Elven legacy is a turn-based strategy game, set in a fantasy world, which is all about combat. There's no city building, diplomacy, trading or similar only combat. But the combat is all the more complex. There are terrain bonuses that are different for different units and sometimes a terrain that gives one type of unit a bonus gives a penalty to another type of unit. There are also many different types of units all with different abilites, and you get to choose further abilities for them as they level up, so you can make your units really specialized to fit your preferred way of fighting.

The game offers a real challenge if played on the highest difficulty level, and in particular optional missions can be really really difficult on that difficulty level but there are easier difficulty levels available for those who prefer less of a challenge. This means that is suitable for beginners and experts alike. Beginner should be able to beat the game, playing on the easiest difficulty and skipping optional missions, while experts will find it suitably challenging to beat all missions including the most difficult optional ones on the hardest difficulty level.

Graphics and sound are of good quality and voice acting (in the main game not in the expanion packs) is above average. The story is fairly standard for this type of game, nothing really original.

The elven legacy collection contains the main game and three expansion packs. I found the story of the main game to be slightly better than that of any of the expansion packs and none of the expansion packs have voice acting. Other than that the expansion packs are essentially more of the same. The expansion packs try to provide a bit of variation compared to the main game by each having a different "theme". In the first expansion pack "Ranger", you contol a ranger hero with stealth based abilites and some missions are designed to require use of such abilities. In the "Siege" expansion pack many missions involve capturing cities or castles and the "Magic" expansion pack let's you control a few different heroes with powerful magical abilities.

Basically, this package contains lots and lots of complex turn-based combat, with fantasy units, magic, castles etc. If that sounds like your kind of thing at all I would recommend this collection as it provides lots of content for a very reasonable price and the complexity of the game means you wont quickly tire of it, provided you like this kind of game. Had it had a somewhat more original story, I would have given it five stars.

You like tun-based strategy in fantasy realm? This is pack for you. Basic game+3 DLC makes any hours of fun.

Positive - interesting story line in every game, many single mission. Many units in total and some inventions like a flying ships or ability to casting strange orc's spells. Also any unit gathering experience and you can buy perks. Also there is "system of fear" - if unit got many damages is moving away one filed from attackers. All in 3D with free camera. All spels are animated - yeah!

Negative - heroes are little bit not balanced enough and good hero can fight alone against enemies army and... win.

But in total Elven Legacy is really good game for fans of HoMM and Fantasy Wars.

Buy this title, it;s worth of it! And my gameplay is here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7__1vMmuRaQ&list=UUQBdOkeUwuFLaxxM3J2PhDQ&index=1

A really great game and I got it on sale which made it even better! It's best to start on easy cause the game is a little more forgiving at that setting. If you love these types of games you love this one it's well worth playing.

There are not many good TBS games these days, so you will prety much like it if you are into the gender.

great atmosphere(9.5/10)

decent story(7/10)

I can`t rate the gameplay as it is a hex TBS.

+a decent variety of troops, which can be customised

+has multiplayer (game is DRM free)

+fair price

-an old wizard would have been better suited (instead of Gilwen)

-low level cap for units (5)

-hard to collect all the artefacts on a map and finish it with gold rank

Bought the game on sale, and was glad I did. It's a turn based strategy game on a hex map. Units can level up throughout the campaign, which I found to be pretty challenging. I was a bit annoyed to discover only heroes could get past level 5, but that's pretty much my only minor issue. In addition to the multiple campaigns this collection gives, you can also do single missions, or even go back and try to do better on your campaign missions. I just wish there was a difficulty setting between easy and normal.

The shadows of destruction begin to loom on the horizon once a human mage uncovers a dark and powerful secret dating back to the remote past of the Elven race. However, the Elves cannot allow this forbidden knowledge to fall into the hands of others and thus imperil the world. For the first time in countless years, this ancient race must venture forth and interfere with events transpiring in the lands of man. With the renegade mage in their sights, the sorceress Gilwen and ranger-lord Seagate set off together, unaware that beliefs and friendships alike will soon be tested…

3D engine is not only fun to watch, but also very convenient to use.

Incredibly tough campaigns.

Very nice game i loved :)

A wonder compilation which is worth every penny. A solid strategy game a la Fantasy General which I have enjoyed playing through more than once. In fact this is the third time I have bought this series from different sources which should show how dedicated I am to this series. Makes the latest XCOM look like Pokepark.

A simple game to play, but hard to master, turn based strategy game. It belongs to the family of games like Battle for Wesnoth, Warlock Master of the Arcane, etc. You have your units, moving along the map that is divided in hexes and only one unit can stay at the same hex at the same time.

