit quicker than some deeper strategy games, but I really don't care at this point because I've already gotten my $20 worth and will do so five times over. Grab it and enjoy!… Expand
  21. Thunderkat
    May 25, 2012
    7
    If you like the game Civilization, (CIV) and you like Fantasy/Magic you will probably love this game. It's fun, it's simple, it's inexpensive. Yes it can become a little tedious with the massive amount of troops that you can generate, but all in all, it's a fun little game. I haven't gotten the DLC yet for this game, and am looking forward to trying that out. Cheers!
  22. Gankatron
    Dec 6, 2012
    9
    While the original score of 71 was probably accurate at release, currently it is a much improved game with patches and cheap DLC. It also has a multiplayer feature in beta that I have yet to try out. The game keeps getting better over time and I learn something new with each play through. It reminds me of the older CIV games (I am one of those that think CIV5 was a step backwards in theWhile the original score of 71 was probably accurate at release, currently it is a much improved game with patches and cheap DLC. It also has a multiplayer feature in beta that I have yet to try out. The game keeps getting better over time and I learn something new with each play through. It reminds me of the older CIV games (I am one of those that think CIV5 was a step backwards in the franchise) and Alpha Centauri. This is an evolving WIN for the turn-based game enthusiast. It also goes on sale frequently with a current promotional price of $4.99 at GamersGate for the base game, which ensures that you won't have any reason to say no to this gem.… Expand
  23. mrxdave
    May 31, 2012
    10
    I agree that there is a core of a good game here - but that the AI and depth of strategy are lacking. The battles are civilization-style, and lacking any of the depth of a game like Heroes of Might and Magic. The different creatures are interesting...the spell selection not as much. I just wish that on games like this that could could strip away the extra elements and really focus on depthI agree that there is a core of a good game here - but that the AI and depth of strategy are lacking. The battles are civilization-style, and lacking any of the depth of a game like Heroes of Might and Magic. The different creatures are interesting...the spell selection not as much. I just wish that on games like this that could could strip away the extra elements and really focus on depth of strategy and game balance. Still: a very fun game for the money.… Expand
  24. ricesautes
    Aug 8, 2012
    9
    As noted in my original May 25th review, when I rated a 7, I said it was very close to an 8 or 9. With 3 patches and the new Elven and Artifact DLC, the addition of lords and artifacts help fill a void. A few stability issues still and unbuffed naval still sucks, but those are minor complaints. It is far and away the spiritual successor to MoM now. Will re-review if future patches and DLCAs noted in my original May 25th review, when I rated a 7, I said it was very close to an 8 or 9. With 3 patches and the new Elven and Artifact DLC, the addition of lords and artifacts help fill a void. A few stability issues still and unbuffed naval still sucks, but those are minor complaints. It is far and away the spiritual successor to MoM now. Will re-review if future patches and DLC change my score.

    MY ORIGINAL REVIEW FROM MAY 25 FOLLOWS:

    I've been a big fan of old school Master of Magic from the mid-90s and been trying to find a suitable modern replacement since. This is probably the closest that I've come across, although it still has some flaws that keep it from being a full love. It plays like Civ with magic versus its own style. The good: City management, troop management, magic research/casting. The game flows well, and runs smoothly. The bad: Combat stinks and naval/sea is horrendous. Combat is unpleasant since there is no unit stacking (a huge negative, imo), no tactical fighting (a la MoM), and very limited magic casting to support a fight. Also, there is DLC with some hero options, but otherwise there are no hero units available. Honestly, there can't be enough bad things said about naval. The buildable units are weak, and you are constantly bombarded by sea serpents that are impossible to counter and eliminate. The strongest available naval unit, the Galleon, dies easily and can't be buffed or spawned fast enough to actually do anything worthwhile. As others have noted, there's really only an extermination option available as a victory path. I could theoretically cast the Unity spell to win, but it kept getting cancelled by the other wizards, and there's no way to buff yourself or the spell up higher to avoid the cancellation. With a few balancing issues corrected (notably naval), I'd give this a strong 8 or 9.    … Expand
  25. Sifer2
    May 13, 2012
    9
    If you like 4X games that lead more towards Warfare than Economic management you will have fun with this. The fantasy theme is used well to provide a large number of unique types of units to recruit. As well as a lot of spells to research an cast which can really spice up the combat. Those craving tons of death will be a little disappointed. But what the game aims to do it does reallyIf you like 4X games that lead more towards Warfare than Economic management you will have fun with this. The fantasy theme is used well to provide a large number of unique types of units to recruit. As well as a lot of spells to research an cast which can really spice up the combat. Those craving tons of death will be a little disappointed. But what the game aims to do it does really well. Which is provide a strategy game with a fast pace that focuses more on action and exploration. I only count off for a few rough spots like lack of some common settings, and a few annoying bugs. It's well worth the cheap 20 dollar asking price however.… Expand
  26. BradZoob
    Jan 19, 2013
    9
    Steam tells me i have blown 140 hours of my life on this game, what it won't tell me is that i'll probably blow hundreds more. Probably the best value for money game i've ever purchased. Because the game is so completely wonderful in every aspect it's hard not to simply want MORE, more info in the interface, more data about the civilization, better visibility of unit attributes in specificSteam tells me i have blown 140 hours of my life on this game, what it won't tell me is that i'll probably blow hundreds more. Probably the best value for money game i've ever purchased. Because the game is so completely wonderful in every aspect it's hard not to simply want MORE, more info in the interface, more data about the civilization, better visibility of unit attributes in specific game-play states - but these features few other games of the same genre have put forth so it certainly doesn't go against Warlock for overlooking some interface elements. Diplomacy doesn't really make a lot of sense, but i tend to ignore that section of the game. I don't think there is multiplayer. Diplomacy and multiplayer are 2 things i am absolutely not interested in however so this is not a drag. If those things are important to you, don't expect to have them in Warlock.

