Vandal Hearts

25.10.1996
Critic 80/100
Users 89/100
You assume the role of Ash Lambert, a hero torn between saving his country and restoring honor to the disgraced Lambert dynasty. As he struggles with his inner demons and personal problems, he will meet various companions throughout his journey. They will help your character fight to overthrow the oppressive regime and ward off an ancient being that threatens the world. Vandal-Hearts is a 3D turn-based strategy game. Unlike many games of the genre, the various battlefields have sloped surfaces that will either work to your advantage or against you. It will be up to you to accommodate your strategy and amount an appropriate offensive assault against your foes as well as set up defensive measures.
Thousands of years ago, the holy man known to history as Toroah the Messiah traveled far and wide across the continent of Sostegaria, spreading his teachings throughout the land. After his death, his descendants and heirs assumed absolute political power over the region, forming the basis of the Holy Ashah Dynasty and ruling through a combination of religious doctrine and military power for millennia. The kings and queens of the Holy Ashah Dynasty, however, did not always rule wisely or justly, and, as time passed, the citizenry began to resent the power of their leaders. Fifteen years ago, this growing discontent found its ultimate expression in the person of Arris the Sage, who united the disparate anti-royal factions throughout Sostegaria and shaped them into a powerful guerrilla army. Under the cunning leadership of Arris, this Liberation Army managed to outwit and outmaneuver the Royal Army, and finally smashed through to the palace of the Ashah Dynasty itself, and burnt it to the ground. With the monarchy dissolved, the rebels establish a ruling council founded on the principles of democracy and popular sovereignty. From the ashes of the Holy Ashah Empire emerges the Republic of Ishtaria. The leaders of the revolution naturally assumed leadership positions within the new republic: all, that is, except for Arris himself, who suddenly disappeared and has not been seen of, nor heard of, ever since. Today, the fledgling republic is in increasingly dire straits: the autocratic Minister of Defense, Hel Spites, and his elite anti-terrorism squad, the Crimson Guard, are using ever-increasing force to stamp out the last vestiges of resistance to Ishtarian rule, while they allow outlaws to roam the countryside and pirates to sail the seas. Meanwhile, Ash Lambert and his colleagues at the third battalion of the Ishtarian Security Forces begin to suspect a conspiracy at the highest levels of government. Ash's attempts to draw attention to the situation, though, only draw the ire of the conspirators themselves, leaving only Ash and his allies to foil their plans and restore order to the nation. After the credits, an extra cutscene is available that shows Eleni hearing Ash's ocarina theme while claiming "he" has come back.

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Vandal Hearts

20.01.2010

A new entry in the Vandal Hearts series, Flames of Judgement follows the story of young orphan Tobias Martin as he bands together with his schoolmates to help defend his homeland against a rival kingdom. The story acts as a prequel to the original Vandal Hearts. The series' trademark isometric combat returns, now presented in 3-D with 3-D character models. Players attempt to position themselves tactically to gain an advantage over stronger (or more numerous) foes. Combat takes place in turns, with each side moving one character per turn. Each party member can carry two weapons and switch between them without using up a "turn," allowing them to shift quickly from a sword to a long-range bow, for example. Characters gain levels through successful battles, and increase skills with a particular weapon or spell by using that weapon or spell in combat. Many engagements expand beyond simple combat by introducing some sort of puzzle element, ranging from pushing boulders to protecting characters from attackers. Missions may also radically update their goals as progress is made. In addition to the standard game, there are also multiple endings and multiple "secret maps" unlocked across the regular levels.

08.07.1999

Vandal Hearts II is a tactical role-playing game for the PlayStation and the sequel to Vandal Hearts.

25.10.1996

You assume the role of Ash Lambert, a hero torn between saving his country and restoring honor to the disgraced Lambert dynasty. As he struggles with his inner demons and personal problems, he will meet various companions throughout his journey. They will help your character fight to overthrow the oppressive regime and ward off an ancient being that threatens the world. Vandal-Hearts is a 3D turn-based strategy game. Unlike many games of the genre, the various battlefields have sloped surfaces that will either work to your advantage or against you. It will be up to you to accommodate your strategy and amount an appropriate offensive assault against your foes as well as set up defensive measures.

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31.07.1999

Lord Draak's henchmen are spreading chaos in Uma. Are you going to let them get away with it?

