History VideoGame / RiseOfLegends

* SkyPirate: The Pirata, [[MeaningfulName obviously]]. However, due to their status as mercenaries who wind up working for [[TheHero Giacomo]], they end up more like ThePiratesWhoDontDoAnything.

* {{Mighty Whitey}}: Giacomo, to a certain extent. It's always a different race in each campaign, but either way, Giacomo remains in charge throughout.

* EasyLogistics: As in ''RiseOfNations'', somewhat averted, unless the player brings Cargo Dirigibles/Puzzle Boxes/Holy Arks along.

* The Vinci: Similar to the Terran race. Combining the culture of Renaissance Italy and with a {{Steampunk}} aesthetic, the Vinci are technology purists who start their matches with footsoldiers supported by clockwork robots and finish with massive machines of war, ranging from [[TankGoodnes large tanks]] to a giant spider-like robot called a Land Leviathan. Through the accumulation of prototype units and/or general purpose unit upgrades they can bolster their standing army while building Research Labs which upgrade to custom utility buildings which get very useful in the late game.

''Rise of Legends'' is a SpiritualSuccessor to ''VideoGame/RiseOfNations'' created in 2006 by Big Huge Games, creators of the previous game. Instead of being set on Earth, it is set on the world of Aio, a world of technology and magic.

Gameplay-wise, ''Legends'' isn't expecially similar to ''VideoGame/RiseOfNations'' despite [[InNameOnly using its name as a prefix]]: ''Nations'' imported a lot of ideas from the FourX genre, which ''Legends'' discarded in favour of fast-paced RTS combat and resource competition, taking alot of its ideas from ''Franchise/StarCraft''. Gone are the non-military win conditions, the emphasis on research, the proliferation of resources and the large roster of playable nations. ''Legends'' isn't a terribly ambitious product, but it's still very fun to play and has more strategy than many give it credit for. For instance, ships plying the enemy's trade routes can be shot down, slowing down their economy; cities are not founded but captured, either from other players or from neutral creeps; there are non-city "outpost" locations which you can gain control of and give you gameplay bonuses (in the form of resources or access to new units); and said neutral locations can be ''purchased'' as well as conquered, at which point its neutral creeps join your army.

The player has a choice of three different factions, each one a custom counterpart of the three races from ''StarCraft'':

* The Cuotl: Similar to the Protoss race. What you'd get if you crossed {{Mayincatec}} [[JustForFun/XMeetsY with]] ReligionIsMagic, the Cuotl are jungle tribesmen empowered by {{Ancient Astronauts}}[=/=]SufficientlyAdvancedAliens à la ''Chariot of the Gods''. The Cuotl "Gods" boast mysterious stone-based technology so advanced that they easily conviced their followers [[MagicFromTechnology it was magic]], though the power of the Cuotl people's worship and faith apparently bolster the power of said technology. This technology includes jaguars with sun-like beam attacks, snakes which poison their victims with every attack and eagle-like flying machines.

The game received won several awards in the "[[SugarWiki/NeedsMoreLove Cool But Overlooked]]" category. And for a while, all was silent in Big Huge land... at least until the release of ''VideoGame/KingdomsOfAmalurReckoning''. Which [[CreatorKiller killed them.]]

* AllTheoriesAreTrue: Helicopters follow Leonardo Da Vinci's "aerial screw" drawings, long since proven aerodynamically impossible.

* AnimalMotifs: The Cuotl "gods" and the units built after them use this trope in their design. Czin, Xil, and Shok respectively take after the [[SerpentOfImmortality snake]], the [[PantheraAwesome jaguar]] and the [[NobleBirdOfPrey eagle]]. The fourth Cuotl god, Ix, is designed either after a [[NobleWolf wolf]] or a [[HeroicDog jackal]].
* ArbitraryHeadcountLimit: Unlike ''VideoGame/RiseOfNations'', where the unit cap was based on your level of Military research, this one bases it on the number of Cities and Military Districts you have.
* AreTheseWiresImportant: [[spoiler:Giacomo, during the climax of Act 2, rips out the wires in the Doge's laser, causing it to blow up in the latter's face the next time he tries to fire.]]
* AttackOfTheFiftyFootWhatever: All three Master Units. The Vinci Land Leviathan is a HumongousMecha with a spider-like design, the Alin Glass Dragon is a GiantFlyer with a considerably intimidating design and the Cuotl CityOfVengeance is

-->'''Carlini:''' I've been a soldier for 43 years, got my leg blown off, served in two wars, killed more men than I can count, and I've never backed down from anything in my life. I'm sure as hell not gonna start now.

