Majesty 2
- September 17, 2009
- 1C:InoCo
- 102h median play time
Majesty 2 stands out as a unique take on the RTS genre but it does not offer anything else compelling.
Majesty 2 is a fantasy-themed real-time strategy game where you guide a kingdom by controlling its hero characters. Your goal is to build and expand your kingdom, complete quests, and defend against enemies, all while managing resources and using diplomacy. The game features a unique indirect control system, where heroes act based on their own free will, adding a layer of unpredictability to the gameplay.
Reviews
- Unique gameplay that combines strategy and RPG elements, allowing players to manage a kingdom without direct control over heroes.
- Challenging missions that require strategic thinking and adaptation, providing a rewarding experience when successfully completed.
- Humorous narration and charming graphics that enhance the overall experience.
- Severe difficulty spikes in missions, often overwhelming players with relentless enemy attacks before they can establish a defense.
- Poor AI behavior, with heroes often ignoring threats and failing to respond effectively to danger, leading to frustrating gameplay.
- Technical issues, including crashes and bugs related to frame rate, which can make the game unplayable for some users.
- story233 mentions
- 9 % positive mentions
- 87 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story in Majesty 2 is described as intriguing yet inconsistent, with a mix of comedic elements and frustratingly difficult missions that often feel unbalanced. Players appreciate the ability to promote heroes and carry them over to future missions, but many express dissatisfaction with the repetitive nature of quests and the overwhelming difficulty spikes that can lead to a reliance on luck rather than strategy. Overall, while the game retains some charm from its predecessor, it suffers from issues that detract from the narrative experience, making it feel less cohesive and engaging.
“Majesty 2 tells an intriguing, yet harrowing story about the death of the nuclear family because of a company who released a game beloved by many over two decades ago only to release this meth head's wet dream of a good time as a follow-up.”
“The quests are nice and give flavor to the game.”
“Very interesting story behind each level for a sim game.”
“Majesty 2's writing team probably would have benefited from a strict editor who could have done away with some of the weaker jokes in favor of a story that was willing to take itself a little more seriously.”
“The difficulty of the campaign is also inconsistent, with some missions being horrifically unbalanced struggles, only to be followed by a relatively simple adventure.”
“The campaign has no incentive to replay, and the missions are all pretty much the same.”
- gameplay86 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Majesty 2 has received mixed reviews, with many players appreciating its unique indirect control mechanics and engaging strategy elements, while others criticize it for being clunky, frustrating, and lacking the depth of the original game. The game offers a challenging experience that can be rewarding for strategy enthusiasts, but its AI issues and steep difficulty spikes may deter casual players. Overall, while it retains some charm and humor, many feel it falls short of expectations set by its predecessor.
“None so much as this game, both due to the sheer amount of content it provides, the gameplay loop, and the hero reactivity to what you're asking them to do.”
“Its fast-paced and simple gameplay make it addictive.”
“The game is rather challenging, looks pretty good even today, and the gameplay mechanic that you don't directly control your units is something really interesting and fun.”
“Even beyond technical issues, the general design and function of the gameplay is very lacking compared to the original game.”
“The gameplay is mediocre and it feels like the game could do so much more, but in the end developers decided to take the easy and cheap route, making an average game that is not really worth the time.”
“However, the absolutely terrible gameplay more than dashes any hope that this game could in any way be considered fun.”
- graphics45 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 60 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with some praising the updated visuals and smooth animations, while others feel that the new 3D graphics lack the charm of the original 2D style. Many users appreciate the improved graphics for their time, but some criticize the cartoonish aesthetic and believe it detracts from the game's overall tone. Overall, the graphics are considered decent, with a blend of positive and negative feedback regarding their execution and impact on gameplay.
“This is one of my favorite franchises of all time - lovely retro graphics, nice animations, and unique gameplay make this one of its kind.”
“The improved graphics and effects are a big bonus.”
“Great strategy game, great graphics, and a great role of play.”
“The general aesthetic is also severely lacking.”
“The graphics and animations are horrible.”
“It's one of those classic scenarios where game developers make a second game without putting the spirit of the original into it; they just made it with way better graphics, which is definitely not what matters. It feels to me like they didn't even playtest the game.”
