In the mid-nineties, when strategies were experiencing a real boom, an unusual project was released – Fantasy General, a fantasy wargame that managed to stand out against the backdrop of harsh military simulators like Panzer or Allied General. Instead of tanks and artillery – magicians, mythical creatures and armies that you will not meet in the real world. The game offered to look at the familiar formula from a completely different side, where dragons, spells and heroes go into battle, and not steel machines.

Those years became the golden era not only for RTS, but also for turn-based strategies: the genre literally boiled with new ideas and bold experiments. Fantasy General turned out to be one of such experiments, which was remembered for its unique setting and atmosphere.

And now, more than twenty years later, when the gaming industry itself has changed beyond recognition, the developers decided to return the legend. Fantasy General 2 is not just an attempt to play on nostalgia, but a modern reimagining of the classics, in which old ideas have received new breath.

Fantasy General II Free Steam Account

The story began back in 1996, when the SSI studio, inspired by the success of its revolutionary Panzer General and the equally popular Allied General, decided to take a step towards magic and dragons. This is how Fantasy General was born – an unusual experiment that combined the spirit of a classic strategy with a fantasy atmosphere. However, the public met the game coolly: sales were much more modest than those of its “older brothers”, and the project quickly ended up in the archive, forgotten for many years.

Almost two decades later, it seemed that this chapter in the history of strategies was closed forever. But the company Slitherine intervened, releasing Panzer Corps – a direct remake of the cult Panzer General, which received a lot of positive reviews. Inspired by the success, the developers decided to take another risk: what if they resurrect the old fantasy “general”?

So in 2019, the world saw an updated version of a long-forgotten strategy. The game received good reviews, although it did not escape restrained criticism. It was clearly based on the spirit of a “test project” – a cautious attempt to revive a classic, testing the waters for the future. But more on that later, but for now let’s take it all in order.

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Fantasy General II Plot

Fantasy General II continues the story of the first part, but the action takes place many centuries after the fall of the Lord of Shadows. The victory is long gone, the events have become overgrown with legends, the legends – with myths, and the myths over time have turned into funny tales that are retold around the campfire.

You begin your journey as a young and long-legged son of the leader of one of the barbarian clans – a smart but ambitious guy who first deals with village conflicts at the level of “someone stole a ram”, and then gradually grows to the leader of an entire horde. A horde that begins to do “good deeds” with fervor and excitement – mainly in the form of raids, plundering cities and hunting for valuable artifacts. All this, of course, is accompanied by the mass extermination of all evil spirits that stand in the way, and the fight against the empire of “victorious socialism”, where dark necromancers are in power.

The very first minutes of the game greet you with a short and gloomy introductory video that hints at past events. And here lies the problem: the script actively refers to the plot of the first part, which means that even an experienced veteran, who once overthrew the Lord of Shadows with his own hands, sometimes feels lost. Not to mention those who were not even born in 1996 – for them, many dialogues will be just a set of incomprehensible references.

There is no lore, encyclopedias or even sensible reference books here. If you want to know what your troops can do or how this or that ability works, you will have to either dig around on the Internet or discover the mechanics by trial and error. For example, it does not immediately become clear that the “mother of wolves” is able to summon not only wolves, but also other creatures if she can enchant them. Or that experience in battle is awarded to all units within a radius of three cells from the place of the murder. Such discoveries in the middle of the campaign can be annoying, because the decisions made earlier can no longer be corrected, and their consequences can hit only after several missions – and leave an aftertaste in the form of a hefty fly in the ointment.

In order not to find yourself in a situation of complete misunderstanding, it is worth keeping in mind a few things:

• Many game dialogues directly refer to the events of the first part;
• Mechanics and abilities are not always explained, and you will have to experiment;
• Some decisions begin to affect the passage only after several missions.

The scenario itself is logical, but does not shine with originality – a classic story about how “noble savages” protect nature from a soulless civilization. Only instead of oil, they extract mana from the earth, from which they create hordes of the undead. These dead workers plow in the fields and mines of the empire, proving that “robots are toiling, not people.” And the heroes of the game, as expected, are trying to stop this machine of exploitation by all available means.

Strategic gameplay and resource management in the game

Now a little about the pleasant. One of the few truly successful elements of this game was the strategic gameplay. Fortunately, it was transferred almost unchanged from the previous part, which can already be considered a plus. It’s a pity that in the basic version we are waiting for only one full campaign. The developers, however, have already promised to release a DLC with new scenarios for other factions – so far they are available only in multiplayer, and not all of them. Your path begins with a global map of the continent, where you choose the next mission and can appreciate the fruits of your past victories. Sometimes you are faced with a fork in the road with a couple of options for tasks, but the description of possible rewards leaves room for imagination – often you find out that you won only after everything is over.

Most of the time on the strategic map you will have to do routine: buy fighters, pump them up to a new level and transfer artifacts from one squad to another. And here the problem appears – the resource and equipment management system is frankly inconvenient. This is especially noticeable in the later stages, when you have a whole warehouse of trophies, but it is almost impossible to find the necessary thing among this chaos.

There are five types of resources in the game: gold, weapons, armor, liquid mana and provisions. The first four are needed to turn your skinny recruits into formidable fighters, and provisions determine how many squads you can drag along with you. You start modestly – with four squads, and by the end you can roam up to forty, if, of course, you have completed the necessary missions and are ready to feed the especially gluttonous “monsters” in the ranks of your army.

