Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Kohan: Immortal Sovereigns introduces a fresh take on real-time strategy by shifting focus away from tedious micromanagement of individual units and toward company-based tactics. You command companies—known as “squads”—each led by a Kohan or a captain, and comprised of infantry, cavalry, archers, and spellcasters. Rather than clicking endlessly to move dozens of individual units, you maneuver cohesive groups with unique abilities and strengths, making every engagement feel purposeful and strategic.

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The heart of the campaign lies in capturing and upgrading cities and mines, each placed at predetermined locations on richly varied maps. Cities yield income and allow troop recruitment, while mines produce vital resources. Deciding which settlement to seize or fortify becomes a crucial choice: do you expand swiftly into enemy territory or consolidate your forces to protect vital supply lines? The map control dynamic rewards planning and adaptability, as you juggle the need for lumber, ore, and wealth while anticipating opponents’ next moves.

Playable factions—from the human Mareten and dwarven Gauri to the reptilian Slaan and shadowy Undead—bring their own tech trees and unit rosters. Learning each race’s strengths and vulnerabilities adds depth to both the single-player campaign and skirmish matches. Whether you prefer the brute force of Drauga or the arcane mastery of Haroun elves, Kohan’s balance system ensures no single army composition dominates, encouraging experimentation and replayability.

Graphics

Despite its 2001 release, Kohan’s art style still holds up remarkably well. The game employs a 2.5D engine with detailed sprite animations blended onto three-dimensional terrain, giving environments a sense of depth without overwhelming your system. Rolling hills, winding rivers, and snow-capped mountains are hand-painted with a vibrant palette that evokes classic high-fantasy art.

Unit models are distinct and animated with care: dwarven axemen stomp with heavy footsteps, elven archers draw and release bows with fluid grace, and undead legions shuffle along with eerie coordination. Day-night cycles and weather effects—such as drifting fog or sudden rainstorms—add atmosphere to every battlefield, subtly affecting visibility and immersing you in Kohan’s world.

The user interface is clean and functional, with clear icons for unit types, resource counts, and company orders. Zoom controls and rotation options allow you to get up close on a skirmish or pull back for an overarching strategic view. While modern RTS titles may tout higher polygon counts, Kohan’s cohesive art direction and readable visuals remain strengths that help players make tactical decisions quickly.

Story

Kohan: Immortal Sovereigns weaves a narrative of lost glory and rebirth. You awaken as an immortal Kohan in a world reshaped by devastating cataclysms. The once-mighty Kohan empire lies in ruins, and a new age of strife prevents any single power from asserting dominance. Your journey is one of remembrance and redemption: uncovering the cause of your people’s downfall and rallying allies to reclaim a shattered legacy.

The campaign’s pacing balances epic set pieces with quieter moments of exploration and diplomacy. As your immortal Kohan interacts with faction leaders—from the stoic dwarven king to a cunning orc chieftain—you gain insights into each race’s cultures and motivations. These dialogues lend emotional weight to territorial conquests, transforming every battle into a chapter of a larger saga rather than just another skirmish.

Subplots involving betrayal, forbidden magic, and moral choices add complexity to the overarching arc. While the main quest drives you toward confronting a lurking evil force, side missions encourage you to delve into ancient ruins or rescue outlying settlements. This blend of mainline storytelling and optional adventures ensures the narrative feels both structured and open-ended, rewarding completionists and casual players alike.

Overall Experience

Kohan: Immortal Sovereigns stands out in the crowded RTS genre by streamlining unit management and emphasizing strategic depth. The company-based system keeps battles from devolving into chaotic micromanagement, allowing you to focus on positioning, timing, and synergizing unit abilities. This mechanic alone offers a refreshingly modern experience even by today’s standards.

The campaign’s combination of high-stakes storytelling and measured pacing creates an addictive loop of conquest and discovery. Each victory unlocks new units, spells, and upgrades, propelling you further into the world’s mysteries. Skirmish and multiplayer modes extend longevity, with AI and human opponents alike testing your mastery of diverse race strategies and map layouts.

While some modern players might find the learning curve steep at first, the game’s tutorials and well-paced difficulty spikes ease newcomers into its systems. Graphically pleasing environments, memorable music, and a wealth of factions make Kohan an enduring classic. Whether you’re a veteran RTS strategist or a newcomer seeking an intelligently paced fantasy war game, Immortal Sovereigns offers hours of rewarding gameplay and replay value.

Retro Replay Score

7.5/10