In Warlock: Master of the Arcane, players will wield magic, raise armies and build empires in a Civilization-style strategy game that pits wizard against wizard in an arcane battle for the title of Warlock.
In Warlock: Master of the Arcane, players will wield magic, raise armies and build empires in a Civilization-style strategy game that pits wizard against wizard in an arcane battle for the title of Warlock.
If the idea of a deep yet accessible strategy game set in a Tolkien-style fantasy realm really lights your fireball, then Warlock: Master of the Arcane might be right up your alley. As a great mage, you’ll research dozens of spells and enchantments, and learn how to combine them to create even more powerful tools of sorcery; as a great leader, you’ll manage your cities, build your armies and lead them to war against your enemies.
But violence isn’t the only solution. Less warlike Warlock wanna-bes can opt to focus on researching great incantations that will bring the world under their sway, or gain the advantage by capturing all the special Holy Grounds where temples are built. Truly ambitious mages can even make their power-play by engaging an avatar of one of Ardania’s gods in personal combat.
The realm of Ardania is teeming with the usual fantasy fodder, like monsters and portals to other planes, but Warlock is not an RPG. Slaying ogres is exciting, but true success will only come to those who can manage their cities, direct research and properly execute strategic goals. Early screenshots look serviceable if not particularly exciting, but in a game like this, clarity trumps eye candy anyway.
Warlock: Master of the Arcane will launch as a single-player game, but work is ongoing and multiplayer support is expected to be added sometime after the initial release. Look for it to come out on May 8th, exclusively for the PC.
