Rating: 
Summary: My favorite game of all time
Review: I love turn-based strategy games, and this one is my favorite. I started playing in January and didn't stop till September, when I immediately bought the sequel, Shadow Magic. That should give you some idea how worthwhile this game is. It's difficult to learn at first; in fact, I almost gave up on it. Finally I bought the strategy guide (the first time I've ever done that) and it was worth it. The game is not easy to win, but it is winnable. The graphics are simply beautiful, the sound effects are good, and the storyline is acceptable if nothing special. The spells your wizard can learn are varied and fun, and so are the units you command. There's very little to criticize in the game because it is so wonderfully thought-out and executed. If you like turn-based strategy, do NOT miss this game. It's the best.
Rating:
Summary: Great Role Playing Strategy Game
Review: I played the demo version of this game and just ordered the full one. If you are playing D'n'D, you will feel very comfortable playing this one. It is very nicely made, great graphics, good structure... Over all great game to dig into.
Rating:
Summary: This game rocks!
Review: I saw some pretty poor reviews which prompted me to put in my two cents in. Who in the heck wants a random map generator when the game is geared towards PvP. The wealth of strategies available for the different races really brings the game to life. The depth of the AI really hit home after I released the "Fire Domain" spell which harms all enemy units within my territory. The AI counteracted with a force of about 24 Monks (healing each other like mad) and left two cities in their wake. The Scenarios are well thought out and if anything a little unbalanced - leaning more to the extremely challenging side. The beautiful graphics and sound track included are just a bonus!
Rating:
Summary: This game rocks!
Review: I saw some pretty poor reviews which prompted me to put in my two cents in. Who in the heck wants a random map generator when the game is geared towards PvP. The wealth of strategies available for the different races really brings the game to life. The depth of the AI really hit home after I released the "Fire Domain" spell which harms all enemy units within my territory. The AI counteracted with a force of about 24 Monks (healing each other like mad) and left two cities in their wake. The Scenarios are well thought out and if anything a little unbalanced - leaning more to the extremely challenging side. The beautiful graphics and sound track included are just a bonus!
Rating:
Summary: Phenomenally good!!
Review: I won't expound on this games features or interface, others have already explained this far better than I could. I will say, however, that this game is a masterpiece of design and erudition. For those who are fond of the Heroes of Might and Magic type of fantasy strategy game, this tittle will come as a welcome surprise especialy considering the latest incarnation's(Heroes of Might and Magic 4) deaad AI. The AI in this game is tremendously cunning, you can never realy predict what it's planing and it's positively vicious on the more difficult settings. I think that the campaign is very ingenious and well done in Age of Wonders 2, much better than in it's predessor. The graphics are stunningly beautifull and add a greater feeling of emersion into the world of Evermore. Overall, this game will bring back nostalgic remembrances of "Master of Magic" for the fantasy grognards out there, it sure did for me. Thank you Triumph Studios! There are only a few minor greivances such as the omision of the in-game clock but they are nothing compared to the greatness that is AoW2.
Rating:
Summary: Good game, but campaign mode is difficult
Review: I would recommend getting Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic over this game. It is basically Age of Wonders 2.5 and adds its own campaign with an easier starting gradient as well as new units, races, spells and balance tweaks. All of the single-player downloadable maps for AOW2 are still available and useable for Shadow Magic as well as new maps just for it.
Oh, and this is a turn-based strategy game if you didn't know already, kind of like a complex boardgame (think Fantasy version of Risk times 5) where the computer takes care of all of the complicated stuff.
Rating: 
Summary: Good graphics and sound..but worth your time?
Review: It had nice graphics and music, and I played about 10 hours on the same map trying to get a better feel for it as well as to see the new and different units. It's fun to control/meet fairies and unicorns and other fantasy characters. But it took too much time to do even the basic city management. Maps were filled with lots of places to visit and explore..but on the other hand, that only draws out the battle to a point where the player is thinking, if this one small map takes this long, how will i ever finish this game? Consider my statement above that I spent 10 hours on the first single player non-campaign map that I tried. I didn't even finish it totally since that would take several more rounds to gather my armies for the big fight at the one last remaining enemy town which happens to have a big army on it; I just played it to the point where I knew I would win. It reminded me too much of Kohan, which I enjoyed much more and took less time to play because it was RTS instead of turn-based.
