We already know about King's Bounty everything. We know that the earlier game called Battle Lord, that made her nuggets from Vladivostok, formerly known as Elemental Games, and now - Katauri Interactive. That these are the people who created the "Space Rangers" and forced the country to play again in the text quests. We heard that the protagonist will call Bill Gilbert in honor of the hacker that hacked into all the games for the ZX Spectrum, the designers Katauri are strongly influenced by Japanese tactical PRG with unpronounceable names, and draw inspiration from the Asian strategic epic, the original "Heroes" World of Warcraft and, of course, King's Bounty, a mythical half-forgotten game of our collective childhood, from which, as it seems at the height of past years, there has been all things on earth. You probably read about the "Box of Fury, Rune of spirit, strength and magic, talking objects, within which you can fight the demons inhabiting them, about the trip on the airship between the continents of distant islands with a treasure that can be reached only on a sailboat, about weighty book of magic spells, without which the battlefield is nothing to do, about the three classes of characters, and much, much more.
I have no desire to repeat. I've spent with the King's Bounty wonderful week and going back - soon after put the final point in this text. This is a wonderful, deep, solid game - perhaps the most high-quality product of all that came out of the hands (mainly the hands, yeah) Russian developers. While fresh memories, I want to tell you about the main ... Only now that the main thing? The devil, as usual, in the details ...
 | |  | During a battle with bosses such as this dear Octopussy Kraken, access to cheat spells of rage closed caskets and have come up with tactics. | | World of Endor much more than the surface of the five continents - the main character will have to go under the earth, in heaven and even inside the enchanted items. |
KNIGHTS OF PRESSURE Of course, the picture is. This is the first thing you notice. Levels collected hard - Interface not found. Frame rate - a machine gun. A small toy world in every area - his own. Concentrated above all measure, even the color off scale - on a small map of dozens of tasks, quests, and a complex web of footpaths, junctions, manholes, caves, cellars, once for no reason one could not tell. Maps drawn with maniacal zeal, and contain millions of microscopic details that the eye at once is not fixed, but that's his doing. Here are paving the road leading to the royal castle - brick by brick, so the smoke curls from tonyusenkoy pipe - trim a smoke rings.How many days a programmer and designer conjured over these rings?
Level designers mastered the art of the superdense installation: you can stand next to the cherished chest and thoughtful twist map, trying to figure out how to get close to him - so is born a sense of a compound of the space in which there is a place not only for the exploits, but for the discovery. Of course, CD-term assembly there is a downside in the face of our "favorite" foreign friends on behalf of the pixel hunting, and path finding. Reach the desired point is not always possible, and even in this idea seems a designer - you must find the way to win the forest clearing with a treasure, and not carry out this creative challenge soulless algorithm to find a way.
 | "Howling" makes the most of the army in horror to be worn on the game board almost all of the battle. I wonder, can, PVP-shackle which involve, or that ... will of forsaken? |
Day gradually gives way to night, toy houses lit caramel box, in the valleys formed by the fog, and all decent people do not seem to nose out into the street, except for a lone stranger on horseback with an army under his shirt pocket. Each play area, and their in-game not one or two dozen, made in his style, the game seemed to switch the channel every time we cross a whirlpool Portal - changes colors, music, landscapes and vegetation, the architecture in buildings, monsters . In the branches shebarshitsya some evil, and you suddenly flinch at the desperate cry of crows just above the ear: the black wing of almost half the screen for an instant shown in the picture - is that even for the effects of presence?
 | CLASSES |
WARRIOR: The perfect choice for those who do not particularly trust the magic tricks, used to rely on loyal army and its commander that ability. The Warriors - a born leader and can collect under his command a considerable army, which under their control are trained additional chips. Unlike other classes of soldier gets two slots for weapons and two for the regalia, as well as skillful with a box of fury and its inhabitants. This partly compensates for the weak magical potential warrior.
MAG: It is unlikely that under his reign will bring hordes of Tamerlane, but has a large reserve of magical energy and is able to quickly restore it, even during combat. An experienced magician can use the spell book already twice per turn, increase your spell power and hire more soldiers, magicians. As often happens, the passage of King's Bounty for the magician requires players to some mental alertness - particularly in the first stage.
