Fantasy General

Fantasy General is a video game in the strategy genre developed by Strategic Simulations, Inc. and published by Mindscape, Inc. originally released in 1996. It is currently playable on DOS.

Of all SSI's '5 star' series releases based on the acclaimed Panzer General engine, Fantasy General is my favorite and one of the most underrated.

What makes Fantasy General one of the best fantasy wargames ever? For starters, each of the four heroes you can choose as your alter ego requires very different strategies to win, as well as following their own path to victory. For example, Archmage Krell is a powerful magic user, and will therefore command an army made up primarily of magical creatures. Krell can also cast a magic spell every turn on the battlefield, which helps even the odds for his relatively weak army.

The units in the game are also more than just Panzer General units in fancy disguise: some units have spell-casting abilities, and others are unique heroes that you can meet and recruit. All units improve their abilities with experience, and can be 'upgraded' to better units when researched. While multiplayer options abound, they pale beside the excellent plot-driven single-player campaign, which spans 5 continents, each featuring new terrain and units.

Fantasy General also features several improvements over Panzer General and Allied General, the best of which are the customizable research areas. As in the previous 5-star games, the player earns 'prestige points' by winning each scenario to spend on new units. Here, you can also spend points on researching various types of units and set priorities to suit your style, for example, spend more points on researching air units to invent new units faster if you rely on air superiority.

The game is also very replayable, thanks to the alternate routes you can take for most continents, as well as the very different units commanded by each hero. The only bad thing I can think of about this game is the fact that the last battles are almost impossible to win on the hardest level.

Other than that, the excellent gameplay, the variety of missions and units, the great replayability and one of the best soundtracks ever created for a computer game combine to make for an unforgettable gaming experience. A must-have game for all fantasy wargame fans, and a real turning point in the whole series. two thumbs up!

Fantasy General is available at a reduced price on the following websites and is no longer abandonware.