* BadassNormal: Both Carlini and the Vinci commander from the opening cinematic. This is technically true for all things Vinci, since it's them and their technology against the world.

* BettyAndVeronica: Arri, the Alin princess and Giacomo's childhood friend (Betty), and Lenora, the rebellious leader of the Pirata (Veronica). While the game does not really follow through with a RomanceSidequest, a few briefing screens show Giacomo and the significant other of the campaign in more romantic poses and there is definitely a fair amount of jealousy between the two women. In fact, during the final campaign, Giacomo is allowed to only take one of them with him to the Cuotl lands. After Giacomo's [[spoiler:HeroicSacrifice]], Arri and Lenora appear to have become friends as well.
* BigBad: At first, the Doge; later on, Sawu the corrupted Alin genie; finally, Czin the Cuotl "God" of Death.
* BoomStick: The Cuotl foot soldiers, as [[{{Expy}} Expies]] of ''Series/{{Stargate|SG1}}'' Jaffas, have staves that shoot lasers.

* CaptainErsatz: The three races are similar to the ''StarCraft'' races, down to the Cuotl using protective shields for their units and buildings.
* CivilWarcraft: More than usual for a real-time strategy. In all three campaigns the primary enemy faction uses technology from the same race as the player, with the other two appearing in only a few levels each. That said, your opponents usually use a few things you can't and vice versa. For example, the Doge's units are unavailable in the campaign (excluding [[DefectorFromDecadence Pulitore's]] recruitment) and ''you'' can't build the Doom Cannon from a lab. Meanwhile, the Doge can't build Clockwork Men, but does get to use his Doge Guard units instead of normal Musketeers. The Cuotl campaign is the main exception, as the only units you can't use eventually are their heroes, who are the antagonists.
** FridgeBrilliance: When you play non-CivilWarcraft skirmishes it quickly becomes apparent why this is the case: if you play the Vinci and take an Alin city, their Magus Districts are more or less useless to you and you can't build Industrial Districts, thus denying you the ability to expand on your faction's unique abilities (though it works in reverse for your enemy as well, of course). CivilWarcraft means this issue never shows up in the campaign if the player takes control of an enemy's cities.

* DeathFromAbove: The "Star Bolt" power. KillSat GOOD...
* DecoyProtagonist: The Vinci Hero featured in the intro and presented as the Vinci poster boy on the back of the game's box appears nowhere else in the game save for a few loading screens.
* DefectorFromDecadence: Pulitore, who you recruit in the Alin campaign, was once one of the Doge's men. [[spoiler: After the destruction of Miana and as it became clear the Doge wasn't acting for Venucci's best interests, he and his men had enough and quit.]] This is also the only time in the campaign where you can use the Doge's arsenal.
* DuelingGames: Although late to the punch by four years, ''Rise of Legends'' is regarded by some as BHG's attempt to one-up Ensemble Studios' ''[[AgeofMythology Age of Mythology]]'', as both games are fantasy spin-offs of their own popular historic real-time strategy titles.
* EasyLogistics: As in ''RiseOfNations'', somewhat averted, unless the player brings Cargo Dirigibles/Puzzle Boxes/Holy Arks along.

* ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin: Unit names can tend to work like this, especially for the Vinci, but the best example is probably the Doge's Doom Cannon.
* FactionCalculus: Vinci (powerhouse), Alin (subversive) and Cuotl (balanced). That being said, the units themselves are [[CosmeticallyDifferentSides largely the same]] in their basest forms, each faction's traits only manifesting after research and through their heroes and unique abilities.
* FantasyCounterpartCulture: The Vinci are obviously [[TheLateMiddleAges late medieval]][=/=]early [[TheRenaissance Renaissance]] Italian city states with a heavy {{steampunk}} and {{clockpunk}} flavour (based on Leonardo da Vinci's sketches), the Alin are based on the Literature/ArabianNights mythology, and the Cuotl are basically "{{Mayincatec}} [[JustForFun/XMeetsY meets]] AncientAstronauts".

