Download the Game Now

Master of Magic has to be one of the most unnoticed games I have ever come across. Its simply amazing that a game of such a standard has hardly been noticed by so many people – you can help fix this by downloading it NOW!

At first glance Master of Magic looks like Civilization. A LOT like Civilization. In fact it uses the same city building features incorporated in Civ. You have ‘settlers’ and must construct cities. You can improve the land with roads and later in the game also ‘terra form’ it. You also can improve your cities, with a wide variety of buildings that affect different aspects.

A nice little addition is the RPG aspect – that is you have a hero that can be upgraded and help you with combat – more on that later. But what sets this game apart from Civ is… MAGIC

MOM is based on magic. When starting a game you select what magic you want to specialise in. There are 8 different ‘types’ of magic, and you can chose to really spread out over a broad range of magic of focus specifically on one type. Throughout the game you will research new spells to add to your arsenal. The further the game progresses, the further your potential.

In order to cast magic you need mana, which is harvested from your cities much like food or trade. You can cast spells, which require mana a lump some of mana, and some, which require an upkeep of mana. This is where the game comes alive. At the beginning you can only cast very basic spells and summon weak creatures. But as you research more you learn greater and greater spells, the final ones are of unspeakable power J. The magic aspect IMO makes the game come alive as well as adding another level of playing.

But there is one more improvement that sets MOM aside from any Civ – that is the combat system. Imagine Civ with a good combat system – unimaginable you say? Well you better believe it! In MOM rather then having an instant battle that relies upon health and probability, you are taken to a mini battlefield. That’s right! Its turned into a turned base system. Each monster/unit has damage, health, range and resists. Sigh if only Civ 3 had this combat system – it would have been so much better. But alas… This is where your hero comes in to play. Another difference is that creatures can travel in ‘groups’ so no more 1 on 1 combat – you can have parties of up to 9 creatures. Your hero can also manipulate the battfield – he can cast spells to either deal damage, improve your creatures, do the opposite to your opponents and much more. The choice is yours!

MOM has few flaws – if you can live with the ancient graphics (and no sound/music depending of weather this version is cracked or not). The main one I noticed was that the map is a bit too random. Sometimes you will start is an awesome place with heaps of modifiers, other times you start in a њhit hole.

Overall, IMHO, MOM is Civ with everything that wasn’t there – Namely a GOOD combat system, RPG aspects and Magic.

Eccoci davanti ad un capolavoro. Questo gioco della microprose si tratta di uno strategico che combina TUTTI le possibili varianti dei giochi di questo genere in un mix unico e fenomenale. Lo scopo и quello di annientare i maghi avversari che vivono in un mondo composto da due dimensioni separate (quella normale ed il myrann) collegate da sporadici ponti dimensionali. Vi sono 14 razze da cui poter scegliere, ognuna con le proprie unitа ed i propri edifici, con i propri bonus ed i propri malus.. per creare una infinitа varietа di possibilitа. In aggiunta vi и la magia, strutturata come nel gioco di carte Magic the Gathering, in cui esistono cinque tipi di magie: bianca (benedetta), nera (morte), blu (acqua), rosso (fuoco), verde (natura). Ognuno di questi cinque circoli contiene una quantitа di incantesimi vastissima che varia da incantesimi comuni a incantesimi rarissimi e potentissimi. Esistono moltissime creature da evocare, molti incantesimi permanenti, relativi alle cittа o al mondo, benedizioni.. e incantesimi da combattimento, anch'esso sviluppato in modo reale grazie ad una grafica isometrica eccezionale per quell'epoca. I combattimenti sono a turni e permetto una grandissima vastitа d'azione. Come se non bastasse in aggiunta troviamo gli eroi, unitа singole molto potenti e con vari poteri speciali (ogni unitа del gioco ha i suoi poteri e sono piщ di 50..) e potenziabili grazie agli artefatti, oggetti unici di qualitа altissime, molto rari. La mappa и cosparsa di punti vari in cui и possibile guadagnare, combattere, scovare posti nuovi.. e le risorse del gioco sono: l'oro (che si guadagna dalle cittа), il mana (che si guadagna dai nodi o da alcuni edifici) e il cibo (che si guadagna dagli edifici).. queste risorse producono un guadagno per ogni turno (ovviamente se in negativo sottraggono). Le unitа hanno costi di mantenimento che abbassano drasticamente questi valori costringendo spesso a scelte piuttosto dure. Inoltre и possibile creare cittа ed espandersi come nell'altrettanto grande civilization.. Il mana si puт ripartire in mana da ricerca (per la scoperta di nuovi incantesimi), mana da guadagno (quello guadagnato in ogni turno) e mana d'uso (quello usabile durante i combattimenti). Altro grande fattore recita la diplomazia, instaurabile con gli avversari e che permette di fare alleanze, guerre come se si trattasse della realtа. Potrei scrivere altre 10 pagine su questo fantastico gioco, ma non posso dirvi altro che: PROVATELO! Penso sia uno dei giochi piщ belli e migliori che siano mai stati creati, non tanto per la grafica o il sonoro ma per la profonditа e la longevitа che ci offre!

From what I've read about this game, it had serious bugs when first released. Fortunately, the versions available today are patched and the copy I have runs well.

As previous reviewers have pointed out, Master of Magic bears some similarity to other 4X strategy games such as Civilization. I'd like to point out that the combat system is turn based and not real time. You're allowed to hire or recruit via spells up to six heroes. Heroes progress through levels in a manner familiar to players of the Heroes of Might and Magic series.

Which reminds me that MoM reminded me just as much of HoMM as it did of Civilization.

Anyway, here's a small description of the game. First, you select a leader from a list of pre-made characters or customize your own. Pre-made leaders specialize in a school of magic or two, which dictates what spells you may research and cast. For example, the blue or sorcery school allows a neat mixture of direct attack and special capability spells, such as flight. The white school (think holy) has spells which primarily protect and heal units. Then you choose which race you start with, each race having pros and cons. For example, 'High Men' can build a wide variety of units and buildings, but their best unit, the paladin, requires a lot of buildings to produce. The Dark Elf race gets heaps of ranged attacks and a magic bonus, but conquered cities of another race will have more discontent under Dark Elf rule. You then begin with a single settlement, a few spells, and two units. The game progresses in turns and you order the units where to go in order to explore the map and decide what buildings and units your cities will produce. As any player with previous experience in 4X games will expect, buildings give bonuses to income, population expansion/happiness, or allow more advanced unit production.

