So rarely does a sequel manage to deliver a game that doesn't rely heavily on warm-fuzzy-feelings of the previous iteration but stands on its own as a game worthy of emulation and sequel. Trevor Chan managed to expand the RTS genre with "Seven Kingdoms" (and its free add-on, "Ancient Adversaries") and he does it here again with "Seven Kingdoms II: The Fryhtan Wars".
The original 7K was an artistically successful look at how far an RTS wargame (like Command & Conquer) could be cross-pollinated with a sophisticated turn-based civilization builder, like Sid Meier's Civilization. As a result, 7K and 7K2 have things you don't normally see in combat-oriented RTSes, like mines, factories for peaceful production, markets and trading caravans. 7K2 simplifies and streamlines much of 7K's original "peacetime" model--and as with the original, how well you fare in peace may determine how well you're prepared for war.
7K also featured espionage as an important part of the game, and 7K2 elaborates on that even further. And while the techonlogy tree of 7K was limited to war machines and ships, 7K2 features military formations, advanced and specialist units for each race and advancements in peacetime activities like farming.
On top of all that, in 7K2, you can get down-and-dirty playing a "fryhtan" race, the mythical monsters that terrorized 7K players. If you're not in the mood for production, research and keeping your citizens happy, you can just raise monsters and subjugate humans.
This game is an essential part of the RTS canon and, unfortunately, won't get the press or reception it deserves. But that doesn't mean =you= have to miss out on it!
