Editing Myth II: Soulblighter (section)

{{short description|1998 video game}}
{{use mdy dates|date=August 2013}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Myth II: Soulblighter
| image = Myth II Cover.jpg
| developer = [[Bungie]] 
| publisher = {{vgrelease|NA|[[Bungie]]|EU|[[GT Interactive]]|WW|[[Loki Entertainment|Loki Software]] {{small|(Linux)}}}}
| producer = Tuncer Deniz
| programmer = Jason Regier
| artist = Mark Bernal
| writer = {{ubl|Robert McLees|Tuncer Deniz|Bob Settles|[[Jason Jones (programmer)|Jason Jones]]}}
| composer = {{ubl|[[Martin O'Donnell]]|[[Michael Salvatori]]|Paul Heitsch}}
| series = ''[[Myth (series)|Myth]]''
| platforms = {{nowrap|[[Windows]]<br>[[Mac OS]]<br>[[Linux]]}}
| released  = {{vgrelease|NA|December 28, 1998<ref name="Monsters">{{cite news | url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/monsters-in-a-box/Content?oid=901762 | title=Monsters in a Box | newspaper=[[Chicago Reader]] | last=Mahin | first=Bill | date=March 23, 2000 | accessdate=March 19, 2016 | archive-date=May 20, 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130520231909/http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/monsters-in-a-box/Content?oid=901762 | url-status=live }}</ref>|EU|February 12, 1999<ref>{{Cite web |date=2001-02-10 |title=Gone Gold : EuroGold |url=http://www.gonegold.com/golden/eurogold99.shtml |access-date=2023-10-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010210220535/http://www.gonegold.com/golden/eurogold99.shtml |archive-date=February 10, 2001 }}</ref>}}
| genre = [[Real-time tactics]]
| modes = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]], [[Multiplayer online game|online multiplayer]]
}}

'''''Myth II: Soulblighter''''' is a 1998 [[real-time tactics]] [[video game]] developed by [[Bungie]] for [[Windows]] and [[Mac OS]]. Published by Bungie in North America and by [[GT Interactive]] in Europe, the game was also ported to [[Linux]] by [[Loki Entertainment]]. It is the second game in the [[Myth (series)|''Myth'' series]], and a sequel to ''[[Myth: The Fallen Lords]]''. In 1999, an [[expansion pack]], ''Myth II: Chimera'', was released. Developed by the Badlands mapmaking group, in association with Bungie, ''Chimera'' is set ten years after ''Soulblighter''. Originally released as a free download, ''Chimera'' was later published by Bungie as part of the ''Total Codex'' bundle, incorporating it into the official ''Myth'' [[Canon (fiction)|canon]]. In 2001, a third ''Myth'' game was released, ''[[Myth III: The Wolf Age]]'', set one thousand years prior to ''The Fallen Lords'', and developed by [[MumboJumbo]].

Set sixty years after ''The Fallen Lords'', the game tells the story of the resurgence of Soulblighter, a supporting antagonist in the first game, and one of the titular Fallen Lords. Determined to defeat the forces of Light who vanquished his master, Balor, and conquer the free cities of the world, Soulblighter resurrects the Myrkridia, a race of flesh eating monsters not seen in over a thousand years. Standing against Soulblighter is Alric, the main protagonist in the first game, and now King of The Province, who must rally humanity to fight a war they never expected. ''Chimera'' is set ten years after ''Soulblighter'', and tells the story of three veterans of the campaign against Soulblighter, who band together to fight a mysterious [[Magician (fantasy)|sorceress]].

''Soulblighter'' was a critical success, with reviewers feeling it improved on virtually every aspect of ''The Fallen Lords''. They cited better, more detailed [[Video game graphics|graphics]], enhanced [[sound effect]]s, more varied [[gameplay]], better [[Artificial intelligence|AI]], more intricate and varied [[level design]], and a more user-friendly interface and control scheme. Critics were also impressed with the improvements made to [[Multiplayer online game|online multiplayer mode]], and praised the variety of options available to players. Critics also lauded the [[Level editor|mapmaking tools]] included with the game, which allowed users to create their own maps for both multiplayer gaming and [[Single-player video game|single-player]] campaigns. The game also sold very well, considerably outselling the original, which had been Bungie's best selling game up to that point.

The ''Myth'' series as a whole, and ''Soulblighter'' in particular, supported an active online community for over a decade after the official [[Server (computing)|servers]] went offline. The first formally organized group of volunteer-[[Game programmer|programmers]] was MythDevelopers, who were given access to the game's [[source code]] by Bungie. The most recently active ''Myth'' development group is Project Magma, an offshoot of MythDevelopers. These groups have worked to provide ongoing [[technical support]] for the games, update them to newer [[operating system]]s, fix [[Software bug|bugs]], release [[unofficial patch]]es, create [[Mod (video gaming)|mods]], and maintain online servers for multiplayer gaming.