When most of us hear the term 'fantasy', our thoughts go straight to the overused clichés that everyone copies off the famous fantasy writers. We think of Orchs and demons, vampires and trolls, dungeons and dragons, elves and dwarves, monstrous beasts and tender fairies. The list is long. Fantasy scenarios in Age of Kings aren't all that uncommon. What is uncommon is fantasy themed scenarios that are really good, even great. Most of the ones we call great fantasy scenario don't have all too much fantasy style after all. But there are some exceptions. This Blacksmith Feature will provide you with one of them.
The first cut-scene, the trailer, works very much as a movie trailer, with a quick summary of the main storyline, some wonderful snapshots from various scenes throughout the story, and suitable music to keep the tempo. It may only last for a couple of minutes, but that alone makes you very interested in the project to come. The prologue builds upon this newfound interest by presenting the foundations of the story, the main characters, the land of Hermiston and it's varying species of inhabitants, and the civil war raging between the state and the rebels. When the prologue ends, you're left in awe of the anticipation the cut-scenes created, and there you sit, in front of the screen, for half an hour just drooling at the aftermath, wishing there was more.
I am personally not a huge fan of fantasy, apart for light value fantasy such as the Sabato series. But even still, the atmosphere and story of the Watchman captured me from the very beginning. I think and hope it could do the same to you. Therefore I order you to head straight to the Blacksmith and download
[This message has been edited by Aro (edited 01-06-2009 @ 11:51 PM).]