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OVERALL: I played once as Leif the Lucky. After few turns I realized that he is not so lucky. The terrain was poor (it means nothing else but low output) - mostly barren mountains and taiga. Moreover, there was no goody huts. Dream of quick victory quickly disappeared. I packed five villages. The first warriors was very weak - only 1/1/1 and defenders have more HP while attackers have more FP. And so I decided to play not very offensive, just to see what scenario has to offer. In many scenarios there is possibility of "technological overtake". You can beat all your opponents in progress even having only three cities! Alas, this method doesn't work well in scenarios with high tech paradigm rate. 30/10 with poor terrain is enough to handicup. However, you can always get rid of opponents. Here the Vikings can bring some troubles although they play in very peaceful way. I was attacked only once by Erik the Red, but my ally Magnus and power of Leif's archers soon fend him off. The Novogradian play very silly and are really easy mortel. They build incredibly large amount of traders and have rich and unprotected cities. The Fare North has large treasuries located in animals - the only thing to do is to catch them! |
TECHNOLOGY: The tech tree is well designed and events ensure different style of units and cities for each nation (Eskimo/Viking/Russian). I noticed only some minor mistakes like mispellings (Wooden Artichecture ???) and lack of future technology. I'm working on my own scenario, similar in few aspects, and suggest making something like "Viking Stories" or "Heores Poems" instead of FT and making bonus score. DOCUMENTATION: Unfortunately there was no additional story, description, stats, labels, pedia, title nor authors info included. It greatly reduces rating. BARBARIANS: Tthey have been set to off. It is great simplification for designer, although author could have explained that for example the only barbarians in North was Viking Tribes. UNITS: The main objection is bears. They look like unprofessional. As it were not enough they act as settlers for Far North. It's very funny to see bears building road or settling down. That's not all - they can compete with vikings in conquering the sea! Polar bears on canoe - something unusual. As to names I personally don't like "Piacekeeper" - it doesn't sounds like Russian at all. TERRAIN: Well designed, forest once cut cannot be restored (Vikings weren't gardener, was they?), on the other hand taiga cannot be cut. BUGS: During play the game sometimes exits - especially when I tried help on villagers I received protection fault. Moreover, at the beginning one of Fare North cities suffers from starving. GRAPHICS: Cities are original, however igloos looks rather strange on grass. And these viking camps, they look too rough.
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COMMENTS: As I said, the scenario offers original graphics of units and partially terrain and icons. Once I've tried out one scenario about Vikings. Unlike that one, Conquest of Far North offers very well designed map containing Scandinavia, Iceland, Greenland, parts of Russia, Denmark, Canada and some small islands. What I like most in it is that there is good combination of rivers and ocean, what allows making seaborne raids into enemy's territories (it is in accordance with history). Hunting animals is also good thing, assuming that you don't play as Fare North. Lots of mountains and forests with slow progress delay game and allow to concentrate on building (or pillaging as you preffer). The game can be calm idyll or small conquest if you wish. The topic is very interesting. There are few described bugs which I hope will be corrected soon, but of course it is an early version. Making such scenario must have taken a lot of time. I greatly recommend it because there is not many scenarios about Vikings, and this one is very original and relaxing. |
| CONCLUDING NOTES: None. |
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