OVERVIEW OF THE GAME

Disciples 2: Rise of the Elves is an OFFICIAL Expansion Pack for Disciples 2: Dark Prophecy (see my review of that game if you want to know more about it). UNLIKE its siblings "Servants of the Dark" and "Guardians of the Light", Rise of the Elves introduces a hereto unplayable race - the Elves - into the fray, as a TOTALLY new race !!

The Elven Levels are set technically after the Undead Hordes' "Servants of the Dark" Expansion Pack levels, and you play the Elves at a time when they are struggling to grasp why Gallean (their God - who has just returned to Nevendaar after being resurrected by Mortis, his former lover) appears to have left them. Surely NOW is the time when they need him the most !!

You can play any of the other races from Disciples 2 in this Expansion Pack, but if you select any of the four regular races - the Empire, Mountain Clans, Undead Hordes or Legions of the Damned, you will only be able to play their regular Disciples 2 sagas.

This "standalone" expansion pack is, without a doubt, very heavily tied in with the parent title.

As with Disciples 2, this expansion pack is a turn-based strategy game. You select one of the (now FIVE !!) races on offer, choose a leader type (Warrior Leader, Mage Leader or Guildmaster), and then get on with it basically ...

Gameplay is split into two main sections - the ''map'' section and the ''combat'' section - you move your troops around, cast general world and troop spells, build structures, research spells and interact with the other players on the map section, and whenever you come across enemies or want to take over another player's cities, the action switches to the “combat” section, where your party (which can be up to 6 units) is pitted against your opponents party (again, up to 6 units), and you take turns at hitting each other until one side is victorious - a VERY simplified take on what goes on, but you get the idea …

GRAPHICS - 9/10

The graphics in the expansion pack are very similar to the graphics in the original game. In fact for the mostpart, they are identical. SOME of the characters portraits have been redone - e.g. the Lich Queen and Troll, and a few are completely new - e.g. the majority of the Elven Units, the Goblin Elder, Cyclops and Shamaness. On the whole the graphics are very impressive, boasting well-drawn characters, and good levels of detail. Each character has their own fighting stance, move(s) and feel, which makes compiling your armies quite a personal and versatile experience. Combat takes place on a backdrop which reflects your position on the map (e.g. on a boat on the seas, in forests, graveyards, etc., etc.) and there are neat little additions like seagulls flying overland to keep the map section interesting. All in all the graphics are one of the game's strongest points. They are impressive and varied, and will leave you FAR from bored (there's a certain ''YES !!'' factor to some of the moves you can pull off, and snatching victory from the jaws of defeat is rather fulfilling I have to say).

SOUND - 8/10

As with Disciples 2, considerable thought has gone into the sounds for this game. The background music has a couple of new pieces available for differing situations - unless I am mistaken the COMBAT music is a bit more upbeat - and the majority remains true to what you are used to of the Disciples 2 title(s). It's not the most memorable music (you probably won't wind up humming it whilst you're not playing the game), but it's certainly NOT bad. With very few exceptions each of the characters has their own voice which is separate and distinctive from the others in the game, and the general feel is quite polished. The Elves have been given a NEW guy to do the voiceovers for their level introductions and endings (he's a different guy than did the original Disciples 2 narration, but his voice isn't bad ...), and there isn't really any bad lagging or sound glitching to mar the effect ... overall, it's impressive and fits the game well :)

GAMEPLAY - 9/10

To be honest with you, if you've enjoyed playing Disciples 2 you WILL enjoy playing this expansion pack. All the things that made Disciples 2: Dark Prophecy fun are present in this game and if anything, since you are by now FAMILIAR with the characters ? You SHOULD enjoy this a little more !!

The introduction of a whole new race, together with its different units, buildings, spells, animations, sounds, graphics, plot, storyline, and so on and so forth, really helps to breathe new life into a very enjoyable series of games, and helps to make this title a VERY worthwhile purchase. The Elves are a varied side to play as, having both healers and good ranged units (archers and spellcasters), and whilst they don't have BILLIONS of different upgrade paths, they fit in well with the other races available to you in Disciples 2: Dark Prophecy (and its expansion packs).