The resource system is logical and understandable, but its balance, to put it mildly, is lame. A wild element of randomness is imposed on everything – either a plundered village will overwhelm you with weapons, but will not give you a piece of armor, or will pour mana through the roof, but without food you will not be able to take a step. You can’t trade resources, so if you have mountains of steel but not a single cuirass, you’ll have to forget about armored trolls and other elite units.

The unit development tree is also modest – a maximum of three levels of improvements, without the ability to “retrain” a fighter. If he is an infantryman from birth, you can’t send him to the cavalry. So at first you suffer under the conditions of “wild capitalism”, when there is not enough money for everything at once, and then suddenly slide into “developed communism”, when resources are coming out of your ears, but there is simply nowhere to spend them.

And as soon as you adjust your army to your current capabilities – forward to a new map, for new battles and problems.

Secrets of managing an army and choosing troops

The tactical component here pleases with complete freedom of action, especially in the middle and late stages of the game. You are given a task, but you choose the path to complete it yourself. There are almost no impassable sections on the maps – you can attack not only along roads, but also through forests, fields, and individual units are even able to overcome bodies of water. Air squads do not know any landscape restrictions at all.

The turn timer is also implemented in an interesting way. It is there, but it does not put pressure on the player – you can capture the target until the end of time. However, if you manage faster, each remaining turn will turn into additional gold – a nice bonus for those who like to act quickly. The selection of units was also successful. There are no frankly useless fighters: each in his place, albeit sometimes with a narrow specialization. This gives scope for composing an army to suit your style. Do you want armored tanks? Please. Do you like long-range shooters and special forces? Here they are. Are you drawn to magic and monsters? A full set is available.

The unit’s abilities combine well with each other, creating a much more powerful effect than they could have separately. For example, the “scare away the undead” spell makes zombies scatter in panic, and if you tie them up with a web beforehand, they simply won’t be able to retreat and will die on the spot. There are dozens of such tactical combinations, and they noticeably liven up battles, forcing you to think a couple of steps ahead. The loss of pumped-up fighters is a blow, so for “cannon fodder” it is better to use mercenaries or summon creatures through spells – from spirits to pegasi.

The entire army is divided into four main groups: mortals, undead, equipment and beasts. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses, which must be identified empirically – the game does not have a detailed encyclopedia. Heroes, who can be found or lost during the campaign, also play an important role. Their development branch is small, but useful, especially for mages: correctly selected spells can turn the tide of battle. It’s a pity that mana is a rare resource on the tactical map, and its extraction requires effort, and it is spent instantly.

Battles here are like chess on steroids: each unit has two actions – move and attack (if hit earlier, you can no longer move). It is easy to plan with a small squad, but when there are more than twenty fighters, it is easy to drive someone into a dead end, where he will be useless – and then the only thing left is to reboot.

The artificial intelligence will not miss the chance to take advantage of your mistake – it willingly strikes from the rear and finishes off the wounded. Moreover, it acts surprisingly harmoniously, and the composition of its army changes with each new passage of the map. Today you are annoyed by a catapult on the flank, tomorrow pegasi appear in its place, and they are already destroying your formation. This forces you to constantly adapt and not relax.

Fantasy General II – Pros and Cons of a Strategy Game

Despite all the rough edges, both visible and hidden, Fantasy General II manages to draw you into its world seriously and for a long time. Yes, there is enough unnecessary complexity, the plot does not shine with drama, and instead of crazy frontal attacks, you will have to calculate every step for hours. This game is definitely not for everyone. But if you fall into its trap, get ready: “one more move before bed” easily turns into dawn outside the window. And even an alarm clock is unlikely to tear you out of this addictive cycle.

For me personally, the most offensive thing was the disappearance of old unit sketches in the description of the troops – the very same feature of the original that you remember even after years.

Pros:

• Beautiful, detailed graphics;
• Well-balanced units;
• Smart and resourceful AI;
• Complete freedom in choosing tactics.

Cons:

• Bland, uninspired plot;
• No clear description of game mechanics;
• Excessive micromanagement;
• Biased economic system.

Fantasy General II System Requirements

How to play Fantasy General II for free on Steam via VpeSports

In Fantasy General II, you become not just a player, but a commander who writes the history of his own campaign. Here, every decision matters: will you calculate the enemy’s maneuver, will you replenish the ranks in time, will you distribute the artifacts correctly? A mistake can cost the entire campaign, and a successful move can bring glory and feel the blood boiling from adrenaline. The game world lives its own life: dense forests hide ambushes, high mountains hide secret paths, and gloomy swamps keep dangers that await only the bravest.

We have done everything so that you can immerse yourself in this fantasy adventure without unnecessary obstacles. A couple of simple steps – registration, login to your profile – and Fantasy General II is ready to launch, with clear instructions and the ability to play through a free steam account. There are no complex settings or intricate schemes – only pure strategy awaiting your command.

In this game, time loses its meaning. “One more move” easily turns into a whole night, and the feeling of victory after a tough battle lingers for a long time. We want to know what you experienced in these moments, so we are always glad to hear your feedback. Share your stories – from the first steps on the strategic map to triumphant victories over insidious enemies. Approved comments open access to useful bonuses that will come in handy in new battles.

To stay up to date with all the events, join our Telegram channel. There you will find the latest news, patches, unique accounts and a warm community of passionate strategists like you. And if you need help, check out the “How to play for free – Complete guide” section or write to us in the chat – we are always in touch to bring you back to the battlefield, where the fate of the whole world is being decided.