"Advanced Tactics: Exploring XCOM's Combat"

Thrasher said:

Hmm, like Elven legacy didn't grab you? Perhaps turn-based doesn't appeal?

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I don't remember if I've even tried Elven legacy, but it's got nothing to do with turn-based vs real-time, etc. I just found AoW… boring.

@Nameless Zero - Yeah, I was thinking I should give Shadow Magic a try. You're not the first person to tell me that. Maybe if I ever manage to put a dent in my current backlog of games..

Not sure if you'd find Shadow Magic more exciting. It's basically the same style of game.

There are very big gameplay changes between AoW 1 and AoW: Shadow Magic. Not to mention the fact the AoW 1 contains some of the most boring senario design I've ever enountered. I'd sooner stab my own eyeballs out than replay some of the senarios in AoW 1. In constrast, I've replayed AoW: SM vanilla three times.

Comparing the two is kinda like comparing UFO: Aftermath and UFO: Enemy Unknown (aka XCOM). Yes, they're the same kind of gameplay except one is shit and the other isn't.

Isn't the only big gameplay element change is having a wizard stuck inside wizard towers rather than out and about rampaging on enemies? That sounds less exciting... But it does add another dimension ala MoM.

City development/management is completely different. Research is different. Hero skills and management is different. Siege is vastly different and much improved. Tactical combat is much more polished. The list goes on, but yeah, the wizard in the city with zones of control a la MoM is the most noticeable difference.

I tired to replay AoW 1 about a year ago - due to rose-tinted glasses style memories - and gave up fairly quickly. It's horrible in comparison to AoW 2 or AoW: SM (which is a more polished version of AoW 2).