Disciples II: Rise of the Elves (PC)

GameSpot editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 3.5 stars Very good
  Detailed editors' rating
  Overall score: 7.6 (3.5 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  Greg Kasavin
• Reviewed on: 12/03/2003
• Released on: 11/25/2003
• Originally published on GameSpot: Disciples II: Rise of the Elves (PC) Review

Disciples II, Strategy First's excellent 2002 fantasy-themed turn-based strategy game, gains its third stand-alone expansion pack in less than six months in Rise of the Elves. The previous two add-ons, Guardians of the Light and Servants of the Dark, were just marginally good and seemed more like re-releases of the original game than fully featured expansions. Rise of the Elves is different, and it's better. Most notably, not only does it contain the full version of Disciples II--to entice newcomers to the series--but it marks the first time since the original Disciples game was released back in 1999 that the series has gained a new playable faction. The elves, while maybe not quite as cool-looking or appealing as the four mainstay Disciples factions, are pretty powerful and fit in reasonably well with the other sides. Their subtle strengths and weaknesses, in comparison to their rivals, ought to please fans of Disciples II, who'll get to play as the new elven faction through its own lengthy campaign, as well as in various new stand-alone scenarios. The core of Disciples II doesn't change here, but it's a tried-and-true formula that's effectively stood the test of time.

As in the original Disciples and its sequel, in Rise of the Elves you control a small band of warriors and mages as they explore detailed maps, searching for treasure and fighting for their kingdoms. The seemingly simplistic turn-based combat of Disciples II allows you to only perform a single type of action--say, a ranged attack or a healing spell--per each unit type. So, the makeup of your army, which may eventually have up to six individual units in it, is extremely important, as are your decisions about what structures to build at your faction's capital. Disciples II stands as a highly streamlined version of some of the more complicated fantasy-themed turn-based strategy games out there. It's a time-consuming and addictive game, as is true of all the best games of this type. However, the vast majority of your time will be spent doing interesting things, like exploring the map and engaging in simple but fun strategic battles, rather than tediously micromanaging too many towns and baby-sitting too many units as a scenario wears on.

Clearly, more effort went into the production of this expansion pack than went into the previous two. The new elven alliance faction mostly consists of entirely new units, and Rise of the Elves also features some new map graphics, new neutral units, new music for the factions' capital building screens, and some new battle music. Additionally, the elves have gotten their own new arsenal of spells, and Rise of the Elves also makes a number of balance tweaks and other such changes to the core game that will only be noticed by hardcore fans. By and large, this new content fits in fairly well with the rest. Some of the elven units are actually a bit ugly and are not up to the graphical quality of the generally imaginative and memorable unit designs of Disciples II, but others are certainly on par with a majority of the artwork in the game. The new music and the woodsy capital building of the elves also fit in naturally with what's already there in Disciples II.

Though Disciples II featured archetypal fantasy factions--humans, dwarves, demons, and undead--it spun these in a unique way. The same can be said of the elves, who are actually allied with centaurs and form a powerful conglomerate of fierce close-ranged fighters, very deadly archers, and powerful mages. The elves most resemble the Empire, Disciples II's human faction, in that they have relatively flimsy units but also have access to healers. Actually, elf units are the weakest of them all, but to make up for it, they can level up somewhat faster than the other factions. They're also highly mobile, and many of their units, especially their archers, have high initiative ratings, which means they tend to strike first and can theoretically overpower their foes before they can even respond.

The elves have a balanced variety of spells available to them, including ones that bolster their own forces, in addition to ones that hinder their foes. Their magical arsenal is broader rather than specifically better than that of any other faction. Irritatingly, the animations for many of their spells take a rather long time to play out, which may discourage you from depending too heavily on them. The elves' magic is powered primarily by a new, fifth mana resource. This does not necessarily seem well balanced, though, while the other four factions need to draw upon their rivals' primary mana sources to research and cast higher-level spells, no one but the elves have use for the new grove mana. Not that Disciples II, as a time-consuming turn-based game, is particularly well suited to competitive multiplayer battles, anyhow.

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