Realms

Genre:

Strategy

Year:

1992

Developer:

Graftgold

Publisher:

Virgin Interactive Entertainment

Perspective:

Isometric

Theme:

Fantasy, Real-time

Releases:

Amiga (1991), Atari ST (1991), DOS (1992)

Realms, a strategy game from 1992, immerses players in a world of medieval conquest and kingdom management. Set in a fantasy realm, players take on the role of a ruler with the goal of expanding their territory, managing resources, and engaging in diplomatic and military endeavors. Realms shows an intro as the game loads. During this intro, it tells the story of a prince watching his late father, the king being immolated at sea. Mourning, he sheds a tear, and his mourning is rewarded by the gods. He is struck by lightning, which forms and serpent in hands, an emblem of his right to rule the world. A tagline appears afterwards, stating "There can only be one... just make sure it's yours." After inserting and loading the second disk, the game can start.  First, the player must choose a race to control. Each of the six races is based on a fantasy race ala Tolkien. Each race has their own attributes, including some strengths and weaknesses. For example, Dwarves prefer having an axe as a weapon, but Elves are the best archers. After completing a training mission, which allows the player to get to grips with raising armies and keeping the population fed, the player can play any of the 10 missions on offer.