All in all, the campaign seemed to be OK, but I give a 2 out of 5 mainly because I didn't like the way the movement and attack is designed (you cannot be moving step by step your unit and then decide what to do next, if take another step during its turn or finally attack a nearby unit) and, above all the reasons, because playing this game for not so long made my laptop overheat and the game got blocked (notice that this doesn't happen to me when playing newer and with higher requirements games in my laptop).

This turned out to be a most enjoyable series of games, and any gamer that enjoys Fantasy/turn-based games should enjoy themselves from the first game to the last.

Playing on a hex based map was refreshing for an old time gamer like myself, and turn based games always give one the chance to weigh one's options before casting the dice.

So lets break it down, Graphics, OK so a little dated now but still very colorful and easy on the eyes. Units and terrain up close look very good I give it 4 stars.

Story, is well written and has various paths you can follow depending on choices you make as the plot unfolds so I give it 4 stars here also.

Voice acting/cut scenes, I found the voices to pretty good and matched well with most of the primary players. Cut scenes when they occur are well done, in fact latter in the series I was rather let down when they started to dry up, but that is not uncommon with a game that spans several titles. Again I give it four stars.

Game play, turn based and hexes - whats not to love! There are lots of units to choose from in the various factions and most are fun to rampage across the battlefield with. After learning what unit is most effective/counters that unit it becomes more fun as you go, same as with most games. Again 4 stars.

And now the reason for the 5 star rating, the price! Really a whole collection for under $20, should not be missed. A truly great game collection that should not be missed.

A great little strategy gem akin to Fantasy General. Although 3D map is rather unnecessary and sometimes even distracting, the gameplay simply rocka. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys a solid turn-based strategy game.

It' a good turn based strategy game even if, maybe a littel too difficult. It has a good story and it is set in a complex and fascinating world.

In particular this is a great colleciton especially for people like me who love turn based games, and this is one of the best i have ever seen. The game plus the expansions is really worth the price: there is a good variety in the units you can use and the skills are a nice twist that add strategy to the game.

The sequel to Fantasy Wars it's all that and more. For those that don't know this is a hex based turn based wargame in the vein of the great Panzer General or Fantasy General series of the 90's. Simple to learn but with great depth. You build and take a persistent army from one scenario to the next, upgrading units and gaining skills. This package with 3 expansions makes the game massive, with dozens of branching campaign missions and standalone scenarios. Great game.

For all of us who prefer Turn-based strategy over RTS it's very hard to find nowadays a game, and even if you find it, it will probably suck because big developers houses are just making RTS ones. But, our must trusthworthy Paradox brought us this excelent game which, believe me, will keep you there seated for hours just for "one more turn" (you know what I'm talking about, hehe). But, also this game has a nice combo of RPG elements (gain XP, equip items, etc), nice detailed gfx which really make you feel inside this fantasy world, a wide variety of units for your eye taste (not the damn classic "shenanigans" 5 unit-sprites with different colors and names... ever heard of that???), and tons of more features which are almost impossible to name here. And the mega plus is that this game features Multiplayer games in many ways (with Save/Load and "Time Limit per turn" options which give this game a 10/10 on multiplayer experience) and it's DRM FREE (means you can share with other people and start multiplayer over LAN/IP), so there is no excuse for not getting this game as soon as you finish reading this. 3 2 1 BUY IT NOW ^_^

Elven Legacy Collection is a must for anyone who likes turn-based fantasy game. You get all the modules (you can buy them all separately, but why?), and so you will have literally hundreds of hours of enjoyment in front of you. If you are old school and spent much night in front of a PC screen playing Fantasy General, then this one is for you. If you just liked Fantasy Wars, well this is just a better version of the same game. Please be advised that this game is tough, so no casual player needs to apply. Your strategy will be put to the test. Your units will be cornered and outnumbered. And reaching gold status requires so few turns that only after many play-through you will be able to get it. This is, after all, why this game is so good. Also, the graphic has been updated and it is just a joy to look at. Buy it, buy it now!

Highly recommend this collection. As others have mentioned high-quality turn-based strategy games are getting rarer. Good colleciton of units, reminds me a lot of Fantasy General. Good replay value, especially with all of the included fantasy packs.

I gave it 5 stars because it is so hard to find a quality turn based strategy game these days. Don't be deterred by comments that this game is too difficult. I read them before I started playing and initially I thought the same thing before realizing two things that make the game much easier. First, you should generally replay levels until you beat them few or no troop losses and with a good medal rating so that future levels will be easier. Second, certain levels require a strategy beyond killing all the enemies - if your goal is to defeat an enemy hero, this doesn't require killing all the numerous enemies protecting him.

