[REVIEW] Fallen Enchantress: Legendary Heroes

Marcus Estrada 
(PC [REVIEWED])

Fallen Enchantress: Legendary Heroes is a game which fans of the fantasy 4X genre may feel familiar with. This is entirely possible as it actually happens to be developer and publisher Stardock’s third foray into this kind of game. Back in 2010, they brought out Elemental: War of Magic, which was poorly received overall. It just wasn’t solid with its core play mechanics, which likely is why Stardock revamped things with Elemental: Fallen Enchantress in 2012. Something was still missing, though, and this led to their latest game.

Has all this effort into honing an attractive/addicting 4X experience finally succeeded or should Stardock move onto something else already? Thankfully, Fallen Enchantress: Legendary Heroes finally seems like the kind of game people are going to want to play, and for hours at a time. With such a tough track record, though, there are still points that the game isn’t quite “there” yet. Still, the genre isn’t exactly bustling with activity, which makes each new addition worth investigating.

If you’re a player who isn’t familiar with the term 4X, it’s really quite simple. It stands for the following four words: Explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate. Perhaps the most famous name in the genre is the Civilization series, although many more developers have pushed their own efforts to gamers. Although Legendary Heroes is not up to par with the latest Civilization release, it is surprising how similarly addicting it manages to become.

In Legendary Heroes, which is a standalone expansion pack to Elemental: Fallen Enchantress, players assume the role of a nation’s leader. As this ruler, you will take your ‘legendary heroes,’ armies, explorers, and more across the land to expand your empire. Of course, exploring new territory leads to many exciting discoveries and a great deal of enemies. Although one could argue there is a story in the game, it is very light.

Does it manage to distinguish itself from other games? Mostly, it appears that they have chosen the safe route with Legendary Heroes. The developer appears to have listened to complaints about their previous games to refine the experience into something quite enjoyable. Still, it feels like something that may have been experienced before. The fantastical setting is not particularly noteworthy and appears standard fare. Monsters, too, are not designed to be incredible entities.

Visually, the game also feels a bit antiquated. No, it definitely doesn’t have bad graphics, but more prosperous developers have been creating fancier experiences lately. Considering the game is $40, it isn’t as much of a discount that indie games in the same circumstances charge. Of course, you do get a great deal of gameplay which balances out the cost well.

Gameplay consists of managing groups of characters for exploration, quest completing, or the decimating of enemies. While managing them on a turn-by-turn basis, you must also work on your home base. This settlement is where the player can research various topics as well as generate new buildings and characters. Of course, you can place more settlements out in the wilderness and reap the benefits from those as well. When the player does well, new heroes are drawn to their cause. Interestingly, they always come in pairs of two which means you can select the one best suited to your needs rather than being saddled with a possibly useless one every time.

Once you have them, heroes and sovereigns can be leveled up in various ways which change their overall skill sets. If you want a hero that thinks purely with their fists, then you can go that route. However, there’s as much freedom to work toward other disciplines such as necromancy. The main enjoyment to be had with Legendary Heroes is primarily in playing it with different heroes to see the variances in play.

Fights pit your selection of hero/army characters against whatever also happens to be in the same area. Sometimes these are enemies your hero can mop the floor with alone. Other times, they are incredibly deadly creatures that will require a lot of careful strategy. Battles are pretty fun but players can also allow the game to automatically resolve them if they’re not in the mood. Both options are great as they cater to multiple player types.

Although this is not the pinnacle of fantasy 4X gaming, it does stand as a fairly likeable example. Because gameplay mechanics don’t get in your way, the player is readily able to dig right in. For the most part, everything is clearly explained and leaves the world open to you. Exploration is fun, battles are pleasingly tactical, and overall, you may find yourself exhibiting “just one more turn” symptoms. When you can’t help but play minutes or hours longer than anticipated then you know the game is doing something right.

Finally, if you found yourself burned by previous Stardock games, then it still may be worth looking into this one. Not only is the third time a charm, but players of the previous games get a discount on it. Players who pre-ordered the original Elemental can get this version for free via their Stardock accounts. Regular purchasers of either Elemental: War of Magic or Fallen Enchantress see discounts as well. At a lowered, more palpable price point, Fallen Enchantress: Legendary Heroes definitely becomes easier to recommend. With all that said, 4X fans should pick it up if the wait for anticipated titles is unbearable.