Paladin: Just created for those who are unable to make a choice between a warrior and a mage. Warrior-magician, trained eksterminirovat undead and demons with the help of the sword and the word of God. Paladin has the ability to learn more about the enemy's army will be able to convince the enemy to the side of light and able to keep in reserve two additional squad. The most balanced class in the game - you can make it just about anybody.
 | |  | Three magic schools offer a choice of more than 60 spells - only manage to learn and upgrade. | | Levels were drawn and collected with the transcendent quality - not a single stitch! Undoubtedly influenced by the work of designers Blizzard. And what a good example to follow! |
Everywhere life! Turn-based strategy are often different mathematical dryness: the world is divided into hex, in specially prepared cells arranged army of monsters and treasure, the triangle ABC equals the triangle A'B'C '. You can only solve the puzzle. The epitome of this approach is the "Code of War" - a game in every way remarkable, but the abstract to the grinding dust in your teeth. Dmitri Gusarov, known as a man could turn into a farce any serious undertaking, and King's Bounty, he could not leave untouched. Developers literally abused historical monument, making a serious play in kindergarten, Pacman, Super Mario! The fact that the inhabitants of the "Legends of the Knight refuses to stand still and wait for imminent death - they patrol the area, listen to heroic topotu hooves, stop and alarm draw cool air chitin wide nostrils rush of the passing travelers, persecuted intimidated players along the narrow forest paths, and finally cornered him! Such an amateur in the most radical changes the feel of the game. In the new areas we feel sometimes full of terror attacks, adrenaline is released in doses that power strategic games quite unusual, on back streets gads eeriness with question marks over his head, the hero of his way to the wall in search of another treasure zolotishka in a bag or kristallchika long unsold, and spilled a generous hand "plyugeny" reminiscent of the famous nintendovskie "stars" who need to collect, dodging villains.
But this is only half the problem, the main thing - you get the feeling that you can outsmart the game. That protects the trail in the swamp army "invincible" spiders. Take the battle and lose the whole army to retreat, or for help? And if you just lomanut the forehead, along the edge of the swamp, miraculously escape the poisonous jaws, with acceleration to break on a deserted graveyard, crashing into a crowd of obscure characters - either neutral, or new enemies - turn into the forest, hide in the woods, to listen, catch your breath? Carried forth! Of course, all these breakthroughs on the flank of the developers accounted for, but loopholes are arranged not by accident. But the possibility of cheating brings some entirely forgotten, the children's joy. By the way, mobile monster can stretch beyond their own territory and let them fight in other areas, which deprives the opponent's army tactical advantage.
 | |  | The protagonist does not participate in the battle personally, but each course can browse through the spellbook looking for the most reliable means. | | Periodically, the game throws up puzzles-puzzles that can not pass by brute force - a victory awaits only those who have mastered the mechanics of the game King's Bounty. |
RIGHT you go ... From candy-Doughnuts King's Bounty expect increased attention to his own person - now you take the handle and, as a small, dragged on a pre-nuanced route to an inevitable victory. This trip really is - important for the story quests marked with a crown and to let them no way. Here are just a gallop a gallop on the storyline, is unlikely to succeed - must first poryskat in the county, gaining experience and money. Long quest branches throw you from one continent to another, and sometimes simple debuts turn quite deadly endgame - many tasks are put off until better times.
Periodically there is a feeling that the game generally do not care who you are and what there doing. You fail, you lose the army back into the city, barely making ends meet on their way back streets in search of treasure is not found, just barely kopish money on a dozen knights, again trying to overcome the very Werewolf in a cave and find yourself again in the red.
 | |  | Private beaches are closed to access from the shore - to get into a really recreational areas, you need to get a boat. And for travel between the continents are dwarf airships. | | To use a live subject, one must first subdue its inhabitants. The point is dangerous, you can live out of the subject does not come back. |
Sooner or later you're dreamin 'about the button "Download", you learn to fight with minimal losses, use the trick instead of a blunt force, carefully choosing opponents and not squander money on all the small stuff. A game ... The game still offers many exciting activities - you can see that the land lying north of the royal castle, go for exploration in adjacent areas, or finally figure out the maze of forest maze outside the village. In the Tower of Magi offered to pass some test of wills - can go? Or save up 500 gold and go aboard the ship along the coast, they say, there on the island is full of pirate treasures? And in the neighboring state beckoning to the tournament - tempting! Sometimes I could not shake the feeling that the play MMORPG in splendid isolation and a small army in check. But who would trust the feelings disabled WoW with a two-year experience?