    To write Warlock off simply as a "Civ Clone" would be to deny yourself the enjoyment of one of the greatest "4x" games ever compiled.

    Another important point to make is the degree of DLC that has been released since launch, and at micro pricing ($1.99-$2.99USD). A number of patches have also been released, though i hadn't noticed any of the bugs they were fixing. The most recent patch was 3 weeks ago, so they're supporting this game over 8 months since release, that seems pretty cool.

    I hope they make another one and i hope it's pretty much the same, but with MOOARRR STUFF.    … Expand
  27. ComicBookGuy
    Jun 8, 2012
    8
    A very enjoyable 4X'er. Pros:
    Great combat
    Great use of magic and spells
    Good application of formula
    Good random map Neutral:
    The 'other worlds' could have had some greater use, there is little to no reason to ever venture within them, as no faction ever spawns within.

    Cons:
    Lack of multiplayer
  28. Xardon
    Jun 8, 2012
    7
    The Civ game that is a stripped down and casual version. If you are a fan of the Fall From Heaven mod for Civ 4, then this game is probably not for you. The Civ games are far more in depth with city management, but this game does its job if you just feel like relaxing on the couch, watching some TV and playing a lite strategy game. For me, it's nice to take a break from the microThe Civ game that is a stripped down and casual version. If you are a fan of the Fall From Heaven mod for Civ 4, then this game is probably not for you. The Civ games are far more in depth with city management, but this game does its job if you just feel like relaxing on the couch, watching some TV and playing a lite strategy game. For me, it's nice to take a break from the micro management of the Civ games and play something like this where you can just beat up on some other Great Mages (basically factions). As long as you aren't looking for a Fantasy version of Civ, then you will like this basic strategy game at a cheap price. Hopefully, in future DLC's or updates they will expand on things like Diplomacy, AI, and give the players the options for a more in depth game. This series could really benefit from the player deciding how much micro management they want in their strategy game, since the framework for a basic game is there and works.… Expand
  29. AngleWyrm
    Aug 29, 2012
    8
    Quite entertaining; I've enjoyed playing Warlock more than Civ 5. I particularly like the unit buffing mechanics; you can have some very expensive units with high upkeep, in a variety of different ways. Unit base perks, experience perks, magical buffs, equipment and unit upgrades can all be applied. And then there's also hero units. I'de give it a 9, but the enemy AI seems to miss combatQuite entertaining; I've enjoyed playing Warlock more than Civ 5. I particularly like the unit buffing mechanics; you can have some very expensive units with high upkeep, in a variety of different ways. Unit base perks, experience perks, magical buffs, equipment and unit upgrades can all be applied. And then there's also hero units. I'de give it a 9, but the enemy AI seems to miss combat opportunities even on the hardest difficulty setting, and the alternate dimensions currently have little strategic merit.… Expand
  30. Dhelio
    May 16, 2012
    7
    Warlock: Master of Arcane (WMA from now on) is inspired to the unforgettable Master of Magic, forefather of the 4X games (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, and eXterminate). Taking the role of a Great Mage, the player fights for supremacy in a randomly generated world. The game inherits the impressive lore of the Majesty games, thus giving all the creatures ingame a background that helps theWarlock: Master of Arcane (WMA from now on) is inspired to the unforgettable Master of Magic, forefather of the 4X games (eXplore, eXpand, eXploit, and eXterminate). Taking the role of a Great Mage, the player fights for supremacy in a randomly generated world. The game inherits the impressive lore of the Majesty games, thus giving all the creatures ingame a background that helps the players immerse themselves in the role of the Great Mage. When first starting a game, the player will notice a good world customization gui: size, type of map (islands, continents,..) number of Great Mages and parallel worlds are all configurable to the player liking. When thrown ingame, veteran players of Civilization V will feel right at home: infact, the similarities with said game are many, from the hexagonal map to the Gui, almost anything seem to recall (and perphaps revere) the Hydra of turn games. There are three races in WMA: humans, beasts and undeads. The humans are the usual civilization, comprehending all kinds of classical medieval/renaissance units: so knights, cutthroats, catapults, and so on. The Beasts are an inusual alliance between many different creatures: goblins, werewolves, minotaurs, but also gnomes and dragonkins. Finally, the undeads are what you will expect: skeletons, zombies, vampires, and all kinds of evil creatures you may think of. The races are different not only aestethically, but also in creatures stats and building. In every city is possible, after reaching a certain population, to build certain structures. The structures must be phisically on a tile, thus adding an other strategic variable (What should I build? Where should I build? Is it better to build this city near this one, so I'll colonize this island rapidly, or should I build it farther, granting me additional space in a few turns?) Every unit in WMA will gain skills through experience (may it be from killing evil creatures or to skill/spell related benefits). Note that the skills are all stackable, letting you create true war machines, so powerful they can destroy entire enemy armies. This, along with the one unit per tile limit, in some way discourages the creations of enormous armies, encouraging the possesion of few powerful units that compensate each other. Just think at the Holy Trinity: Tank, Dps and Healer. However, nothing stops the player from ammassing an impressive army, maybe through spells. Yes, because there are LOTS of spells, in WMA, ranging from the classical fireball, to city blessings, to armies evocations. There are multiple ways to receive the spells: research, quests or events. The spell-tree, though, isn't completely clear: there are always 5 possible spells to research, but seems that there isn't any correlation between the previous and the next ones, forcing the player to choose randomly between the available five. As said, there are also quests, usually concerning the disposal of an enemy unit. Quests can be given by people of the realm, or by the gods themselves: there are, infact, 8 gods in WMA, each one with its own avatar and special units. Through ingame actions the player can influence its relation with the gods, granting their benevolence (and thus units and resources!) or their hate (that can even bring the god to declare war on the player! And that is one though opponent;) However, despite the good general gameplay and the vast variety of units, buildings and events, WMA suffers from a lack of AI, that isn't really challangening even on the highest level of difficulty, just sending in waves of units, more or less experienced, to their demise. Technically speaking, WMA shows good graphics, rich in colors and mildly detailed, with nice artistic choices (love the Count Werewolves and the Magic Towers!). In the end, WMA is a good game, taking all the epic feel that 4X games give, and adding its own flavour. The deficitary AI and the few bugs are easily resolvable through patches, and if the future DLCs will add additional civs and features, then we will really have a game to remember for many years to come.… Expand
  31. ZetaWhite
    Dec 29, 2012
    9
    I do not usually write reviews but I feel this game is a little gem of turn based fantasy strategy that deserves recognition. I saw the x-mas special on steam and downloaded the free demo which got me addicted. Download, installation of the full game were easy on Steam. This game really makes you feel like a great Mage and you have to use all the resources at your disposal to conquer theI do not usually write reviews but I feel this game is a little gem of turn based fantasy strategy that deserves recognition. I saw the x-mas special on steam and downloaded the free demo which got me addicted. Download, installation of the full game were easy on Steam. This game really makes you feel like a great Mage and you have to use all the resources at your disposal to conquer the world. If you like Civilization or Master of Magic, you will fight a great variety of monsters, discover treasure or spells in lairs, do quests for rewards, decide which gods to align with, hire and customize heroes, buy magic items from traveling merchants and explore portals to dangerous parallel worlds. Your units will gain experience and perks. Combat is interesting and highly strategic despite no unit stacking. Your enemies will just not waltz in and capture a non garrisoned city. The city will defend itself and it will take several turns to wear down its defenses using infantry or ranged or magic before capture. A single unit will rarely be destroyed in one single combat, and terrain like forests or hills will give great defense bonuses especially with unit perks like cover specialist. The rock paper scissor principle applies in building your forces, geography can be altered by creating volcanoes in enemy territory, raising or lowering land,creating dead lands or fertile lands. I find the combination of strategic planning and random game events great fun. Each new game also takes place in a randomly generated world and you can customize many parameters. For your gaming money, this game offers IMO one of the highest fun to price ratio. My first game took me away from Skyrim for35 hours, and I won it by capturing a certain number of holy grounds. Nuff said.

