Editing Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic

{{Short description|2003 video game}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic
| image = Age of Wonders - Shadow Magic Coverart.jpg
| developer = [[Triumph Studios]]
| publisher = [[Gathering of Developers|Gathering]]
| director = Lennart Sas
| producer = Chris Lacey
| designer = Lennart Sas
| programmer = Arno van Wingerden
| writer = Raymond Bingham<br>Josh Farley
| composer = Mason B. Fisher
| engine = 
| series = [[Age of Wonders (series)|Age of Wonders]]
| released = {{video game release|NA|July 24, 2003<ref>{{Cite web |last=Calvert |first=Justin |date=July 24, 2003 |title=''Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic'' ships |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/age-of-wonders-shadow-magic-ships/1100-6072261/ |access-date=May 22, 2024 |website=[[GameSpot]] |archive-date=November 26, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181126180827/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/age-of-wonders-shadow-magic-ships/1100-6072261/ |url-status=live }}</ref>|EU|August 29, 2003}}
| genre = [[Turn-based strategy]]
| modes = [[Single-player video game|Single-player]], [[Multiplayer video game|multiplayer]]
| platforms = [[Microsoft Windows]]
}}

'''''Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic''''' is a [[turn-based strategy]] [[video game]] in a [[fantasy]] setting. ''Shadow Magic'' is the third incarnation of the ''[[Age of Wonders (series)|Age of Wonders]]'' series, and is a [[stand-alone expansion]] to ''[[Age of Wonders II: The Wizard's Throne]]''. All three games were developed by [[Triumph Studios]]. The series is the spiritual successor to ''[[Master of Magic]]'', featuring strategic [[overworld]] and tactical combat layers.

==Core game elements==
[[Image:Shadowmagic.jpg|thumb|left|''Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic'' overworld screenshot, showing a Wizard to the left of a city with a Wizard's Tower]]
The key element of the ''Wizard's Throne'' and ''Shadow Magic'' are the player's leader, the [[Wizard (Dungeons & Dragons)|Wizards]]. In contrast to other iterations of the series, they do not gain experience and are weaker in direct combat than Heroes, who can be hired. As with preceding games, players can research spells from chosen elemental spheres of magic, cast at vastly longer range when residing in ''AOW2''{{'}}s defining Wizard Towers, returning less prominently in ''[[Age of Wonders 4]]''. There are fifteen races in the game, of varying good and evil alignment. 

The overworld contains basic ''[[Civilization (series)|Civilization]]''-style cities, with unit and building production, along with gold and mana strategic resources and locales like dungeons. Game scenarios offer three different layers, the Surface, Underground and Shadow World, added in ''Shadow Magic''. The Shadow World returns in ''[[Age of Wonders 4#Eldritch Realms|AOW 4: Eldritch Realms]]'' as the more hostile, [[Dungeon#In_fiction|dungeon]]-focused Umbral Abyss. The campaign focuses in part on its titular antagonist, the Shadow Demons.

As with its predecessors, ''Shadow Magic'' was designed for single-player and multiplayer, retaining a more active multiplayer community versus AOW2 TWT. While the graphical engine is the same as that of ''The Wizard's Throne'', every race received new buildings and at least one new recruitable unit, three new races, and new maps. Much requested by fans, Shadow Magic introduced random map generation to the series.

After the end of the official support with [[Patch (software)|patch]] 1.3, the game was unofficially developed by the [[Game community|fan-community]] via a [[community patch]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.triumphstudios.com/shadowmagic/communityupdate.php |title=Massive Unofficial AoW:SM Game Update Available! |publisher=Triumph Studios |access-date=2012-03-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051217015838/http://www.triumphstudios.com/shadowmagic/communityupdate.php |archive-date=2005-12-17 |date=2005}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://aow2.heavengames.com/downloads/showfile.php?fileid=661&f=&st=40&ci= |title=Unofficial Patch v1.4 |access-date=2014-09-19 |archive-date=2023-08-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230820190228/http://aow2.heavengames.com/downloads/showfile.php?fileid=661&f=&st=40&ci= |url-status=live }}</ref> The franchise was re-released on [[Stardock]]'s [[Impulse (content delivery)|Impulse]] [[digital distribution]] service in September 2010,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://aow2.heavengames.com/ |title=Age of Wonders II Heaven |publisher=HeavenGames |access-date=2010-09-22 |archive-date=2023-08-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230820190226/http://aow2.heavengames.com/ |url-status=live }}</ref> soon after via [[GOG.com]] and [[GamersGate]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.triumphstudios.com/press3.php |title=AGE OF WONDERS® SERIES DIGITALLY RE-RELEASED! |publisher=Triumph Studios |access-date=2012-03-30 |archive-date=2012-05-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120519074359/http://www.triumphstudios.com/press3.php |url-status=dead }}</ref> and finally through [[Steam (service)|Steam]] service.

