''Warlords'' is a

computer wargame A computer wargame is a wargame played on a digital device. Descended from board wargaming, it simulates military conflict at the tactical, operational or strategic level. Computer wargames are both sold commercially for recreational use an ...

released in 1990 for the

Amiga Amiga is a family of personal computers introduced by Commodore in 1985. The original model is one of a number of mid-1980s computers with 16- or 32-bit processors, 256 KB or more of RAM, mouse-based GUIs, and significantly improved graphi ...

and

MS-DOS MS-DOS ( ; acronym for Microsoft Disk Operating System, also known as Microsoft DOS) is an operating system for x86-based personal computers mostly developed by Microsoft. Collectively, MS-DOS, its rebranding as IBM PC DOS, and a few ope ...

compatible operating systems, then in 1992 for

Macintosh The Mac (known as Macintosh until 1999) is a family of personal computers designed and marketed by Apple Inc., Apple Inc. Macs are known for their ease of use and minimalist designs, and are popular among students, creative professionals, and ...

. It was designed by

Steve Fawkner Steve Fawkner is an Australian video game designer, programmer, and composer. He created the ''Warlords'' game series in 1989 and more recently the '' Puzzle Quest'' series. Career In 2003, after a long alliance with SSG, he split off to form h ...

and developed by Strategic Studies Group. ''Warlords'' was followed by three sequels and several spinoffs. The game was based on designer Steve Fawkner's '' Dungeons & Dragons'' campaign.

Gameplay

''Warlords'' featured eight different clans battling for the control of the mythical land of Illuria: Sirians, Storm Giants, Grey Dwarves, Orcs of Kor, Elvallie, Horse Lords, Selentines, and Lord Bane. Each clan could either be controlled by the computer or by a human player, allowing up to eight participants taking turns in hot seat play. Gameplay consisted of moving units, attacking opponent units or cities, adjusting production in cities, and moving hero units to explore ruins, temples, libraries, and to discover allies, relics, and other items. The goal of the game was to conquer the land of Illuria by capturing or razing at least two thirds of the cities in the land.

Reception

''Warlords'' reached sales above 50,000 units. Reviewers cited the basic sound and average graphics of the game, compensated by simple

user interface In the industrial design field of human–computer interaction, a user interface (UI) is the space where interactions between humans and machines occur. The goal of this interaction is to allow effective operation and control of the machine f ...

and "high dollar-to-play value". ''

Computer Gaming World ''Computer Gaming World'' (CGW) was an American computer game magazine published between 1981 and 2006. One of the few magazines of the era to survive the video game crash of 1983, it was sold to Ziff Davis in 1993. It expanded greatly through ...

'' favorably cited the sophisticated computer opponents, and concluded that the game "has everything to offer the strategy gamer who has a taste for a bit of the fantasy genre", especially those who enjoyed ''

Empire An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...

'' or '' Reach for the Stars''. The magazine named the game and ''

Command HQ ''Command HQ'' is a real-time strategy world domination game. It was released in 1990 by Microplay Software and was created by designer Danielle Bunten. Tommo purchased the rights to this game in 2013 and digitally publishes it through its R ...

'' as its 1991 Wargames of the Year. In a 1993 survey of pre 20th-century strategy games the magazine gave the game three stars out of five, stating that it was "eminently playable". ''Warlords'' was named the 67th best computer game ever by ''PC Gamer UK'' in 1997. The editors called it "one of the most revolutionary multi-player experiences of the Nineties."

Reviews

* Amiga Action - May, 1991 *

ASM (Aktueller Software Markt) ''Aktueller Software Markt'' (literally ''Current Software Market''), commonly known by its acronym, ''ASM'', was a German multi-platform video game magazine that was published by Tronic-Verlag from 1986 until 1995. It was one of the first magazine ...

- Mar, 1991 *

CU Amiga ''Commodore User'', known to the readers as the abbreviated ''CU'', was one of the oldest British Commodore magazines. With a publishing history spanning over 15 years, it mixed content with technical and video game features. Incorporating ''Vic ...

- May, 1991 *

- Apr, 1991

References

External links

''Warlords''
at Amiga Hall of Light
''Warlords''
at MobyGames
Review
in '' Compute!'' {{Strategic Studies Group 1990 video games Amiga games Classic Mac OS games Computer wargames DOS games Multiplayer and single-player video games Multiplayer hotseat games Strategic Studies Group games Turn-based strategy video games Video games developed in Australia Warlords (video game series)