Parents' Guide to Legends of Eisenwald

Legends of Eisenwald is sneaks up on you. At first, the character movement seems relatively basic, but the background music is wonderfully linked to the time frame, and the graphics (with a day-and-night cycle) are beautiful. Before too long, it's easy to become invested in the characters and the world, following the intrigue of the story. Some of the quests do seem very linear, requiring players to jump through hoops in a particular way to advance, which feels cumbersome. There's also far too much running back and forth from one location to another. But the pluses of Eisenwald far outshine the negatives. Players can invest in the characters, equipping and training them for specific purposes. Deciding to make certain characters ranged, melee, or healing lets players feel as though they're actively managing real people instead of faceless warriors, which brings them farther into the story. It also ensures that playthroughs can be radically different, because you can always select different character traits.

The turn-based combat system works fine, but players also are given the option of moving more quickly through the combat by letting the computer decide the outcome, which is nice if you want a break. Additionally, the inclusion of a game editor lets players make their own quests and maps for their world, expanding gameplay. Plus, though the game touches on violence and seedy elements that were part of a particular time, it's refreshing that the game chooses to not show these in favor of static images with text boxes. This adds layers and depth to the story itself. But perhaps the nicest element of Legends of Eisenwald is that it's fun. The look of the game will grab players, but the gameplay will keep them returning. A few obstacles hold the game back a bit, but overall, this is a good game that can serve as an introduction to the role-playing-strategy genre or give veteran players hours of enjoyment.