* FollowTheLeader: To ''Franchise/StarCraft''. The three factions are analoguous to the Terrans, Zerg and Protoss: Terrans/Vinci use technology, Zerg/Alin use biological powers/magic, and Protoss/Cuotl use a mixture of the two. Their gameplay styles are are also similar.

* GasMaskMooks: The Doge's Elite Guard units.

* GlassCannon: There is a magic cannon made of glass which is actually called the Glass Cannon. [[NonIndicativeName But despite the name, it's not much use against anything but buildings and it's rather sturdy for an artillery piece.]]
* GreaterScopeVillain: The Cuotl "gods" for the first two campaigns, since the Doge is their pawn and their artifacts are the cause of the primary conflicts in each (the Doge killed Giacomo's brother to seize one of them, thus setting Giacomo on a path of vengeance, and the other was responsible for corrupting the Alin Hero Sawu). Beyond them, see TheManBehindTheMan below for more, their intergalactic masters, who are still out there and may be happy to drop in for an invasion of their own.

** [[spoiler:Carlini's fight against Czin may or may not count]].

* TheMagicVersusTechnologyWar: Vinci Steampunk versus Alin magic versus the Cuotl's bizarre ''Chariot of the Gods''-inspired MagicFromTechnology.
* TheManBehindTheMan: According to this image labelled "[[http://static.giantbomb.com/uploads/original/0/2891/592242-misc_alien.jpg the Cuotl's secret alien masters]]" it is possible that the False Gods are merely the minions of another alien race which may or may not be conspiring to invade Aio.
* MaximumHPReduction: Dark Glass Corruption, inflicted by Dark Walkers. The only really reliable way to remove it is Giacomo's Augmentation line of abilities.

* {{Mighty Whitey}}: Giacomo, to a certain extent. It's always a different race in each campaign, but either way, Giacomo remains in charge throughout.

* PunnyName: The name of the Cuotl Goddess of Storms, who uses lightning bolts as her primary weapon, is ''Shok''.

** But played straight with the in-mission "research" bonuses and the Vinci prototype upgrades. Most of the research bonuses can be justified as being local infrastructure improvements, but at least some of the prototype upgrades should be things that can be brought along to new levels instead of having to figure out how to make them all over again.

* RoaringRampageOfRevenge: Perhaps the Doge shouldn't have killed Giacomo's brother, Petruzzo...
* '''RuleOfCool''': Around 80% of the units are incredibly cool one way or another. Let's see :
** The Vinci are, as their name indicate, SteamPunk Italian City States with ROBOTS and Da Vinci-inspired flying machines! Their SuperUnit is a giant SpiderTank with guns and '''missiles''' and giant drills which can be used to move all around the map by burrowing.
** The Alin are ArabianNights plus other arab mythology crammed into a faction . ''Three'' different dragons, including a very large one who visibly breathes glass, plenty of fire units, golems, FlyingSeafoodSpecial, ScaryScorpions, and the Rukh, which is (unlike in the myths) some sort of dragon made of lava, which is already pretty cool, but it ''explodes'' on other units as its only attack, and then after reappears out of thin air!
** The Cuotl are Mayaincatec with ReligionIsMagic and MagiTek. Their air units are basically magic levitating planes made out of rock which shoot lasers, the Sun Jaguar which is a golem in the shape of a jaguar which shoots lasers out of his eyes the Sun Idol which is a HumongousMecha with an equally humongous laser beam, the Deathsphere which is basically a giant lightning-shooting black hole. Think that isn't cool enough ? Their super unit, the City of Vengeance, puts the latter Death Sphere to shame.

* SiliconBasedLife: The Alin field several units made of living glass, though it's not certain how many of them are ''alive'' rather than magically animated.
** They all seem like golems though, and one Vinci sidequest includes helping a Glass Golem find its master in the Doge's prison.

* SpiritualSuccessor: To ''RiseOfNations'', as stated earlier.

** The Cuotl's power probably represents control of some kind of orbital KillSat, though it's never made explicit.
** There are also four "dominances" that each player can vie for control of by fulfilling certain conditions, and which only one player may use at a given time. One steals enemy units, one spawns temporary mercenary allies, one heals friendly troops in a small area, and one forces a temoporary Cease-Fire among all factions.

* TechnologyLevels: Four, down from eight in ''RiseOfNations''.

* WeAreStrugglingTogether: The Vinci and Alin don't exactly get along too well. There's also the fact that the Vinci are clearly based on Renaissance Italian city-states united only by culture and mutual interest. [[spoiler:The ending implies that they slide back into infighting even with the Doge gone.]]

** Alin Desert Walkers need research before they can [[ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks throw their swords at enemies]] for a ranged attack. Though judging by the research's icon (a crossbow) and name ("Glass Bolts") it's probable they were originally intended to pull out a crossbow for this purpose instead.
* YouKilledMyFather: Giacomo's grievance with the Doge is the death of his brother, Petruzzo. After the Doge's death, he goes after the Cuotl "Gods" who were manipulating the old bastard.
* YouRequireMoreVespeneGas: "Timonium" as Gold, and two different Lumber resources depending on who you're playing as: the Vinci and Alin have "Wealth", whereas the Cuotl have "Energy". The game also maintains ''Rise of Legends''' "Power" resource by imposing {{Cap}}s on how fast you can harvest. (And [[ArbitraryHeadcountLimit Population]], of course.)

* The Vinci: Similar to the Terran race. Combining the culture of Renaissance Italy and with a {{Steampunk}} aesthetic, the Vinci are technology purists who start their matches with footsoldiers supported by clockwork robots and finish with massive machines of war, ranging from [[TankGoodnes large tanks]] to a giant spider-like robot called a Land Leviathan. Through the accumulation of prototype units and/or general purpose unit upgrades they can bolster their standing army while building Research Labs which upgrade to custom utility buildings which get very useful in the late game.

* AttackOfTheFiftyFootWhatever: The Land Leviathan, true to its name, is one HumongousMecha.

Gameplay-wise, ''Legends isn't expecially similar to ''VideoGame/RiseOfNations'' despite [[InNameOnly using its name as a prefix]]: ''Nations'' imported a lot of ideas from the FourX genre, which ''Legends'' discarded in favour of fast-paced RTS combat and resource competition, taking alot of its ideas from ''Franchise/StarCraft''. Gone are the non-military win conditions, the emphasis on research, the proliferation of resources and the large roster of playable nations. ''Legends'' isn't a terribly ambitious product, but it's still very fun to play and has more strategy than many give it credit for. For instance, ships plying the enemy's trade routes can be shot down, slowing down their economy; cities are not founded but captured, either from other players or from neutral creeps; there are non-city "outpost" locations which you can gain control of and give you gameplay bonuses (in the form of resources or access to new units); and said neutral locations can be ''purchased'' as well as conquered, at which point its neutral creeps join your army.

* AnimalMotifs: The Cuotl "gods" and the units built after them use this trope in their design. Czin, Xil, and Shok respectively take after the [[SerpentOfImmortality snake]], the [[PantheraAwesome jaguar]] and the [[NobleBirdOfPrey eagle]]. The fourth Cuotl god, Ix, is designed either after a [[SavageWolves wolves]] or a [[AngryGuardDog jackal]].

The campaign follows the adventures of a Vinci inventor named Giacomo. His primary opponent is the Doge of Venucci, a typical EvilOverlord type who embarks on a campaign of conquest over Vinci lands, and then unlocks a SealedEvilInACan over in Alin territory in the form of "Dark Glass" creatures. However, he's revealed to be merely a pawn in the schemes of the Evil False Gods of the Cuotl. Giacomo leads the campaign against all three forces.

Gameplay-wise, the situation is actually not very similar to ''VideoGame/RiseOfNations'' despite being by the same developers: ''Nations'' imported a lot of ideas from the FourX genre, which ''Legends'' discarded in an effort to be more like ''Franchise/StarCraft''. Gone are the non-military win conditions, the emphasis on research, the proliferation of resources and the large roster of playable nations. What's left is an unambitious but very polished RTS that's lots of fun to play, and is still more strategic than most games in the genre. For instance, ships plying the enemy's trade routes can be shot down, slowing down their economy; cities are not founded but captured, either from other players or from neutral creeps; there are non-city "outpost" locations which you can gain control of and give you gameplay bonuses (in the form of resources or access to new units); and said neutral locations can be ''purchased'' as well as conquered, at which point its neutral creeps join your army.

The game won several awards in the "[[SugarWiki/NeedsMoreLove Cool But Overlooked]]" category. And for a while, all was silent in Big Huge land...at least until the release of ''VideoGame/KingdomsOfAmalurReckoning''. Which [[CreatorKiller killed them.]]

* ACommanderIsYou:

* ArbitraryHeadcountLimit: Unlike ''RiseOfNations'', where the unit cap was based on your level of Military research, this one bases it on the number of Cities and Military Districts you have.

* BadassBoast: Quote Carlini:
--> ''"I've been a soldier for 43 years, got my leg blown off, served in two wars, killed more men than I can count, and I've never backed down from anything in my life. I'm sure as hell not gonna start now."''

* BadassNormal: Both Carlini and the mecha operator from the opening.

* BettyAndVeronica: Arri, the Alin princess and Giacomo's childhood friend (Betty), and Lenora, the rebellious leader of the Pirata (Veronica). While the game does not really follow through with a RomanceSidequest, a few briefing screens show Giacomo and the significant other of the campaign in more romantic poses and there is definitely an amount of jealousy between the two women. In fact, during the final campaign, Giacomo is allowed to only take one of them with him to the Cuotl lands. After Giacomo's [[spoiler:HeroicSacrifice]], Arri and Lenora appear to have become friends as well.
* BigBad: First the Doge, then [[spoiler: Czin, the Cuotl god of death]].
* BoomStick: The Cuotl foot soldiers, as [[{{Expy}} Expies]] of ''Series/{{Stargate|SG1}}'' Jaffa's in ''Rise of Legends'' have staves that shoot lasers.
* BribingYourWayToVictory: {{invoked}}. If you can get your economy put together right, you can totally out-expand and out-army your opponents by means of commerce alone.
* CaptainErsatz: The three races are similar to the ''StarCraft'' races, down to the Cuotl units building with shields.
* CivilWarcraft: More than usual for a real-time strategy. In all three campaigns the primary enemy faction uses technology from the same race as the player, with the other two appearing in only a few levels each. That said, your opponents usually use a few things you can't and vice versa. For example, the Doge's units are unavailable in the campaign excluding [[DefectorFromDecadence Pulitore's]] recruitment and you cannot build the Doom Cannon from a lab. Meanwhile, the Doge cannot build Clockwork Men and has to use his Doge Guard units instead of normal Musketeers. The Cuotl campaign is the main exception, where the only units of theirs you cannot build are their heroes (who are the antagonists).
** FridgeBrilliance: When you play non-CivilWarcraft skirmishes it quickly becomes apparent why this is the case: If you play the Vinci and take an Alin city, their Magus districts are more or less useless to you and you can't build Industrial districts, thus denying you the ability to expand on your faction's unique abilities (or in the reverse case, prevents them from getting more research). Constant CivilWarcraft means this issue never shows up in the campaign.
* ClarkesThirdLaw: The Cuotl's False Gods, along with MagicFromTechnology.

* DecoyProtagonist: The Vinci Hero featured in the intro and presented as the Vinci poster boy on the back of the game's cover appears nowhere else in the game save for a few loading screens.

* FactionCalculus: Vinci (powerhouse), Alin (subversive), and Cuotl (balanced). That being said, the units themselves are [[CosmeticallyDifferentSides largely the same]] in their basest forms, each faction's traits only manifesting after research and through their heroes and unique abilities.
* FantasyCounterpartCulture: The Vinci are obviously [[TheLateMiddleAges late medieval]] / early [[TheRenaissance Renaissance]] Italian city states with a heavy {{steampunk}} and {{clockpunk}} flavour (based on Leonardo da Vinci's sketches), the Alin are based on the Literature/ArabianNights mythology, and the Cuotl are basically "{{Mayincatec}} [[XMeetsY meets]] AncientAstronauts".

* FollowTheLeader: the three races in ''Rise Of Legends'' correspond fairly well to [[StarCraft Terran, Zerg and Protoss]], gameplay wise.
** They also match up thematically: Terran/Vinci use technology, Zerg/Alin use bio/magic, and Protoss/Cuotl use a mixture of the two. Plus the Protoss/Cuotl apparently being more technologically advanced than the others.
* GasMaskMooks: Doge's Elite Guard units.
* GenericDoomsdayVillain: The Doge, who gets no other characterization than being a [[KickTheDog bastard]]. Even Czin is more developed, and he only shows up to paste [[spoiler: Carlini]] and taunting in the final mission.

* GlassCannon: There is a magic cannon made of glass called... the Glass Cannon. [[SubvertedTrope But despite the name, it's not much use against anything but buildings and it's rather sturdy for an artillery piece.]]

** The opening video ends with a lone soldier on the bridge overloading the damaged arm of his mech, blowing the bridge he was standing on, and everyone on it, sky high.
* HumongousMecha: Giacomo and the Doge ride these, too.

* LandOfOneCity : The various Vinci city states. Though, some cities like Miana have vassals (such as Miana also having control over Padonia and Vernazza, the sites of your first two Vinci missions)
* TheMagicVersusTechnologyWar: Vinci Steampunk versus Alin magic versus the Cuotl's bizarre ''[[CloudCuckooLander Chariots of the Gods]]''-inspired MagicFromTechnology.

* {{Pirate}}: The Pirata are a thinly-veiled aerial version of this trope. However, due to their status as mercenaries who work for [[TheHero Giacomo]], they end up more like ThePiratesWhoDontDoAnything.

* SkyPirate: The Pirata, [[MeaningfulName obviously]].

* ThisIsADrill: The Industrial Devastation power.
** also the ultimate unit from the Vinci.

* YouKilledMyFather: Giacomo's motivation, early on, is the death of his brother, Petruzzo.

** The Alin are ArabianNights plus other arab mythology crammed into a faction . ''Three'' different dragons, including a very large one who visibly breathes glass, plenty of fire units, golems, FlyingSeafoodSpecial, ScaryScorpions, and the Rukh, which is (unlike in the myths) some sort of dragon made of lava, which is already pretty cool, but it ''explodes'' on other units as it's only attack, and then after reappears out of thin air!

* AttackOfTheFiftyFootWhatever: The Land Leviathan, true to its name, is one HumungousMecha.

* BoomStick: The Cuotl foot soldiers, as [[{{Expy}} Expies]] of ''{{Stargate}}'' Jaffa's in ''Rise of Legends'' have staves that shoot lasers.

* BadassNormal: Both Carlini and the mecha operator from opening.

* GenericDoomsdayVillain: The Doge, who gets NO other characterization than being a [[KickTheDog bastard]]. Even Czin is more developed, and he only shows up to paste [[spoiler: Carlini]] and taunting in the final mission.

* {{Mighty Whitey}}: Giacomo, to a certain extent.

* OurDragonsAreDifferent: The Alin ones come in Sand, Fire, and Glass varieties.

* PunnyName: The name of the Cuotl Goddess of Storms is ''Shok''.

* ActionBomb: Demolition Clockwork Men, the dude in the opening cutscene.
** Who looks suspiciously like [[spoiler: Giacomo.]]
* AFatherToHisMen: Commander from opening. He stayed on the field only to allow rest of soldiers withdraw. Not that it [[HeroicSacrifice ended well for him]].

* CaptainErsatz: As noted in the entry for FollowTheLeader, the three races are similar to the ''StarCraft'' races, down to the Cuotl units building with shields.
* ChekhovsGun: [[spoiler: Well, Giacomo's watch has to be important, right?]]

* CivilWarcraft: More than usual for a real-time strategy. In all three campaigns the primary enemy faction uses technology from the same race as the player, with the other two appearing in only a few levels each. That said, your opponents usually use a few things you can't and vice versa. For example, the Doge's units are unavailable in the campaign excluding [[DefectorFromDecadance Pulitore's]] recruitment and you cannot build the Doom Cannon from a lab. Meanwhile, the Doge cannot build Clockwork Men and has to use his Doge Guard units instead of normal Musketeers. The Cuotl campaign is the main exception, where the only units of theirs you cannot build are their heroes (who are the antagonists).

* CivilWarcraft: More than usual for a real-time strategy. In all three campaigns the primary enemy faction uses technology from the same race as the player, with the other two appearing in only a few levels each.

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: The game was released practically half made. There were designs not for one, but three different "fourth races", one of which was to be included in the game. That means that an entire quarter of the storyline, and entire quarter of the units and heroes and strategies and game mechanics, never saw the light of day. Each of the three "theoretical races" seems to have been at least as original and well thought out as the three that made it into the game... The Kahan were based upon Mongolian culture and mythology, and might have had mobile cities on the back of enormous beasts of burden (and in fact, the map editor still has some icons for their heroes and units). The Skald were based on Finnish mythology with touches of Slavic and Norse, and built cities of ice. Least detailed and most mysterious are the Kragar, which appear to have been some kind of race of bestial giants.

The game won several awards in the "[[NeedsMoreLove Cool But Overlooked]]" category. And for a while, all was silent in Big Huge land...at least until the release of ''VideoGame/KingdomsOfAmalurReckoning''. Which [[CreatorKiller killed them.]]

The game won several awards in the "[[NeedsMoreLove Cool But Overlooked]]" category. And for a while, all was silent in Big Huge land...at least until the release of ''VideoGame/KingdomsOfAmalurReckoning''.

* KillItWithFire: The Alin love this trope, since around 1/3 of their units are fire-spewing creature.

* BettyAndVeronica: Arri, the Alin princess and Giacomo's childhood friend (Betty), and Lenora, the rebellious leader of the Pirata (Veronica). While the game does not really follow through with a RomanceSidequest, there is definitely an amount of jealousy between the two women. In fact, during the final campaign, Giacomo is allowed to only take one of them with him to the Cuotl lands. After Giacomo's [[spoiler:HeroicSacrifice]], Arri and Lenora appear to have become friends as well.

* GasMaskMooks: Doge's Guard units.
* GenericDoomsdayVillain: The Doge, who gets NO other characterization than being a [[KickTheDog bastard]]. Even Czin is more developed.
* {{Golem}}: Glass Golems. Possibly also Sun Idols, though they could also qualify as an Automaton or HumongousMecha depending on whether or not they need a pilot.
* GlassCannon: There is a magic cannon made of glass, [[SubvertedTrope but it's not much use against anything but buildings and it's rather sturdy for an artillery piece.]]

* LandOfOneCity : The various Vinci city states.

* MaximumHPReduction: Dark Glass Corruption.

* NoPlansNoPrototypeNoBackup: Averted, to devestating effect, by the Doge in Campaign Mode. While you took out his capital and Cannon of Doom, turns out he took a second one and leveled your home before running away to the desert.

** The Vinci are, as their name indicate, SteamPunk Italian City States with ROBOTS and Da Vinci-inspired flying machines ! Their SuperUnit is a giant SpiderTank with guns and '''missiles''' and giant drills which can be used to move all around the map by burrowing.
** The Alin are ArabianNights plus other arab mythology crammed into a faction . ''Three'' different dragons, including a very large one who visibly breathes glass, plenty of fire units, golems, FlyingSeafoodSpecial, ScaryScorpions, and the Rukh, which is (unlike in the myths) some sort of dragon made of lava, which is already pretty cool, but it ''explodes'' on other units as it's only attack, and then after reappears out of thin air !
** The Cuotl are Mayaincatec with ReligionIsMagic and MagiTek. Their air units are basically magic levitating planes made out of rock which shoot lasers, the Sun Jaguar which is a golem in the shape of a jaguar which shoots lasers out of his eyes the Sun Idol which is a HumongousMecha with an equally humongous laser beam, the Deathsphere which is basically a giant lightning-shooting black hole. Think that isn't cool enough ? Their super unit, the City of Vengeance, puts the latter Deathsphere to shame.

** They all seem like golems though,

* TankGoodness: The Vinci Juggernaut is a steampunk tank.

[[redirect:RiseOfLegends]]