FINAL FANTASY TACTICS - The Ivalice Chronicles
FINAL FANTASY TACTICS - The Ivalice Chronicles
Game
Game2012
Warlock - Master of the Arcane
Developer Ino-Co Plus
Warlock: Master of the Arcane is a 4X turn-based strategy video game developed by 1C:Ino-Co Plus and published by Paradox Interactive. It was released for Microsoft Windows on 8 May 2012. A sequel, Warlock II: The Exiled, was released in 2014. From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
182 reactions from 2 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky) · newest Oct 6, 2026 · last updated Oct 7, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
78
LovedLoved
142 positive · 39 negative
95% range 72–84%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 142 | 39 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 0 | 0 | 0 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
1 newer reactions are still waiting for a label.
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
2,278 of 2,675 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What people are saying
Summary pending — the reactions are listed below.
Reactions
60 of 182 · most liked firstAfter 1,400 hours, the basic version of this game (which I bought on sale) is starting to feel stale. I kinda want my $5 back.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →UP FRONT NEED TO KNOW INFO: It is like Sid Meier's Civilization and Majesty (Ardania world setting) got together, this was the result. If you ever had an urge for a civ game that was high fantasy, this is the game for you. Robust set of spells, bestiary, heroes, artifacts, and themes to immerse you in hours of role-playing as a magical emperor. Pros: -There are 4 races, doesn't matter what you start with, b/c as you conquer other races, you can use their cities to add to your growing…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →legit better than civ 6, got this gem a while ago and never played it, boy was i missing out.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is Civ 6 but far more fantasy oriented, which has caused me to fall in love with it. I've never played any of the other games in the franchise, but this game is such a gem that I just might. The controls are simple, the graphics are beautiful, the mechanics are easy to learn, and the game is just so much fun. Pros: - Diverse fantasy setting with all manner of magical spells, units, structures, etc. - Easy to understand research system (it's literally just a couple buildings and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I have enjoyed playing this game for quite some time and I can tell you that you will enjoy it too. Have fun.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I know you probably like this guy is a nut job! Over 1000 hours and he leaves bad review. I love this game and if I could actually complete it, I would give it 10 thumbs up. Game was abandoned several years ago and it has game ending bugs that were never fixed. IMO this game should no longer be sold.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A 4X Turn-based Strategy Genre game consisting of hexagonal top view grid maps. I played this a bit when it was given free on was it Humble Bundle, few years back? Its a great tower defense game. You play a Mage who will forge magical alliances or go to war with negotiating rivals, use spells and abilities to convert land, or strengthen your defenses or attack enemies to claim more territories in land or sea. Shape lands, construct commercial hubs, cities, ports etc. Level up armies. You will…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Outstanding game, although this game is long in the tooth it still delivers solid 4x fantasy gameplay. Really varied units, spells, heroes, artifacts and map layouts. Polished and smooth, a real "one more turn" itch creator. Stable and reliable for old software, just run in windowed mode to avoid the bug when you click off screen if you are running a two screen setup. I love exploring the map, clearing out monster nests and slowly crushing my enemies! Highly recommended game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Kötü yorum yapacak düzgün oyunları bile yokmuş ama karınca misali.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is one of the most additive games I have played!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Infinitely replayable. Lots of heroes, several races and dozens of warrior types. Sometimes I lose track of time and just meld with the game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →variability, never the same game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I keep returning to this title while newer games wait in my library to be played.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Feels like a cheap mix between CIV and HoMM. On the surface it looks very interesting, but no. Wasn't that good several years ago and by today's standard, it's low tier in the genre
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is perhaps the best beginner 4X ever. It has that wonderful one more turn syndrome, addictive gameplay loop, but unlike most others, there is no need to run a Excel table in the background. It is a trade-off, of course, but that is worth it if the gameplay does not feel compromised. Also, the graphics are timeless, and overall atmosphere is great, as well the spells are fun to use. Highly recommended.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I actually recommend this over Civilzation to be honest. This plays very similarly, but with the addition of magic it adds a whole new dynamic that really shakes up the formula. From magic for summoning additional units, to terraforming the map, to buffing your units against the damage being dealt, There is always a trick up your sleeve to help turn the tide of battle. Do note that this should be played in WINDOWED mode. Alt+Tabbing causes the game to freak out, and it is unlikely the game…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I give this game a 4.5 out of 5. 