In my opinion, the deepest flaw of the game is the weak AI. While computer players will cast spells to hinder your efforts in an effective (or annoying, depending on your point of view) way, they won't, in my experience, mount effective invasions or even defend their cities all that well. However, the AI does do a good job of eliminating weak units in tactical combat. For example, all enemy ranged attacks will be on a single hero or if the enemy has spells they might be strong enough to wipe out a medium level hero at a stroke.

Another flaw to the game is that multiplayer is not available in the regular game. However, it is possible, so I hear, to download an add-on programmed by a fan which allows for multiplayer.

My last critical comment reflects poorly on me, but here it is: The random nature of the various lairs (sites on the map where you battle creatures in hopes of gaining weapons, gold, mana, spells, etc.) encouraged me to cheat by saving and reloading a lot. Upon entering a lair one gets a message telling you what sort of creatures live there. However, it doesn't say how many or what other creatures live there. One phantom warrior lair might have a single unit of phantom warriors, another might have six such units and some phantom beasts thrown in for good measure.

Probably the coolest thing about the game is the wide variety of options at set up. Your leader's abilities will allow you to use certain strategies and disallow others. If you specialize in death magic, you will use a lot of undead units like ghouls, which require no upkeep and bring in other undead units for you to control. Or you might choose to take Artificer as a speciality and give your heroes customized magic weapons.

The wide variety of strategies gives MoM a great deal of replay value. As evidence for this, you can still find people on game forums and usenet discussing the game. One of the best sources for tips that I found is at the following URL:

http://www.the-spoiler.com /STRATEGY/Microprose/master.of .magic.1.html

Overall I recommend this game to anyone looking for an addictive and mildly challenging strategy game with a fantasy setting.

(Notes on ratings: The graphics are pretty good considering how old the game is. The gameplay would've been a 10 if the AI was better. I hardly ever listen to the sound of games, so I can't really say if the sound was good or not.)

This used to be one of my favorite games a while ago. Somehow I lost it and just recently found the game at Tox's Classic Trash (one of it's former incarnations) - unfortunately his version is a little buggy - don't know where I found the patch, but anyway - it seems like it solved the problem. Even after hours of playing the game worked without any problems.

The game itself is something like an extended Fantasy-Civilization. And whoa! It got so many features. There's not only the usual build up your city - send out settlers to build more cities - declare war on your opponents - take their cities... It's more - you play the role of a mighty wizard and can aid your units in battle - and you don't only have ordinary units - you even get heroes. You can equip them with special weaopons, armor or other items. You can even produce those items yourself or let your heroes (or the other units) search for them - sometimes they are found, sometimes a merchant comes up offering them to you.

You choose your folk out of different races as Elves, Orcs, Dwarves, Nomads... - each with its own advantages. One of the most interesting features of this game is the fact that there are two dimensions in which you may play - one of them looking like our Earth - nothing special - the other, darker side - Myrran - is rough and the battles are harder. But the races that start there are usually stronger and in most times you won't find any of the other wizards there - at least not very early. This way you can grow to be strong before breaking up one of the towers that allow to travel between the dimensions (there are also spells for that that you learn later on). With your strong Myrran-units you can easily sweep away your enemies before they start finding ways to stop your invasion.

One of the most complete Strategy-Games I ever played. Some nice RPG-features mixed with the great fantasy-world(s). Hours and hours of fun!

Prachtig spel! Niet meer, niet minder.
Toen ik dit spel voor de eerste keer speelde was ik echt enorm verrast. Dit spel had bijna alles wat ik in een computerspel wilde hebben. Het spel is al vrij oud, en bevat enkele RPG parameters. Je bent namelijk een tovenaar, en wanneer je je personage wilt aanmaken kan je de naam van je tovenaar invoegen, zijn uiterlijk selecteren, en vooral: de magie selecteren die je wilt gebruiken. Je hebt onder andere de keuze tussen dood, leven, natuur, vuur, enz. Je mag zelf bepalen hoeveel punten je in deze skills plaatst, en het is dus logisch dat hoe meer punten je in een skill hebt, hoe meer spreuken van diezelfde skill je ter beschikking zal hebben. Je kan zelf je ras van je volk kiezen, waarmee je het spel begint: je hebt de keuze tussen Highmen, Orcs, Halflings, enz. maar ook tussen enkele speciale rassen zoals Beastmen, Draconians, Trolls,... elk met hun eigen voor- en nadelen en vaardigheden. Voor een TBS spel van in 1993 is dit fantastisch.

Je begin het spel met een klein dorpje, dat je dan moet uitbouwen. Het geld begint langzaam binnen te stromen, en je kan enkele eenheden beginnen te bouwen om vijandige steden in te nemen. Als je steden inneemt kan je die vanzelfsprekend ook uitbouwen (als je ze niet met de grond gelijkmaakt tenminste) en dan krijg je daar ook geld van. Als deze steden op de koop toe nog een ander ras van mensen / monsters heeft, kan je voortaan ook eenheden van dat ras maken. Dit zorgt voor zeer gevarieerde gameplay.
Om je te helpen in je veroveringen heb je ook tal van toverspreuken tot je beschikking. Deze spreuken variлren natuurlijk van de skill die je gekozen hebt (dood, natuur, leven, een combinatie ervan,...). Deze spreuken kunnen destructief zijn, beschermend, of je kan zelfs eenheden en monsters oproepen.

