Zero1 Gaming has posted a new retrospective for the original Age of Wonders.

Released way back in late 1999 / early 2000, Age of Wonders (AoW) is a turn-based strategy game, reminiscent of Master of Magic, Age of Empires and Civilization. While it certainly resembles the first of these more than the other two, AoW doesn’t define itself as being derivative of any of them. Gameplay in AoW consists of an isometric view of a vast, beautifully detailed 2D landscape which has been split into hexagonal cells.

Age of Wonders certainly shines brightest when you have someone else to play it with, but the campaign also stands on its own. Unlike the early Age of Empires games or Civilization, there’s a proper story to be told. There’s two factions to play, each with wildly different lore and missions. On top of that, there are branching paths to take through each story – not to mention a variety of difficulty levels – giving you plenty of opportunity to go back and play through a second or third time.

I’m hard pressed to find any faults with Age of Wonders; it just does too much right to do any wrong in my eyes. I’m definitely biased in my opinion, having played and loved its sequel so much, but I don’t think it makes my viewpoint any less valid. If you’re a fan of turn-based strategy and want more value for your money than you thought possible, you can’t go wrong with Age of Wonders. I can only hope that the upcoming Age of Wonders III stays true to this amazing pedigree.