The three missions I had a chance to play through were quite fun, allowing me to see the RTS/RPG balance in full effect. Each scenario was once again chock-full of side-quests and optional missions, and thanks to an upgraded Quest Log it was much easier to keep things straight. No longer will time be spent hunting across several maps searching for one elusive treasure chest to complete a mission—now players can highlight a quest, and the mini-map will indicate the next point of interest. While this may seem like a bit too much hand-holding to some, after I spent hours slowly slogging through some of the original Spellforce maps, I welcome this addition.
Although Spellforce 2 looks to be making several improvements, I still noticed some places that concern me. The voice acting I encountered, while worlds better than the original, is still not up to par with the rest of the game. With the loss of several unit and building types, I also worry that Spellforce 2 might be just a bit too streamlined and consolidated, causing it to lose some of its flavor and uniqueness. However, those concerns may be allayed when I see the game in its entirety.
Overall, Spellforce 2: Shadow Wars looks to be a solid improvement over the intriguing and unique original. With a great graphics upgrade, a lot of polish and streamlining, and some interesting design changes, Spellforce 2 could bring us that much closer to the “perfect” RTS/RPG hybrid.
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