A couple of hours you finally remember what King's Bounty. In contrast to the bloodthirsty "Heroes", where our problem - all victories, the "Legend of the Knight" quite a different mood - a journey through the world, studies find puzzles and unhurried their unraveling, the smooth flow of the storyline with numerous branches, careful process of growing protagonist, experiments with magic formulas, search for the optimal control strategy with the bosses, etc. In fact before us role-playing game with a very strong system of tactical battles, a genre not represented in the West too and is very popular in the East. Lop-sided sign «King's Bounty» for this project fits just perfect, especially since the developers have restored her to the samovar shine.
| CREATURES AND RACES |
 | PEOPLE - Universal Warriors, equally effectively act as a defense and in attack.Many wear armor and can show a couple of tricks, and the priests and Archmages create havoc on the battlefield without leaving deep in the rear. Living in the Kingdom of Darion, the people are friendly with the elves and dwarves, but can not stand the orcs, undead and demons. Interesting representatives: The Peasants (where do without "peyzantov!), Marauders, Inquisitors, Knights. |  | Elves - Elves are suspicious of all the inhabitants of the fairy world, and demons and undead in general do not digest. Not fight love, differ from poor health, besides forging strong armor and have not learned. On the battlefield, showing sprint speed, use the magic of nature and try to help each other. Interesting representatives: Forest Fairy, Black unicorns, Ancient Ents. |  | GNOM - Team Highlanders of Kordara, consisting mostly of dwarf dwarfs and large-scale giants. Gnomes are afraid of the dead and cling to pick the word "demons", their ingenious mechanical devices are extremely effective in combat. Dwarfs are extremely slow, but armored like tanks, and have comparable firepower. Interesting representatives: Miners, Alchemists, Giants. |  | Undead - With equal indifference relate to all races. Night, and next to the cemetery fighting undead TTX significantly increased, so that the beach they take with them is useless - at least during the day. Undead already dead, so killing her is not so simple. In addition, the dead are able to swell the ranks at the expense of vital forces of the enemy. Interesting representatives: Dead spiders, rotting zombies, cursed ghosts, Bone Dragons. |  | Demons - Demons are not of this world. Among them are mighty warriors and powerful mages, having devastating attacks, hardy and strong. Demons came out of the fire, so the only fear of cold and sharply negative attitude to winter sports. The magic of demons is as simple as it is effective: make a commotion! Crush! Interesting representatives: Imps-mockers, demonessy, Arhidemon. |  | Orcs - Orcs are always a lot, they always make noise, fighting, and somewhere to roam. Orcs hate undead, relying on brute force and extreme survivability. Evil and ancient magic shamans supports soldiers during a merciless attack. Interesting representatives: Violent goblins, orcs, war veterans, Shamans. |  | Neutral - Neutral inhabitants of a fairy country, the most extensive faction in the game, most of all value their independence, but would like to fight on the side of the commander, who will offer more interesting conditions. Interesting representatives: Sea Wolves, fiery dragons, ancient bears Zloboglazy and Zveroglazy (please do not mix, they are terribly offended!). |
 | |  | Thrush Vilma is ready to give cow dung for 500 gold.Yes I am an army of swordsmen hire for that kind of money! Numerous conversations with the inhabitants of Endor, easy to read and sometimes require the active participation - to build up a conversation with the NPC, you can make him want without massacre. | | Role-playing system is very simple and does not cause problems - the game generally mastered in minutes. Pay attention to the spouse, Bill Gilbert slots are filled with children. "A fussy baby and desperately snappish John" Papa Rage increases by as much as 10 points! |
QUIET We can only dream ... The combat system is perfected for years of testing, and it is noticeable even in small things. Timing of movement of armies and special effects, weighted down to the millisecond - I've never even had not occurred to press escape or pokoldovat in the settings. However, such special effects are simply a sin to miss: every time a character test on the battlefield, a new spell, you feel fits the absolute delight: with a monstrous power with which the inimitable sound of these icebergs capture the obnoxious pirates captured! And when you finally give Box of rage and you begin to gradually penetrate the secrets of magic Spirits - on the board is set representation of epic proportions! Unfortunately, my impression is spoiled preview. I envy a novice, who first tries to smashing the enemy a sword or a hellish shoal. By the way, do not abuse the latter.