02.08.2005

The Battle for Wesnoth is a turn-based tactical strategy game with a high fantasy theme. Build up a great army, gradually turning raw recruits into hardened veterans. In later games, recall your toughest warriors and form a deadly host whom none can stand against! Choose units from a large pool of specialists, and hand-pick a force with the right strengths to fight well on different terrains against all manner of opposition. Wesnoth has many different sagas waiting to be played. Fight to regain the throne of Wesnoth, of which you are the legitimate heir... step into the boots of a young officer sent to guard a not-so-sleepy frontier outpost... lead a brutal quest to unite the orcish tribes... vanquish a horde of undead warriors unleashed by a foul necromancer, who also happens to have taken your brother hostage... guide a band of elvish survivors in an epic quest to find a new home... get revenge on the orcs by using the foul art of necromancy... There are at least two hundred unit types, sixteen races, six major factions, and hundreds of years of history. The world of Wesnoth is absolutely huge and only limited by your creativity — make your own custom units, create your own maps, and write your own scenarios or even full-blown campaigns. You can also challenge up to eight friends—or strangers—and fight in epic multiplayer fantasy battles.

31.03.2014

Age of Wonders III, like the previous games in the series is a turn-based strategy game set within a high fantasy universe where the player assumes the role of a political-military leader. Gameplay is 4X-based (explore, expand, exploit and exterminate) where players explore the world map, slowly building an empire through colonization, warfare and diplomacy with rival powers. However new to III is the greater addition of role-playing game features, where players must first choose and customize their leader, all options dependant on the player's chosen style of play. There are six available races in the initial release: humans, draconians, high elves, dwarves, orcs, and goblins, all that will determine the race of their empire with each having unique perks and abilities. The leader and empire is further shaped by the choice from skill sets based on traditional RPG classes along with further specializations and skills to select. Each leader class also has access to their own unique units with a distinct visual look based on their corresponding race, each to accommodate their own unique approach to strategy, both in combat and when managing their empire. On release there are six different classes a leader can be. The "Sorcerer" class emphasizes the use of magic for enchantments and summoning powerful units. The "Theocrat" derives from an organized religion based society including zealots followers and the use of holy spells and warriors. The "Rogue" favors less direct approaches to situations, employing stealth, thievery and manipulation aswell as dark magic in diplomacy and warfare. The "Archdruid" channels the power of nature, using it to their advantage by being very self-sufficient and being able to call upon wild creatures. The "Dreadnaught" leads a steampunk styled society, using large industry, machinery and gunpowder-based units like cannons and tanks. Finally the "Warlord" specializes in direct conflict and combat tactics, utilizing effective non-magic based units and abilities. Leaders themselves and separate recruitable hero units will be able to gain experience and level up, while also being able to gain new equipment and powers. Players can also develop their alignment between good and evil based on their player's actions and the cultures the player absorbs into their empire, rather than race like the previous games in the series. Cities themselves provide much of the resources, infrastructure and host to unit recruitment. Independent cities and units not immediately aligned to any player/leader are also present in the world map. Units that come from an unaffiliated city will fight to protect a city's domain, and they won't forget that they're tied to it. Many of these independent settlements aren't cities in the traditional sense, but can be alternative settlements, like a "Giant's Keep" for example. The player can conquer these holdings, which will provide units like a city, or they can absorb them through diplomatic means by paying tribute and diplomatic and/or alignment standing. Quests can also be given to players by independent forces and cities, including but not limited to clearing out wild units, searching for relics and even conquering cities and other holdings. Quests can grant the support of independent forces for player in addition to a reward such as gold or equipment, sometimes with the choice of either given to the player upon completion of the quest. As in the case of the first game in the series, Age of Wonders III offers a story-driven campaign that is playable from two sides, the human-centric Commonwealth Empire and the Court of the High Elves. In addition to the campaign; single-player scenarios, online multiplayer, random map generation and a map editor are also available. The graphics of Age of Wonders III will be presented in 3D instead of the isometric view the series has utilized up to this point.

