Lords of Magic: Special Edition

About

Urak, once peaceful, is now a land of darkness, chaos and death. The people yearn for a champion to drive away the forces of evil. That champion is you.

Genres & Tags

Role Playing

Play Modes

Lords of Magic: Special Edition screenshot

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 775 reviews

graphics38 positive mentions

stability18 negative mentions

Lords of Magic is a nostalgic classic that combines turn-based strategy with real-time combat, offering a unique gameplay experience.
The game features a variety of factions, each with distinct strengths and weaknesses, allowing for diverse strategies and replayability.
The soundtrack and atmosphere of the game are highly praised, contributing to an immersive experience.

The game suffers from outdated graphics and a clunky user interface, which may deter new players.
There are significant bugs, including crashes and issues with enemy unit spawns, which can disrupt gameplay.
The AI can be inconsistent, sometimes making illogical decisions, and the game has a steep learning curve that may frustrate beginners.

graphics
132 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
29%
56%
15%
The graphics of the game are widely regarded as dated and archaic, reflecting the technology of the late 90s, with many players noting that they may not appeal to modern audiences. However, some reviewers appreciate the charm and atmosphere of the visuals, considering them acceptable for their time and emphasizing that the gameplay and music compensate for the graphical shortcomings. Overall, while the graphics may not hold up well by today's standards, they are often seen as a nostalgic element of a classic game experience.
- “The graphics are very nice, quite colorful and well done for the time the game was made in.”
- “Heavily inspired by Lord of the Rings, this is one of the most unique games with beautiful old school graphics.”
- “The music, graphics, and sounds are timeless to me, and completely one-of-a-kind.”
- “The only real downside is that the graphics aren't great.”
- “This game is old and its graphics are archaic.”
- “The graphics are extremely dated.”
music
80 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
49%
4%
The music in the game is widely praised for its exceptional quality and atmospheric depth, with each faction featuring unique soundtracks that enhance the overall experience. Many players find the soundtrack, composed by Keith Zizza, to be legendary and timeless, providing a perfect backdrop for gameplay without becoming repetitive. Overall, the music is considered one of the standout elements of the game, contributing significantly to its charm and immersive fantasy atmosphere.
- “However, the absolute best part of this game has to be the amazing soundtrack - each faction has its own unique, thematic music, and the theme changes as you explore the lands of the other factions on the campaign map.”
- “The music is so atmospheric - both melancholic for a lost, dying world and epic for a fantasy adventure at the same time!”
- “The game is worth getting and playing just to listen to its wondrous soundtrack!”
- “The soundtrack is worth purchasing this game by itself.”
gameplay
72 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
65%
4%
The gameplay of this strategy game is noted for its depth and complexity, featuring unique mechanics tied to eight different faiths, turn-based overland travel, and real-time combat. While it set a revolutionary standard in its time, many players find that its mechanics have aged poorly, leading to clunky controls and a steep learning curve. Despite these issues, the nostalgic value and engaging tactical elements still resonate with fans, especially when enhanced by community mods.
- “Amazing gameplay, fun tactics, interesting spell system, and economics.”
- “The gameplay itself is fun, sensible, and keeps getting deeper the more one plays.”
- “The gameplay actually has a ton of depth to it, with each of the 8 faiths (the game's factions) having their own unique advantages and playstyle.”
- “This game is unpolished and certain mechanics like the real-time battles were not implemented well.”
- “The clumsy combat, obnoxious mechanics, and quite repetitive gameplay may kill it for you.”
- “Its gameplay and mechanics have just aged like milk.”
story
52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
71%
6%
The story of "Lords of Magic" is set in the fantasy world of Urak, where players navigate a rich narrative involving various factions tied to elemental and religious themes, all while seeking to defeat the sorcerer Balkoth. The game features multiple storylines that encourage replayability, and while some players find the narrative has not aged well, the depth of lore and the ability to create personal storylines enhance the overall experience. Additionally, the inclusion of the Legends of Urak quest pack offers a unique twist by allowing players to engage with Arthurian legends within the game's framework.
- “Lords of Magic has a great fantasy story with different factions whose powers are based on religions rooted in themes of the four elements, nature, chaos, order, life, and death.”
- “The story, the music, the atmosphere, the strategy, all are crafted together masterfully to create a cohesive and fulfilling fantasy experience.”
- “Each and every one of the 160+ spells has its own story text, revealing the culture, legends, and life of the people of each faith.”
