Epic War 2 Walkthrough

The Epic War series is back with another war game based on the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Unlike most of the sequels to popular war games online, Epic War 2 not only lives up to the rather lofty standards set be the excellent original game but even surpasses them, managing to be an engaging and engrossing game that is not only a worthy follow up but also an excellent game on its own merits. Newcomers are going to have a bit of a hard time getting the hang of this one, but it isn't really a complicated game so even beginners won't feel totally overwhelmed or incapable of completing the game. More experienced players are going to love the challenge the game offers and love all of the little extras that set this game and this series apart from most of the other war games online.

When you first begin playing Epic War 2, you get a quick intro into the story behind the game. That is really the first thing that sets this game apart from the others. The story is unique and entertaining but it isn't really a central part of the game so it never feels distracting or tedious. Basically, you learn that the world of the game has been divided by war with three races rising to rule what remains; humans, orcs and elves. These races are at war with each other, trying to become the dominant power but they also have a hidden enemy - the dark forces hidden in the shadows of Middle Earth. These forces are fighting too and will pose a threat the likes of which the three ruling powers have never seen as the dark forces creep into the hearts and minds of good men, elves and orcs and fill them with evil; ready to march to the shadows to begin training. What were they being trained for? Only the destruction of all creation. Your job is to stop those shadow forces and stay alive to save what is left of Middle Earth. Can you help lead your army, the 'Sons of Destiny' to victory or will you parish at the hands of the dark forces? That depends on how well you play the game.

Although Epic War 2 has upped the drama in the story department, the way the game is played is more or less the same. Your goal for each level is to destroy your enemy's base while protecting your own base from being attacked. You need to plan a start battle strategy that balances both attack and defense if you want to be successful, as was the case with the first game in the series. If you don't focus on both of these things, you will not successfully complete the level. You need to use everything you have at your disposal to keep your base safe because if it is destroyed, you lose the battle. At the same time, you also need to send out units that will be able to not only get passed your enemy army but also reach the enemy castle and attempt to destroy it. The map will not end until one of the castles is destroyed.

As you play through a battle in Epic War 2, your enemy's forces will continue to upgrade. This means they'll get stronger and attack with greater force. You need to be prepared for that and you need to be able to counter their upgraded forces with upgraded forces of your own. Upgrades are typically very important in online war games and that is especially true of this one. Without upgrades you'll have little hope of getting through the later, more difficult maps and even some of the earlier ones in the game. Focus on upgrading areas you really need upgraded first. If you don't have enough experience for the upgrade you feel would help you the most, don't buy another upgrade that you don't really need just because you have enough experience. Save your experience for what you need so you'll be able to get the upgrades you need when you need them.

Once again in Epic War 2, you are able to return to previous maps and replay the battles to build up more experience. This isn't an option that's available in many of the other war games online so it's important that you remember that is in fact an option, and a valuable one at that. Returning to previous maps might seem like it would feel tedious, but the battles are often just as entertaining the second, third and fourth times around and if you beat the battle once, there's a fairly good chance you'll be able to beat it again. You'll gain valuable experience and get closer to being able to purchase those upgrades you need later in the game but try not to rely too heavily on this option. While going back is beneficial, the only way to beat the game is obviously to move forward and play new maps. Also remember that losing a battle doesn't mean you've gained nothing. You'll be allowed to keep half of the experience points you earned during a battle if you lose, so you'll have something to build on when you retry the battle. Keep in mind that none of the battles in this game are impossible. If you're failing one map repeatedly, take a hard look at your stats and determine what you need to improve. Look for the upgrades you need, replay old maps to get the experience you need for those upgrades and keep trying.

Epic War 2 has added the 'research' option available between levels from the upgrade menu. You can research five areas (academy, archer, barracks, castle and tower) to unlock new upgrades and new units. For those unfamiliar with research in this type of war game, the option might seem a little complicated at first, but it really isn't. Basically, when you start a new level, your castle and everything to do with your castle will be at level one. You can upgrade your castle and all of the aspects of your castle beyond level one during battle, but only if you've done the research between levels to unlock those upgrades. In reality, research is just prep work, like chopping onions in a kitchen to have them ready to use while you're making dinner. If you've researched your castle to level three, you'll still start out with a level one castle, but as you earn mana, you'll be able to upgrade your castle as high as level three. Remember that you need to send out units though and that will require mana just as upgrades will. Having an upgraded castle is great, but only if you still have enough mana to send units to help defend that castle. Once again, it's all about balance.

There are five types of bases you can use in battle in Epic War 2; each releasing its own types of units with their own strengths and weaknesses. The Academy trains healers and magic units. Archery trains archers. The Barracks train melee units. The Tower trains siege units and also increases the damage your castle's crossbow inflicts on enemies with each shot. The Castle trains the Titan - a strong (but expensive) warrior that can inflict heavy damage. The castle also offers special attacks such as meteor showers that will inflict damage on a large number of enemy units at one time. Upgrading the tower will also upgrade your castle's crossbow while upgrading the castle will upgrade the castle's armor making it harder for the enemies to destroy your castle. It's important to remember the difference between the two. Upgrading the Academy, Archery and the Barracks will strengthen the units they produce and make them more effective in battle.

One of the best additions Epic War 2 has made to the game over the first in the series is the addition of the ability to see the vital stats of your units during battle. If you hover over a unit that has been deployed, you'll see the health, attack power, melee resistance, ranged physical resistance, magic resistance, fire elemental resistance, ice elemental resistance and lightening elemental resistance. Use this information wisely. Certain types of units are stronger against certain types of enemies. As you play, you'll get a better understanding of which units are which. In the beginning, though, it's best to use these stats as a guide. Don't ignore them. They're there for a reason and they can be very beneficial to you and to your battle strategy.

Overall, Epic War 2 is all about finding the right balance between attack and defense. Although this incarnation of the game doesn't offer traps and barriers as the previous game did, it is still entirely possible to find that balance and win the game. In getting rid of those little extras, the game has been made less complicated and easier for newcomers to pick up. At the same time, the need to research as kept the level of difficulty high enough that fans of war games with a little more skill and experience will still be able to enjoy it. I recommend taking a moment or two to look over the game screen before you dive in. It can be a bit complicated, but the on screen tutorials really take you through what everything does. Make sure you pay attention. This is an excellent game and a worthy follow up to the original.