28.11.2003

In a world beyond imagination... In their immeasurable greed and constant thirst for power, the thirteen most powerful Mages of all time doomed the land, hurling it into an endless spiral of chaos and despair. Entire countries were wiped out in the blink of an eye when the devastating power of the Elements was unleashed – Elements summoned by dark rituals. Continents shattered like glass, the pieces strewn about like leaves in the wind. Huge armies, bound by the the power of ancient runes, brought war and destruction to the lands that survived the initial onslaught. All that was left were a few islands, connected by magic portals. Now, only a few years after the end of the Convocation, evil is back – stronger and more powerful than ever before – to finish what was started. Yet there is still hope. The prophecies tell of a human. A human damned to immortality, bound forever by the power of the blood runes… Soon, the time will come when the power of one may change the destiny of many. For better or for worse... Summary of the most important features: Innovative game design: The unique mixture of RTS and RPG elements offers a brand new game experience. High degree of identification with the hero-avatar, whose skills and strengths can be improved by the player Click’n’Fight: This revolutionary control system guarantees instant action, the best possible overview and completely new tactical possibilities in battle 6 races – Humans, Dwarves, Elves, Dark Elves, Orcs and Trolls – that can be used simultaneously (!) to build settlements and fight battles More than 30 different enemy races, from cowardly goblins to powerful demons and dragons A multitude of spells, divided into different categories of magic (white, black, elemental, etc.) Persistant game world with continuous, gripping storyline and myriad sub-quests Awe-inspiring 3D graphics with zoom levels from isometric to 1st-Person-views

29.09.2015

Our story takes place during a war of succession. The Empress’ murder has left a realm in flames with many hungry rivals ready to seize the throne by force. The Duke Ivan then calls together a prestigious council of six trusted advisors to restore order and end the conflict that set ablaze Ashan’s lands. Might & Magic® Heroes VII makes a triumphant return bringing you the essence of turn based strategy gaming. Set in a fantasy universe with RPG progression with a strong story narrative, you will embark on a journey that you will never forget!

23.10.2012

A World to Build… or Destroy. “A war is coming… a war between East and West - between Kingdoms and Empires, between man and Fallen. A future of blood and death, of chaos and destruction.” – the Oracle Ceresa.

15.10.2020

Tears of Avia is a turn-based tactical RPG. Play with up to 5 classes and hundreds of skills, finding the best synergy with your party and their skill loadout will mean the difference between success and failure. Run a balanced party or roll nothing but warriors, the choice is yours. With some skills being weapon bound rather than class bound, there are endless possibilities for you to experiment from.

24.03.2017

Battle Brothers is a turn based strategy RPG mix which has you leading a mercenary company in a gritty, low-power, medieval fantasy world. You decide where to go, whom to hire or to fight, what contracts to take and how to train and equip your men in a procedurally generated open world campaign. Do you have what it takes to lead them through bloody battles and to victory? The game consists of a strategic worldmap and a tactical combat layer. On the worldmap you can freely travel in order to take contracts that earn you good coin, find places worth looting, enemies worth pursuing or towns to resupply and hire men at. This is also where you manage, level up and equip your Battle Brothers. Once you engage a hostile party the game will switch to a tactical map where the actual fighting takes place as detailed turn based combat.

26.07.2019

Here, order is maintained by the Church of Seiros, which hosts the prestigious Officer’s Academy within its headquarters. You are invited to teach one of its three mighty houses, each comprised of students brimming with personality and represented by a royal from one of three territories. As their professor, you must lead your students in their academic lives and in turn-based, tactical RPG battles wrought with strategic, new twists to overcome. Which house, and which path, will you choose?

30.04.2019

Fell Seal: Arbiter's Mark is a story-driven, turn-based tactical RPG set in a fantasy world with a touch of steampunk. Take control of the Arbiter Kyrie, an agent of the Immortal Council tasked with preserving stability and order throughout the land, and lead your troops through difficult encounters. Experience an epic and mature story, unfolding through over 40 story encounters and topped with challenging end-game content. Classic tactical combat battles, with rugged terrain and elevation, taking place on beautiful hand-drawn environments. A deep and complex class system with over 30 classes and 300 abilities lets you truly customize every one of your characters through the selection of their class, sub-class and passives. Carefully craft the character you envision, be it a versatile generalist, a dedicated spell-caster or a mighty foe-crushing specialist! Customize your troops' appearance your way, by selecting their portrait, outfit, colors and overall visuals from a wide selection. Equip your army with over 240 pieces of equipment, either purchased, gathered from fallen enemies or created from crafting.

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