93 people found this review helpful
6 people found this review funny
Recommended
0.0 hrs last two weeks / 0.2 hrs on record
Posted: Nov 13, 2014 @ 4:13pm

Here's the dilemma with Majesty: It's one of a kind and the gameplay mechanics are very charming. On the other hand, it's brutally tough, it's unfair, and its quests suck hard. So even though I recommend it, I only recommend it to those who like extreme challenge.

I love the idea behind Majesty, and I'm very sad that its levels were designed by masochists who have no idea what difficulty means. I like tough games, but they need to play fair. Majesty doesn't. Majesty enjoys sending hordes of tough enemies at you 30 seconds after mission start. Majesty enjoys directly targetting creatures at your certain structure (which of course must not be destroyed), even though you don't have a direct control over your heroes and the only thing you can do is rely on your luck or save/load approach. Have you ever seen eagles primarily attacking buildings? Well, in Majesty you will.

The overall problem is that even though you are not given a direct control over your heroes (which is absolutely great and I love it), the developers do not make the rest of the world consistent with this "simulation" approach. So, although some creatures just wander around, there are waves which doesn't and it doesn't make any sense, except for artificial difficulty.

If you want to finish this game, essential is
a) carefully reading a manual, or some web guides, because a lot of important features is not properly explained in-game
b) slowing down time whenever there is a fight ('<' and '>' shortcuts)
c) saving a lot, unless you want to repeat the whole level

Even if you all of that, you'll need to repeat some expert levels at least once, because you'll need to learn what special events happen when (e.g. at the beginning of the third day, there is a wave of dragons targetting your elven lounge). And some levels have just one or two possible solutions and it's almost impossible to complete the level otherwise. You'll need to look at YouTube to see how to complete it. There's no other way.

It would be really great to have a Majesty-like game with a reasonable and enjoyable level design. Unfortunatelly, it hasn't happened yet.
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7 Comments
Mosley was right Jul 20, 2023 @ 6:04pm 
To be honest, as much as I have been a huge fan of this classic old game since I first discovered it in 2004, I have to admit that it does feel pretty experimental for its time.
Cowboy Dan Jul 3, 2023 @ 10:36pm 
I can't really say it's that hard especially after figuring out stuff like skeletons counter dragons etc. Difficulty in fact is something I'd like more of
Ripper Jun 27, 2023 @ 7:24am 
@Pockets: It has been a long time since I wrote this review (and played Majesty), so I don't really remember the details :-) But I obviously wrote it after beating the last levels (no cheating!), i.e. the most difficult ones, instead of writing it in the middle of the game. So it's quite likely that I was thinking about those very hard ones and not the ones from the beginning or the middle of the game. I vaguely think that there were more than 2 really unfair levels, but I don't really know now. In some levels, you either had to know the strategy, or you had to have luck in choosing the right buildings and approach for that scenario. Replaying levels over of course increased your chances. I believe my review wasn't supposed to say that the whole game is very hard, but that completing this game is very hard.
Pockets Jun 27, 2023 @ 6:51am 
There are two levels I have serious issues with and genuinely need to use cheats just to beat them. But the rest of them are literally no problem. Sure, some missions are difficult and take a couple of tries but there are only a couple of levels I'd truly consider masochistic (that elven one you mentioned is a fucking doozie, when I don't cheat I get to literally the last bit then lose just barely, played that mission every day for a few weeks, kept barely loosing, so i gave up and cheated).

I would argue that this game comes from a different time where challenge was genuinely encouraged in a game lol. It doesn't hold your hand, but saying the whole game is that hard is a bit of a stretch, I could beat most of this game at the age of 9. But also, there's tons of strategy games involving base building that are more recent that i find leaps and bounds more challenging (Tropico 6 is the first that comes to mind). Like, this game is childs' play compared to the difficulty of Tropico 6.
The Hat Aug 17, 2019 @ 1:16pm 
Its been awhile but I remembered it being easy myself. I stuck to warriors at first as they didn't seem to die often, paired them with healers after i'd got a few out. Eventually i'd get thieves and wizards but only after i'd got setup with plenty of warriors, secondary being healers. Endgame paladins if possible. Wizards would die often, thieves and rangers sometimes, as long as I had a core of warriors + healers though I always won the game.
Dextrome Feb 27, 2016 @ 9:20am 
" It would be really great to have a Majesty-like game with a reasonable and enjoyable level design. Unfortunatelly, it hasn't happened yet. "

Let's discuss this further in steamchat, please :steamhappy:

I often make little game prototypes, but I never actually finish anything... because of lack of motivation and/or it just being too much for one person.

PS. I prefer (/am best at) doing backend
Dextrome Feb 27, 2016 @ 9:15am 
Used to love the game for its casual unique simulation gameplay, but there's absolutely nothing to justify this €10 price tag for reselling an old product with nothing new of value. "2 additional quests" woopteedoo - nobody cares.

If you're not going to improve the game itself, at least provide achievements and trading cards. :steamfacepalm: Otherwise there's absolutely no reason to buy this re-release...

BUT I suppose if it's ever on 60-80%; then yes, I would recommend you buy it!