De graphics zijn niet echt denderend. Zelf toen het spel uitkwam waren deze totaal niet nieuw, maar dit wil natuurlijk niets zeggen. Het spel is gewoonweg schitterend, graphics zijn maar detail. Eigenlijk is MoM een voorloper van het spel Age of Wonders. Laat er geen twijfel over bestaan: als je graag AoW hebt, dan zul je ook graag MoM hebben. Echt de moeite waard om te spelen, en bovenal: verslaaaaaaaaaaavend :-)

Wonderful game! No more, no less.
When I first played this game, I was really surprised. This game contains everything I wanted in a computer game. It's rather old, and it contains a few RPG parameters. You play a sorcerer, and when you create your character you can fill in his name, choose his looks, and the most important thing of all: the magic he will use. You have the choice between death, life, nature, fire, etc. You may choose for yourself how much points you put into these skills, and it's only logical that the more points you have in a certain skill, the more spells you will have of the same skill. You can even select the race of the people / monsters you start playing with: Highmen, Orcs, Halflings, etc. There are even a couple of special races like Beastmen, Draconians, Trolls, and more. They each have their own advantages and disadvantages and skills. This is fantastic for a 1993 TBS game, folks.

You start the game with a small town, which you will have to make bigger and more prosperous. You start collecting money from taxes, and soon you'll be able to create units to conquer and take over enemy towns or cities. When you take over cities, you can use them at your own free will of course (if you don't raze them) and you can collect money from them too. If these cities contain a different race of people or monsters, you can of course create units of that race from then on. As a result of this, the gameplay isn't boring at all and it's really fun to play.
A lot of magic spells can assist you in your conquests. Each different skill (death, life, nature, etc.) has different kind of spells. The spells can be destructive, protective, and you can even summon units and monsters to help you.

The graphics aren't really great. Even when the game was released, the graphics weren't that good. But don't let this bother you. The gameplay is superb, graphics are only detail. MoM is actually the predecessor of the game Age of Wonders. So, don't let there be any doubt: if you liked AoW, you'll like MoM. Download this game, you won't regret it. And the most important thing of all: it's soooooooo addictive :-)

A jбtйk elsх rбnйzйsre nem tыnik mбsnak, mint egy Civ klуn. De ennйl sokkal tцbbet takar.
A sztori: adott kйt vilбg, melyeken varбzslуk uralkodnak, harcolnak egymбs ellen, szцvetsйgeket kцtnek. A jбtйk elejйn kivбlaszthatjuk a nehйzsйgi fokot, aminek kb. annyi kцze van a jбtйkmenethez, hogy legnehezebb fokozaton kb. 50 kцrt tudunk kibнrni a TBS-ekben (kцrцkre osztott stratйgia) megszokott taktikбkkal. Az is itt dхl el, hogy adott varбzslуval lehetьnk, vagy mi dцntjьk el a tulajdonsбgait. A varбzslatok 6 szfйrбba vannak sorolva: йlet, halбl, kбosz, termйszet, boszorkбnysбg, valamint az arcane (ъn. szьrke) varбzslatok. Adott kйpzettsйgpontbуl kell ezeket kigazdбlkodni, de nem бrt tartalйkolni a spec. tulajdonsбgokra sem...
Miutбn tъlestьnk a karaktergenerбlбson, megjelenik a jбtйktйr. Itt egy tйrkйpet lбtunk, melyeken a vбrosokat, az egysйgeket (tцbb mint 100-fйle) lбthatjuk, illetve a felsх menьsorban talбlhatу gombokkal juthatunk el az egyes diplomбciai, gazdasбgi stb. kйpernyхkre.
A jбtйkot kйtfйlekйpp lehet megnyerni: kifejlesztjьk a Spell of Mastery varбzslatot йs lйtrehozzuk(esetleg 'megvarбzsoljuk'. de ez... :( ) vagy az хsrйgi emberi termйszetnek megfelelхen rбrontunk az ellenre йs gyakjuk... Nem szуltam mйg a HХSЦKRХL, akik elйg jelentхs szerepet jбtszanak, mivel spec. tulajdonsбgaiknak kцszцnhetхen a velьk egy csapatban lйvх egysйgek meglehetхsen megtбposodnak, mint a radioaktнv Pistike szerveinek szбma. Minden fontosabb faj kйpviselve van, ennek megfelelхen a jбtйk elйggй sokszнnыvй vбlik ъgy 3 jбtйkostуl. Sajnos a jбtйkot nem lehet multiban jбtszani, de a jбtйkmenet йs a rengeteg felfedeznivalу (kьlцnfйle sцtйt tornyok, labirintusok йs tбrsaik) hosszъ йs vбltozatos jбtйkmenetet нgйr.
Valуszнnыleg alapцtletьl szolgбlt az Age of Wonders-hez, mivel sok hasonlуsбg talбlhatу kettejьk kцzцtt.
Ha valaki a fantasy stнlus kйpviselхje, йs nem veti meg a stratйgiai jбtйkokat, nyugodt szнvvel prуbбlja ki, nem fog csalуdni.

Master of Magic er et taktisk krigsspil, hvor du styrer йn af flere mulige fantasy-riger, ledet af en troldmand, dig. Spillet er en slags Civilization, hvor hovedvжgten er lagt mere pе kamp og mindre pе udvikling. Du skal udforske verdenerne (ja, der er to) med dine styrker, samtidigt med at du bygger byer og udforsker din magi. I sidste ende skal du nedkжmpe al modstand og blive verdens hersker, enten ved at erobre modstanderne eller ved at kaste den ultimative trylleformular.

Hver tur gеr med at bestyre dine byer og giver ordrer til dine tropper. I byerne kan du bygge forskellige bygninger, alt afhжngigt af, hvilken race der bebor byen. I spillet er der nemlig en rжkke forskellige racer med forskellige egenskaber, eksempelvis kan nogle af dem flyve! Racerne gеr igen i de hжrenheder du kan producere, hvor hver race har sine sжrlige enhedstyper.

Det er desuden muligt at hyre helte, der styrker din hжr betydeligt. Disse helte kan udvikles med erfaring, og de kan hjжlpe dig med at kaste trylleformularer eller blot vжre virkeligt stжrke krigere. Kampe foregеr turbaseret pе et lille detaljekort, hvor du kan give ordrer til hver enkelt enhed i dit forsшg pе at udrydde modstanderen.