Rating:
Summary: okay
Review: My $.02: after playing through 6 scenarios (out of 20), here are the main points I noted (mainly changes from AoW1): Graphics: the graphics is much improved (although I had always like AOW1's graphics also). The scenery is breathtaking, with waterlilies in the water, etc. The animation is also improved. Customization: for the campaigns you cannot customize your wizard beyond the skill (channeler, conquerer, casting specialist, etc.) You're stuck being Merlin. For individual scenarios you can customize your wizard. Campaign: You no longer make choices as to which sphere you will use. The campaign walks you through each sphere (there are three levels for each sphere)... although maybe at the end you'll have an extra scenario that you can choose. The annoying thing is, you do not carry your spells, skills, items, heroes, or anything else you may gain in one sphere when you go on to the next sphere of magic. It also seems that whatever you do the story doesn't really change -- you're just going to go through each sphere one by one. Gameplay: this feels closer to Master of Magic. Your wizard is primarily supposed to sit in the wizard tower and cast spells, as your wizard will never be able to gain levels or experiences or enhancements such as 'magic strike' or other combat skills. You can also get your ordinary soldiers to pick up items and teleport them to you. There is the addition of spirits, whom you can build altars and accomplish quests for. Other than that, the gameplay is much the same Game elements: the spells and races are much the same, with a bit of name changes, the replacement of lizards with draconians, and other changes like that. They do have additions of some rather wonderful creatures though. Overall: I think it was tolerable. It has most of the things I like about AoW, like wonderful graphics, variety of spells and units, etc. However, not being able to carry spells, skills, etc., across spheres basically means that you play the same game with 3 episodes for 6 times. It gets rather annoying. The scenarios are probably better.
Rating: 
Summary: When more is less!
Review: Oh, come on! Who are we kidding here? Let's face it the game is a pale imitation of "Master of Magic" (Microprose 1994). Nothing wrong with that and I do not blame Triumph Studios for trying. "Master of Magic" was one of the best turned-based strategy fantasy game EVER and I cannot in all honesty criticize them for choosing such a model to emulate (it is actually quite to their credit to do so) but I do condemn them however for failing so miserably in their effort. How long has it been since Master of Magic? Eight years? An eternity in the world of computers! One would have expected better of Triumph Studios (especially considering that this is the second title they produce in this series). What gave? The promising login window and scenario setup seem deceptively alluring at first but one all too soon realizes that the game itself doesn't hold to the same quality standards. Quite frankly: the interface is mediocre, the mini-pap is a joke, the main map window is a mess, the images are of poor quality, and, worse of all, strategically the game does fall short, in every aspects, of what its illustrious predecessor managed to achieve some 8 years ago with technologically less (Master of Magic was made at the time for a 4MB RAM 386 or 486 platform and ran on MS-DOS 5.0) Things that make you go "hmmm" and a sad example perhaps of how sometimes one can do less with more. The game is an embarrassment and I cannot in all conscience recommend it to anyone.
Rating: 
Summary: Master of Magic Reincarnated
Review: The best way to describe this game is Master of Magic 2002. The developers no doubt borrowed HEAVILY from the classic turn-based strategy game Master of Magic. So if you enjoyed M.O.M, this game is for you. My only gripe with this game, is that there is no random map, or random game. You can customize your wizard and choose your own race in the senarios, but you cannot modify your opponant wizards, they are set in each senario. But overlooking these two negatives, the game is very fun and colorful. Each civlization has it's own strengths and weaknesses, and builds it's own unique units. The civilizations and units are largely based after Tulkiens races Orcs, Dwarves, Humans, Goblins, Elfs, Hobbits ect, and the game adds a few new ones such as Tigrens(cat people), Frostlings, Undead and Achrons. There are also many cool mystical combat units, much like Master of Magic. Also, just like Master of Magic, you get to pick which sphere of Magic you want your Wizard to be apart of. Earth, Water, Fire, Death, Life, Air, or a combination of all 6. The soundtrack to the game is also nice, and the female wizards are hot as hell!
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