SpellForce

SpellForce is a real-time strategy and role-playing series created by Phenomic and currently owned by THQ Nordic.[7] The first release was published by JoWooD Productions and Encore Software in 2003, and by THQ Nordic in 2017.

SpellForce
Developer(s)Phenomic[1] (2003-2007)
Trine Games (2012)
Mind Over Matter Studios (2014)
Grimlore Games (2017–present)[2]
Publisher(s)JoWooD Productions (2003–2007)[3]
THQ Nordic (2012–present) [4][5]
Creator(s)Phenomic
Platform(s)Microsoft Windows
First releaseSpellForce: The Order of Dawn
November 28, 2003
Latest releaseSpellForce 3: Soul Harvest [6]
May 28, 2019

Setting and plot
Release timeline
2003SpellForce: The Order of Dawn
2004SpellForce: The Breath of Winter
SpellForce: Shadow of the Phoenix
2005
2006SpellForce 2: Shadow Wars
2007SpellForce 2: Dragon Storm
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012SpellForce 2: Faith in Destiny
2013
2014SpellForce 2: Demons of the Past
2015
2016
2017SpellForce 3
2018
2019SpellForce 3: Soul Harvest

The games take place on a planet called Eo, a high fantasy world ruled by near-immortal mages (collectively known as The Circle) and inhabited by various sapient races, such as humans, dwarves, (dark) elves, orcs and trolls. The mages used servants called rune warriors, summoned from magical monuments, to keep peace.

Several years before the start of the first game in the series, the mages discovered an ancient text describing the Convocation: a dangerous, but supposedly power-granting ritual. They started fighting amongst themselves, rune warriors being their main weapons of war. When the planets and stars aligned, enabling the start of the ritual, each of the 13 of the most powerful mages performed the ritual; however, unable to control the power, the world was shattered. Where once stood great continents of Fiara, Urgath and Xu, now only small pieces of land remain, centered around magical towers created by Aonir, the Star God.

The first game in the series begins with a reappearance of one of the Circle mages: Rohen. He summons a Rune warrior (the protagonist) to save the world.

Gameplay

The role-playing game aspects of SpellForce games parallel games such as Diablo, Diablo II, and Sacred in character development, skill trees, equipment customization, and top-down isometric viewing. However, the capacity to control multiple heroes often makes the gameplay comparable to that in the Baldur's Gate or Neverwinter Nights video games.

The real time strategy aspects of SpellForce games mirror the Warcraft fantasy real time strategy games. These include the ability to control several separate factions such as "The Realm" (humans, elves and dwarves), "The Pact" (dark elves, gargoyles and shadows), and "The Clans" (orcs, trolls and barbarians). Each faction has its own individual troop and building types.

SpellForce games have several game modes, including campaign mode (expositional), skirmish mode (real time strategy based), and free play (similar to campaign mode but without an overarching plot). SpellForce can also be played cooperatively or competitively in multiplayer mode.

Games

SpellForce: The Order of Dawn
Main article: SpellForce: The Order of Dawn

SpellForce: The Order of Dawn is the first game of the franchise, developed by Phenomic. It was first published by JoWooD in Europe on November 28, 2003 and by Encore Software in North America on February 11, 2004.[8]

SpellForce: The Breath of Winter

On March 1, 2004, JoWooD announced the first SpellForce expansion pack named SpellForce: The Breath of Winter.[9] The expansion pack features over 40 hours of new single player campaign gameplay.

SpellForce: Shadow of the Phoenix

Shadow of the Phoenix was released on November 12, 2004. The expansion pack continues the storyline from The Breath of Winter and enables the player to continue playing with a previous game character by raising the character's level limit to 50.[10] The pack also includes upgrades for the game's Titan units.

SpellForce 2: Shadow Wars
Main article: SpellForce 2: Shadow Wars

SpellForce 2: Dragon Storm
Main article: SpellForce 2: Dragon Storm

SpellForce 2: Faith in Destiny
Main article: SpellForce 2: Faith in Destiny

SpellForce 2: Demons of the Past

SpellForce 3
Main article: SpellForce 3

SpellForce 3, the latest entry in the series, was released in December 2017.[11] The game was developed by Grimlore Games[2][7] and published by THQ Nordic.[12]

The story of SpellForce 3 takes place before the events of The Order of Dawn in the fantasy world of Eo.[12]

The first glimpses of the game were seen during Gamescom 2014 in Germany, where Nordic Games first released gameplay of the game, as reported by German online magazine PCGames.de.[13]

SpellForce 3: Soul Harvest
Main article: SpellForce 3: Soul Harvest

Standalone expansion released in 2019.

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References
  1. "SpellForce: The Order of Dawn - EA PHENOMIC". Phenomic. Archived from the original on 8 February 2012. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  2. "Grimlore Games to develop SpellForce 3". Nordic Games. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  3. "Corporate Information - Encore". Encore, Inc. Archived from the original on 2 July 2004. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  4. Forsans, Emmanuel. "Nordic games holding AB Group acquires Jowood". afjv. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  5. "SpellForce Complete Collection". Nordic Games. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  6. "SpellForce 3: Soul Harvest on Steam". Steam. Retrieved 5 February 2020.
  7. "PROJECTS - Grimlore Games". Grimlore Games. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  8. "SpellForce: The Order of Dawn Release Information". GameFAQs. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  9. "News archive - SpellForce". JoWooD. Archived from the original on 3 August 2004. Retrieved 4 June 2015. SpellForce - The Breath of Winter Official Add-On announced
  10. "New strategic opportunities; New Video presents the spectacular final chapter in the SpellForce trilogy". JoWooD. 15 October 2004. Archived from the original on 29 August 2005. Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  11. "SpellForce 3 on Steam". Steam. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
  12. "SpellForce 3 on Steam". Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  13. "Spellforce 3 - Gameplay-Video von der Gamescom" [Spellforce 3 - Gameplay video from Gamescom] (in German). PCGames.de. 15 August 2014. Retrieved 5 June 2015.
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