Warlock 2: The Exiled

[Misconnected]

I'm still undecided on this one (I mean, Full price + the 12 DLC that Paradox will be churning out is quite a big entry price at 0% discount). Is it better than Warlock 1 + Armageddon? The Unity mode seems to offer the same PvE centric challenge, which was the main strength of Warlock 1+DLC.

I've sunk around 20 hours into Warlock 2 now, and I'm still undecided too. I'll say this, though, I'm never going back to Warlock 1. Despite the absence of the Armageddon match mode in Warlock 2.

But Warlock 2 really is no more than what you'd expect from a decent expansion pack, and yet it costs more than the original game. There's just something extremely off-putting about that.

 

[Metro]

It's not worth $30. The $50 s00pah pack isn't worth anywhere near that. Summer Sale is in a few months -- just wait for that. Re: AoW3 vs. Warlock 2, O have to imagine AoW3 will get much more post-release support. After spiiting out a few DLC for Warlock 1 they basically abandoned it... probably to work on the cash grab of Warlock 2. Wouldn't surprise me if after a few DLC you see no support on Warlock 2 as they rush to work on Warlock 3.

 

[Galdred]

Thanks for the feedback, I'll wait for the sale and stick with AoW3 + W1 for now!

 

[Misconnected]

It's not worth $30. The $50 s00pah pack isn't worth anywhere near that. Summer Sale is in a few months -- just wait for that.

Agreed.

EDIT: I suppose it's possible the s00pah pack novella could be worth $35, which would make the package price reasonable. But I'm guessing not :D

Re: AoW3 vs. Warlock 2, O have to imagine AoW3 will get much more post-release support. After spiiting out a few DLC for Warlock 1 they basically abandoned it... probably to work on the cash grab of Warlock 2. Wouldn't surprise me if after a few DLC you see no support on Warlock 2 as they rush to work on Warlock 3.

I wouldn't bet on it. Not too long before announcing they were working on AoW3, the Triumph guys declared they'd never make another AoW game. They since went on to declare they'd never make DLC for AoW3, and then they released AoW3 with release day DLC. I seriously wouldn't want to speculate on the future of the game, or the franchise for that matter. Except maybe to suggest that whatever the developer says, assume the exact opposite will happen.

InoCo has never been the most talkative bunch, but for a very minor budget title Warlock 1 actually got a surprising amount of post release love. Without checking, beyond the DLC it got patched something like 10 times. I doubt PDox had any plans for Warlock 2 beyond "let's see if we can get it on Steam Early Access", which is about the same strategy they had for the first game, so Warlock 2 is unlikely to get better post-release support than the first game. On the other hand, the dev did - all things considered - do a pretty good job of offering post-release support for the first game.

 

[Markman]

Dunno, didnt play Warlock before so I guess its worth my 20 euros.
Maybe they should have like 25-50% off for owners of the previous game.

 

[muds_animal_friend]

Warlock 1 was released in an incomplete state and cynically patched together with overly expensive for what it offered DLC. As far as I can recall it didn't even have heroes at release and they're a must for fantasy 4x. Warlock 2 is Warlock 1 GOTY-Platnium-Director's cut edition with a better UI, some rule changes, a new gameplay mode and an, as yet unreleased, editor. My advise to Warlock 1 owners is wait for a sale by which time there maybe some fan made content to go along with the game.

 

[Metro]

Dunno, didnt play Warlock before so I guess its worth my 20 euros.
Maybe they should have like 25-50% off for owners of the previous game.

I can see why someone who never played the original would get 'fuller value' from this; however, if you did play it, it's more like a $10 expansion. Keep in mind the first game was $20, not $30. Honestly it is very similar to what Brad Wardell did with Elemental, Fallen Enchantress, Legendary Heroes, etc.

