Demonworld 2: Dark Armies (2002)

[Blitzwing]

Demonworld 2: Dark Armies (2002)

Published by
Xicat Interactive, Inc.

Developed by
Ikarion Software GmbH

Released
Jan 13, 2002

https://www.mobygames.com/game/windows/demonworld-dark-armies/mobyrank

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0n4bJjtF6sk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3TRrWxECT6E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdnrN1SH0AI

Demonworld is a local Warhammer rip-off from germany. Based on the Board Game there were made 2 games, one Turn Based and RTS Demonworld 2: Dunkle Armeen (2000)
2 years later it was translated into English and called Demonworld 2: Dark Armies (2002)

It's a very rare game that got by press abysmal ratings, due to very high story difficulty.

Originally posted by GameSpot:

GameSpot Critic score 16:
Downright painful to play...utter garbage that should be passed up without a second thought.

This one was even for a skilled player quite hard. It's the only Strategy game in my over 30 years career as gamer I did never beat. And I bested Total Annihilation Krogoth Encounter, KKnD 2 (Wall of Death) Evolved Mission 13 was for me walk in the park.
But this one gives me flashbacks.


Was it a bad game? Its quite similar to Warhammer: Shadow of the Horned Rat or Warhammer: Mark of Chaos. From technical stand point, well its an old game, my modern PC cant run. On my very old second PC, where I still have the CD, it's quite an experience, was quite an experience. Sadly the game never did get a remastered, or was anyhow brought back to download in working condition online.

Gameplay?
So you have to manage units in squads from mission to mission and their survival was vital, as otherwise you would run out of troops to command. I had so many Pyrrhic victories, to a point to give up, start over and still experience the harsh reality "War decides not who wins, but who survives".

It looked pretty much similar to 2D Warlords Battlecry, with Human, Dwarf and Orc faction, also had some mercenaries. You had to manage your army between the fights. You had in story mode quite nice UI for the world map and in-game wiki to know the units.

It was a pure tactical combat maps with no base build, story was from human empire perspective, move to each next mission was nicely narrated and animated, while you did get quite a lot of alternative storylines.

Like you are on the way to next mission and the dwarf general does challenge you to a duel. So you can of course do the noble thing and loose in 1to1 fight, or chick out.

Or you get the mission, you can approach the orc army in daylight to save the village, or let orcs plunder the village and by night blow up a nearby dam to flood them.

And despite all the hard decisions, to keep my army alive, but in same time continue the mission, survive ambushes and sieges, there are still situations where your army gets cornered by flame vomiting wyverns, and those who have been not turned into ash are overrun in next mission by spiders. So you try later again, from very start to beat that mission and still by next one are crushed by an Undead Army.

They dont make games like this anymore.