Warsong (or langrisser as it is known at place of first release - Japan) is a Turn based strategy game. It’s 1-Player vs. the computer.
Graphics are nothing mega fancy but good enough to get the game across. The game play is excellent and upon completion the game can be played over and over trying new methods and strategies while still holding the fun factor.
Starting the game you play as Garett, Son of the King. You start in your Kingdoms castle but it is under siege from all side, the computer controls the enemy and most of the friendly troops.
Your aim is to escape the castle and it is at this point your adventure begins (although I won’t spill the details and spoil it all for you).
Along the way you meet other "friends" of the kingdom (leaders) who join you and each have their own abilities. Your leaders can advance in level when finishing off opponents troops. Once level 10 is obtained you advance to the next "rank" for example a fighter can turn into a knight, a knight can turn into a grand knight with each path enabling more abilities and strengths. Each commander can have 8 troops. Depending on their class they can have: Soldiers, Archers, Horsemen, Monks, civilians etc.
Items are also found on the way giving defense/attack/extra mana etc to your
leaders. These are given to you generally by other leaders you encounter or visiting a particular area of the map.
The actual game map itself is made up of squares, each unit can move a set number of squares each turn depending on what class they are (e.g. horses move faster on flat grounds than others, water units clearly move faster on water and slow on land). There are different types of terrain from plains to trees and mountains to water, each giving different advantages for attack/defense to different unit types.
For the more team-player kind of person the game can be made into 2 or 3 players by each taking control of different leaders, it makes the game more fun as there is then also competition to out level and become more powerful than your friends. This is not built into the game but having played the game over and over many times and getting friends involved it works well!
Warsong 2,3,4 also exist however only version 1 and 2 is obtainable in English the other releases stayed in Japan.
I rate this game a firm 9/10 and it does give hours and hours of fun and the old addiction factor of "I'll just do 1 more map... I'll just take 1 more turn, and before you know it, it’s 4am!"
More modern examples of this type of game could include the Might and Magic series.
