The hero aspect is very interesting and unique. There are a ton of different combinations of characters you can make, and as you play, you will find yourself developing stories about your hero.

The campaigns are challenging, but the missions are somewhat stale (kill all the minotaurs, kill all the orcs, kill all the undead.)Still, they're fun and can entertain you for a long while.

My only gripe is about the mission editor. You can't paint terrain, making creating paths and rivers an ardous process.

All in all, a great and at times humorous game that I strongly recomend.

"Solid and engrossing RTS fantasy themed game"
I purchased Warlords Battlecry based on the numerous positive reviews of the game. Ordinarily, RTS games seem repetitive and silly, in that the player with the most guys wins. Along with Age of Kings, Warlords Battlecry is an excellent example of a real-time STRATEGY game. You can't win just by creating the most troops and overwhelming the enemy, and that's against the AI!

The best features of the game are the ability to 'grow' a hero, taking him from battle to battle and increasing his skills, and how top-notch troops from one battle can be carried over to subsequent battles. They too gain experience levels as they progress through battles.

Having 9 distinct races to play adds to the variety of strategies to employ. The differences in races also add to the variety in the heros you create based on race, profession, and specialties. You can enter battle with a Human Paladin or an Undead Necromancer, and your approach will be appreciably different.

Some may find this game too difficult, the scenario included is not a cakewalk to finish and, unfortunately, can only be attempted by a Human hero. There are no strong negatives to this game. If you've never cared much for RTS games, Warlords Battlecry may be the one for you to try.

"The best RTS game I've encountered"
I previously reviewed the demo. I've now completed both the good and evil campaign in the full version - I've never experienced a game so compelling after I've finished every scenario - it's actually HARD (and I'm quite a good RTS gamer).

The core of this game is the "Hero", which sets it apart from other RTS games - the spells available to heroes are awesome in their complexity and manifestations. The 8 character races and many other factors allow the gamer to develop different strategies for almost every scenario possible, which makes gives Warlords greater "replayability" than any other RTS game.

The music is a trifle boring after a while, the sound effects are great, however. When characters score a critical hit, they shout taunts and jibes at the enemy.

If I was only to own one game, Warlords would be it.