5 out of 5 for value. I bought it on sale and then played it for 183 hours over the last month. It is like Civ II meets Fantasy General. The different units are very fun to play with. It definitely has that "one more turn" addictive quality. There are a few minor bugs but they didn't interfere with enjoying the game. If you like turn based games and 4x4 strategy games in a fantasy setting, I think you'll like this. Units gain experience and you can also buy them…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is older now, but it still holds up really well. It has a feel of "Civilization" but with spells and magic thrown in. Easy to learn, and fun to play.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is one of the strategy games where I can say that you might want to try it even if you don't like the genre in general. It's very easy to learn and has many cheesy spells you can use at any time to spice things up, as well as events, different heroes and leaders. Even if you don't know what to do, the game always tells you what you can do in your turn and you simply make the choices that make most sense to you.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Why play in 2022? Well balanced combat which is worth returning to. I love the different defence bonuses for different attacks which makes the combat interesting. I love the building different mines in a city allows specific defence bonuses which you can use to upgrade your units. I love that sometimes you need to explore the extra worlds to build more cities, get more money, unlock better defence bonuses so when you go to war with an enemy you know you'll crush them without losing your main…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →hypocritical racists
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →One minute you’re building cities, the next you’re summoning demons because diplomacy failed. Addictive, chaotic, and occasionally unfair—just like real magic. 8/10—would accidentally start another wizard war again.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Is even better than I remembered. Ages very well. Hits a niche for a civ 5/6 type strategy/combat combined with a fantasy RPG that none of the similar games reach.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Fun turn based game, suitable for single player. Multiplayer takes too long to be enjoyable
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It's like the fall-from-heaven mod from civ4 minus all the bugs. If you haven't played it, the game has simplified economy and improved rpg leveling path of your pawns. After beating AI opponents there's expanded npc factions you can challenge and other worlds you can conquer. Also, you can modify the map with terraforming spells.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This game is essentialy a lite version of the Civilization games, but with a high-fantasy thematic. Being a more streamlined version (also being an indie game), it doesn't necessarily have the complexity that Civ has, but the polish and production value are surprisingly good for a "budget" title because it comes with full voice acting and cool units. Overall it is a good civilization strategy game that delivers the same addicting feeling of "just one more turn!!". I only have minor nitpciks:…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Excellent game and definitely worth the price. The mechanics are simple to learn, and not too difficult to master. Graphics are simple, but vibrant and colorful, and the units and buildings are nice to look at. In Single Player games, the AI plays a bit repetitive, but you'll only notice this once you can consistently beat it on the highest difficulty level. The multiplayer lobbies function normally, but are primarily dead. Don't expect to find a match with a stranger - I've seen fewer…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Please make a Warlock 3 game, the community needs it. All 4X gamers would appreciate it. The second title is really good too but its time for Warlock 3.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Wasn't sure if I'd like this game, that 7 hour playtime was the first time I booted it up and it's now 2am. Great game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This was a very fun Civ-like game with magic and monsters.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Might not be one of the best 4X games but definitely one of my favorites. Wish it had more modern QoL features.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I actually owned this game from way back when it was released. You'd think it run better on a modern machine. A bit like fantasy old Civilization with near non-existent diplomacy. Lots to discover and explore. Better than the sequel. Ai is pretty poor and gets massive eco-cheats to be marginally viable. On lower difficulties challenge is non-existent but on higher ones the eco cheats can get pretty crazy resulting in huge slog feasts of AI spam forcing you to chip away till you can make a…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is a fun game that plays along the lines of Civ 5/6, but especially Master of Magic (it even has a Rjak ripoff). It's a cute but solid game, if you like Master of Magic you'll probably like this. It only took 2 hours to know what I was doing, and had a lot of fun so far. I don't normally review things unless i'm done with them or play for awhile, but I know this one is a positive, so here we are.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →If you like Civilization IV and Heroes of Might and Magic you will love this game. It's on my short list of classics I play again and again.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I got this game from a dollar store back when they actually sold stuff for $1. One of my favorite games because of the simplicity, chill vibe, and great wiki. Unlike Civilization the units are cheaper and move quicker, settlers are cheaper. The diplomacy is straightforward, some may say lacking. I really enjoy the diversity of units, they all have different armor types, attacks, and movement speed. Having portals to other worlds is fun for later game combat and exploration with cool landscapes.…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Warlock - Master of the Arcane is a game where you become a powerful sorcerer, strategically conquering realms and summoning mighty creatures, because sometimes it's just easier to solve problems with magic than with therapy bills!
