Re: Review?
 

Damn Jurri is tough http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif.

Maverni (me) vs. Yomi (Jurri), a 32 random map, we are already at turn 32.

http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/4549/8ro6.jpg

Jurris main army attacked my main army strategically camping before his capitol binding his forces:
http://img243.imageshack.us/img243/7025/9oo5.jpg

My army:
http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/889/10ny7.jpg

My army could rout Jurris army, but it was a phyrrhic victory and strategically a defeat for me http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif.
http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/7729/11ec5.jpg

Unfortunately the 4 dead commanders are only hanyas and sorcerors http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif.

Jurris Dai Oni become more and more problematic http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/evil.gif

Re: Review?
 

Hahaha, I like it how both of yours lines made a huge drop.

Re: Review?
 

Boron, you got your Dominions 3. copy already?!

Re: Review?
 

My review on first impression is that it's everything I liked about Dominions 2 but in much cleaner format, with added perks, and more consistency.

I like the Eras a lot. It does feel like nations are playing on even footing, whereas it felt like certain nations in the old game (looking at you, plain Ulm) just weren't quite as viable. In the new game, I'm really pleased with the way each nation I've tried stacks up against others.

As a brief rundown:

R'lyeh Dreamlands - Beautiful. I almost wonder if it's dreamspawn ability is overpowered, but I imagine we'll see if that's the case further down the line. The fact that they get that AND they're the only underwater Late Era nation seems to make them a defensive powerhouse, but I'm not sure how that translates once they come to land. I'm certainly curious.

Ulm - Enigma of Steel - Had to try it. Their Sacred warriors are fantastic -- relatively cheap in gold and resources and fast-moving, hard-hitting troops that can be mass-produced and sent out to do horrible, horrible things. They aren't stealthy like most of the rest of the nation's units, so they give you an option between going stealth-kill armies or putting together a Bless strategy. Or do both, using them as your vanguard while sneaking around with your troops to bushwhack. Overall, I can see them being VERY popular.

Agartha - Pale Ones - I experimented with them this morning before work. They can recruit Troglodytes and their high hps and trample ability makes them a quick kill squad, particularly in dealing with indies. They have real trouble with archers, however, if you don't have fodder to soak up the arrows. Later game seems to indicate that you can go high on dominion effects that kill supplies because they have so many undead/magic being troops and summons that don't need food.

EDIT: Yomi (I always mix up Shinuyama and Yomi names) - Only experimented with them briefly to see the Oni. Yes, they're great in combat. I love the Poison Spittle sound they get -- not sure if that was in before in DomII, but the roar it gives the Oni rules. And I can see the Dai Oni becoming a SC/Thug of sorts. He's got a LOT of tools to work with, assuming you can keep him from getting Banished. ;-)

Sauromatia - Not sure what to make of them yet. They get Blood Magic but in relatively weak form (only one unit, capital-based, can learn it and he's 300 gold a pop. Not terribly daunting, but seems, imo, to make Blood a supplemental, rather than primary, strategy for this nation. I like their cavalry but I'm still not sure how it all fits together. More my failing/being tired than the game's at this point.

The interface is a big improvement. Little things like letting you know when certain troops can't move, giving you nice animated arrows that show movement in much prettier fashion, coloring the neighbors tabs for provinces in much thicker, yellow (as opposed to the invisible white) lines... There's a lot to enjoy here and being able to see your gems at all times is -huge- in terms of thinking about who you're having cast what on a monthly basis. I really like all of the new sprites. The game just LOOKS better. And I like the new music, although I'd like to be able to hear the Dom2 theme every now and again as none of them are quite as captivating yet as that one was.

I suppose I'll have more of a review later, but overall, I'm really pleased. This did what I wanted out of a Dominions sequel in most respects and I can only imagine how it'll look after a year or two of patching. Some might scoff at that, but Dom II was a much different creature by its end than it was at the beginning, and for the better. I think Dom 3's a complete game as is, mind you; I'm just saying that, given IW's awesome past history of support, I'm already excited to see what's coming down the line (like the Tuatha Early Era Man nation that the manual promises. ;-))

There's no notable loss from Dom 2 that I've seen yet. Everything's either the same or notably better. To me, that's a worthy buy in and of itself.

Re: Review?
 

Thx for the mini review JaydedOne. I wonder when will my copy arrive.
/me impatient http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/frown.gif

Re: Review?
 

No it is shipping, i am playing with my beta version, Jurri already got his copy today http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif.

I will get my copy of Dom 3 in a few days hopefully too, i am curious to see the manual http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif.

Re: Review?
 

Ah I thought that you got it faster than me. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif

Re: Review?
 

No but Jurri did. He is also a european http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/image...es/biggrin.gif

Re: Review?
 

Jurri uses a ctulhoid as an avatar, this we can concluded he used Gateway to get the game. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: Review?
 

I love the Marverni boar warriors... and that I've got Vercingetorix working for me!