==Reception==
{{Video game reviews
| CGW = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref name= CWG>{{cite magazine| author=Jackson, Jonah |title=''Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic'' | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040531102839/http://www.computergaming.com/article2/0,2053,1494301,00.asp | url=http://www.computergaming.com/article2/0,2053,1494301,00.asp | archive-date=May 31, 2004|magazine=[[Computer Gaming World]]|date=October 1, 2003 }}</ref>
| PCGUS = 92%<ref name=pcgamerus>{{cite journal | author=Vederman, Greg | journal=[[PC Gamer US]] | url=http://www.pcgamer.com/archives/2005/06/age_of_wonders_2.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080213030516/http://www.pcgamer.com/archives/2005/06/age_of_wonders_2.html | archive-date=February 13, 2008 | title=''Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic'' | url-status=dead }}</ref>
| XPlay = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name=techtv>{{cite web | author=Bemis, Greg | work=[[X-Play]] | url=http://www.g4techtv.com:80/xplay/features/44960/Age_of_Wonders_Shadow_Magic_PC_Review.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041205132454/http://www.g4techtv.com/xplay/features/44960/Age_of_Wonders_Shadow_Magic_PC_Review.html | date=August 18, 2003 | archive-date=December 5, 2004 | title=''Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic'' (PC) Review | url-status=dead }}</ref>
| rev1 = ''[[PC Format]]''
| rev1Score = 84%<ref name=pcf>{{cite journal |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080520000246/http://www.pcformat.co.uk/reviews/default.asp?pagetypeid=2&articleid=18482&subsectionid=680 |url=http://www.pcformat.co.uk/reviews/default.asp?pagetypeid=2&articleid=18482&subsectionid=680 |title=''Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic'' |author=Cobbett, Richard| date=September 2003 |journal=[[PC Format]] | issue=152 |archive-date=May 20, 2008 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[Computer Games Magazine]]''
| rev2Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name=cgm>{{cite journal | author=Sones, Benjamin E. | journal=[[Computer Games Magazine]] | title=Opinion; ''Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic'' |date=October 2003 | issue=155 | pages=86, 88 }}</ref>
}}
The editors of ''[[Computer Gaming World]]'' presented ''Shadow Magic'' with their 2003 "Strategy Game of the Year" award. They wrote: "Of all the strategy games we played this year, ''Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic'' is the only one with the 'just one more turn' addictiveness that distinguishes the best of the best".<ref name=cgwpremier2003>{{cite magazine | author=((Editors of ''CGW'' ))| magazine=[[Computer Gaming World]] | title=''Computer Gaming World''{{'}}s 2003 Games of the Year |date=March 2004 | issue=236 | pages=57–60, 62–69 }}</ref> It was a nominee for ''[[PC Gamer US]]''{{'}}s 2003 "Best Turn-Based Strategy Game" award, although it lost to ''[[Combat Mission: Afrika Korps]]''.<ref name=pcgamerusawards2003>{{cite journal |date=March 2004 | title=The 10th Annual ''PC Gamer'' Awards | volume=11 | number=3 | pages=38–40, 42, 44, 45 | journal=[[PC Gamer US]] | author=Staff }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20031227071813/http://www.ageofwonders.com/ Official website] via [[Internet Archive]]
* [https://triumph.net/aow-shadow-magic ''Age of Wonders: Shadow Magic''] at Triumph Studios
* {{MobyGames|id=/age-of-wonders-shadow-magic}}

{{Age of Wonders}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:2003 video games]]
[[Category:4X video games]]
[[Category:Age of Wonders|Shadow Magic]]
[[Category:Fantasy video games]]
[[Category:Gathering of Developers games]]
[[Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games]]
[[Category:Play-by-email video games]]
[[Category:Triumph Studios games]]
[[Category:Turn-based strategy video games]]
[[Category:Video game sequels]]
[[Category:Video games developed in the Netherlands]]
[[Category:Video games with isometric graphics]]
[[Category:Windows games]]
[[Category:Windows-only games]]