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →First and foremost, stay away from any game developed by Paradox interactive. They are a toxic company with predatory pricing and a history of releasing underdeveloped games. Warlock is another typical release from PI: it looks superficially to be a very interesting 4x game but turns out to be a shallow and abusive game with the worst sort of programming. Typical of PI releases, the AI instantly transitions from totally inept to completely abusive and absurd. At standard difficulties the AI…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Simplified Civilization. Emphasis on fighting, economy simplified to the bone. Instead of new technologies, you research new spells. A few bugs there and there but nothing game-breaking. A lot of unique units. 75%
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The best way to describe this game would be it is like Age of Wonders with a Civ 5 overlay. Instead of a tech tree, you research spells. It is much more combat focused than a Civ game, although there are other options to win than just conquering the map. The extra worlds are cool too, as they provide extra areas to explore\settle (although the enemies are more difficult as well). It does have a few minor UI bugs (for example, if you have tutorial screens turned on, the 1st quest you get doesn't…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Pretty nice Civilization clone with fantasy twist
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I really like this game. It plays a bit like civilisation but has less of a tech tree and is more battle/combat focused as well as a much better mix of different units with abilities, but still has enough kingdom management that it is important. If you ever wished that civilisation has more combat and more unit options and less “management” this is the game I would recommend to you.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →One of those "just one more turn games " Still good after all these years !
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Game-breaking bug wouldn't let me build any buildings. This bug has been around for over a decade and they never bothered to fix it. I tried re-installing the game and starting a new game; didn't work. Rubbish game and complete waste of money.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Warlock: Master of the Arcane is a turn-based strategy game that offers a rich blend of empire-building, tactical combat, and fantasy lore, designed to appeal to fans of the 4X (explore, expand, exploit, and exterminate) genre. Developed by Ino-Co and published by Paradox Interactive, the game embraces classic elements of fantasy strategy but also carves out its own niche through a distinctive magic-focused approach and an accessible yet deep gameplay loop. Set in a vibrant and diverse world…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Wizards-Dragons and a assortment of battle ready monsters and maps. This is what Civ 3-6 should have been.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A competent 4X strategy game deliberately hobbled and sold in pieces, exploiting the psychological need for completion. The irony is perfect: you play as a power-hungry mage while the developers play as power-hungry merchants extracting your resources piece by piece. You're not the warlock—you're the sacrificial offering.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Buggy and it felt a little unfinished with few race options, but I worked through the bugs to finish a normal game to give it a fair shake for review. The mechanics are good, a lot of effort was made in what they did so far, and I like the picking perks at the start, but the bugs are just to bad with the UI locking up and spell cast glitches. Barely playable with lost work and fighting bugs to play it is a thumbs down for me.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Some bugs and typos that were and will not be fixed, but still plenty of fun. Played 2 games (normal size, normal difficulty and max size hard difficulty) which took me about 70 hours. It has its flaws but it was very fun and I recommend it.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Very simple game with a lot of strategy and special tactical units. Although the information on this game is scant, the interface & upgrade progression is easy to pick up. Each god in this game has units and spells unique to that god. Each race has a particular strength and tactic that makes choosing the race and god to your play style are extremely important. The only exception to this are the portal worlds that have special units and resources you can't find in the normal world or where you…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →It is a great little strategy game, sure the AI isn't very good...but then again, I'm not very good at strategy games either. I don't think Civ masters will be too impressed, but I had a fantastic time with this one and it is a great multiplayer game as well.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A great fun game that follows the steps of Master of Magic, great fun, easy to learn, not that easy to master, great game 10/10
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is a gem. Has some flaws, but highly enjoyable play (at least the core game)
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Just yes. it never grows old.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →game is fun and its different each time
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I am a 45 yo father, probably one of the oldest people playing this game. I am a single father to my Son, who is 14 now. My son got this game from his uncle, so we installed it on his computer and he started playing. By the end of the week he had 24 hours on this game. This was horrible for me, as it was already hard for me to find ways to spend time with my son, as he is always out with his friends or just watching YouTube. So I decided to make a Steam account and get this game to see if I…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →a somewhat good game to waste some time with, if you like turn based games. however the graphics are pretty basic.. the AI is really stupid! and the devs 'cheat' (they'd call it a 'feature'!) to make up for their pathetic AI 'strategy'! the 'AI personalities' arent too bad.. but their diplomacy is generally try to 'befriend' you then backstab you when you least expect it.. but they dont know how to 'manage' their attacks.. they constantly attack powerful mobs with low level units, etc.. and…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is a fun game that is more on the simple side of things. Yet, it has most of the components to make it enjoyable. It is mainly focused on combat and conquest. Like almost every computer game, the diplomacy does not work. Even the CIV games have the same problem. If one accepts that peace is just a short interval between wars, than it's fine. Replayable. 75/100
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Can't beat the Original. Even after all these years, I keep coming back every now and then for my fix. Warlock 2 is pretty but it can be very linear and feels claustrophobic. "Moder's can only do so much" If your looking for old school Strategy fun, your looking in the right place. It may not be as flashy as Warlock 2 or modern strategy games, but it sure is a hell of a lot better then Warcraft Reforged.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →wizard do spell
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →just fun to play a fantasy style type Civ game
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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