Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Fantasy Wars delivers a deep and engaging turn-based wargame experience on a hexagonal grid that will appeal to strategy enthusiasts. Each match unfolds on a richly detailed 3D battlefield, where only one unit can occupy a single hex at any given time. The core loop revolves around moving units, initiating attacks, and deploying reinforcements from your reserve list, all while keeping an eye on varied terrain and elevation bonuses.

(HEY YOU!! We hope you enjoy! We try not to run ads. So basically, this is a very expensive hobby running this site. Please consider joining us for updates, forums, and more. Network w/ us to make some cash or friends while retro gaming, and you can win some free retro games for posting. Okay, carry on 👍)

With three distinct campaigns—Humans, Orcs, and the secret Alliance campaign—the game offers substantial replayability. Early missions ease players into core mechanics like unit management and battle forecasts, which predict losses for both sides, allowing for informed tactical decisions. As you progress, scenarios grow in complexity, forcing you to consider flanking, ranged attacks, and magical spells to overcome tougher scenarios.

Unit variety is a standout feature: infantry, cavalry, archers, spellcasters, and monstrous creatures each come with unique statistics for hit points, movement, attack range, defense, and special abilities. Over 500 units can clash in epic battles, and individual heroes—who can level up ten times—add another strategic layer. Losing a hero is often synonymous with mission failure, making their protection paramount.

Beyond individual skirmishes, the game offers a 2D strategic map for campaign-level planning. You can choose between offline hot-seat play with friends or online multiplayer matches. Purchasing new units during missions and leveling them up keeps every mission fresh, as your army evolves with artifacts, perks, and improved stats that reflect your playstyle.

Graphics

Visually, Fantasy Wars strikes a pleasing balance between stylized fantasy art and functional clarity. The 3D environment, rendered in vibrant colors, brings mountain ridges, enchanted forests, and ruined castles to life. Hex borders are subtly integrated, ensuring players can plan moves without the grid feeling intrusive.

Camera controls are robust, offering full panoramic views of the battlefield or tight close-ups on individual engagements. Watching a dragon unleash its fiery breath or archers pepper enemy lines with arrows is satisfying and helps communicate unit strengths. Special effects for spells and critical hits add cinematic flair without distracting from strategic decision-making.

Unit models are well‐detailed, with clear visual distinctions between factions. Orcs look brutish and rugged, while elves appear graceful and magical. Heroes wear ornate armor or wield oversized weapons that make them easily recognizable on crowded battlefields. Terrain types—such as swamps, hills, and open fields—also feature distinct textures to reinforce their strategic impact.

The interface is clean and intuitive, with tooltips for every unit stat, making it easy to compare movement ranges, attack values, and defensive capabilities. The battle forecast overlay uses color coding and simple graphics to quickly convey expected outcomes, ensuring you’re never in the dark about your tactical choices.

Story

Fantasy Wars unfolds in the war-torn continent of Eolia, where centuries of peace have given way to bitter rivalries. Influential human lords have carved the once-mighty Empire into feuding kingdoms, each vying for territory and power. This internal strife leaves humans vulnerable to a southern invasion by orcs and goblins, setting the stage for a classic high-fantasy conflict.

The human campaign introduces you to the fractured politics of Eolia, tasking you with uniting warring lords against the encroaching orcish horde. Meanwhile, the orc campaign flips the perspective, letting you experience the invaders’ motivations and tribal dynamics. Only after completing both can you unlock the Alliance campaign, in which elves, dwarfs, and humans band together to repel the monstrous threat.

While the narrative framework is familiar to fantasy fans, each campaign weaves in compelling subplots. Side quests often involve rescuing besieged villages, defending strategic chokepoints, or hunting down rogue warlords. Dialogue is concise but effective, and cutscenes occasionally punctuate key mission briefings to reinforce the stakes.

Overall, Fantasy Wars doesn’t aim to reinvent storytelling in strategy games but succeeds in creating a cohesive backdrop for its tactical gameplay. The interplay between political intrigue and battlefield heroics strikes a satisfying tone, motivating players to push through challenging encounters and uncover the full story arc.

Overall Experience

Fantasy Wars offers a richly layered strategy experience that rewards patience and tactical thinking. With three full campaigns, dozens of mission objectives, and the ability to customize armies through purchases and level-ups, players will find dozens of hours of engaging content. The hex-based system encourages careful positioning and creative use of unit abilities.

The balanced mix of accessible mechanics and deep strategic options means both newcomers and veteran wargamers can enjoy the title. Tutorials and early missions provide a gentle learning curve, while later scenarios introduce complex objectives that test your mastery of unit synergies and terrain utilization. Multiplayer battles add another dimension of challenge, as human opponents often exploit unexpected tactics.

Though the core formula is rooted in classic turn-based strategy, Fantasy Wars stands out through its polished presentation and substantial unit variety. Hero units bring a personal touch to each battle, and the risk of losing them keeps the tension high. The 2D strategic map complements the tactical skirmishes, making the campaign feel like a true war effort rather than a series of isolated battles.

In summary, Fantasy Wars is a standout offering for strategy fans seeking a richly detailed fantasy wargame. Its combination of varied campaigns, robust mechanics, and visually appealing battlefields makes it a compelling purchase for anyone who enjoys deep, methodical gameplay in a vibrant fantasy setting.

Retro Replay Score

7.3/10