Kortene bestеr af en masse tilfжldigt genererede omrеder, hvor du kan finde ting som huler, der kan udforskes eller omrеder, der giver dig ekstra magi. Der er desuden nogle neutrale og fjendtlige byer og ogsе neutrale enheder, der kan finde pе at overfalde dig. De to verdener er den almindelige verden og den magiske spejlverden, hvor nogle troldmжnd kan starte og visse racer findes. Det er muligt at krydse mellem verdenerne ved sжrlige lokationer eller ved hjжlp af magi.

Hver troldmand har sit speciale og sine sжrlige magiske talenter. Der er en del af dem, og du kan desuden lave din egen. De forskellige typer magi giver adgang til varierende trylleformularer, afhжngigt af magiens farve (ligesom i kortspillet Magic), og de er ret forskellige, sе der er gode muligheder for variation der.

Grafikken er god nok; man kan altid kende sine enheder, og landskabet er mеske ikke kшnt, men altid genkendeligt. Lyden er en rжkke lydeffekter, der passer til de forskellige situationer og passende magisk musik, ikke fantastisk, men udmжrket. Der er god mulighed for at genspille spillet, ligesom der er i Civilization, og det er ret sjovt. Hvis du har prшvet Age of Wonders spillene, er de stort set identiske med dette spil i udfшrsel; dette er blot langt tidligere og kшrer pе tilfжldigt genererede kort.

Vжr imidlertid advaret om, at spillet kшrer i DOS og krжver meget fri hukommelse. Det kan godt vжre besvжrligt at lave en opsжtning, hvor det kшrer.

This is one of the best strategy games to be released. It has spawned a myriad of clones, however none have come close to the brilliance that this game demonstrates.

A fantasy kingdom building game, Master of Magic allows you to select an infinte number of possibilities for your controlling wizard. With a wide variety of spell schools to choose from you can specialise and thus gain more powerful spells or you can spread your choices among several spell schools to gain less power but more variety in your spell casting ability.

A number of other attributes can be picked at the expense of your spell range. These attributes include Warlord, which allows you to raise your troops to higher experience levels, and Artificer, which allows you to create magical artifacts for your heroes.

Once your wizard is created you can then attempt to exert your dominance over the denizens of two realms, Arcana and Myrror. The game allows you to compete with world sizes ranging from small, for a quick game, to extra large, for a more prolonged struggle for power. You can pit your skills against up to 3 computer controlled wizards.

You may recruit into your army up to 6 heroes which can lead your forces into battle against the usurpers. These heroes can be equipped with magic equipment to augment their already formidable skills.

Each game you play is also completely unique with the world being generated after you have selected your wizard. This allows an infinite amount of replayability that will keep you coming back for more.

Add into the mix, races such as High Elves, Dark Elves, Dwarves, Draconians, Beastmen, Lizardmen and others and you have a strategy game that will keep you occupied for hours, days, weeks, months ... even years. Get this game. NOW

Master of Magic er en lidt anderledes Civilization-klon. Det foregеr udfra Tolkiens vжsner med ikke i verdenerne som han skriver om.

Spillet er et tur-baseret strategyspil, der foregеr pе en to-planet verden, altsе en planet med to dimensioner. Den ene er grшn og farverig, den anden er gold og шde. Det er nжsten nat og dag. Du vжlger selv hvilken race du vil starte med at vжre. Du er troldmand og skal altsе lede dine undersеtter til total sejr over de andre troldmжnd. Din race er kun gжldende for de byer du grundlжgger, for derefter begynder du at erobre byer uden nеde eller tilbageholdenhed.

Dine byer skal producere mad eller guld. Dine mana-kilder, skal producere mana, som er drivkrжften bag dine magiske krжfter. Det er de tre ressourcer. Du skal vжlge hvilke trolddomme du vil researche og der er mange at vжlge imellem.

Det ultrafede ved spillet er at du kan hyre seks helte som du kan udstyre med vеben og sende ud og erobre manakilder, byer eller gamle ruiner med. De kan blive forsynet med alverdens formularer og kommer i mange forskellige klasser. Tjek troldmandens udseende og prшv sе ihжrdigt at lade vжre med at kalde ham Gandalf.

Nеr du har taget det ene plan er du parat til at overtage den anden dimension ogsе. Det er faktisk ganske underholdende, for dine helte er efterhеnden sе gode sе de bare brager igennem alle byerne og nedlжgger dem.

Interfacet er meget a la bеde Civilization og Colonization. Dog er hele trolddomsomrеdet jo lidt anderledes.

Det er et spil, man spiller igen og igen.

Karaktererne er givet for:
Lyden, er der ikke meget af, men det er ok.
Grafikken er bedre end civilization men dеrligere end Colonization
Gameplayet er kanon og det er meget spilbart.

Bagefter skal du spille: Colonization, Civilization eller Alpha Centauri endnu engang.

Master of Magic to gra strategiczna przypominajaca nieco Colonization i Heroes of Might & Magic w jednym. W grze wcielamy sie w maga ktory wlada jedna z pieciu szkol magii (life, death, chaos, nature, sorcery), i posiada swoje unikalne umiejetnosci. Do wyboru mamy takze jedna z 14 ras, jest wiec w czym wybierac. Sama rozgrywka przypomina Colonization zakladamy miasta, rozbudowywujemy je, tworzymy oddzialy (co ciekawe oddzialy maja swoje unikalne umiejetnosci i zdobywaja doswiadczenie). Mamy tez mozliwosc wynajmowania/przywolywania (summon) bohaterow i uzbrajania ich w rozmaite magiczne przedmioty co dodaje grze dodatkowaego smaczku. Kiedy dochodzi do spotkania z wrogiem przenosimy sie na plansze taktyczna i tam prowadzimy walke tura po turze az do pokonania lub ucieczki przeciwnika (badz naszej:-)). W grze bardzo wazny jest tez aspekt badan nad czarami ktore po wynalezieniu dodawane sa do naszej ksiegi. Same czary maja wiele ciekawych wlasciowosci i uzywa sie ich w wielu sytuacjach. Rozgrywke mozna wygrac na dwa sposoby albo likwidujac oponentow albo wynajdujac Spell of Domination.
Tyle o samej rozgrywce, technicznie gra moze na samym poczatku odstraszac dosc pikselowata grafika, ale po kilku minutach spedzonych przed monitorem piksele nabieraja ksztaltow wiec nie jest tak zle, poza tym garfika jest kolorowa i nie mozna jej wiele zarzucic (ladnie zrobione portrety i miasta w srodku). Jesli chodzi o muzyke to nie denerwuje co jest najwazniejsze, w czasie gry z glosnikow dobiegaja calkiem znosna muzyczka (midi oczywiscie). Jesli chodzi o dzwieki to sa one szczatkowe co troche obniza oprawe audio gry. Zdecydowanie namocniejsza strona gry jest grywalnosc, gdy przelamie sie pierwszy opor zwiazany z grafika nie mozna sie od niej oderwac a dodatkowo bogaty wybor magow i ras ktorymi mozemy grac pozwala na wielokrotne przechodzenie gry. Podsumowujac gra jest dobra i polecam ja tak i milosnikom gier w klimatach fantasy jak i tym ktorzy dobrze bawili sie grajac w Colonization.