    This game plays well, is not buggy, you will not feel you are managing an excel chart. It appears to have been designed with lots of game play testing and debugging, by a small company with lots of Russian sounding names and I wish them good luck in their future projects if they keep focusing on quality.    … Expand
  32. Spiralyguy
    Jan 3, 2013
    9
    I liked this game alot. The combat is the main focus, cities are much simpler then Civilization but the variety of units, promotions, and potential buffs make combat really interesting. The fact that the 4 different races are COMPLETELY different is also a nice change from Civ. I personally preferred playing the undead, where you don't really need to make food at all, most of your troopI liked this game alot. The combat is the main focus, cities are much simpler then Civilization but the variety of units, promotions, and potential buffs make combat really interesting. The fact that the 4 different races are COMPLETELY different is also a nice change from Civ. I personally preferred playing the undead, where you don't really need to make food at all, most of your troop maintenance is taken from your mana supply. It's nice touches like that which give this game it's charm. Mind you the creeps can be tricky when you're first learning, especially those greater fire elementals, but once you figure out the game there are ways to deal with everything. There have also been a number of patches since I started playing, the last patch added terraforming spells which I thought were super cool. I love the idea of covering the land in blight (zerg style) or being able to create water/mountains to form choke points for defense.

    Complaints would be two fold: Random tech tree can be frustrating, certain spells are so helpful I just don't see how this would be balanced multiplayer. Ice prison in particular trivializes fire elementals and your rate of expansion can be greatly affected by how early you get this spell. Second complaint is the AI is pretty stupid. It's challenging enough on hardest setting but only because the AI cheats so bad. He basically has infinity units. Still, I wasted a good number of nights playing this game.    … Expand
  33. kurosaki75
    Sep 5, 2012
    9
    I like this stuff. This is a good Civ-like with a fantasy touch. You have lot of different troops and lot of build to diversify your empire. IT s pretty rich and deep.The gameplay is basic (only play without other mod than "sandbag") but the game is so addictive and funny
  34. totalmech
    Aug 5, 2012
    9
    Warlock looks like a fantasy version of Civilization, focused on combat and conquest. There are always monsters coming at you, so there are never really boring or waiting parts. A lot of units and spells to discover add up to the fun of the game. Definitely recommend.
  35. RedCossack
    Sep 1, 2012
    8
    This is an incredible game sold with a budget price. Simple and fun, I got the hang to it 10 minutes after I started. Feels like an improvised fantasy themed Civilization.
  36. cephalo
    Mar 19, 2013
    9
    I'm on my second playthrough now, this time with the Armageddon DLC. I have to say that I am really enjoying it. It's not revolutionary, but very satisfying in many ways. Recruiting your first Gold Dragon from an alternate plane is very difficult but rewarding. It is very much like Master of Magic but without the tactical combat. The Armageddon mode changes the game completely and is evenI'm on my second playthrough now, this time with the Armageddon DLC. I have to say that I am really enjoying it. It's not revolutionary, but very satisfying in many ways. Recruiting your first Gold Dragon from an alternate plane is very difficult but rewarding. It is very much like Master of Magic but without the tactical combat. The Armageddon mode changes the game completely and is even more fun than the original.

    I'd give it an 8 except I got it for so cheap on Steam that I have to give it a 9. For me it was an excellent buy.    … Expand
  37. NecroMnemic
    Oct 24, 2013
    8
    A good turn-based game like Civ. The biggest downside though:
    No simultaneous turns in MP. Very sad.

    Other than that the only real critique I have is that there are only 3 (+1 DLC) factions with not really that much buildings and units. Could be a little bit more complex with a Civ like tech tree, or in general greater unit progression.