- Background story of the world you are playing in is more complex than I would have expected.

- Nice cut scenes and music.

- Cool units and perks.

- Addictive campaign that has plenty of hours of game-play.. this is NOT a game that you beat in a weekend by any means. Can't wait to get to the expansions.

- Average replay-ability. The campaign sometimes has different routes you can take, hence different levels. You can buy different units or give them different perks. But I can't give this game too high a mark on replay-ability because once you know how to beat a level the overall strategy doesn't change much. Still, I will play the campaign again at some point (after I beat the expansions).

A great, turn based strategy game with plenty of replay value, thanks to all of the expansion packs being included with this purchase.

People should be warned that the game can be quite hard though and unforgiving. It really encourages you to get through missions with as few losses as possible and the time limit helps to make you strategise.

The learning curve isn't that bad but there are just way too many enemies for your limited number of units; it's just not fair. Graphically it\'s beautiful and has lots of eye candy and it has potential. Unfortunately, I find the single player campaign very difficult and there\'s nobody online to take my frustration out on.

Campaign is fun, altho i wish it was a more bigger army type of game, like age of empires...i think that would improve it drastically (big AOE fan).few troops, enemies never seeming to stop, and to top it all off...u have to rush to win seeing how every map is based off the rounds you use to win, or complete failure. Good unit types, nice way of magic use, love the ability upgrade types, the army restore (rest), and the fill unit function if u have the gold to restore the units numbers to full. Towns are almost useless besides they give gold or unique weapons, and offer a defensive bonus, cant train units out of them, build them, upgrade them, nothing of the sort. all in all stroy is decent, passes time, frustrating. give it a 5/10

Simple gaem but fun. If you find it for cheap and want to kill a weekend, pick it up. If you're looking for a complex strategy game with a deep story skip on this. 3 stars because I bought it for cheap and it's pretty fun for the price.

A great colleciton that I have had so much fun iwht. I love turn based games, and this is one of the better ones I have ever played. With all the expansions, you really get a lot of game for the cost. Units are varied and interestin and the skills and perks are a nice twist that add complexity and strategy to the game.

A great pick up for cerebral gamers and those who miss those turn based games of old!!

Some of us old-timers remember when games used to be challenging and unforgiving. Some remember a SSI game called Fantasy General. Well, Elven Legacy, sequel of Fantasy wars, is a true spiritual successor of the former, and IS NOT "streamlined", read "a boring piece of cake".

Like Fantasy General, it's a turn-based strategy game, consisting in battles on hex-based maps. You have to use the terrain, think your moves carefully, and keep your units alive. There is a little RPG aspect found in unit's progression and in various artifacts.

The visual aspect, if a little "warcraftian", is enough clear and even sometimes pleasent. The music is generic fantsy, you heard it elsewhere.

"Generic" could also describe the scenario. While not exactly boring, it's the same old Tolkien all over again. But it' not the most important aspect of turn-based strategy games.

A few words to finish my review : buy and play this game !

Strategy fans fret not, this game is excellent! The difficulty in achieving gold rank for each mission along with the limited number of turns each round adds a nice strategic depth to the game, forcing players to challenge themselves to complete missions in the least amount of turns. However, the voice acting can be rather poor. But it's not a big issue to turn you away from this great game.

4 games in 1 is always a good start. The Elven legacy collection has a lot going for it. The gameplay is easy enough, the graphics and sound are good and the storyline is strong.

It starts out tricky and gets harder. With a little patience this really is worth playing. You get used to the limitations of the units easily enough and there are some pretty cool ones through the game. Getting new spells is easy enough as long as you follow the mission plan and they are quite good even from the start. The action can be a bit slow but that is the bane of turn-based games, so we expected that.

The only real criticism is that the magic and the siege start out pretty hard. This did put me off, but I went back and tried harder. It was worth it. We really love this.

I recommend every turn-based strategy's fan this game (unfortunately in recent times leaves little games in this category). The game is based on the subsequent battles, the economic aspect is minimal, and we do not need to acquire more pieces of terrain. A limitation is that only a small number of sites of conflict. Add-ons extend a game with more characters, spells and missions. Overall, the game can draw. In addition, we have a map editor, so you can easily create your own maps. Watt himself to play and try it!

I played and enjoyed the demo. I played and enjoyed the first 7 or so levels of the full game after I bought it. Then, while on the easiest setting, I came to a level which, after several tries, seems impossible to beat with the army I'd built. I found a walk through confirming the difficulty of this level and explaining that all the previous levels need to be played to near perfection in order to be properly equipped to complete it. That may appeal to some gamers but it does not appeal to me. On "easy" a game should be "finishable" without being played perfectly. With much disappoint I soon uninstalled it.