Master of Magic comes from the creators of the widely known Master of Orion and thus have a lot in common with it like the diplomacy system or the use of heroes. Speaking of which, MoM was one of the first strategy games that incorporated some RPG elements.
You are also able to create your personal wizard in the beginning, which may have certain attributes like being Famous or an Artificier (thus giving you advantages in certain parts of the game). Finally, you can choice between five different realms of magic (Life, Death, Chaos, Nature and Sorcery) which greatly influences the way the game is played...while Life possesses a lot of defensive Spells, Death and Chaos are used for pure Destruction. Everyone who has played the cardgame Magic:The Gathering will immidiately feel home to this system, since the colors and characteristics of the realms are very similar (e.g. Sorcery = blue = Counter Magic).
Finally, the addition of ruins and caves to the map(comparable to the villages known from civilization) add a lot of entertainment since there are a variety of monsters (im pretty sure the total of different units is far above 50) to encounter and you can find pretty nice rewards in there like items which boost your heroes abilities to fight, cast spells, speed them up etc.
Moreover, you can even create these items on your own (provided you have enough mana). This is another RPG element since you try to take as much care of your heroes as you can and to create/find them 'the perfect item'.

To conclude this review, Master of Magic is a very good strategy game with high replayability factor (11(?) different races, 5 different realms of magic, a second (mirror) world (myrror <-- i just realized the pun for the first time :-) and lots of different heroes)

Those interested in more advanced strategies might want to take a look in the MoM-Faq created by manymoose on
http://faqs.ign.com/articl es/372/372466p1.html

Master of Magic is a top down, turn-based, fantasy strategy game, with a 3-D isometric tactical display for battle rsolution. It is my favourite of all of Microprose's games, better than even the Civilization series or the Master of Orion series.

Master of Magic can probably best be desribed as a simpler Civilization with a detailed and well integrated magic system laid on top. At the start of the game, you select game size, difficulty, and magic level, then create your wizard. You can use one of the premade's, but it is better and more fun to choose Custom and design your own. You have 11 'picks' to spend on magic books and special abilities. Magic comes in five flavours: Life magic, Nature magic, Death magic, Chaos magic and Sorcery. The more books you pick in an area, the stronger you will be with that type of magic. You can also choose abilities like Archmage, Artificer, Charismatic, etc. Trying to balance these competing demands is a lot of fun.

After you pick a wizard, you then choose your race. There are 13 races to choose from, eight from the mundane world (Barbarians, High Men, High Elves, Halflings, Gnolls, Orcs, Nomads, Klackons and Lizard Men) and four from a magical world (including Dwarves, Dark Elves, Dracons, Trolls). These require you to sacrifice three 'picks' to get, so your wizard will be less powerful. The magical world is less crowded and thus easier to expand in, and your troops are better, but it is also more dangerous. Travel between worlds happens at special towers you discover, or with spells.

Once set up, you start with a village somewhere on the continent. You can build one thing at a time in each city. You must balance city upgrades vs troop production vs settling more towns, while holding off marauding monsters and enemy players, and exploring lands and clearing ruins looking for magical treasure. Magic points are gathered by capturing magical shrines.

Each player starts off with magic spells determined by the books he chose, then gains more by spell research. Mana points can be divided between mana storage (you never want to be without mana points for spells!) mana research (you need the good spells quickly) and spell casting ability (which increases how many mana points you can expend in a turn).

Magic is so vast that it can only be touched on here, but each type has spells that summon monsters, cast city or worldwide enchantments, buff your own troops, attack enemy troops, and much more. They all do it in a different style. Death magic practioners will soon be walking around with an army of the undead raised from the defeated bodies of their foes, while Life magic practioners might have an army all enchanted with Holy Armour and Holy Weapons.

There are quite a few basic troop types in the game, like Spearmen, swordsmen, cavalry, etc. Each race has their own troop types as well. Barbarions have a second weapon so get a second attack in close combat. High Elves have Longbowmen and Elf Lords, High Men have Paladins. Nomads get Griffons, Gnolls have Wolf Riders and all their units have +2 to Strength, and Hobbits have the deadly slingers. This only barely touches on the units available.

Cities must be built up with Farmers Markets for food, Shrines and Temple for morale and spell points, Smithies and Armouries for better troops, Sawmills and Mines for production, etc. Workers get shuffled between farming and producing, at your discretion, to get the best mix of food, gold and production. You control the tax rate, but be carefull of disaffected citizens! If you want to have a big army, grow lots of food!

Another type of unit is the Hero. There are 40 heroes in the game who can join you, and all army stacks benefit from their presence. Each hero is unique in ability, and they all start at level 1 and can progress up to level 8, getting stonger as they go. They can be equipped with magic items that you have found, bought or even created with your magic spells! A stack of units can not exceed nine

Combat is resolved when two armies meet. They are placed on a relatively simple piece of the appropriate terrain, and you maneuver your forces to attack the enemy. Combat is resolved on a tirn basis, although the actual fighting is simultaneous.

You win the game by defeating all your opponents or by researching the Spell of Mastery.

