New Era Game Review: Elven Legacy – Jurene Chua

Elven Legacy is a turned-based strategy game from Paradox Interactive. The story is set as a human mage who aims to uncover a dark secret. To stop the uncovering of the dark secret, the elves seek to hunt down the mage. A Lord Sagittel is sent to help the watchers hunt down the human mage and thus begins the quest to stop this human mage.

In this strategy game, there are heroes units to assist in your completion of each mission. The ending of the campaign varies and depends on the choices and path you make throughout. Depending on the number of turns taken to complete the mission, there will be different rewards and bonus levels upon mission completion. Rewards like money, new units and rare artifacts that you can equip on your units. Alternatively, these items can also be found in locations on the mission map.

In the multiplayer mode, players can play over 16 scenarios the roles of numerous races such as the orcs, humans and elves. Multiplayer mode players will be required to constantly think of new tactics in order to outwit other players. The game is backed up with cool combat animations and spell effects. In-game cinematics are also well made with constant conversation of characters backed by great voice acting.

Unlike many turned-based strategy games, there is a limit to the number of units that can be deployed for any one mission. Players will have to think of ways to optimize the usage of units through different unit assortments, and ensure the survivability of the units as experience is accumulated with each attack inflicted on the enemy units. When the units level up they acquire a new skill known as ‘perk’ which makes them stronger than the units you could just buy. The different kinds of perks acquired by the units can be customize to suit your play style.

Like many strategy games, there is also a fog of war used to hide all enemy units from plain sight until an allied unit explores the area. It adds mystery to the game, and makes it more challenging for players as you do not know what’s hidden in the fog. Players will have to take caution or risk being ambushed.

After you have completed the campaign, you can replay the game to discover the different endings available. Finally, there are also single mission maps and a powerful built-in game editor that lets players create their own mission maps to try out.

- Jurene Chua, GET Junior Year

Online: http://www.neweragames.com/review_detail.php?guid=1941