The graphics are pleasant, not groundbreaking, but then again this is not a game made to challenge games like Crysis visually!

Strategy is what this game is all about, and boy does it deliver! You are guarantied MANY hours,days...even months of head-scratching and frustration as this game offers one serious challenge (if you go for gold)!

The voice acting is laughable, and the story is not really very interesting. But ignore that and just focus on the game-play, and you are going to have a lot of fun!

If you enjoy turn-based game play, Elven Legacy is right up your alley. If you enjoy massive challenge, Elven Legacy is for you. Also, if you enjoy getting an excellent value for massive content, this game is a good pick!

Here is a simple proof that hex based strategy game can be done. Elven Legacy is a great game that offer lots of challenge, requiring you to careful think each move, using the best of the terrain and position to maximum effect as the turn limit countdown.

With all expansion, more the bonus missions offered when you gain a "gold" victory (winning under the turn limit) make of Elven Legacy a really worth game.

Four challenging campaigns, with such diverse design, that they will tax you to the max! There are truly a few missions that are harder. Bonus and optional missions mean there is a lot of replayability for those that desire it. Every expansion has new content across the entire spectrum of features; either map design, artefacts perks, heroes or units.

The AI presents a real challenge even for a strategy vet like me. While the sheer number of unit types means a huge amount of combat combinations to think about when choosing how to attack your enemies. A complex set of abilities (perks) brings an extra dimension in co-ordinating your strategy as indivdual heroes and units can level up numerous times and gain different abilities. While the set of possible tactical options is increased by equipping your forces with an assortment of powerful artefacts.

Elven Legacy is such great and underrated game! The game is the continuation of Fantasy wars with improved graphics and most units. The expansions provid four more lenghty campaigns. More than 50 hours of fun!

Great value for money. Good unit balance, no unit is over-powered and every unit has its advantages and disadvantages. Strategic use of terrain and support is essential to minimise casualties and advance. Sad to say, I feel that there's not much replayability. Must buy for turn-based strategy fans.

Elven Legacy is a fantastic game because it offers a huge variety of strategic choice, and while its many missions are quite challenging and difficult to beat, it never feels as though the game is being unfair. Failing a mission means a restart, of course, but the second playthrough is often as fun as the first as you reorder your army, purchase new combinations of units, and equip various artifacts you looted from the game world in previous missions.

The game's description cites Heroes of Might and Magic as the inspiration for its tactical gameplay, but while it is somewhat similar due to its hexagonal movement grid, the freeware game Battle for Wesnoth is a far more apt comparison (anyone who knows what I'm talking about, this game is practically a much more advanced, many times more satisfying attempt at the genre). You purchase units at the start of each mission, or use those who survived what came before, and order them strategically around your starting position. Then you send them out into the world, dropping elven warriors on forested tiles to reap the defensive bonuses they yield, setting archers on hilltops for obvious bonuses, etcetera. As they do battle and slay their opponents, moves that are often rendered in wonderful detail (such as the camera following a volley of arrows to its doomed target), they gain experience which can be used to purchase perks, increasing the effectiveness of your troops in various situations.

All in all, the game was not what I expected – it's much better. The gameplay makes you think, the graphics are beautiful, and the strategy is top notch, even if the opponents are sometimes difficult to beat. Play the demo first, of course, but I recommend this game highly for any strategy game enthusiast, albeit less for the overly casual crowd and more for those gamers who enjoy a good challenge.

Simply amazing! Thats how Id describe this bundle. 4 challenging campaigns, with such diverse design, that they will tax you to the max! Every expansion has new content across the entire spectrum of features; either map design, artefacts perks, heroes or units.

The AI presents a real challenge even for a strategy vet like me. While the sheer number of unit types means a huge number of combat combinations to think about when choose how to attack your enemies.

The fantasy setting may not be something familiar to those of you who prefer the machinations of modern warfare, but it is so beautifully crafted it makes the game such a joy to play. Together with no gameplay bugs makes this game just perfect. Longevity and a certain amount of replayability make this a cert. for my collection.

This has to be the best hex turn-based fantasy collection ever made.

This is an excellent game and with the addition of the three expansion packs it will keep you playing for a long time to come.

The game play in Elven Legacy and its expansions can feel a bit daunting at times as you are faced with unfavorable odds, and you are limited on the number of turns you have to complete the mission.

Even with these issues that face the player, there is something compelling about this game. It provides a real challenge to the player while at the same time remaining winnable if played wisely.

It is a game worth picking up and playing and with the collection available you can purchase all games in one convenient pack. Enjoying being an elf for a while and fight for Elven honor! :o)