Description of Gemfire
The Imagination Series games are admittedly the worst of KOEI's games, and this first offering unfortunately doesn't bode well for the future of the series. In an amalgam of a plot involving dragons, wizards, and rival aristocratic families, play one of the four families who must regain control of the Gemfire and conquer the kingdom. In contrast to KOEI's classic games, commands in this game are very simplistic and the gameplay extremely simple. Good for beginners in the strategy genre, perhaps, but even they will wonder whether the game is worth playing at all.
Review By HOTUD
External links
Captures and Snapshots
Comments and reviews
Biggus Dickus 2018-08-22 0 point
Great little game.
The AI was a bit disappointing. Also disappointing was the lack of sequels compared to other more illustrious titles by Koei.
The changes and events in between scenarios have a bit of a 'fill in the blanks' feel to it. You aren't 100% sure what happened: who died (how he died), who defected, who moved home location (why he did that). For Romance of the Three Kingdoms etc, you had a chronological template of events based on the novel, and the game could use that as a reference.
@SIORAF AS NA CILLINI
Nothing wrong with the battle system, it's 'watered down' so as to prevent excessive micromanagement. Same goes for other in-game activities e.g. trading, diplomacy, development, sabotage/steal/search etc.
There's also a version of Gemfire for MSX, which this site has omitted.
Sioraf as Na Cillini 2015-02-13 -4 points DOS version
The combat is very disappointing. While it's good that flank and rear attacks do more damage you don't get to decide how many men are in what unit; the AI automatically assigns them to cavalry, archers or infantry. Then there's the wizards. These units are by far overpowered even though the game's admittedly amusing opening sequence said that all magic is cursed now. I used a wizard to completely destroy an archer unit with one flank attack. You'd think they'd turn to face the wizard after the first hit and not just sit there for all 3 hits. Basically if both sides keep their flags whoever's wizard is the last one standing will probably win and for some reason while archers can only fire at units that are in the same line as them wizrds can shoot diagonally. When I first played the game I was winning a battle by a mile but then lost because the enemy captured my flag. I know it's a fantasy game but even in fantasy why should it matter who controls what flag when most of one army has been killed? Another thing; quality of troops isn't in the game at all. Troops don't gain experience either. Naval landings can't be done in the game which is a pity as it would make things far more interesting (even as far back as the middle ages there were naval landings such as the invasion of Korea by Japan) so provinces 4,8 and 26 can be used as simply provinces that get their agriculture developed and can send stuff to frontline provinces.
The overworld map should look familiar; it's essentially the UK. Just look at a map of the UK and you'll see the connection. Province 8 is basically Northern Ireland, provinces 9, 15, 14 and 13 are basically Wales (14 is even called Cardyf like the real Welsh city called Cardiff. 26, 25 and 27 are essentially the southwest of England (province 26 even being called Penzan like Penzance, a place in Cornwall). Province 28 is called Celsea like Chelsea which is a part of London and you guessed it, London is in the southeast of England.
Kinda like Lords of Magic the story calls for the families to unite to take down the evil King Eselred but instead they fight among themselves. In all scenarios the most powerful rulers are Erin and Ander in the north and Eselred in the southeast. You can only choose between 4 families in any given scenario and Lankshire (Eselred's family and what do you know, another thing that sounds like a real place in the UK) is never one of them.
Jorge 2014-08-04 -1 point DOS version
¿Hola amigo como hago para jugar este game en en win7 de 64 0 32 bits?
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DOS Version
FM Towns Version
- Year: 1992
- Publisher: KOEI Co., Ltd.
- Developer: KOEI Co., Ltd.
Genesis ROM
- Year: 1992
- Publisher: KOEI Co., Ltd., KOEI Corporation
- Developer: KOEI Co., Ltd.
MSX Version
- Year: 1991
- Publisher: KOEI Co., Ltd.
- Developer: KOEI Co., Ltd.
PC-88 Version
- Year: 1991
- Publisher: KOEI Co., Ltd.
- Developer: KOEI Co., Ltd.
Sharp X68000 Version
- Year: 1992
- Publisher: KOEI Co., Ltd.
- Developer: KOEI Co., Ltd.
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