Battle Realms

"A game worth your time."

What do you do when you pick up game titles in your local CD store? Me, I would mostly look at the back cover, the title and of course the game creator. Mostly the creator's name is already as appealing as any advertisement there is. Truely isn't a game with the Squaresoft title looks good and might be good than other games on the rack? Anyway, Liquid Entertainment do stands on its own with this title.

Gameplay
The gameplay of Battle Realms would probably rank 4 when scaled from 1 to 5. The game features more than 50 units each has 2 different skills that would either perform an offensive, defensive or passive skill. 10+ Hero-type units that could perform great task like infuse a unit with Shale Armor or make fields grow faster. It offers over 20+ different structures that trains ordinary units to an offensive powerhouse. The game contains a very unique resource gathering system making a completely new way of playing. The resources uses rice and water as it's main resource a certain number of which could be traded for a peasant to be trained into an armed fighter or be trained again to learn and grow into another form of fighter. The game only supports 30, 40 or 50 units making it impossible for a player to swarm you with units. Defending your main requires the help of ground unit unlike most game, wall towers would be enough to fend of hulking creatures and huge forces. The game alots you to only place 4 wall towers strategically making defending even harder. Also, realistic elements are added in the game like an army making its way into a forset would make birds fly away and the likes. The game scenario contains upto 26 level that could take 30+ hours to beat depending on the type of game you play. Overall the game has taken microing into another level making it even better and much challenging.

Story
You take the role of Kenji who'll one day comeback to his homeland and find it torn by war. On your arrival you'll be force to choose a way to follow that would completely change your destiny. The story itself is pretty well tought of and is pretty new considering the setting of the game which is in Japan.

Graphics/Sound
Graphics are superb and is pretty detailed. Each units has their own passive and attacking motions completely well made. Even an Idle motion is quite detailed. The environment do look a tiny bit cartoony but nonetheless it's pretty flawless. Rice growth are pretty good as well as those dirt when your units run in dirt. The game's status-effect is quite cool even the skills are way cool like the Kabuki's Flash Powder or even a simple attack are pretty detailed. The sound is pretty good and is quite real. Each units speaks like 3 different lines and some is just plain funny but nonethless it's pretty good. The Background usic is pretty nice and isn't boring.

Play Time/Replayability
The game is very good that you could replay it over and over. You have like over 20 times when you'll be picking a way and each time would lead to a different effect. Also, consider playing against human opponent and surely you'll be challenged since simple microing in this game isn't enough.

Final Recommendation
The game is quite good though I say you try and lend a copy of it first just to reassure that you'll be wanting such title.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 12/31/02, Updated 12/31/02