Games developed by Strategy First, Inc.
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Disciples II: Dark Prophecy
Disciples II: Dark Prophecy, released in 2002 for Windows, stands as a notable entry in the turn-based strategy genre, enticing players with its intricate gameplay and immersive storytelling. Developed by the Canadian studio Strategy First, the game is a sequel to Disciples: Sacred Lands and builds upon the foundational elements established in its predecessor. Boasting a rich, dark fantasy world reminiscent of the lore found in classic RPGs, it captures the imagination of gamers who long for deep narratives interwoven with tactical challenges.
At the core of Disciples II is its unique faction system, which allows players to choose from four distinct races: the Empire, the Legions of the Damned, the Mountain Clans, and the Elven Alliance. Each faction is characterized by its own strengths, weaknesses, and distinct playstyles, making for varied gameplay experiences. The Empire, with its balanced units, is ideal for players who enjoy a straightforward strategy, while the Legions of the Damned offer a more challenging approach with powerful, but expensive forces. This diversity not only enhances replayability but also encourages players to adapt their strategies as they explore the intricate maps filled with quests, treasures, and hostile encounters.
The game is further enriched by its beautifully rendered graphics, which immerse players in a hauntingly beautiful world. From the ominous landscapes of the Damned to the lush forests of the Elven Alliance, the diverse environments contribute to the game’s engaging atmosphere. The artwork, infused with a gothic aesthetic, is complemented by a haunting soundtrack that enhances the emotional depth of the narrative. Players are drawn into a universe filled with lore, where every battle is a poignant step in the grand tale of ambition, power, and betrayal.
The turn-based combat system is another highlight of Disciples II, requiring careful planning and strategy. Each unit, summoned or recruited, brings unique abilities to the battlefield, promoting a thoughtful approach to battle tactics. Players must consider positioning, elemental interactions, and unit synergies to achieve victory against rival factions. As they progress, characters can also gain experience, level up, and even evolve into more powerful forms, adding a compelling RPG element to the strategy framework. This depth ensures that each clash is not only about immediate tactics but also long-term planning.
In addition to its captivating single-player campaign, Disciples II offers exciting multiplayer options, allowing players to challenge friends or strangers. The strategic depth, combined with the enchanting world, fosters a competitive environment that keeps players engaged for hours. The community surrounding the game has persisted over the years, contributing to its longevity and ensuring that newcomers can find a wealth of resources and guides to enhance their experience.
Disciples II: Rise of the Elves
Disciples II: Rise of the Elves landed on Windows in 2003, bringing players back to a moody fantasy realm where kingdoms rise on careful planning and grim arithmetic. The sequel expanded the sprawling turn-based strategy style fans loved in the series, yet it kept the focus on tactical decisions: how you place formations, when you burn resources, and which encounters you accept instead of trying to power through. Its pacing feels deliberate, like every march leaves footprints in mud rather than fireworks in the sky.
At the core is a map-driven campaign system filled with provinces, dungeons, and branching routes. You recruit and shape an army by drawing from distinct creature rosters tied to the elf faction, including swift scouts, disciplined fighters, and spectacularly nasty monsters that arrive when you manage your development effectively. Battles unfold in a gridlike arena where positioning matters, casualties hurt your momentum, and even small advantages can snowball into a clean rout. The interface stays readable, and the economy of movement, morale, and damage types encourages frequent revisiting of your early choices.
Narrative flavor leans toward melancholy heroism and political friction rather than bright questing optimism. As the elven story progresses, the world feels lived-in, with factions acting like they have histories and grudges that predate the player’s arrival. Side objectives and optional fights add texture, rewarding curiosity without demanding perfection. If you enjoy strategizing under uncertainty, the game delivers: reconnaissance can prevent dreadful surprises, while stubborn overconfidence often turns victory into a costly lesson.
Visually, it is an early 2000s production with painted-style character art and detailed creature silhouettes that help readability during hectic fights. Animations are functional, sometimes austere, but the atmosphere carries plenty of weight through lighting, terrain design, and the occasional dramatic flare of spell effects. Audio also contributes, using orchestral themes and eerie ambient tones to make the campaign feel like a slow descent into complicated conflicts. The result is a presentation that prioritizes mood over flash.
Compared with many contemporaries, this title stands out for its structured strategy and long-term character progression. It invites players who like planning weeks ahead, not just clicking actions until enemies vanish. For newcomers, it can seem methodical at first, yet the game repays persistence with satisfying momentum, meaningful victories, and battles that feel earned rather than scripted. Even years later, the blend of faction identity, grid tactics, and campaign breadth continues to make it a memorable entry in the genre.
Disciples: Sacred Lands
The sacred lands are divided between three races, each with their own problems, and at odds with their gods. After thousands of years imprisoned in the tumultuous world he helped create, the powerful demon Bethrezen has a chance to escape his punishment by ravaging the land. Together with his twisted Army of the Damned, he intends to erase the mistakes of his previous creation and recreate the planet in his own image. His former people, the strong human races that develop the Empire and live for peace, are the only thing standing in his way.
The Mountain Clans, dwarven followers of the god Wotan, are at war with the Hordes. Long ago, Wotan killed another god in battle. The fallen god's wife, Mortis, in an act of revenge, annihilated an entire race and turned them into the Hordes of the Undead, who spread throughout the realm seeking to encompass all races with their mantle of death.
At first, you must choose which race you wish to lead in battle. But as time goes by, the stories of the three clans will combine, and the war will escalate even more.
Among the modes to choose from are sagas (the main area of the game, where the stories are combined in a single hugging battle), single-player missions and lots of multiplayer action.
Man of War
Man of War is composed of two distinct sections, the turn-based setup and plotting phase and the real-time action phase. In the preparation and plotting phase, players can choose between a historical scenario or a custom scenario. From a map of the chosen battle, players study the strength of their fleet, analyze the enemy's weakness and contemplate strategy. During preparation, proper pre-battle doctrine is established and first orders are issued using a flag command system. Once planning is complete, the real-time action phase of Man of War places the player on the deck of the flagship in a first-person perspective. Players can move freely to view the outcome of their orders from any point on the ship's deck. In a phase lasting up to four minutes, players will experience the roar of cannons, the impact of an attack and a changing environment of 16 different weather conditions. When the four-minute turn is over, the game will return to the plotting phase, where damage and fleet movement are assessed and new orders are given. When the last orders are given and the last cannon has been fired, the victory summary will show the results of the battle and proclaim the winner.
O.R.B.: Off-World Resource Base
Long ago, a great empire spanned the stars until it collapsed. The worlds of this empire fell into an intergalactic dark age and forgot their past. In the Aldus solar system, space flight has been regained. Two different races, the Malus and the Alyssians, venture into space for the first time and meet. Due to the fragmented legends of both races, they soon distrust each other and declare war. However, the Alyssians and Malus are weak in resources, having been confined to their planets for so long, so it is important for both sides to establish Alien Resource Bases.
O.R.B. is a 3D real-time strategy game, similar to Homeworld. The player must build bases and oversee the collection of resources in space. These resources can be used to build new ships and space vehicles, as well as to research additional abilities. Asteroids and planets can provide a strategic advantage in positioning forces. The player can assign movement and combat orders to individual or group units.
