Realms
| Developer: Graftgold | Graphics: |
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| Publisher: Virgin | Sound: |
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| Year: 1991 | Difficulty: |
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| Genre: Strategy | Lastability: |
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| Number of players: 1 | Rating: |
7/10 | |
Realms is a real time strategy game based on Tolkien’s mythology. You’ve just inherited a kingdom that you must make thrive at the expense of others.
There are, we could say, two main aspects to focus on. First, the daily management of your towns and villages, dealing with the challenges of tax collection (essential for funding your conquest dreams), food production, defense against external threats, and managing epidemics. This part remains simplistic, even tedious, especially when the number of cities under your control grows. On the other hand, it’s easy to understand what’s expected of us to maintain the loyalty of our subjects, and then the more fun part kicks in: the military campaign.
Yes, why on earth did the game have you raise with love thousands of orcs? To give each one a little helmet, a little axe, and send them off on the roads to exterminate everything that isn’t greenish and slobbering, with a crooked grin! But as we’re not sectarian, you’re free to lead one of the rival factions: elves, dwarves, barbarians, amazons, or the northern people.
Once your army is built, equipped, and motivated (in other words, paid), it’s time to send it into battle. In addition to city sieges and plundering (oops, sorry, capturing and governing…), the game puts you front and center, letting you watch large-scale battles where thousands of soldiers joyously rip each other apart in the middle of the plain. Admittedly, it’s symbolic, with little figures representing entire regiments. Nevertheless, you still have considerable influence over the course of these battles.
For example, a smart formation choice, a well-timed cavalry maneuver while your archers tear into the enemy ranks, and finally, a surge of your infantry onto the remnants of the defeated enemy army… Great Success!
What? That was my army?
As for the ergonomics … it could be worse. The interface is fairly clear, but I strongly advise having a manual or guide at hand before diving in. After all, we’re on Amiga…
On the other hand, the lack of complexity may disappoint genre specialists.
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