Age of Wonders

Age of Wonders is the turn-based fantasy strategy game that started the series. The Age of Wonders was once a time of magic and peace, until the arrival of a single uninvited race, the Humans, upset the fragile balance between the ancient races, Elves, Dwarves, Orcs and others. The land is now a struggle for power and survival. Players uncover ancient artifacts and magical power, along with the secrets of a shattered empire, and can ally with the forces of light or darkness to decide the fate of the world. The game belongs to the role-playing and turn-based strategy genres, and its theme is a fantasy take on the 4X style, which stands for explore, expand, exploit and exterminate. It is viewed from above in an isometric style. Triumph Studios developed it together with Epic Games, and it was released in 1999 for Windows. A Linux version also exists. It has a single-player mode as well as multiplayer. The version sold today is fully patched, with the same painterly graphics that defined its look.