- humor29 mentions
- 97 % positive mentions
- -7 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is a standout feature, with many players appreciating the funny voice acting, quirky character interactions, and amusing dialogue, particularly from the narrator. While some found the humor to be hit-or-miss, with certain jokes feeling forced or cringe-inducing, the overall comedic tone adds charm and enjoyment to the gameplay experience. Despite its challenging difficulty, players often found themselves motivated to progress just to hear more of the humorous commentary.
“It's funny that a hero will completely ignore something very important happening around him, like undead spewing from the graveyard and killing nearby villagers, and decide to go shopping instead of helping.”
“The humor in Majesty II is fantastic.”
“You would want to progress in the campaign just to hear what funny things your advisor has to say next.”
“All the character dialogue is lousy and not funny or badass like the first game.”
“The jokes fall flat and feel forced, lacking the charm of previous installments.”
“I expected clever humor, but instead, it was just cringeworthy and uninspired.”
- music11 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising the soundtrack as relaxing, catchy, and well-suited to the game's atmosphere. Some users highlighted the quality of the sound design and the variety of musical styles, while a few expressed disappointment, calling the music terrible. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong aspect of the game, contributing positively to the overall experience.
“Majesty 2 is a truly remarkable game with a magnificent soundtrack.”
“The soundtrack is one of the best; it's really relaxing and pleasant.”
“Atmosphere and music in the game are also really well done.”
“The music is absolutely terrible.”
- stability9 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The stability of Majesty 2 and its expansions is widely criticized, with users reporting numerous bugs, balancing issues, and frequent freezing during saving, which can corrupt save files. While some players find the gameplay concept enjoyable, the overall experience is marred by significant technical problems, leading many to advise against purchasing the game.
“As much as I love the original game, Majesty 2 is a buggy piece of garbage with major balancing issues.”
“About 3% of the time it freezes during saving (destroying the save file with it) - so make sure you use at least 2 save files.”
“Monster Kingdom is extremely buggy; further on in the game, it would be much more fun if it was stable.”
- grinding9 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- -22 % neutral mentions
- 89 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the game suffers from excessive grinding, with many players feeling let down by its monotonous quest structure and lack of depth. While some appreciate the visual reboot and find it a fun timewaster, the overall consensus is that the grind detracts from the experience, making it feel hollow and tedious, especially in the expansions.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
“The grind is satisfying and offers a real sense of progression.”
“Poor balance and grindy in its own way.”
“The biggest problems with Majesty 2 is the fact that the game is exceptionally grindy for a so-called fantasy kingdom sim...which it isn't at all.”
“It feels rather hollow and grindy after a certain point and needs some more depth to it.”
- replayability7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 14 % neutral mentions
- 43 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate the randomize mode that enhances replay value, others find the limited number of missions and steep difficulty curve diminish overall replayability. Overall, opinions vary, with some considering it highly replayable and others feeling it lacks depth for repeated playthroughs.
“The replayability is immense due to the randomized setup option.”
“The randomize mode adds extra replay value.”
“It's so replayable!”
“You get the mechanics very quickly, and the replayability is not that great, though.”
“I hesitate to say it's a 'bad' game; it just isn't that great, and replayability is low, at least for me.”
“About four missions are playable, but after that, the difficulty level increases enormously.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is generally praised for its magical quality and well-executed music, though some users lament the loss of the darker ambiance present in the first installment. Overall, it creates an engaging and immersive experience for players.
“The atmosphere and music in the game are also really well done.”
“Magical atmosphere... I love this game!”
“It's a shame that this version abandoned the dark atmosphere of Majest 1.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a cash grab, with users recommending the HD version of the original game instead, suggesting that the developers rushed this release to capitalize on its name rather than delivering a quality product.
“Do yourself a favor and buy the HD version of the original game and skip this embarrassing cash grab that the devs seemed to throw together in 5 minutes, hoping to rake in easy money.”
“The monetization in this game is so aggressive that it feels like a constant push to spend more rather than enjoy the gameplay.”
“It's disappointing to see a game with such potential ruined by a paywall that locks essential features behind a hefty price tag.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is characterized as brilliant yet confusing, creating a unique but potentially disorienting experience for players.
“It's brilliant but emotionally confusing, which is an odd mix some might say.”