As a testament to the push to get products out by christmas, Sierra shoved Lords of Magic out the door a bit early. Part of the install process is to jump on the internet and try to grab the latest patch. This could be a nice feature, since I usually download the latest patch to a game before firing it up. Anyone who has installed a patch and realized that old save games are not compatible will appreciate what I'm talking about. In my case, the connection dropped in the middle of the autoupdate and the game config showed latest update but really only had the original 1.0 version. I eventually manually ftp'd the patch file and applied it as for any game these days. BTW, the 1.0 version was so raw, the save game feature didn't even work, nor were you able to cast a healing spell on other members of your party. Once I finally got the game up and working with all the latest graphics, sound, etc. drivers for my hardware, the game looked promising. There are still many quirks in the latest version, but I find myself compelled to keep giving it a chance. The idea of leading D&D style characters around in campaigns, and raids is cool. The sounds & music add a nice atmosphere as well as the individual character voiceovers. Each unit has a personality associated with it, along with experience level, attack, defense, mana, hit points, and a few other traits. This game could dominate if not for one thing, the user interface. I found myself frequently hindered by the non-intuitive interface. To cast a spell or look at a party member's items you would select from the icons at the bottom of the screen. This can also have a nasty side effect when trying to move the party. If an individual member was selected when the party was ordered to move, that member leaves the party and goes off on their own. Without an undo button, you've possibly blown the turn or left a member out to dry. Also, a party without a champion moves at a much slower rate, so they may not catch up with your unintentional rogue champion. The trick here is to save at every turn, as an overall undo. Once you learn the crtl-alt-elbow clicking and know it's limitations, the game is still fun. I'm usually not a real-time combat fan, but for LOM I'll make an exception. They allow an important pause-game feature where you can still issue orders, cast spells, etc. that begin when action is reanimated. This is great for making battle adjustments to use your cavalry for flanking charges or to rush the enemy missile launchers. With the terrain restricting avenues of approach, there is actually strategy involved. Each unit has strengths and weaknesses that must be taken into consideration. The elven bowmen with their long range can pick off slow moving dwarven infantry, with staffmen in front on defense mode. Flank and rear attacks also affect movement strategy. I enjoy making strategic decisions of whether the cavalry should rush the Level 6 Fire Wizard to stop the fireballs or overrun those pesky Giant Rock Hurlers. On a grander scale, you then must choose to pick your battles. Your troops will take damage and must rest or be healed. There is also the threat of renegade enemy parties moving into previously conquered villages if left unprotected. Strategic decisions are much more enjoyable than micromanagement. The resource management is kept very simple so your focus can be on raising an army, campaigning and protecting your accomplishments. 8 different religions, each having different character types, the replayability seems fairly good. The game can take on a whole different feeling and strategy depending on the faith you choose. I only give it a 3.0 for GamePlay because of the interface quirks, otherwise it would have rated higher.