Wars and Warriors: Joan of Arc from developer Enlight Software is an action/RTS title that could have been so much more had it been given more time in development. When I previewed this game back in December I applauded many elements that I felt would make for a memorable game but the final product just has too many flaws to overlook. A good engine is in place to make for a remarkable game but the lack of polish provides for an unsatisfying gaming experience! Poor gameplay, AI and voice acting mar the potential of a game that promised much but in the end failed to deliver it.

You play as the valiant Joan of Arc who was guided by God to save the people of France and who took part in such historic events as the hundred years' war. I love history - especially the times of Joan of Arc - and I had hoped that Enlight Software would use this period to provide for a compelling story. Instead we get the opposite from the game as the story is told with some very dull cutscenes and horrible voice acting that makes you just want to turn the sound off. The story never gets exciting and interesting and the further you play the game the more you simply want to exit it and just play a better game. The only area I enjoyed here is the music which was done very well and does a good job in adding to the very limited atmosphere in the game. If only the time put into the music could have equally been put into the story and voice acting.

The game has over eight missions that you must play through in your quest to save France but with the poor AI and lackluster design of each mission, you will find yourself wondering what went wrong. There could have been some fun gameplay especially with all the combos you can unleash upon your enemies if only the game did not have such poor AI. Enemies seem to just come at you when you approach them and never show any signs of doing anything that would challenge or impress you. Battles never seemed interesting as well. The missions themselves never presented any scenarios that were exciting or fun or that compelled me to keep on playing. I expected to be swept up in the events that were happening, to enjoy playing in this historic period as Joan of Arc but this never happened and it just frustrated me.

It is obvious when one looks at Wars and Warriors: Joan of Arc that it does not measure up to the standards that other games have set: a compelling story, exciting gameplay and impressive AI. There are far better games that have been released in the past few months that would serve you better and provide for much better playing experiences. This is the first time that Enlight Software has attempted to make this type of game and it clearly shows. If they expect to produce more games in this series that many will enjoy and not just a limited few they will have to look at why other games have succeeded in this genre and ensure that next time the game has enough development time behind it before it is released. If more time and effort had been given into developing Wars and Warriors: Joan of Arc, it could have been the excellent game I had hoped it would become instead of the lackluster game that resulted.

Final Grade: 55%

Official Wars and Warriors: Joan of Arc Website