Furthermore, given that you have access to the Elves as a whole Saga, you do feel as though you have a reasonable opportunity to get used to playing with them ... it isn't a "hi, bye" scenario ;)

REPLAY VALUE - 8/10

As with Disciples 2: Dark Prophecy, this expansion pack's replay value is reasonably high as the levels are elaborate, and CAN take quite a while to complete depending on whether you go for the goal, or take your time and explore a little more ... it is fun seeing how the plot of this NEW race (the Elves) grows and diversifies - they certainly have their fair share of ups and downs - and all in all I would say that there IS definite replay potential there.

OVERALL - 9/10

A VERY very worthy expansion pack to a very enjoyable game. If you enjoyed Disciples 2: Dark Prophecy and want to see what it would be like to play as the Elves ? Then THIS is the game for YOU :)

MAIN GOOD POINTS

* Well written plot that brings an entirely new race (the Elves) into the fold.

* The Elves are introduced as a PROPER new race - i.e. they have all their own units, spells, animations, missions, and so on and so forth ... EVEN their own type of MANA ... so they have been WELL integrated and not just slapped in as an afterthought.

* Introducing a new race IS a good way to breathe new life into the existing title - however see point 1 of my "main bad points" section for my PERSONAL thoughts on this.

* Great graphics and good sounds.

MAIN BAD POINTS

* It is an expansion pack - it would have been far better (in my humble opinion) to introduce the Elves in Dark Prophecy, although I respect that owing to the way their storyline unfolds it isn't really do-able until after the Undead Hordes have completed their Servants of the Dark Saga. It's just that playing through Disciples 2 (as you most likely will have done) prior to picking up this title is kinda like going back to square one whilst still running with the ball ? If that makes sense ?

* Still only one leader and five items can be brought from the last quest to the next one, which means that sometimes you wind up leaving behind items that you really wanted to take with you.

Disciples 2, and its expansions, fail to meet the standards of the modern game. A clumsy interface and difficult introduction will turn off most players who are more comfortable with the gentler approach provided by Heroes of Might and Magic 5 and similar offerings.

Disciples is one of those rare games that will remain in your PC for years, long after the graphic has become updated and new versions have been released. In the Gold version of Disciples 2 you have a truly polished and enjoyable turn-based game. It is not easy by any standards, so if this is your first time, don’t be afraid to use the lowest difficult setting. The AI is good, and you really have to plan ahead to win in any map. The graphic is not like Disciples 3, of course, the newest release in the series, but it is still more than appreciable. For its price, thsi game is an incredible bargain, you will have hundreds of hours of fun. I got the original version upon release years ago, but I had to re-buy the digital version just to have it in my hard-drive and play it again, from time to time.

Great expansion to the already brilliantly made and fantastic visual looking game. This expansion pack adds more mission and challenges to the original game. A must get if you enjoy the original game.

This is perhaps the best expansion in the Disciples series in that it adds a whole new race, and with that a whole new campaign.

Excellent expansion, adds lots of gameplay and an interesting new race, the elves. The new race fits in quite well with the others and fills a sort of gap in the game. It feels like much more effort has been put into this expansion than was put into Gallean's return and the addition of a new race is certainly a welcome content boost.

This expansion adds several new missions & a new race (surprise... surprise) the Elvin Alliance (who are actually my favorite Race) to the game. If you are a fan of the game than I recommend picking this up because it is more of the same & has a decent enough length to justify the purchase. If you only kinda liked the game, then you could pass without missing much (as it is basically more of the same).

Disciples II: Rise of the Elves is a milestone in the Disciples universe. For the first time Disciples fans will be able to play as the elder Elven race as they struggle to reclaim their forests from the four primary forces in Nevendaar. Driven by an unpredictable god who urges them to battle the Elves begin a massive march towards their fate. The noble Elves rule their people from elaborate fortresses within the trees. They adorn themselves with ornate armor and prefer councils or negotiations to conflict. Their queen is a just leader preferring the path of peace for her kind. The noble Elves owe much to the Empire... The wild Elves have become forest predators. Their intolerance of the civilized world has reached new extremes and they have reduced themselves to highwaymen and bandits. They tolerate the noble bloodline but do not respect it. The thought of their race allying with another is appalling.

This is one of the best strategy games of all time. Disciples 2 mixes in enough familiar mechanics of various other fantasy based turn based strategy games, with unique elements of it's own to present a wholly original styled game.