    All in all decent game. 8/10
  38. g0ing2f4st
    Oct 24, 2013
    5
    Decent turn based strategy game with clunky controls. Only 3 races to choose from and with game play elements picked from so many other different titles. You are better off with a better game
  39. rainbow19
    May 8, 2012
    8
    Very Enjoyable, however the AI good defense but less spectacular offense and special resource allocation may detract from others enjoyment. It looks simialr to Civ 5 but it is nothing like it.
  40. chevmech
    May 9, 2012
    9
    Very fun beautifully crafted 4X. I love the civ-like interface- Fans of the genre can basically sit down and start playing. All concepts from prior installments are there. Reasonably priced. I'm docking a point for lack of sandbox/map creation. Prior installments also lack this important feature- This alone keeps the series from attaining legendary status IMO. (That clumsy addonVery fun beautifully crafted 4X. I love the civ-like interface- Fans of the genre can basically sit down and start playing. All concepts from prior installments are there. Reasonably priced. I'm docking a point for lack of sandbox/map creation. Prior installments also lack this important feature- This alone keeps the series from attaining legendary status IMO. (That clumsy addon they released for the last game is practically useless). Also, I hoped they would have incorporated base production/mana etc.. values for tiles. Other than that, this game is a solid, good-looking title worth owning.… Expand
  41. nirvycn
    May 11, 2012
    10
    Excellent, lovingly crafted 4x game. Centered around combat, fun diverse units and spells. this is a highly polished Masters of Magic Style game made up to date. The AI is pretty good defensively, could perhaps use some work on being more agressive, but for the price there is a TONNE of content to play through, and a free multiplayer patch coming up soon. VERY highly recommended if youExcellent, lovingly crafted 4x game. Centered around combat, fun diverse units and spells. this is a highly polished Masters of Magic Style game made up to date. The AI is pretty good defensively, could perhaps use some work on being more agressive, but for the price there is a TONNE of content to play through, and a free multiplayer patch coming up soon. VERY highly recommended if you loved the old MoM Games.… Expand
  42. Scritty
    Feb 7, 2013
    9
    A shame this game came out as it did. Now, almost a year after it was released, it is so much better than it was at release. Firstly, I play with the three DLC (total cost under £5 for all three) so my review is based on that. But even the core game has been updated and improved almost beyond recognition (play wise). From patch 1.2 to today (1.4.1) the game has improved a lot. MoreA shame this game came out as it did. Now, almost a year after it was released, it is so much better than it was at release. Firstly, I play with the three DLC (total cost under £5 for all three) so my review is based on that. But even the core game has been updated and improved almost beyond recognition (play wise). From patch 1.2 to today (1.4.1) the game has improved a lot. More spells, better AI, better landscape creation, powerful allies to recruit, better tactical options, economy while still simple has now been enhanced (landscape now plays a part as well as many other factors). But above all it is engaging and FUN. You never feel the need to drill down to absurd levels of micromanagement. Tactically it is superb. The number and variety of spells, the freedom to complete the game in so many different way. I completely understand all the paid reviewer scores that came out at the games launch, I agree with them all. As the game was at launch that is what it was worth. However, If it was released now as patched, tweaked and improved as it is today, it would get high 80's from most publications and low to mid 90's from those ezines that were more "tactic and strategy" orientated. A gem (BTW the GUI is not from Civ 5 it's from the Elven Legacy series which predates Civ 5 by several years)… Expand
  43. kakupacal
    May 11, 2012
    8
    After being burned by the clunky and wholly disappointing ELEMENTAL a few years back, I was only mildly interested in taking another dip into the fantasy 4x genre but the bargain price and audience enthusiasm for Warlock pressed me to give it a try and I'm glad that I took the plunge. This game is more "Age of Wonders" than Civilization and although it's quite rough around the edges (suchAfter being burned by the clunky and wholly disappointing ELEMENTAL a few years back, I was only mildly interested in taking another dip into the fantasy 4x genre but the bargain price and audience enthusiasm for Warlock pressed me to give it a try and I'm glad that I took the plunge. This game is more "Age of Wonders" than Civilization and although it's quite rough around the edges (such as a lack of simple map grabbing and scrolling - which is an issue with multiple monitors, and overly simplistic diplomacy options) the developers seem intent on evolving the game with input from the player community. I'm enjoying the thing quite a bit right now and looking forward to where it might go in the immediate future.… Expand
  44. RikDergis
    May 9, 2012
    8
    Solid game. The interface is intuitive and the game is easy to learn. The AI is challenging at the higher difficulty levels. Nice unit selection amongst the races, though it would be nice if there were a few more races to choose from. The game could use a map creator and/or unit creator for Mods. The Graphics are very nice and I have yet to see any bugs. All in all Warlock is anSolid game. The interface is intuitive and the game is easy to learn. The AI is challenging at the higher difficulty levels. Nice unit selection amongst the races, though it would be nice if there were a few more races to choose from. The game could use a map creator and/or unit creator for Mods. The Graphics are very nice and I have yet to see any bugs. All in all Warlock is an enjoyable experience. I would recommend it to any fan of fantasy games or turn based strategies.… Expand
  45. M13
    May 18, 2012
    10
    First off I'd like to address "Wakko"s negative review. He didn't play the game.....for very long. He complains about things like monster "appearing" on the map....and says how that's "cheating". In the game you and your enemies can...SUMMON CREATURES. And they can appear anywhere you have sight. He goes on to call other things "broken" , but in fact he just didn't understand how to playFirst off I'd like to address "Wakko"s negative review. He didn't play the game.....for very long. He complains about things like monster "appearing" on the map....and says how that's "cheating". In the game you and your enemies can...SUMMON CREATURES. And they can appear anywhere you have sight. He goes on to call other things "broken" , but in fact he just didn't understand how to play the game.