 

[Markman]

Yay, got my first victory. 162 turns. Could have ended it sooner but derped around and discovered the last mage late. We were all on the same world, and going into others meant getting gangbanged by 2 dragons and 3 elementals just as I entered the portal. So my expeditions there were kinda short after losing my hero and 2 high level units. My poor werewolfs with gentlemen hats.Maybe couldve done it if I pushed for Levitation spell and planned it a bit better. Sandbox seems easier then Exiled mode, maybe I was just lucky to have all the mages on the same world and wrecking their capitals were easy with the ogre and knight heroes. Feels good anyway.

 

[Misconnected]

When you play sandbox matches, all the great mages start on the primary world. If you're wondering what the point of the other planes is then, I'm afraid I can't help you. The other planes have a much greater chance of spawning special tiles, and the loot tends to be better. But regardless of the atch difficulty you won't actually need any of it to kill your rival great mages.

 

[Metro]

They had them in the first Warlock. As you say they typically have more/better resource tiles.

 

[Misconnected]

They had them in the first Warlock. As you say they typically have more/better resource tiles.

Indeed they did. The sandbox match mode is identical in the two games. Also, my fucking m key isn't working right. Someone be a bro & email me a new keyboard

 

[Genma:TheDestroyer]

The other worlds tended to be an utter clusterfuck to get anywhere in Warlock 1, though. Take the average populations of a lava and elemental world from 2, then multiply it a couple times and sprinkle with derp dragons. You trotted in and instantly got mobbed so hard your grandmother wondered why her ass hurt.

 

[Metro]

Eh, I was able to manage them after awhile. They're certainly not things you immediately enter in the early game and expect to harvest. Moreover, the really tough enemies like dragons, etc. were on the edges so you could set up camp in near the gate.

 

[kris]

You just needed to go in with a plan. Like putting in a HP sponge and then use ring of ice. The follow up with more men that take out the most dangerous creatures around the gate. Of course scout the other world first, with something simple like a bat.

 

[Genma:TheDestroyer]

On the hardest setting my endgame typically involved stealing many of the other Mage's cities so I could pump out the world killer armies I needed to explore portals.

That was far more entertaining than the Great Mages themselves. Closest thing to that in 2 are the Death Worlds.

 

[Misconnected]

The problem is there's no reason to enter them at all. Taking out the rival mages is faster and easier, and wins you the match.

 

[Genma:TheDestroyer]

Like I said, exploration. You can only stay interested in smacking around the lukewarm AI Mages for so long.

 

[Infinitron]

Uh, released? http://store.steampowered.com/app/205990/ Whisky

 

[Agesilaus]

It was released back in March, welcome to the party

 

[anus_pounder]

Anyway, I've just noticed - if you "preorder" Warlock 2, you'll get an "instant access to the game".

Um, what the actual fuck? Is this supposed to be some sort of new marketing ploy? Simply buying released games is too old-fashioned now? From now on we will be preordering the unreleased versions and getting instant access?

It was released, but it wasn't.

 

[Raghar]

Should I play sandbox, or exiled version first?

 

[Metro]

I believe Exiled mode is harder since it's more of an emphasis on fighting through beasts as opposed to beating the AI (which are really easy to handle). So, it depends if you're looking for maximum challenge or want to learn the ropes.

 

[Misconnected]

I completely agree with what Metro said. I'd suggest starting with Sandbox, medium super-continent, 1 extra dimension & max (3?) rival mages, and the second highest difficulty setting. That's a pretty good tutorial mode, I think.

 

[Raghar]

C'mon. Only one? Also what monster spawn settings? 1/2 or normal?

 

[Desmodus Rotundus]

I've found an extra plane useful once, when I had 2 AI's right next to me from the start and back against the water, was room for maybe 3 towns and then I had to go through the portal for expansion. Those planes are not that hard if you don't let the monsters accumulate for a long time and generally know what you're doing with your units. Also good place to consistently find strong metals and iirc the only place you might find dragon eggs/whateveritwasthatletyoubuilddragons.

Guess now that city numbers are capped, premium land that gets you lots of resources with minimal amount of settlements isn't as bad as it used to be when you just spammed them everywhere and got all the resources in your territory(as far as I've gathered the towns you change type of don't give you any?).