Magic pervades every aspect of this game, and no review can fully do it justice. Simply put, it is the best integration I have ever seen between magic and the mundane. A must download for any turn - based strategy fan

This has to be the best Civ clone... ever. Why? Imagine a cross between Lord of the Rings and Civilisation. You play the role of an sorceror who has transcended both life and death and, in your immortal state, you fancy conquering the world. You have heroes which, like in the book and film, wear magic poncy items and dominate the battlefield becoming imposing albeit by no means invulnerable surrounded by hordes of friendly and enemy troops battling out in grand style. But enough of the theme, on to the game. First the army and army types. Each different race has their qualities and faults. For instance you have High Men which are fairly bog standard, Dark Elves, Orcs even flying dragons as a starting race [Draconians]. Fine you say, you're used to that thing but unlike Warcraft 3 there are about a dozen races including about 3 special ones. Oh speaking of which 'special ones' are not better in any way to the others, they start on the alternate plane of existence in MOM (Master of Magic)... Thats right 2 worlds in MOM linked by special trategic strongpoints (ok they're towers but heavily guarded). On the subject of 'guarded', as well as computer opponents, you are confronted with neutral hordes which rampage the landscape killing pillaging, blah blah. These neutrals defend key cities, villages, ruins and magic nodes and need to be exterminated in order to advance. You could expand using your own settlers a la Civ but that will a) prove hard b) deprive you of goodies. These goodies are: new races (from neutral cities, treasure from ruins, spells and magic from mana nodes. Which reminds me, I haven't talk about Magic. After all this game requires on to acquire a certain mastery of that phenomenon to win. Magic can be cast in 2 ways: battle and on map. Generally speaking on map casting is permanent while battlefield is tactical and temporary. Spells are so numerous I could spend hours discussing. They are split up into 5 subcategories, each after their own element: Fire, Water (and Air), Earth, Life and DEATH ahem. As for what the spells are: quite simply, let you imagination run wild - don't like your friend? summon a meteor shower on his city. Fancy beefing up your armies? cast a unicorn. Strategic town under siege, irritating lake in the way cast floating island. Large enemy stack of armies.... hmm better not divulge into that. Of course you could fight it... Battles are probably one fo the best parts. Maximum of 9 units per army slugging it out. May not sound much but believe me, when there are even 2 sky drakes against 1 hero and your puny mortal armies, fighting gets tense and desperate. Battles are resolved in a kind of pseudo wargameboard (but looking much better with sprites and animations). Spells can be cast by a) you or b) units in the army (at the cost of their move). The more subunits there are in a unit the more attack value [in theory] they have but, as their health wears down, their numbers (and therefore attack) decrease: eg a phalanx of 9 human pikemen with basic attack value of say 3 have a total attack of 27! So heroes with their single attack are at a disadvantage? HA AS said above Heroes can have items, cast spells and gain experience giving them superhuman powers. This process is slow however so dont count on an instant Aragorn at the start. Normal units gain experience also but compared to that gained by heroes this seems insignificant (although there IS a noticable benefit).

To sum up. Graphics and animations are good considering the time the game was made. Gameplay is outstanding (if you haven't been paying attention to what Ive been saying) and sound is cheesey but good for its time. Problems: 1 it is waaaay to easy to win a game - even the most powerful sorceror can be toppled in an instant (im not revealing that coz it will spoil the game) 2) the AI can be a tad clumsy at times (maybe im being pedantic) 3) only 4 enemy sorcerors at once - would be fun to have more.

Anyway if you actually READ this review I congratulate you on your inhuman concentration span. Enough talk try it for yourself

Что будет, если разработчики Master of Orion задумают скрестить Heroes of Might&Magic с Civilization? И будет ли жить подобный проект?
Оказывается, что подобная игра будет не только жить, но и процветать, причем прекрасно, как чрезвычайно оригинальное творение.
Ландшафт очень напоминает Civilization. Там вот водичка, вон там олень, тут золотая жила. Если город будет стоять близко к подобной жиле и мы построим в нем шахты, то будет прирост в продуктивности. Если же он около леса, и мы оборудуем город лесопилкой - так же, денежные потоки потянутся в наш город. В начале игры мы может строить лишь столь знакомых нам поселенцев(settlers). Они, если находятся в удаление от городов, смогут воздвигнуть новый поселок. Скорость роста поселка целиком зависит от выбранной вами расы. И тут то и входит в игру это важный фактор. Рас всего четырнадцать. Но сразу выбрать можно не все. Дело в том, что мир MoM имеет две стороны, фактически это просто два мира. На светлой стороне живут по возможности добрые народы: люди, халфлинги, эльфы, возможно орки. Всего девять рас. На темной же стороне находятся оставшиеся пять. Среди них наблюдаются темные эльфы, тролли и… карлики(dwarves). Видимо они приписаны сюда для поддержания баланса.
Так кого выбрать? Троллей способных регенерировать и обладающих огромной физической силой, но очень низкой рождаемостью или же варваров, которые плодятся как кролики, но и живут примерно столько же? Может быть взять обычных людей, не имеющих явных достоинств и недостатков?
На то сможете ли вы играть темной стороной влияют характеристики вашего персонажа. Его вы можете выбрать из двенадцати заранее заготовленных или же создать его самому. Эту систему разработчики позже применили и в Master of Orion 2, но уже ко всей расе. Вы можете выбрать вашему персонажу, какой магией он владеет. Всего шесть школ, по три противоположных. Либо ваш персонаж будет владеть в мастерстве одной школой, либо же несколькими, но слабее в каждой по отдельности. А ведь еще есть и навыки, скажем такие полезные как Warlord, позволяющий вашим юнитам набирать опыт до состояния 'элитный отряд'… Как, я еще не сказал, что все юниты набирают опыт? Так вот, в ходе боев все ваши подопечные (а не только герои) набирают опыт. С поднятием уровня растут и характеристики что, конечно, повышает шанс отряда дожить до конца боя.
Если я уже упомянул и о героях, то давайте действительно немного о них поговорим. Если ваши действия будут успешны (или же если вы выбрали в навыках вашего персонажа параметр Известность) то к вам потянутся герои (опять же ссылка на MoO2). Почти каждый герой требует предоплаты и денег на содержание, за исключением нескольких, которые наоборот приносят деньги в вашу казну. У каждого героя есть свои специальные способности, которые растут от уровня к уровню и три ячейки под экипировку. У героев есть так же класс, и скажем, герой-маг не сможет использовать меч, который вы нашли в развалинах башни. Но зато им с удовольствием попользуется герой-воин (не магом, а мечом). Вы так же сможете создавать собственные артефакты, но за очень большие денежные затраты. Хотя герой обвешанный мощными магическими вещами порой в одиночку захватывает хорошо укрепленные замки, так что затраты вполне окупаются.
Заклинания создания артефактов ваш персонаж по началу конечно не знает. Для этого ему предстоит проводить магические исследования. Каждый ваш город генерирует определенное количество Магических Единиц (magical point), которые могут быть потрачены как на использование магии, так и на ее исследование или накопление. За эти три действия отвечают три 'резиновых' графика. Насколько вы подымете один настолько опустятся два других.
Казалось бы - в чем проблема! Строй городов побольше, в каждом все здания, и клепай магию быстрее, чем кролики пло… клепают магию. Но разработчики смогли учесть и этот аспект. Дело в том, что каждое здание в городе требует денег за свое содержание. А это означает, что при большом количестве городов многие здания могут приносить убытки. Вот и приходится создавать периферийные города, которые заняты только пополнением казны путем торговли. Каким бы искусным дипломатом вы не были бой все равно неизбежен. Поле делится на клетки. Герои так же участвуют в сражении, причем порою несколько за раз (ну и заразы же эти герои…). Бой достаточно прост в освоении. Юниты и герои во всю применяют свои пассивные (щит против стрел, первый удар) и активные (дыхание огнем, книга заклинания) умения. Пассивные применяются вне зависимости от вашего желания, для активных нужно еще отдать приказания юнитам умеющим их использовать. Обычно все сводится к рукопашному бою, так что обязательно стоит позаботится о присутствие в отряде созданий с большой физической силой. По завершению боя победитель получает драгоценный опыт, ну и возможно награду, будь то деньги или же артефакт.
Я надеюсь, что этим обзором я сумел вас заинтересовать, и вы хотя бы попробуете поиграть в эту игру. Поверьте, она того стоит.