    The game is fun and addictive. Simple as that. If you like turn based strategy then you'll like this game. I'm having a lot of fun with it.    … Expand
  46. mozartlucas
    May 11, 2012
    8
    A very good strategy game and if you enjoy Civilization series you will have a lot of fun with it. I little combat focus, but i think with a little bit of work in future patches can make this a great game.
  47. kku
    May 11, 2012
    9
    I have started the game about 20.00h and went to sleep 02.00h next day. It is really enjoyable. Building cities and expanding them is fun, upgrading units is nice. It has user friendly UI and has this important property, that you want go to another turn. Great replay value. Each new game can be rewarding.
  48. Santiago_fisher
    Jun 24, 2012
    9
    The game is a very cartoony RTS, there's a Lack of tutorial for new players to RTS, there's no multiplayer but there's a lot of configurations to make your world, making a match with the bigger dimensions of the world will provably take you up to 8 hours to complete the game, visually its good and once you domain the basic gameplay you will get engage with the game.
  49. Vasot
    May 14, 2012
    8
    Pretty good 4x type game. Do not listen to some site reviewers that give it a average score. This is probably one of the best fantasy 4x type of game out there and i am sure with a few patches this game can become even better. Already with latest patch 1.1.2 released the game AI has been improved and feels even more polished
  50. MartialDoctor
    May 19, 2012
    6
    I will agree with a lot of the positive reviews here on the merits of this game. It is a combat-focused 4x game with elements of master of magic thrown in there. The game mechanics themselves are quite well done and it's interesting to see the range of spells, units, and upgrades available. Basically, the core of a good and fun game is there. It's not very complex, which is both goodI will agree with a lot of the positive reviews here on the merits of this game. It is a combat-focused 4x game with elements of master of magic thrown in there. The game mechanics themselves are quite well done and it's interesting to see the range of spells, units, and upgrades available. Basically, the core of a good and fun game is there. It's not very complex, which is both good and bad, and, yet, is satisfying to play.

    However, the one aspect where this game fails quite miserably is the AI. After playing about 6 hours into the game now, I can surely say that the AI, even on the highest difficulty level, is passable at best. It makes far too many mistakes and doesn't understand some key concepts about how to play the game. It can be suicidal and stupidly aggressive, losing massive amounts of units for no real reason at all.

    Because of the AI, this game is pretty much going to sit on my desktop, unused, until it is addressed.

    So, if you are one like me, who feels that a competent AI is needed to make a good game, then I'd say wait on this. Hopefully, future patches will address the AI issues and this game will become challenging. If this does happen, I would easily put the ranking up to an 8 or, possibly, even a 9. It has the core ideas down, it just needs the AI to back it up.    … Expand
  51. LD9000
    May 17, 2012
    10
    Everything one may want from a serious turn based strategy. It looks and feels like civilization, but has the intensity of the King Arthur 1 with the in-depth unit levelling system of Majesty. In short - an amazing game for 20$!
  52. rpgarcher
    May 15, 2012
    8
    Warlock has the potential to be my favorite game of all time, but it is not without problems. The AI is cripplingly bad, and even the hardest difficulty is fairly easy. With some better AI and just some minor tweaks to the gameplay this could be a truly great game. As it is it's still very fun.
  53. Patacorow
    Jun 18, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. ­it be a pretty cul gaem. ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­… Expand
  54. lunar_cyborg
    Oct 14, 2013
    2
    Incredibly over-rated 4X strategy game featuring bugs and amateur design elements. I did not enjoy this game, I would not recommend it. The game attempts to emulate popular playing styles of other 4X strategy games such as Civilization and Master of Magic, however it falls drastically short of presenting itself as even a low budget clone of these strategy greats. If you have never playedIncredibly over-rated 4X strategy game featuring bugs and amateur design elements. I did not enjoy this game, I would not recommend it. The game attempts to emulate popular playing styles of other 4X strategy games such as Civilization and Master of Magic, however it falls drastically short of presenting itself as even a low budget clone of these strategy greats. If you have never played any decent turn based strategy game then you might enjoy this one. The only reason I can consider this game would have so many positive reviews is due to the generation of gamers it plays to as it's target audience. I don't think a hardcore, serious, die hard or enthusiast gamer would enjoy this cartoony rendition of turn based strategy. If you are looking for a decent 4x turn based strategy game, I would recommend Master of Magic for fans of old school games and a variety of mods for Civ 4 for more modern players. Unfortunately there are no mods for Civ 5 in this area that I am aware of but hopefully there will be in the near future. I would appreciate the team that made this game a lot more if they had just incorporated their designs into a Civilization 5 mod, as a stand alone game it does not hold up to my expectations of a strategy game; the lack of depth in the game makes me feel like I am playing a mod that was rejected.… Expand
  55. Chobeat
    May 14, 2012
    10
    Absolutely amazing, one of the best games of this year. Deep, balanced, intuitive and with awesome graphics. It has a really good AI and one of the best unit list in the history of videogames. There are really a thousand units and each of them is heavily customizable. You will never run out of new stuff and probably they will expand it later.