The complexity of the battles are very dependent on the balance of power on the board and the magical abilities of the protagonist. The game allows you to appreciate the power unit before joining the fight, "very strong" promises to guarantee victory, but the "invincible" and "Deadly" is better avoided, until you learn how to local tactical wisdom. The hero himself does not participate in battle, but without his magic, and bonuses to attack / defense to play it would be impossible. Random local surface topography and all sorts of surprises on the battlefield, from the trunks with a decent amount of money (who first ran, the young man) and ending with the Altar of lightning that hits an electric random passers-by, adding intrigue happening. Already in the middle of the game selection of candidates for military service goes beyond all reasonable limits - something which, as an aggressive fowl in King's Bounty abound. Study of special skills and mutual compatibility of these monsters, search for "gaming" of the army to capture the very complex characters and bosses, support the "heavy artillery of magic" - is the soul of King's Bounty. If you do not like to think, but to play "Legend of the Knight Foundation wants - is the perfect solution: the level of difficulty" easy ". Trunks in the surrounding caves immediately swell of gold, the army of evil become more modest, however, remains a challenge - an attempt to put in your new area without proper training, still ends with a visit to the physician.
Defeat the superior forces of the opponent may, and each victory brings an exceptional pleasure. I liked playing a magician - in some cases it makes sense to use the terrain and all sorts of artificial barriers to deter enemy attacks, "razmachivaya" his magic carpet bombings and other artillery. Magic on the battlefield a lot, and the opponent is using it very actively, for example, when faced with werewolves my soldiers had most of the time in horror run on the game board, not responding to orders.
 | |  | Beating the ship, populated by ghosts, we gain an invaluable source of ghosts before the end of the game. Only pay! | | Get access to powerful magic Spirits of Rage is not that simple - you must first pokolesit around the world, fulfilling whims of the inhabitants of the boxes. |
Again and again Each time you press the button "New Game", the world is King's Bounty is re-created.Game digs all Not-found treasure, mixing them and digs in again - even in other places. Change the range of shops and assembly of the armies in abandoned castles. I started to play three times, experimenting with classes and varying levels of difficulty. Cunningly devised skill tree with three branches (strength, spirit and magic) require special attention after each level up - where to invest precious runes? Three magic schools are fraught with 20 spells each, but in a magical diary only put a few pieces. Which to choose? Fauna of King's Bounty has almost 100 species - who take on an army this time? And this is your casket rage - all one big question mark. Developers are reluctant to have interrupted the creative process and diverted to release the final version of the game. No need to be a prophet to see the dots instead of a point - to be continued, no doubt.
And let. Gusarov and his team - one of the most interesting development in the former Soviet Union, in their game for the richly decorated façade, under the guise of hands is important - life. Here and there breaks out brand, familiar to "Space Rangers" gusarovskoe simplicity - the goods in our cynical times, priceless. By the way, some places in the King's Bounty suggests that the herb, which smoked the developers during the creation of "Space Ranger", is not over yet: "In King's Bounty, you can get married! Wife gives four slots for items and bonuses to the hero and his army. Different women are different slots and bonuses. We have only one way to find out what slots are local women differ from those bonuses. See you at the expanse of Endor, a cadet.
| School of Magic |
THE MAGIC OF THE ORDER. The magic of the higher, divine origin, can heal, protect and empower the troops mystical abilities. However, do not rush to turn the page - in the arsenal of magic, and there are about attacking spell devastating force.
THE MAGIC OF DISTORTION. Extremely helpful in the home school contains spells that change the usual state of surrounding objects. The magic of the distortion changes the world beyond recognition, creates the illusion that acts on the mind - strengthens allies and weaken enemies.
Chaos Magick. Excellent choice of combat mage - about 20 spells that can weaken, destroy, disrupt or destroy the living and dead organisms are already in all possible ways. Please be careful.
 | |  | Randomly generated terrain sometimes serves a wonderful ally in the battle. However, through the magic of relief, you can create your own. | | Each play area is literally bursting at the seams from those wishing to use your help. Well for the people of this armless! |
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