After the fledgling race of humans were banished from their "garden" and forced to find another sanctuary, the Keepers of the Valley of Wonders took them in, nurturing and protecting them in this peaceful realm of the Elven Court. Thus began the slow and inexorable decline of the great period of peace enjoyed by the ancient world and its inhabitants. Despite the humans' affinity for ingenuity, they were, in many ways, savage, undisciplined, and unruly.

Now, the great Elven ruler, the wizard Lord Inioch is no more—he's been slain in a bloody battle with the upstart humans who take control of the Valley of Wonders. Bent on a program of forceful eviction of all races that dare oppose their sovereignty, the humans continue the bloody conflict until the dwarves and elves are forced to flee. Facing the inevitability of human expansion, Meandor, ruler of the dark Elves, tries to enlist the aid of the fair Elves led by Silvanus.

When Meandor's faction is ignored, he creates the Cult of Storms, dedicated to eradicating the human blight on the land. After a series of bloody defeats and thwarted in the attempt to unify other races in the fight against the humans, the Cult gains control over many of the evil races of the land. This results in attacks of terror against the humans who, in turn, mistakenly attack the fair Elves, the remnants of the Keepers who are still dedicated to peace and tranquility from the old days of the Elven Court.

The Keepers realize that humans don't recognize them and the Cult Elves as separate entities. A bloody civil conflict ensures between the two elven factions resulting in the weakening of their forces. Eventually, war rages throughout the land as a dozen different races all vie for their own piece of control. The races align into two main groups of protagonists, the warlike Cult of Storms and the peace-loving Keepers of the Faith. Battle lines are drawn and the clash of the two factions is inevitable.

In Age of Wonders, you choose which faction and race to play in either single scenarios or campaign (linked scenarios). Each race has unique heroes (more than 50 exist in the game overall) with specific attributes who gain experience and power as the game progresses. There are more than 100 fighting units in the game and combat can be either turn-based at the tactical level (melee and ranged) or resolved automatically by the computer by use of a quick combat option.

Seven different spheres of magic (life, death, earth, air, fire, water, and cosmos) are available and interact with each other with either positive or negative results. There are over 110 spells in the game with each sphere containing 16—four levels with four spells in each. Choose to play as any of the 12 races (Elf, Dwarf, Halfling, Human, Lizardmen, Dark Elf, Goblin, Orc, Frostling, Azrac, High Men, or Undead) with each having specific units rated in level, cost, attack and defense, movement, damage, resistance, and hit points.

Ready to fight for survival in the mayhem of these ancient times? If so, choose sides and enter the Age of Wonders! ~ Michael L. House, All Game Guide