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Warhammer: Mark of Chaos (PC DVD) | 
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| From: Deep Silver
Category: Video Games
List Price: £28.37
Buy New: £4.42
You Save: £23.95 (84%)
New (13) Used (6) from £4.00
Rating:  27 reviews
Platform: Windows Xp
Genre: fantasy-strategy-games
Rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Media: Video Game
Number Of Items: 1
Age: 11 - 18 years
Operating System: Windows XP
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.4
Dimensions (in): 7.4 x 5.4 x 0.6
EAN: 4020628500603
ASIN: B000EZMRKM
Release Date: November 24, 2006
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Condition: Brand New - SAMEDAY DESPATCH - Insured Delivery and 12 months Warranty
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| Customer Reviews:
 A review of the product bought AFTER the release date ;) November 28, 2006
Mr. J. M. Coffey (UK)
30 out of 32 found this review helpful
Shadow of the Horned Rat
Dark Omen
I haven't played the table top games, and I absolutely don't think you need to be a fan of table top games, or even Warhammer in general to enjoy these games.
I was introduced to them when I played the original PC games "Shadow of the Horned Rat" and "Dark Omen", which are both in my top 20 favourite PC games of all time; And this is a sequel that continues the story from those games - although, again, I really don't think people should be worried if they haven't played the earlier games. For anyone who did like those previous games, then I'm glad to report this is an excellent successor, and is the game we've all been waiting for.
HOW THE GAME PLAYS
The main battles are basically similar to the Total War style, where you have a set number of units and troops which you can deploy and set up before the battle starts, and when you say to start, its just your troops versus the enemy troops. You don't build bases, and in most missions you won't be able to reinforce, or rebuild your troop strength. The battles are generally on much smaller maps with fewer troops than Total War, but there are lots of troop types, with different formations and special abilities, and it can be quite tactical making sure you engage the enemy troops with units that will be most effective. There are also hero units with lots of special abilities, and which can be 'attached' to troop units to greatly enhance their strength. Hero units can also engage enemy commanders in duels with a different set of special abilities.
Between battles, you see the World Map or Campaign screen where you can buy reinforcements for depleted units, or completely new units, and enhancements for weapons and armour. Management is mainly about money and items you loot from the battlefields, and making sure you don't lose too many troops; The worse you do in a battle, the more money you will spend on buying replacements between battles instead of better armour/weapons/items, so you have a real incentive to lose as few troops as possible in battles, and make sure you use the right tactics.
This is also where you move your army on to the next battle, and although the occasional battle is optional, the campaign is basically a linear affair linked together by cut scenes, split across several chapters each on a different map.
For most battles, you can't simply deploy all of your army to the field, but have to select a certain number of heroes and units which you choose beforehand.
HOW I RATE THE GAME
Having nearly finished the Empire Campaing, I'm really enjoying it. I love the overall atmosphere, and enjoy the way the story progresses as you move over the map. I also think that because you are using one army for all the battles, it makes you much more careful to win battles with as few losses as possible, and you become a lot more attached to your units. Basically, as you progress through the Campaign, you are trying to build up your army by buying new units and recruiting allies by winning battles. If lose lots of troops in lots of battles, then you may find yourself in the situation of not having enough resources to buy extra units, or improve weapons and armour.
Before you panic however, the game is reasonably easy on the Medium difficulty setting as the heroes are perhaps a bit too powerful - but that does make them fun to play with.
In fact it may be a bit TOO easy on the default Medium difficulty setting - the enemy armies don't seem to attack together, but instead send units only a few at a time, making them fairly easy to defeat if you play defensively; And even when the onus is on you to attack, it seems a little too easy to pull single units away from their comrades and dispatch them while they are isolated.
But the Chaos campaign does seem to be harder, and so far has actually been more fun to play than the Empire campaign.
People who played the earlier games may remember how hard it was to manage your army successfully enough to have enough units to win the final battles - and playing the Chaos campaing on a Hard difficulty setting reminds me of the original games.
There's lots of variety in units, and items, and trying to choose between buying a unit of Knights, or buying better weapons/armour/specials for the units you already have. There's also a good variety of mission types, for example, some are just for heroes and involve them fighting/exploring or dueling enemy Champions on there own. Perhaps the game should be described as a cross between Total War and Warcraft III. The herores and story progression similar to Warcraft, but individual battles similar to Total War.
Through my rose tinted glasses of nostalgia, I'm giving this a 5 out of 5, but being as objective as possible, I still can't give it anything less than 4 out of 5.
A couple of reviewers have mentioned lots of bugs and implied the game had not been finished? Well, one of them posted their comment before the game was released, so I don't know what version they were playing; But I've bought the game, and the only bug I can find is a certain problem with the "Random Sounds" setting in the options, which can cause the game to stutter when units try to speak - but as soon as I turned that option off, I had no other problems, and in all other respects it seems to be a well made and professionally produced game. (I have not tried to play the game online, and that's not why I bought the game, so I imagine the bugs some other people have mentioned only affect the online side of things and people should check the forums if that is what interests them)
Not Very Good November 20, 2006
Nevermore (London - U.K.)