A jбtйk a kцrцkre osztott fantasy kцrnyezetben jбtszуdу stratйgiai jбtйkok etalonja. A jбtйkmenet nйmileg emlkйkeztet a Civilization-re, azaz pбrhuzamosan kell fejlesztenьnk vбrosainkat йpьletek йpнtgetйsйvel йs nyomulni seregeinkkel. Azomban a jбtйk fantasy jellegйbхl adуdуan igen jelentхs szerepet kap a varбzslбs tudomбnya is.
A jбtйk kezdetekor nehйzsйgi fokozat vбlasztбs utбn vбlaszthatunk varбzslуt, vagy nehezebb fokozaton kreбlhatunk sajбtot. A varбzslуkhoz rendelt varбzslatok 6 tнpusa meghatбrozza kйsхbbi mыkцdйsьnket is. Mбr itt gondolkodhatunk pozitнvan, vagy elхбshatjuk lelkьnk sцtйt oldalбt.
Maga a jбtйk hasonlуkйppen йpьl fel, mint a mбr emlнtett civ, azzal a nagy kьlцnbsйggel, hogy egysйgeinket max kilenc fхs csapatokba gyыjthetjьk. Csapatainkba йpнthetьnk hхsцket akik igen haatйkonyan segнtik kis hadunkat vбlogatottan extra tulajdonsбgaikkal. Egysйgeink csatбink sorбn fejlхdnek, ez kьlцnцsen hхseinkre igaz, akik ha mбr kellхen megbikбsodnak, akkor nem бrt vigyбzni rбjuk, mert brutу dolgokra kйpesek. A varбzslatok a meglйvх manбnk fьggvйnye, amit kьlцnbцzх йpьletek emelйsйvel nцvelhetьnk. A tбmadбsoknбl йrdemes szem elхtt tartani, hogy ne nagyon bonyolуdjunk kйtesйlyes csatбkba, olyanokba meg fхleg ne ahol szerepet szбnunk a szerencsйnek.
A vбrosokra igaz az ami a hasonlу jбtйkokban, azaz sok jу nagy legyen.
A harc йs az йpнtkezйs mellett jelen van a diplomбcia is, de mint a rйgebbi stratйgiбkban ezt is addig йrdemes hasznбlni, amнg gyikak vagyunk.
Minйl tцbb fajt jбtszatunk annбl йlvezetesebbй vбlik a jбtйk, hiszen fцltыnik a fantasy vilбg szinte цsszes kйpviselхje.
A jбtйk megnyerйsйre kйt ъt van, az egyik a szokбsos, az addig ьsd amнg lйlegzik, tehбt totбlis nyiffantбs, mнg a mбsik a Spell of Mastery varбzslat kifejlesztйse йs megidйzйse.
Hogy kinek ajбnlanбm? Azoknak akik szeretik azon kцrцkre osztott stratйgiбkat, ahol lehet felfedezni, йpнtkezni, harcolni, meglepetйsekkel talбlkozni (pl. sцtйt tornyok), ezenkнvьl otthon йrzik magukat a valуstуl elrugaszkodу fantasy kцrnyezetben is йs van bennьk egy kis Magicyan!

Master of Magic is a slightly different Civilization-clone. It is based on Tolkien’s beings, but not in the worlds he writes about.

The game is a turnbased strategy game, which takes place on a two-planed world, that is a world with two planes of existence. One is green and colourful, the other is almost bold and desolate. They are almost like night and day. You choose which race you want to play I the beginning. You play a powerful wizard, and are to lead your minions to complete victory over the other wizards of the world. Your race is only present in the cities you found in the beginning, because you afterwards begin to conquer cities with no mercy or modesty.

Your cities are to produce food and gold. Your mana-sources produce mana, which is the driving force behind your magical powers. Those are the three resources. You are to choose which spells you want researched and there are a lot to choose from.

