"It may be the only PC game I have ever owned, but it delivers those special qualities that I expected."

To get this review started, I need to say that I don't have a gaming quality PC at this time. I hope to get one in the near future, but that is other news. Heritage of Kings is a wonderful game that doesn't require a lot to play.

Graphics: 8/10
Not being a PC gamer, I don't really know the quality of most PC games. Compared to console games that I play, this game was astounding. The cut scenes were very beautiful and colorful. The opening scene would have to be one of the best. During the game when you actually play, the games graphics held up great too. Beautiful color kept the game from being depressing like other RTS'. During the battles this game held up with good graphics too. It didn't get boring while watching these characters charge into battle.

Storyline: 7/10
The story is decent. It's mainly about the antagonist, Dario, trying to raise a peaceful society. I never got too far into the story. Once you get further in, it starts to get somewhat repetitive. The beginning of the story is great though. A black Knight attacks Dario's peaceful settlement and Dario must get to a "Black Gate" to stop more bandits and evil men from attacking.

Gameplay: 10/10
Flawless. Coming from games played on consoles, I couldn't get used to PC controls at all. I tried playing countless games until I found Heritage of Kings on the shelf. I saw it and had to buy it. After paying the $40 for the game I immediately and to my surprise. I understood it. The only other PC RTS that I have ever played is Empire Earth. Compared to how Empire Earth plays, this game gets 10/10. It's AI is much better and it is easier to understand. The action is never repetitive when you have many different character types and a beautiful landscape.

Sound: 8/10
The music quality on my PC isn't the best, it isn't good at all actually. I can't really judge the sound fairly. The sound was better than most games I have played on the PC(Doom 1 & 2). It's music track wasn't the greatest, but I wouldn't expect the best music from a medieval RTS game. The voice acting was ok. Voice acting in games is never too great, but this game does stand up in how emotional the acting is compared to other games I have played.

Publicity: 0/10
I feel that this game got the worst possible publicity. No publicity at all. This game was poorly advertised. I used to look for newer games on the PC in the local ads and I never saw this game anywhere. I believe that if it was given more attention, it could have done much better than it did. I hope other games of this quality aren't given the same treatment as this one.

Looking Back, I don't regret buying the game one bit. I do regret selling it. I sold it when my PC died and I got another that is of poor quality. I have decided to buy another PC good enough for higher end games and when I do get it, you can believe that Heritage of Kings will be at the top of the list. The game is currently around $20. It is well worth the price. I highly recommend picking it up if ever you see it at the local store.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 01/10/06