    All of this costs only 20$, you must buy it now.
  56. Wakko
    May 10, 2012
    3
    Not sure where people are coming from or if we are even playing the same game... Just bought this game after playing the demo on Steam for $20. Not worth it, maybe worth $5 for all content including the paid DLC released on game release date. Simply put, this looks and plays very much like a CIV V clone in a fantasy genre. This is no where near as polished as CIV though. Graphics lookNot sure where people are coming from or if we are even playing the same game... Just bought this game after playing the demo on Steam for $20. Not worth it, maybe worth $5 for all content including the paid DLC released on game release date. Simply put, this looks and plays very much like a CIV V clone in a fantasy genre. This is no where near as polished as CIV though. Graphics look nice, management of resources can be a pain, no in game encyclopedia to explain things, AI cheats... A LOT, random monsters appear on your city doorsteps all the time, no stacking of units, and combat system is mediocre at best. After several hours of play, I have found almost no use for gathering large amounts of $ in game to buy off builds faster. Had this been a more polished game, specially with key command shortcuts to make ease of use better, I would rate this higher. Audio is acceptable, you have the same narrator as with all the Majestic games with his silly Sean Connery accent (which was funny the first game, and boring by now), the "tutorial" in this game is a joke. Its good for a quick CIV like Fantasy sim game, but definitely not worth more than $5 with everything included. Oh the DLC adds uber units which you can customize a hero to inherit which literally nukes the opposition most of the time, way to overpowered.… Expand
  57. AthanasiosT
    Jun 15, 2012
    1
    This game, simply sucks. It's NOT master of magic, NOT civilization and NOT a good combination of the two !! The game interface is annoying, with clicks doing different kind of things from the ones you expect them to. Units mix with the graphic environment and are really difficult to see. Combat has no graphic display (just some sounds and minus symbols for the health lost). If you plan onThis game, simply sucks. It's NOT master of magic, NOT civilization and NOT a good combination of the two !! The game interface is annoying, with clicks doing different kind of things from the ones you expect them to. Units mix with the graphic environment and are really difficult to see. Combat has no graphic display (just some sounds and minus symbols for the health lost). If you plan on spending money on a good turn based strategy with fantasy elements, look elsewhere.… Expand
  58. Latrec
    Feb 17, 2013
    5
    I can understand why people like this game; the concept is great and the interface is simple. It took me 1 game to figure it out and 2 to get bored. Unfortunately the focus on warfare has led the developpers to miss out on several key strategy game concepts.

    1) Poor AI: the computers in this game simply suck. They have little strategic concept and will suicide powerful units to take out    I can understand why people like this game; the concept is great and the interface is simple. It took me 1 game to figure it out and 2 to get bored. Unfortunately the focus on warfare has led the developpers to miss out on several key strategy game concepts.

    1) Poor AI: the computers in this game simply suck. They have little strategic concept and will suicide powerful units to take out basic footman. The diplomacy sucks as well, and the ai will break an alliance multiple times, only to renew it again 2-3 turns later (offering you gold/magic each time). Stupid AI.
    2) Empire building/planning: theres honestly no real point in planning your empire at all. Little city placement is required and it doesnt matter really what you build in your cities. You focus on a resource and focus on a unit type requiring that resource. Thats about it. Theres macromanagement or micromanagement required when building cities. Oh... I almost forgot: most cities are already randomly placed as neutral cities, meaning you dont have much freedom of expansion. You only conquer them.
    3) Research: There are no techs in this game, only spells. You research them and use your magick resource to cast them. Problem is that 1/2 to 3/4 of these spells are just plain USELESS! Honestly why even bother researching something I'll never use EVER? Early-mid to mid game my spell book just becomes cluttered with useless or outdated spells. Frustrating.
    4)Unit commands/strategies: Unit commands are non-existant; move, disband, wait 1 turn, or wait until enemy is spotted. The game spawns enough monsters/ai enemies/levels up ur unit that you find yourself issueing wait commands every 2-5 turns at best. It makes for a fairly boring turn. Theres also little strategic value to units other than their strength (spears do not get bonus vs cav, theres no flank bonuses, etc). Therefore the only useful strategy is to mass and swarm. Somewhat tedious after a few turns (and some 50 units on your side remember to make the inactice ones wait!)

    Overall, the game concept is great! A fantasy Civ! Unfortunately, the strategy game mechanics are severily lacking and make this game come way short of the actual Civ franchise. I got bored of this game after logging 9-10 hours on steam (as opposed to my 150+ on Civ 5). Its just not a quality game...     … Expand
  59. suneater
    Dec 13, 2012
    5
    Combat-oriented turn-based strategy game structured like Civ 5. There are a 3 races (plus summoned units) and hero units which have a lot of punch with their own equip and special upgrades. Instead of research you learn spells; however, there doesn't seem to be a tree for them so it can be frustrating trying to unlock a specific spell you need. Diplomacy is really shallow and the biggestCombat-oriented turn-based strategy game structured like Civ 5. There are a 3 races (plus summoned units) and hero units which have a lot of punch with their own equip and special upgrades. Instead of research you learn spells; however, there doesn't seem to be a tree for them so it can be frustrating trying to unlock a specific spell you need. Diplomacy is really shallow and the biggest disappointment in the game for me because you can't have an allied conquest victory. The non-conquest victory conditions are really hard to complete but hopefully they will allow allied victory in the future. The devs have been hard at work on patches for Warlock and seem to really care about it. Multiplayer was added recent along with hero units and bug fixes. If you enjoy Civ-styled games but want a fantasy twist then this is worth picking up.… Expand
  60. Zonzai
    Jun 30, 2013
    0
    Might have been a good game but it is so bug-riddled the world will never know. Even the most basic interface controls, such as clicking a ground tile, fail to work. A game that doesn't work, doesn't get any points from me.
  61. Amanzhol
    Sep 9, 2014
    10
    dsad dsa dasdasassssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssdddddddddddddddddddddddddasaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxsawfffffffffffffffffffffffdg
  62. Koo
    Aug 4, 2012
    10
    Warlock: Master of the Arcane is a strategy game done right. There are so many thing about it that I love: The fantasy setting, graphics, gameplay, music,... I've played 43 hours worth of gameplay so far, and completed 3 campaigns (they are quite long). The forums and information available in the manual are both fantastic, so if you're a turn-based strategy game noob, you'll be up andWarlock: Master of the Arcane is a strategy game done right. There are so many thing about it that I love: The fantasy setting, graphics, gameplay, music,... I've played 43 hours worth of gameplay so far, and completed 3 campaigns (they are quite long). The forums and information available in the manual are both fantastic, so if you're a turn-based strategy game noob, you'll be up and running quickly. For those who have played the Civilization or SIM series, the interface is familiar, yet beautifully streamlined unlike some others. The game oozes character, from the funny character names to amusing on click dialogues. Battles are EPIC. Summoned creatures, money, mana and spells, all there. This is easily the best fantasy based turn-based strategy I have ever played and one of my favourite games ever, period. I think it's destined to be a classic. If you want a game that's fun but also makes you think (and you have a few hours to spend) I highly recommend Master of the Arcane. Oh yeah, and multiplayer is available too, and the developer listens to the community and is constantly making improvements. Nothing but good things to say about this game. 10/10… Expand
  63. Kherny
    Oct 23, 2013
    9
    Outstanding. Great value for money. 180 hours in and one of the games that I always have installed and return to. Great variation with the races/playstyles. Lots of content. The latest DLC Armageddon is a touch too difficult in my opinion. But if you like a long term challenge, then youll love it. Just make sure you know the game inside and out before attempting this game mode as from turnOutstanding. Great value for money. 180 hours in and one of the games that I always have installed and return to. Great variation with the races/playstyles. Lots of content. The latest DLC Armageddon is a touch too difficult in my opinion. But if you like a long term challenge, then youll love it. Just make sure you know the game inside and out before attempting this game mode as from turn 25 onwards its hell.… Expand
  64. Klewer
    Oct 12, 2013
    7
    A very solid game in a similar style to the Civ series. While it lacks a lot of depth this game is very enjoyable if you want to get straight in to action and can be a good challenge on harder modes.
  65. JoeB666
    Jul 16, 2013
    10
    *The metacritic score is out-of-date*, because, in only three months, the studio has fixed 175 bugs/game issues in Warlock: Master of the Arcane (the fixed issues are listed on the game's steam page).