- “Don't remember the story much, and unfortunately it didn't age well.”
- “It's unfortunate there wasn't a true second game to this game; it would have been fantastical to explore the world of Urak with a new story.”
- “I would invent my own storylines in my head and adventures and quests that my lords would go on, how they were related to each other, their motivations, etc. I guess combining it with the fleeting mind of a child was a great combination.”
replayability
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
50%
10%
The game boasts high replayability due to its diverse factions, champion classes, and strategic elements, allowing players to experience different gameplay styles with each playthrough. While some users note that replay value may diminish after exploring all races, the community-driven unofficial patches and the game's depth in politics and hero development contribute to its lasting appeal. Overall, players find it endlessly replayable, with each new game offering a unique experience.
- “I find the replay value very high, especially as you explore how each of the different faiths in the game feel and work.”
- “Politics, artifacts, and hero development make this little gem replayable for years to come.”
- “It's endlessly replayable; every new game plays out differently.”
- “It replayability is limited though once you have run through all of the races but worth the special price I got it at.”
- “But thankfully this game is held together by its awesome community with unofficial patches that can add more replayability to this game.”
- “While there are a few bugs, and it could be expanded more, for its content, its replay value is beyond compare.”
stability
22 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
82%
The game's stability is a significant concern, with users reporting persistent bugs, particularly in the map editor, leading to frequent crashes and freezes. While some players enjoy the nostalgic experience, many note that the Steam version is even buggier than they remember from its original release in 1997. Overall, the game is described as clunky and unstable, with limited troubleshooting success.
- “It runs great on Windows 8.1 and now I'll never lose my disk again.”
- “Runs great on Steam.”
- “Runs great on Steam.”
- “Had some good memories of the early 00's, but the Steam version is more buggy than I remember.”
- “It crashes a lot and freezes.”
- “Lords of Magic did have troubled development; it was a buggy mess that was beloved despite that, and the game wasn't completely fixed until support was discontinued.”
atmosphere
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
63%
19%
19%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive sound design, evocative music, and static artwork that together evoke a sense of magic, adventure, and mystery. Reviewers highlight the seamless integration of ambient sounds and unit phrases, which enhance the overall experience, making it feel both melancholic and epic. Despite its age, the atmospheric elements are considered a standout feature, contributing to a cohesive and fulfilling gameplay experience.
- “Dripping with atmosphere and excellent sound design, if you can look beyond its age and dig into the depth this game has to offer, you will not be disappointed.”
- “The music is so atmospheric - both melancholic for a lost, dying world and epic for a fantasy adventure at the same time!”
- “This was during a time when computers were very slow, so it relies on atmosphere and static artwork to get the point across.”
- “From the small phrases that each unit would say, to every ambient sound, the game created an atmosphere of magic, adventure, and mystery.”
- “The story, the music, the atmosphere, the strategy, all are crafted together masterfully to create a cohesive and fulfilling fantasy 5X - explore, expand, exploit, exterminate, and experience.”
grinding
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious, particularly in stronghold management and combat, which can feel clunky and repetitive. While the game offers strategic elements, the nostalgic appeal may not be enough to offset the frustrations caused by bugs and the overall grind.
- “Stronghold management can get tedious.”
- “Although the game is fun, unless you have the nostalgic draw to play the game, it can be very tedious at times. It has many bugs, such as the art pictures of characters becoming very pixelated and messed up. That's stage one; after a while, the loading screens will take on that effect as well. Stage three, it can happen to the whole world.”
- “The combat system is clunky and somewhat tedious, but basically strategic with missile units and mages usually doing most of the damage.”
optimization
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game initially struggled with optimization, lacking support for modern display resolutions and not running smoothly on contemporary PCs. However, a subsequent patch significantly improved performance, making it a more optimized experience overall.
- “This version, however, is a nicely optimized version.”
- “Then the patch came out that made the game actually run smoothly.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the humor in the game's nostalgic elements, particularly noting the irony of spending 600 hours on it in 2023, which they find amusing. The humor seems to stem from the game's consistency and the player's enduring enjoyment of it.
- “600 hours in 2023, that's funny.”
- “Funny thing was, the game was exactly as I remembered.”