Make sure to buy the complete Disciples 2 package. Rise of the Elves Gold does not include all the expansions. Pick up Disciples 2 Gold instead.

A great expansion to a great game.

I loved Disciples II with its expansions. While previous ones didn't add many units to the game, this one changes it. And how! We got a whole new race, the Elves!

Elves have some interesting units with nice abilities. For example, their mages have Initiative at 45, which means they almost always beat other mages to attack, and sometimes even first line warriors too. To compensate, their foot soldiers are... Centaurs. They have much lower Initiative, compared to the Dwarves, but can deal a lot of damage. But where the Elves truly shine, is their ranged attackers - as the Elves should be. Similar to other races, there is a new kind of mana with a whole line of spells for the Elven Alliance.

Expansion features a brand new single player campaign, plus some multi and single player maps. If you liked the vanilla game, the expansion is a must have.

Stand-alone expansion pack for Disciples. We get in it the opportunity to play an extra fraction - elves. I must admit that the army has become my favorite, the units have a high initiative, the elves in their army have a good shooting units and healers. The downside of that army are melee fighting units and magic of a typical offensive (I would prefer the magic of reinforcement). In addition to the elve's campaign, we get access to the campaign from the basic version. Unfortunately the number of new items and neutral units is small.

The game really could draw, especially if someone is a fan of turn-based strategy set in a fantasy world. Additional advantages are good, distinctive music and beautiful (even in our times) graphics. Are inevitable comparisons to the series Heroes of Might and Magic, but it should be noted that this is a completely different game, with a completely different system of urban development, individual and different combat system.

Disciples 2 was a great little turn based strategy game in it's own right, and this does it proud.

A new race in addition to the 4 original ones, the Elves fit in nicely to the series, having been confined the peripheral of the storylines in the past.

As with Disciples 2 itself, the art style and music are very interesting. The gameplay is nothing to write home about, if you've played the rest of the series, then you pretty much know what you're getting.

If you loved Disciples 2 and want to get more of it, with a new race to boot, this game is perfect for you.

Adding an entirely new race to the game, along with a slew of new missions, if you don't already own the original Disciples II, Disciplies II Rise of the Elves Gold is really the edition you should own. It's a bundle of the original game and its expansion, and its price is excellent.

In summary, Disciples II is a strategy game in the vein of the Heroes of Might and Magic series: you recruit heroes, give them armies, and send them abroad to keep your enemies at bay and expand your reach into the world. Unlike Heroes, though, Disciples includes several interesting RPG elements that mix up the genre, including the ability to upgrade your troops to newer, more powerful variations of themselves after gaining enough experience, and use special items and scrolls in combat to turn the tide in your favor.

You control one of several factions ranging from the elves, demons, humans, undead, and more. The goal of the game varies depending upon the scenario or campaign mission, but one novel feature is the expansion of your faction's corresponding territory from your centers of power. For example, as the demons' influence spreads, the earth around them transforms to charred, volcanic terrain, and anything touched by it becomes claimed by them, from resource-generating gold mines to mana nodes, which allow them to cast devastating spells at their enemies or summon powerful creatures at the location of their choice.

Combat is simplistic and mostly boils down to the overall strength of your army versus the opposing forces, leaving little room for actual strategy except for your choice of troops, which you decided upon when the army was created in the first place, and what enemies you send them to attack. Thinking less in terms of how you use your troops and more in terms of a numerical strength value attributed to each army, a force of acolytes, no matter how you use them, cannot defeat a dragon, which means they're better suited to another mission entirely. As a result, combat is more aimed at the macro than the micro, and your success depends on your ability to plan and craft a powerful set of heroes capable of complementing each other and working through various situations together.

While Heroes may have the edge on tactical combat, however, Disciples give you great freedom in manipulating the environment, even going so far as to offer you thief units who can perform sabotage and espionage against the enemy. You can even place rods, small, influence spreading structures which allow you to claim small areas for vital resources, and flying winged heroes can escape with their armies across large bodies of water from their land-bound pursuers.

Overall, the game is great fun and very atmospheric, with its own unique art style that suits it well, and its strategy elements come together to form a classic, turn-based strategy experience. If you missed it the first time, $7 is a great price for a lot of game, and this one is pure quality.