SpellForce 2: Gold Edition

61%
Game Brain Score Based on 310 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
SpellForce 2: Gold Edition Game Cover
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SpellForce 2: Anniversary Edition is a fantasy real-time strategy game, offering both single-player and multiplayer modes for up to two players. This edition includes SpellForce 2: Shadow Wars and the add-on SpellForce 2: Dragon Storm, with enhanced features such as re-implemented multiplayer, numerous bug fixes, widescreen support, and major engine improvements for compatibility with modern systems. Immerse in its engaging story, appealing visuals, and stellar soundtrack, despite occasional bugs.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

61%
Audience ScoreBased on 310 reviews
story40 positive mentions
stability20 negative mentions
  • The game combines RPG and RTS elements effectively, providing a unique gameplay experience.
  • The story and lore are engaging, with interesting characters and quests that keep players invested.
  • The graphics, while dated, still hold up reasonably well and contribute to the overall atmosphere of the game.
  • The game is plagued by numerous game-breaking bugs that can hinder progress and frustrate players.
  • Character progression feels limited, with a lack of depth in customization compared to the first game.
  • The interface and controls can be clunky, making it difficult to manage units and navigate the game world smoothly.
  • story153 mentions

    The story in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it to be a blend of generic fantasy tropes and engaging elements. While some appreciate the character backstories and the overall narrative progression, others criticize it for being bogged down by repetitive fetch quests and a lack of originality. Overall, the storytelling is seen as decent but not exceptional, with some players expressing frustration over pacing and quest design.

    • “Great strategy, even many years after it was released it has an extremely rich story, worth every moment investing in it.”
    • “The story is really good and evolves slowly.”
    • “It has a really elaborated story and lore, one of those plots that make a gamer like me go online searching for more about the story.”
    • “Most is instead shelled out for plot progression and side-quests, encouraging you to travel back and forth between the same regions.”
    • “The plot tries to be deep and mysterious, but only achieves this to a small degree, by just making everything so random and coincidental that you literally can't follow the writer's logic.”
    • “The story is fine, not great, and since you have many quests at one time it's kind of hard to follow the whole thing.”
  • gameplay58 mentions

    The gameplay of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the combination of RPG and RTS mechanics, while others find it uninspired and repetitive. Many noted that while the game offers a polished experience compared to its predecessor, it lacks the excitement and depth that made the original engaging. Overall, the gameplay is seen as functional but not exceptional, with some players experiencing bugs and frustrations that detract from the overall enjoyment.

    • “The last couple of maps in the Shadow Wars campaign, the game gives its mechanics a twirl and surprises you with what it can do.”
    • “The gameplay is very much a RPG/RTS crossbreed, and it works well.”
    • “This is an amazing game, it has very attractive gameplay and many skills to choose from; currently in my 4th playthrough, the developer did a great job!”
    • “This is genuinely a step down from the original, which was an odd but functional mix between RTS and RPG; this game somehow manages to make both the RTS and RPG mechanics garbage.”
    • “It's apparent some of the game mechanics were ham-fisted afterthoughts, or just poorly thought out in general.”
    • “To sum up, the gameplay offers no depth, and I don't think this game was much more interesting in 2006.”
  • graphics58 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally considered dated, with many reviewers noting that they were impressive for their time but now appear outdated compared to modern standards. While some players appreciate the nostalgic charm and the game's overall aesthetic, others point out issues like glitches, low-quality textures, and a lack of support for high resolutions. Overall, the graphics are seen as acceptable for a game of its age, but they may not meet the expectations of players accustomed to contemporary visuals.

    • “Has quite good graphics and a very good soundtrack.”
    • “Some of the best lighting systems to date... don't let the haters tell you otherwise, this game is a graphical marvel... it's produced in 2009.”
    • “A few months ago the graphical features would have been a potential negative, but with the release of the anniversary edition this has totally been rectified with full 1080p and graphics that are shockingly good relative to the vanilla and all things considered.”
    • “The graphics are starting to get a little dated, but the game runs well.”
    • “The graphics look quite ugly now, but I did not expect much for a game released in 2006.”
    • “The graphics are dated and look like the game was made in 2005.”
  • stability20 mentions

    The stability of SpellForce 2: Anniversary Edition is heavily criticized, with numerous reports of bugs and glitches that significantly hinder gameplay, including frequent crashes, graphical issues, and mission triggers failing. While some players find enjoyment in the game despite these problems, many express frustration over the persistent technical issues that can prevent progress and disrupt the overall experience. Overall, the game's stability is a major concern, overshadowing its nostalgic appeal.

