Warlock 2: The Exiled
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Critic Reviews for Warlock 2: The Exiled
An entertaining and efficient strategy game that improves on its predecessor—just not all that much.
Warlock 2 is a strong sequel that deftly builds on the solid foundation of its predecessor. Unfortunately, not all of its ideas are fully realized.
Despite offering very little in new ideas or revolutionary gameplay, Warlock II is a decent game. There are only a few things that drag it down such as the minor technical hiccups and the confusing story, but the solid gameplay and decent visuals just about salvage the experience. If you liked the first game or need something to scratch that Civilisation itch then this will make you very happy indeed – just don't say I didn't warn you about the giant turtles.
Island-hopping in a fantasy world felt new to me, and this builds upon the already engaging strategy that exits in Warlock. The Exiled gives the series something akin to a true campaign mode, and I'm eager to give it a try with different Great Mages, different leader perks, and different factions. I do hope that in further updates — the original Warlock received a number of expansions — Ino-Co crafts some truly interesting factions. But even if the developer doesn't, I trust the mod community to come up with some spectacular homebrewed content. Even giant turtle killers. Score: 82/100 Warlock 2: The Exiled is out now for PC. The publisher provided GamesBeat with a Steam Early Access code for the purposes of this review.
Warlock 2 offers a lot of options for a fantasy strategy fan, and the Exiled Mode is fun the first time, but there's something missing in the formula to make it a truly memorable game.
A TBS with a sense of humor doesn't come along every day. Don't mistake light-hearted for light-headed, however - "Warlock 2: The Exiled" is a solid, if limited, game. It can provide hours of fun in an attractive package without overwhelming the player with detail.
Warlock II might take place in a silly universe where narrators like to impersonate Sean Connery and kingdoms are ruled by regal rats or chatting skeletons, but Ino-Co has taken its construction very seriously. It's exactly what a sequel should be, keeping the spirit of the original but improving every aspect.
Warlock 2: The Exiled is a solid war-focused 4X strategy game with fantastic presentation. For newcomers to the series, it's accessible but with a depth to the strategy that's going to take you a few playthroughs to master. To fans of the first game, whether it's worth buying depends upon how much you are looking for a new and unique way to play games in this genre. If the new Exiled mode sounds intriguing then the game has a lot to offer with the potential of user created campaigns to follow. If, however, you prefer the more traditional game mode then there's not a great deal new here to tempt you.
