Ranger is the new expansion to Elven Legacy from 1C Company and Paradox Interactive.  Elven Legacy: Ranger was released on 20th October 2009 and offers 16 new missions, 12 new spells and more tactical innovation than its predecessor. But how much has this actually improved the game and does it offer much more in the way of new gameplay?

In answer to this question I would certainly say it does! Not only is the storyline gripping and captivating it’s even in English so you can get engaged with the game rather than trying to translate the Russian and make the most of what you think is going on. The story starts with a Ranger who is sent off in order to prepare the people of the world of Illis against the new order of Marcus which has long been isolated. You find yourself fighting ogres and trolls as well as meeting up with valuable allies in order for the good forces to build up strength against the evil.

If you’ve never played the original Eleven Legacy then the game play itself may not be so easy for newcomers although I personally didn’t find it too hard to get to grips with the missions. Later on in the game they are much harder than when you first start out on the island of Illis, mainly because of the tactics involved and I found that if I didn’t get it right I would have to restart the mission which could get very frustrating. But in a way this was good because it challenged me and I didn’t get bored easily.

Graphically there was no disappointment, plenty of colour, character movement and attention to detail within the game UI. Character units and movement seemed to run as smooth as it looked. I was very pleased to find that the sound was in English so that I could understand the storyline and get totally engaged with the game. This was a factor with the original Elven Legacy that maybe didn’t make the game catch my eye as much as what this one has done.

There’s certainly a lot to think about tactically as you place your units at the beginning of each battle and plan each attack as the enemy wipes out each of your less able units you really need to figure out what units and spells are needed to use against each type of enemy. If you get it wrong and fail the mission it can seem like a bit of a chore trying to differentiate your style or tactic but I found it challenging and engrossing nonetheless.

I’m looking forward to the next two expansion releases to see what great new content they offer, this latest installment has been surprising and you can really tell where the developers would like to go with this production, if you are a fan of turn based games I would seriously recommend adding this title to your collection. Elven Legacy Ranger is not to be missed!