    Few games are updated (much), post-release. For that reason, almost no reviewers update their reviews, post-release. This game has vastly improved, since it's release. Consequently, the    *The metacritic score is out-of-date*, because, in only three months, the studio has fixed 175 bugs/game issues in Warlock: Master of the Arcane (the fixed issues are listed on the game's steam page).

    Few games are updated (much), post-release. For that reason, almost no reviewers update their reviews, post-release. This game has vastly improved, since it's release. Consequently, the Metacritic score is now *at least* ten points two low. (I added twenty more points, because of the studio's dedication.)

    The profoundly long list of issues addressed by the developer in the three months since the game has been released can be found here: http://store.steampowered.com/news/?feed=steam_updates&appids=232050 (or search the Steam site for "Eador", and click "view update history" on the right-hand side of the game's page).

    How do I know that 175 bugs were fixed? I pasted the list of bug fixes into Word. It was over 200 lines in length. I eliminated those lines that weren't bug fixes. Each remaining line of text was a bug fix, and there were about 175 remaining lines.

    Should the game have been released without said bugs? Perhaps. (Although, in the Studio's defense,
    it can be extremely difficult to eliminate bugs without widespread bug testing and user testing, for technical reasons.) *But,* the developer has shown extreme dedication in eliminating said bugs. They deserve kudos for that fact. I don't believe the decision to eliminate the bugs was made by some bean counter--sadly, I'm not sure you could easily make the case to such a person that it's in the studio's self-interest to patch a released product. But the studio decided to, anyway.

    Both this game and Snowbird Game Studios deserve your support.    … Expand
  66. Evesath
    Oct 4, 2013
    8
    Haven't played so simple yet addictive turn-based strategy for quite a long while. Without any unnecessary plot it toss you right into the realm, when you rule your little kingdom. What I do also love about the game, is narrator's voice have you noticed? Same actor as in my beloved Majesty. Game performance is a little bit odd, noticeable slows down after few hours of playing restart helps.
  67. KrisIsHidden
    Jun 27, 2013
    10
    This game takes what's good about the fantasy Genre and smashes it with the strategic elements of Civilization bringing a new tactical strategy game that is delightfully refreshing and entertaining to play. I highly recommend this game to anyone seeking a fun experience, especially with friends, as the games multiplayer feature allows you to take on enemy lords at ranging difficulties withThis game takes what's good about the fantasy Genre and smashes it with the strategic elements of Civilization bringing a new tactical strategy game that is delightfully refreshing and entertaining to play. I highly recommend this game to anyone seeking a fun experience, especially with friends, as the games multiplayer feature allows you to take on enemy lords at ranging difficulties with or against your friends. That's not all It has another mode known as Armageddon that comes in the form of a DLC which adds a miniature mission based campaign where you and your friends must work together to push back a demonic threat that threatens the land. The DLC brings a very challenging and yet constructive addition to the game itself. Take a look at Warlock Masters Of The Arcane, you will not regret it.… Expand
  68. ccbeef
    Apr 30, 2016
    9
    Do you like Civ? Do you like winning Civ through combat? Do you like fantasy?

    In a few days, this game will be 4 years old. It's cheap af. I got it on HumbleBundle. I thought this would be a shallow reskin of Civ, but I was wrong. It's deep. And wide. It's honestly the best Civ experience I've ever had. Instead of researching tech, you research spells. Obviously, you'll have    Do you like Civ? Do you like winning Civ through combat? Do you like fantasy?

    In a few days, this game will be 4 years old. It's cheap af. I got it on HumbleBundle.

    I thought this would be a shallow reskin of Civ, but I was wrong. It's deep. And wide. It's honestly the best Civ experience I've ever had.

    Instead of researching tech, you research spells. Obviously, you'll have spells that do damage or buff/debuff, but you'll also have ones that permanently affect the map or cities. One of the earlier spells enables you to turn water into land, which was immensely helpful. Another makes land more fertile. Another makes your city generate more mana.

    So unit diversity? That's from resources, like in Civ. But instead of finding iron, you'll find a minotaur cave or a magic field or an elven village. It's great. I started off with humans, but by the end of the game, I was fielding elven archers, lizardfolk shamans, massive troll siege units, zombies, liches, elementals, minotaurs, and wolves.

