Age of Wonders II: The Wizard's Throne

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Age of Wonders II: The Wizard's Throne is a single player and multiplayer role playing game with a fantasy theme. It was developed by Triumph Studios and was released on September 30, 2010. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

Age of Wonders II: The Wizard's Throne is a turn-based strategy game set in a high fantasy world. As a powerful sorcerer, you lead your faction to conquer and control diverse environments and enemies. The game features tactical combat, diplomacy, and deep exploration, with a wide range of magical spells and abilities to master. Your choices and strategic decisions will shape the fate of your kingdom and the world.

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79%

Audience ScoreBased on 340 reviews

story12 positive mentions

stability4 negative mentions

The game offers a fun and engaging turn-based strategy experience with many possible combinations and strategies.
It retains the charm of classic games with decent graphics and a nostalgic feel, making it enjoyable for long sessions.
The addition of unique magic spheres and the ability to establish new cities adds depth and variety to the gameplay.

The game suffers from numerous technical issues, including crashes, resolution problems, and poor AI behavior that can hinder the experience.
Combat mechanics can be frustrating due to bad RNG, where units frequently miss their targets, making strategy feel less impactful.
The campaign is linear and lacks the depth of its predecessor, with a story that fails to engage players fully.

story
60 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
20%
75%
5%
The story in Age of Wonders II is generally viewed as engaging but not as strong as its predecessor, relying on familiar fantasy tropes. While some players find the campaign's structure and character development compelling, others feel it lacks depth and guidance, leading to frustration. Overall, the narrative is considered enjoyable and capable of sustaining player interest, despite some criticisms regarding its execution and reliance on generic themes.
- “The story of the second part focuses on the wizards, who have mastered one of the spheres of magic and rule over a race most compatible with that sphere.”
- “The gameplay is extremely smooth, there are no balancing issues that I have experienced, and the story of the campaign is one of the extremely few that I can truly say is epic.”
- “But the story was so riveting that I never lost my drive.”
- “Then there is the story... nothing worthy to write about.”
- “You'll find the story relies rather heavily on generic fantasy tropes, taken very seriously, that can almost seem compelling if you relax your mind a bit and let the music (which, as is usual for the Age of Wonders series, is excellent) wash over you.”
- “While some of the improvements made over the first game were really great in my opinion, others weren't, and the story - while still being okay for most of it - wasn't nearly as good as the first game's.”
gameplay
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
22%
71%
7%
"Age of Wonders 2: The Wizard's Throne" offers a rich and diverse gameplay experience that builds on its predecessor, emphasizing magic and introducing unique mechanics like spirits. While the game features solid mechanics and an engaging campaign, some players find the user interface confusing and the gameplay challenging, with occasional balancing issues. Overall, it remains a beloved classic, though some feel it falls short compared to "Age of Wonders 3."
- “Age of Wonders 2: The Wizard's Throne is a worthy continuation of the legendary series that successfully evolves the mechanics of the first part, offering players a deeper and more diverse gameplay experience.”
- “The gameplay is extremely smooth, there are no balancing issues that I have experienced, and the story of the campaign is one of the extremely few that I can truly say is epic.”
- “For a fairly old game, the mechanics are straightforward and easy to learn, and I haven't encountered any bugs.”
- “The only things that detract from it being a stellar game are the sometimes confusing moving options and mechanics.”
- “Don't waste your money on this, very confusing and inaccessible UI and gameplay.”
- “It's got solid mechanics but it can just be mind-numbingly difficult at times.”
graphics
40 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
60%
15%
The graphics of the game are generally considered dated, reflecting its age of over a decade, with some users noting issues like black screens and poor compatibility with modern monitors. While many acknowledge the visuals as pleasant and vibrant, they also mention glitches and clunky interfaces. Overall, the graphics are seen as acceptable for an older title, but they do detract from the experience for some players.
- “The game offers some pleasant graphics and really vibrant colors, although some ugly glitches here and there, it is pleasant all the same.”
- “With beautiful graphics, a smart AI, and a dragon’s hoard of replayability, Age of Wonders II is a winner.”
- “Timeless graphics and soundtrack that will envelop you.”
- “The graphics and interface and general game design are clunky and difficult to use until you learn how.”
- “Loses major points to graphics/age of game.”
- “The graphics aren't great but this isn't a remaster version and the game is old so it's expected.”
music
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
55%
15%
The music in the game is widely praised for its relaxing and immersive qualities, with many reviewers calling it "god-tier" and a significant reason to purchase the game. While some note that it can be repetitive compared to previous installments, the overall sound design and soundtrack contribute to a captivating fantasy atmosphere that enhances the gameplay experience.
- “The music alone is worth the purchase.”
- “Stunning background music, good balance.”
- “Timeless graphics and soundtrack that will envelop you.”
- “My only complaint is the music is much more repetitive than AOW1.”
- “The music, the combat, the spells, the sprites... everything is just fantastic and has a glorious fantasy feel to it.”
- “You'll find the story relies rather heavily on generic fantasy tropes, taken very seriously, that can almost seem compelling if you relax your mind a bit and let the music (which, as is usual for the Age of Wonders series, is excellent) wash over you.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
Overall, users report that while the game has nostalgic appeal and vibrant graphics, it suffers from various bugs and glitches, particularly in its adaptation for modern PCs. If these issues were resolved, players believe the experience would be significantly improved.
- “The adaptation for modern PC is a bit buggy.”
- “Although there are some ugly glitches here and there, it is pleasant all the same.”
- “The game offers some pleasant graphics and really vibrant colors, but the stability issues detract from the experience.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
25%
25%
50%
"Age of Wonders II" is praised for its significant replayability, attributed to its beautiful graphics and intelligent AI, making it a standout title that encourages multiple playthroughs.
- “Massive replay value.”
- “With beautiful graphics, a smart AI, and a dragon’s hoard of replayability, Age of Wonders II is a winner.”
- “- massive replay value.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be somewhat tedious, yet it remains enjoyable and engaging even after a decade, despite the outdated graphics and controls.
- “The grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
- “I find the grinding mechanics to be a major drag, as they take away from the overall enjoyment of the game.”
- “The amount of grinding required to progress is overwhelming and detracts from the fun.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Reviewers highlight the nostalgic quality of the atmosphere, emphasizing the impactful original soundtrack (OST) and its ability to evoke fond memories, contributing to a charming old-school vibe.
- “The OST, the old-school atmosphere, brings back so many memories! :)”
- “The OST, the old-school atmosphere, brings back so many memories! :)”

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10h Median play time

10h Average play time

10-10h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Age of Wonders II: The Wizard's Throne is a role playing game with fantasy theme.

Age of Wonders II: The Wizard's Throne is available on PC, Windows and Linux.

On average players spend around 10 hours playing Age of Wonders II: The Wizard's Throne.

Age of Wonders II: The Wizard's Throne was released on September 30, 2010.

Age of Wonders II: The Wizard's Throne was developed by Triumph Studios.

Age of Wonders II: The Wizard's Throne has received mostly positive reviews from players. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its stability.

Age of Wonders II: The Wizard's Throne is a single player game with multiplayer support.

Similar games include Age of Wonders Shadow Magic, Age of Wonders, Warlock: Master of the Arcane, Heroes of Might & Magic V, Disciples II: Rise of the Elves and others.

Age of Wonders II: The Wizard's Throne

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