Play as either Nairi, an imprisoned Dryad fighting for her freedom, or Gilrock, a drunken Dwarven Lord on a quest to restore his family's honour (or just to kick some arse!). The Age of Fear series is a deep and complex turn-based strategy that fuses a tabletop wargame with RPG elements.
The core of the experience revolves around a unique turn-based tactical combat system. Unlike traditional grid-based tactics games, this series uses a novel movement system where the size of units matters, and positioning is crucial. Units can only move in straight lines, forcing players to meticulously plan their formations and maneuvers to protect vulnerable ranged units and flank enemies effectively. This creates a challenging and engaging tactical experience that rewards thoughtful positioning and unit management.
One of the key strengths is the wide variety of fantasy units players can recruit and customize. The game features over 200 unique units spanning multiple races and factions, each with distinct abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. Players can build a diverse army, mixing melee and ranged units, tanks and squishy spellcasters, to counter enemy compositions. Furthermore, the deep progression system allows players to level up and equip their units, unlocking new skills and abilities to further tailor their playstyle.
The two playable factions - the Dryads and the Dwarves - offer significantly different strategic approaches. Dryads excel with a versatile mix of nature-themed units, such as walking trees and mushroom archers, while Dwarves focus on heavily armored infantry and artillery. These faction differences, combined with unique unit abilities and racial animosities, encourage players to experiment with different army compositions and tactics to overcome their opponents.
The campaign structure is nonlinear, with multiple branching paths and optional side quests. This allows players to make meaningful choices that impact the story and the challenges they face. Additionally, the game includes procedurally generated battles and a global event system, ensuring that no two playthroughs are exactly the same. This, combined with the deep customization options and varied unit roster, makes the experience highly replayable for tactics fans.
The game's AI is widely praised for its sophistication, presenting a formidable challenge to players. The AI is capable of leveraging the game's mechanics and unit abilities to create clever tactical maneuvers. However, the game also offers a range of difficulty settings, allowing players to adjust the challenge level to their preference, from a more casual experience to a punishing, high-stakes struggle for survival.