    I struggle to imagine a better Civ combat experience. I suppose I would've liked something akin to fighter planes/jets. I suppose I'd like some infrastructure like roads/railroads. But I'm struggling. This game is fantastic. It's old now and, thus, cheap. If you're at all interested in games like this, just buy it.    … Expand
  69. bloodyshan
    Oct 17, 2014
    3
    I have to say I'm surprised that the famous Paradox Interactive made such a shabby game, I can't tell how much disappointment and frustration I got from the first 30 minutes of gameplay...
    First, the point and click of unit control is just so unintuitive, I don't even know how many movement point I have to take to get to a place, not to mention the unintentional wrong clicking or false    I have to say I'm surprised that the famous Paradox Interactive made such a shabby game, I can't tell how much disappointment and frustration I got from the first 30 minutes of gameplay...
    First, the point and click of unit control is just so unintuitive, I don't even know how many movement point I have to take to get to a place, not to mention the unintentional wrong clicking or false route the AI may take, I just can't bear with this kind of unclear control.
    Second thing is the map, there's no "whole map" view option in this game, and I'm so frustrated to find out that even the option for adjusting the scrolling speed on map browsing is missing...I'm pretty sure a 90's game may have such a feature, I just can't tell if it's intentionally ignored.
    If this game was out there in 90's or early 2k, I might stop whining and try to feel the intense similar to Civ or HoMM or so, but it's a 2012 game and I believe there are a lot to be reworked concerning UI and gameplay.    … Expand
  70. ThePCGamer101
    Jun 24, 2015
    7
    A wonderful strategy/simulation game, this is almost like Sid Meier's Civilization V but changed to include Wizards, monsters, creatures and other mystical beings
  71. Voyou
    May 20, 2021
    5
    Mister Tutorial talks a lot but doesn't explain much. Or he explains too late. Similarly, the interface is bloated but never offers the info or command you want. It all makes the rules unnecessarily long to understand. And the game certainly doesn't present anything that you haven't seen many times before.
  72. Kharn
    Jun 12, 2017
    10
    I keep dusting of this game every once in a while because it is so addictive. Took some time to learn how to survive, but that is because it requires some thinking here and there. Definitely one of my all time favourites.
  73. Broyax
    Apr 17, 2017
    2
    Jamais vu un jeu aussi capricieux : il se lance une fois sur deux, quand il veut bien se lancer ! parfois au bout d'une minute entière sans rien faire, parfois l'écran noir persiste plusieurs minutes (si on a la patience d'attendre jusque là...). Parfois il se lance du premier coup. On dirait une vieille bagnole qu'il faut pousser... et cela sur deux configs différentes (le fixe avec l'AMDJamais vu un jeu aussi capricieux : il se lance une fois sur deux, quand il veut bien se lancer ! parfois au bout d'une minute entière sans rien faire, parfois l'écran noir persiste plusieurs minutes (si on a la patience d'attendre jusque là...). Parfois il se lance du premier coup. On dirait une vieille bagnole qu'il faut pousser... et cela sur deux configs différentes (le fixe avec l'AMD et le portable avec la Nvidia !) et malgré un paquet de patches successifs.

    Forcément, au moment de la notation, cela s'en ressent... Toujours est-il que ce Warlock (avec son addiction au lock) n'est qu'un ersatz de Civilization 5 transposé dans un monde d'heroic-fantasy. Bon point tout de même avec l'interface repompée presque entièrement sur Civ ; mauvais point également, car la carte est peu lisible jusqu'à en devenir confuse. Ce n'est pas le tout de copier : il faut aussi faire les choses correctement et ce n'est pas le cas ici.

    De prime abord sympathique, le jeu finit par ennuyer assez rapidement dans sa répétitivité, son côté bien niais et la réalisation bas de gamme continue de tirer ce petit jeu minable vers le bas, c'est-à-dire au niveau d'un simple navet.    … Expand
  74. Laer
    Mar 14, 2017
    4
    Estrategia al puro estilo Civilization, pero por el contrario, basada puramente en la fantasía.

    Este juego me pone en un apuro, ya que veo que tiene todos los componentes para ser buena estrategia por turnos, pero sin embargo, le falta algo, ese toque que te hace querer seguir y seguir pasando turnos para avanzar y ver a tu imperio cada vez mas grande. Sin duda tiene buenas ideas, y    Estrategia al puro estilo Civilization, pero por el contrario, basada puramente en la fantasía.

    Este juego me pone en un apuro, ya que veo que tiene todos los componentes para ser buena estrategia por turnos, pero sin embargo, le falta algo, ese toque que te hace querer seguir y seguir pasando turnos para avanzar y ver a tu imperio cada vez mas grande.

    Sin duda tiene buenas ideas, y si te gusta el género, probablemente merezca la pena al menos echarle un vistado.    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

70
#70 Most Discussed PC Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
71

Mixed or average reviews - based on 35 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 35
  2. Mixed: 22 out of 35
  3. Negative: 0 out of 35
  1. Worth Playing
    Jan 22, 2013
    70
    Despite not explicitly saying so, Warlock: Master of the Arcane serves as a decent entry game for those who want to dabble in 4X strategy. Thanks to the lack of a decent tutorial and in-game instructions, the game still has a steep learning curve, and the lack of attention paid to the diplomatic aspects of the genre will leave some players overwhelmed once they move on to something with more substance.
    Read full review
  2. PC Master (Greece)
    Aug 31, 2012
    75
    Warlock does not offer something truly new to the genre and the components borrowed from Civilization far outnumber its renovations. The gameplay options offered may feel many, but are in fact, very limited: combat is over-simplified, diplomacy is poor, the religious element is non-existent and the actions you take in one turn are 90% the same. Despite that, the 'one more turn' magical effect can be felt at times. [July 2012]
  3. The Escapist
    Aug 2, 2012
    90
    A well-crafted, easy-to-play game with an entertaining fantasy bent, Warlock will have you staying up nights taking one more turn to blast King Rrat to kingdom come.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »