An online Flash RPG trilogy by Axis Entertainment, with a spinoff tower defense game.
The land of Tempor, across multiple generations is beset by invaders and divided from within. The player must navigate the multiple factions, supporting some and destroying others. Fortunately, there is a legendary artifact, the Heartstone of Tempor, that makes the wielder into a one-man army easily capable of saving or dooming the kingdom.
Hands of War: Tempor is invaded by the Shadow Runners, and the Alliance forms to stop them. Besides seeking the Heartstone and picking a side, the player must also choose to support Merchants or Mercenaries, and aid their class (fighter, wizard, ranger) in defeating the other two.
Hands of War 2: The Reign of the Black Council: After the invasion of the first game weakened Tempor, it was invaded by numerous outside kingdoms. The remnants of the Shadow Runners and Alliance band together into a new group, the Phoenix, led by a mixed Black Council to endure. After this war, a debate began about whether to use the power of the Heartstone to retaliate, which grew so violent, the objectors were banished. Albrin Gardius managed to steal the Heartstone, breaking it again into four hidden pieces, and his followers, the Guardians, seek to prevent the Phoenix from assembling the Heartstone and launching their war of revenge.
Hands of War 3: Champions of Tempor: After the civil war came fresh invasion, also repulsed by a hero wielding the Heartstone. But then the power of the Heartstone faded and failed. As a new council is assembled from all the factions of Tempor, the Shadow Runners return, their leader showing that their own relic, the Mindstone, has also failed. Resolve the conflicts while seeking the origins of the stones.
Hands of War contains examples of:
- Aerith and Bob: You get characters named Brin Gardius or Aldrick, but also Samantha.
- Amplifier Artifact: The Heartstone (and later, the Voidstone) boost your stats more than the rest of the game's gear combined.
- Amulet of Concentrated Awesome: The Heartstone is unambiguously the best jewel of the first two games, matching or exceeding the stat boosts of playing the entire game to the point you get it. In the third, the Voidstone is even more potent.
- Expository Gameplay Limitation: In the second game, you cannot leave the first area before retrieving the Heartstone shard.
- Heroic Mime: Only in 3 do you ever get dialogue options.
- One Stat to Rule Them All: Depending on your class, either Intelligence, Strength or Agility will control your damage. If you aren't playing a Wizard, though, there is no benefit to putting points into Intelligence, nor Strength if you aren't a warrior. While there are stats for improving your health, focus, and movement speed, these are of decidedly secondary importance to sheer DPS.
- Regenerating Health: It's slow, but it's there.
- Regenerating Mana: Focus, which is the fuel for special abilities of all classes.