26 out of 43 found this review helpful
Well i've never played the Warhammer table top game but liked Dawn Of war so thought i give this a try whilst visiting friends in the US. It's graphics look great but the gameplay just isn't there - it's just pick an army rush the other army game over. In a game that could have been a Fantasy Total War type game it's completely let down by the lack of any combined unit tactics. Surprisly in a modern RTS game there are some glaring ommissions - no friendly fire, no cover, no height advantage ( as far i could see), hugely overpowered hero characters - and generally bland unit animations on units that will always look the same regardless of what you equip them with. If the developers were intending to compete with Medieval Total War or Dawn Of War - Dark Crusade - it's a total failure. Get those instead they're great. This is just bland,plain and distinctly average. It feels like it's been rushed to the shelves and a lot was missed - which is a real shame as the graphics really are good and so is the way you pick armies before battles rather than having to build bases en-route. which is much more (imo) realistic.
Maybe with a few pathces it will be O.K. but i like stuff i pay for to be complete when it pops through the letter box. For now i'd give it a miss. and buy a whole game someone actualy went to the trouble of finishing before releasing.
 Ive been waiting for this game for ages October 6, 2006
Blooddragonaj (Scotland)
25 out of 81 found this review helpful
Shaddow of the horned rat and dark omen were amazing games for their time but look very VERY dated now. Its about time there was an up to date warhammer game and this looks amazing. The older games were frustrating because you were always stuck going the Grudgebringer merc army and I always wanted to go something else. Mark of Chaos has a good selection of playable races from the start and no doubt there will be expansion that will enable more.
The army customisation is a great idea and the unlockable skills for the characters will make Mark of Chaos alot more in depth and tactical than Dawn of War. This is a must buy for those who love Dawn of War and the people that enjoyed the battles in Rome Total War but hated the managment aspect.
IF YOU LIKE WARHAMMER YOU WILL LIKE THIS November 26, 2006
Fozziebear39
21 out of 25 found this review helpful
I'm a passionate Warhammer table top player, so i was really looking forward to this game coming out.
If you like Warhammer you will like this, if you don't play Warhammer you might not get it or the rules the game has. It is pretty much the same layout for the tabletop game in terms of rules, so you know what to expect if you have played the game before.
It has plenty of options to duel in the game between the hero's and it is faithful in that the hero's are powerful and if played correctly can change the outcome of the battle.
You get chance to play either Chaos or The Empire in the single player mode. This is what i've found out so far in single player mode,
as i've noticed i'm still on chapter 1, so given that i expect there is more chapters and more choices the more you play this game.(I'm hoping to be able to play different races later on in single player mode so i'll see what happens).
It is more than just a 2 armies attack each other game, as so far i've done hero character guests and defended a castle and i've just been playing for 2 days.It gives you options to use the units as you would in a warhammer game but with the difference in that you have to think fast on your feet.
The choices you have to add and swap units before a battle or siege is good with plenty of items to chose from and gain.You can also buy units and upgrades and get magical items and so forth from the camp or town. This also faithful to the tabletop game, which i like, in the sense of been able to chose what units and magic to equip before battle starts.
The magic aspect of the game with wizards and such like is also faithful and i thought well done.
In all, if you like Warhammer fantasy you will like and understand this game, if you don't you might wonder what all the fuss is about.Oh yes by way the graphics are fantastic.
Have fun and i can't wait to play LAN with this game with my mates. Let battle commence.
A fantasy battle wargame December 11, 2006
Mr. Douglas Murray (Scotland)
17 out of 20 found this review helpful
This game is not an RTS but shares some elements. The review above is incorrect - you play 4 races during the 2 campaigns and the Chaos campaign splits in 2 giving either demonic or undead units. AND there IS a LAN option.
Pro's: Heroes for each race have different classes and skill trees.
There is a wide range of items and upgrades to buy for heroes and units.
Good graphics. Carries the flag of the classic Horned Rat game. Pleny of stuff to do: Full armies at the end of a campaign have 4 hero's, 10 units and 4 siege weapons/artillery (hellblaster volley gun, warplightning cannon..)
A total of 77 different units, heroes and siege equipment/artillery.
Heroes can duel eachother while their armies clash.
Sieges aren't as tedious as Total War
Wizards, Giants, Dragons, Trolls, Warpfire Throwers and Flaggelants
Con's: No option to pause and survey the carnage mid-battle.
Duelling hero's have no additional animations for their specials.
AI in single player isn't very clever (but the unit placement and scripting for their spawning makes some scenarios challenging.)
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