I wonder what it feels like to be a hero of already annihilated empire? Do they have the fame and popularity that the hero of the empire that annihilated them has? Are they given a warm welcome whenever they return from a quest? Are large feats thrown in their honor? Probably not, but I guess you take what life gives you. Hey, at least you’re a hero and that is better then nothing.

A long time ago...

Heroes of Annihiliated Empires, developed by GSC Game World and published by CDV Software, is the first game in a trilogy. HoAE promises a mix of both RTS and RPG style play that offers both a single and multiplayer experience. The only RPG elements the game has to offer is that your hero will level up and had access to items that he can change throughout the game, thus making him stronger. When your character gains a level you will have a choice to make as to what attribute you want to rise. You have the option of skipping the choice and if you do so you may receive an even better upgrade to your hero the next time you level. The RTS portion of the game really adds nothing new to the genre. Expect the same old gathering, building, and upgrading that has been played out in countless other RTS games. Hopefully, the next 2 games will offer up something innovative for both styles of play.

What is a game about heroes without the hero? In Heroes of Annihilated Empires you play the hero Elhant, who has set out on a journey to save his homeland from legions of the undead. Elhant was definitely not the type of hero I was expecting though. Throughout the game he is quite bossy and will only help out others when he is helped in return. I really enjoyed this take on what a hero could be. The developers did a wonderful job of making you like the hero from the very beginning and staying interested in him throughout the game. Unfortunately, you do not have access to any other heroes throughout the single player game. There are small stints where you meet up with a female elf; by you only use her for a short time.

Throughout your expedition you will see all of the fantasy type characters that you have come to expect. Everything from spiders and cyclops to sphinxes and dragons will stand in the way of you completing your task. Do not worry young hero, you are not alone. Along your journey you will meet up with elves, dwarves, fairies, and other "good" creatures that are willing to assist you. I’m not sure, but I swear the Eye of Sauron made an appearance in the game.

Control of your armies is the same with any RTS games. However, in HoAE you can have thousands of creatures at your control at once. As long as you have the resources, you can put out the units indefinitely. This brings up the first control issue, as you don’t feel like you are taking part in the battles. With so many units on the screen at once, large-scale battles seem more like a moshpit and less like a controlled war. You do have the ability to manage multiple groups of units, which is helpful with so many under your control at once. Also, I need the developers to please tell me why this game's objective menu is so horrible. Maybe instead of horrible, I should say almost non-existent. Your conversations are logged with the NPC's and you have to scroll through them to pick out the information you need to complete your mission. Your better off writing things down because 15 minutes after getting the mission you will forget what you were supposed to be doing. I wont even get started on the A.I, because like the objective menu, it is non-existent.

The maps are bright, colorful, and incredibly large. Your journey will take you from lush forests to deserts, all with a lot of detail put into the design. The land will also change depending on what groups building is placed on it. As the fairies, if you were encountering an area that has been destroyed due to the undead, you can plat your main hub and almost instantly have a lush forest in the surrounding areas. The animations when this event occurs look spectacular. Pay very close attention to what you see in the environments as you may encounter a clue as to where the trilogy is going. The games cut scenes, while not animated, do a pretty good job of forwarding the game along, even if they are done in a hand-drawn comic style.

HoAE really lacks in the multiplayer department as game only comes with a handful of maps to choose from. There is a Skirmish mode that allows you to choose from four separate races, which include humans, undead, ice race, and the dwarves. Each race plays differently and it worth checking out once you have completed the single player story.

How colorful can we be?

The graphics in HoAE are nothing new, but do a decent job of making you enjoy the world in which you are playing. As I mentioned before, the maps are extremely colorful and the animations when placing buildings on different type of land are nice touch. Don’t expect the character models to have a lot of animations though. No matter what type or armor your character wears, he still looks the same. At least when you change your weapons from a sword to bow the graphics reflect this change. The comic style cut scenes are a nice touch, but only leave you wishing for some more animation.

If a tree falls in a frozen wood...

The voice acting in the game is surprisingly not bad, in fact its one of the games strong points. It is part of the reason why you get into the hero so much. As for the music, not bad, but nothing special. It does however get a bit annoying when you are having a conversation with another NPC and you try clicking through the dialog. For some reason, you still hear the voices long after the battle has begun.

Bring on the fun

HoAE does a decent job of keeping you interested throughout the entire game. While it is fun to mow through your enemies with hundreds of units at once, you cannot help but feel that there is something missing. In a game that boasts a good mixture of RTS and RPG, I just expected more. I did find the 25 hours of gameplay that the box states to be pretty accurate as I was able to complete the game in just over 21 hours on the normal setting. Skirmishes add a bit to the game when the campaign is over, but multiplayer is almost non-existent.

Who left the Plasma out?

In the end, you are left with a game that could have been so much more, but just missed the mark. Nice graphics and a fun single player game will keep players involved, but poor A.I and control will ultimately be the game's downfall. Maybe in the upcoming games we will see something different brought to this combined genre, as it could have really been much more.

To buy or not the buy?

This is not one of the best games of its type, but its certainly worth a look. The hero will keep you interested thoughout the game and story looks as though it could lead somewhere very strange and interesting. If you are looking for a enjoyable single player experience then pick this up. If you are looking for a game to enjoy with your friends, you may be better off looking elsewhere.