The ultra-cool about this game, is the fact that you can hire six heroes, which you can arm with weaponry and such, and send out to conquer mana-sources, cities or ancient ruins. The can be supplied with different spells, and come in various classes. Check out the wizard, you can hire, and then try not to call him Gandalf.

Once you have taken the first plane of existence, you are ready to take on the other as well, because your heroes have at this point advance to so high levels that they just march through cities, destroying them as they go.

The interface is very much like Civilization and Colonization, though the wizarding areas are a bit different of course.

It is a game that you play again and again.

The grades are given for:
Sound, which there isn’t much of, but that’s okay.
Graphics, that are better than Civilization, but worse than Colonization.
The gameplay is eminent and very playable.

After this you should play: Colonization, Civilization or Alpha Centauri once more.

Detta дr ett av de dдr spelen som jag kommer tillbaka till gеng pе gеng. Nдr du tittar pе var del fцr sig дr det kanske inte sе imponerande men helheten дr otrolig. Jag satt en bra stund och funderade pе 10 i spelkдnsla men jag kunde inte, det finns nеgon liten sak hдr och dдr som ger ett mцrkt moln vid horisonten. Fast mer дr det inte.
Sе till sjдlva spelet:
Det hдr civ spelet anvдnder magi istдllet fцr vanlig forskning som i civilisation. Detta ger dig som en av de stora mдstarna av magi lite godis att kasta runt nдr du samlat ihop mana och kastpoдng. Men detta gцr inte att du kan bortse frеn att fцrbдttra dina stдder med murar, barracker och banker. Fцr som alltid handlar det om att nе rдtt balans, fцr mycket magi och datorns stora elaka horder av goblins kommer och traskar rakt цver din huvudstad. Men gцr du detta misstaget sе har du fortfarande en chans. Bygg ett torn till dig sjдlv i en annan stad och du kommer att komma tillbaka frеn limbo efter ett tag. Under denna tiden kommer du dock inte att ha magin i backfickan nдr han anfaller igen, ett STORT underlдge alltsе. Om du dдremot lдgger allt krut pе armeйr sе finns alltid chanser att datorn lyckas forska fram den ultimata trollformeln.
Fцr du kan vinna pе tvе sдtt, dels genom att sparka rumpan av alla datorspelare eller forska fram den stora trollformeln.
Mmmm, mеste spela MoM nu, testa det!

Undoubtedly one of the best turn-based 'rule the world' type of strategy games ever made, Master of Magic sets the player in a medieval world where the arts of wizardry reign supreme. As a novice spellcaster in command of a little hamlet, you must expand your sphere of influence until you have conquered both Worlds.

You start out with several 'points' with which to pick your abilities. Choose from five different schools of Magic: Life, Death, Chaos, Nature, and Sorcery; you may mix and match these, though naturally spending more points in one area makes you much more consummate in casting spells of that school. In addition, your wizard may also pick certain skills which enhance his/her magical power, recruiting chances, troop experience, or even starting location!

There are several different races in Master of Magic, each with its unique strengths, weaknesses, and military units. In addition, there are Heroes, which can acquire experience and, at high levels, are veritable one-man armies!

Winning the game isn't quite the same as with most other games of this genre. Instead of the usual choices such as 'force of arms or diplomacy', you either have to permanently eliminate all the other wizards on your plane, or cast the almighty Spell of Mastery, which does the same thing in a magical fashion. I'd advise you to be ready to take on all the other wizards when you do so, because they don't take kindly to anyone trying to banish them:).

The only (possible) weak point of this game is the lack of a multi-player function. Other than that, it provides for countless hours of fun. Pick it up, definitely!

Un jeu superbe! Pas plus, ni moins.
J’йtais agrйablement surpris quand je jouais ce jeux pour la premiиre fois. Ce jeu a presque tout ce que j’ai toujours voulu avoir dans un jeu vidйo. Il est dйjа un peu вgй et a quelques influances RPG. Vous jouez un sorcier, et quand vous voulez crййr votre perso, vous pouvez lui donner un nom, choisir son apparence, et surtout: choisir quelle magie il utilisera. Vous avez entre autres le choix entre mort, vie, feu, nature, etc. et vous pouvez choisir combien de points vous allez mettre dans ces abilitйs. Il est donc logique que plus de points vous mettrez dans une abilitй, plus de sors magiques de ce type vous aurez. Il est mкme possible de choisir la race de votre peuple avec qui vous commencez а jouer: Highmen (Paladins), Orcs, Halflings, etc. Il y a aussi des races plus “spйciales” comme les Beastmen (Hommes Bкtes), Draconians (Dragons), Trolls,… chaqu’un a ses propre avantages, ses dйavantages, ses abilitйs et ses unitйs. Pour un jeu TBS de l’annйe 1993, c’est vraiment super.

Vous commencez le jeu avec un petit village que vous pouvez laisser grandir. Vous recevez de l’argent, et bientфt vous pouvez crййr quelques unitйs afin de conquйrir quelques villes ennemies. Si vous ne dйtruisez pas les villes ennemies, vous pouvez les utiliser а votre avantage et y collecter des impots. En plus, si ces villes contiennent une autre race de gens ou de monstres, il est dorйnavant possible de crййr des unitйs de cette race.
Pour vous aidez dans vos conquкtes, vous avez un bon nombre de sors magiques а votre disposition. Ces sors varient bien sыr de la magie que vous avez choisis (la mort, la vie, la nature, une combination de tout зa, etc.) Ces sors peuvent кtre dйstructifs, protecteur, et vous pouvez mкme invoquer quelques unitйs ou quelques monstres pour vous aider.

Les graphismes ne sont pas vraiment bons. Mкme quand le jeu sorti, ils йtaient dйjа un peu dйmodй, mais ne vous en faites pas. Le jeu est fantastique, les graphismes ne sont que du dйtail. MoM est en faite le prйdйcesseur du jeu Age of Wonders. Si vous aimez AoW, vous aimerez sыrement MoM. Ce jeu vaut vraiment le coup d’essayer. Tйlйchargez-le, et goыtez l’art de la conquкte magique ;-)