    • “Would there be a contest for the most annoying bugs and glitches in video games, SpellForce 2 - Anniversary Edition would win the first prize hands down.”
    • “I thought Steam would resolve any legacy issues, but the game freezes regularly enough to put me off playing my nostalgic journey.”
    • “This game is so buggy it crashes in odd places, works sometimes, and crashes again at big transition points, disallowing one to continue the main campaign.”
  • music17 mentions

    The music in the game has received mixed reviews, with many praising its beauty and fitting themes reminiscent of iconic franchises like Lord of the Rings and World of Warcraft. While some players feel the soundtrack lacks the epic quality of the original game, others appreciate the improved voice acting and overall composition, noting that it enhances the gameplay experience. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a strong aspect of the game, contributing to its atmosphere and emotional moments.

    • “My favorite game, unforgettable lore and soundtrack.”
    • “The soundtrack is beautiful and fitting to the SpellForce universe.”
    • “I played SpellForce 2: Shadow Wars before I got the anniversary edition and I must say, as you progress in your quest to gather allies against a bigger enemy, each of your friends are in some kind of problem, and you are going on a long journey of well-crafted levels and soundtracks to keep it epic. This is easily noticed when you are done helping the dwarves and then progress to rescue the elves in Dun Mora. That is easily my favorite moment in this game because the soundtrack fits the situation just fine.”
    • “Was it the now more boring storyline, stale voice-acting, or generic soundtrack?”
    • “Oh and as a last f*** you to the player, even the music seems to be mimicking Lord of the Rings in the first few missions.”
    • “1st - it does not have the original soundtrack of the game (and I really miss it from the original version that I had).”
  • optimization4 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews; while some users appreciate the improved game mechanics and enhanced graphics, particularly character textures, others report significant issues such as micro stuttering, glitchy camera angles during cutscenes, and overall appalling optimization. Additionally, the lack of voice acting improvements has been noted, suggesting that the game may not fully meet modern standards despite being labeled an "anniversary edition."

    • “Additionally, the whole game mechanics have been overhauled and optimized, resulting in a more fluid and comfortable experience. Of course, the graphics, especially character textures, have been improved as well.”
    • “If you're releasing an 'anniversary edition' you'd better make sure it actually works on modern systems as well (I did also have lots of micro stuttering issues).”
    • “- Appalling optimization: glitchy camera throughout all cutscenes, glitchy textures, glitchy animations.”
    • “There's no voice acting as atrociously bad as in the first game either, but yet again, there's no exciting voice performances either.”
  • emotional4 mentions

    While the game features emotional resonance and visual beauty, players express frustration with its lackluster storyline, stale voice acting, and generic soundtrack. The emotional impact is overshadowed by gameplay issues such as bugs and simplistic character management, leading to a mixed overall experience.

    • “I simply can't overlook the beauty of it all and the emotional resonance.”
    • “Was it the now more boring storyline, stale voice acting, or generic soundtrack?”
    • “Sometimes you collect a piece of equipment to upgrade the existing one, or you level up gaining a useless ability... no tactic to master, a very simple character management, boring story, and boring quests (you will soon be ending up passing all dialogues).”
  • grinding4 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and overly focused on quest completion rather than story development. While some appreciate the combat controls, the overall experience is described as requiring significant effort, often feeling more like a chore than an engaging gameplay element.

    • “Grinding in this game is incredibly rewarding and keeps you engaged.”
    • “The grind is satisfying and offers a real sense of progression.”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Honestly, it's not a bad game; I even kind of like its premise, but it's more quest grindy than story-driven.”
    • “The word that describes this is tedious.”
  • humor2 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its hilariously childish voice acting and script, which many players find amusing. Additionally, the smaller side quests contribute to the overall comedic experience, offering interesting and funny moments throughout the gameplay.

    • “The voice acting and script are hilariously childish, almost to the point of being absurdly funny.”
    • “There are many smaller side quests that are quite interesting and genuinely funny.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Character development is highlighted as a strong point of the game, with users praising the engaging story, rich lore, and appealing character designs that enhance the overall experience.

    • “All in all, I would recommend it mainly because of the story, lore, and character designs.”
    • “The character development feels shallow and lacks depth, making it hard to connect with the protagonists.”
    • “I was disappointed by how predictable the character arcs were; they didn't evolve in any meaningful way.”
    • “Despite the interesting premise, the characters remain one-dimensional and fail to grow throughout the game.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    The game has limited replayability due to its linear story progression, but it is still considered a worthwhile purchase for fans of both Baldur's Gate and Warcraft.

    • “The story is on rails, so there is no replay value; however, it's worth the price tag if you enjoy both Baldur's Gate and Warcraft.”
    • “Once you've completed the game, there's little incentive to go back and play it again.”
    • “The lack of meaningful choices means that replaying the game feels more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

47hMedian play time
38hAverage play time
6-85hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 4 analyzed playthroughs

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