Crusaders of Might and Magic (2000). Play online

Summary

Playing *Crusaders of Might and Magic* drops you straight into the shoes of Drake, who starts weapon‑less before scooping up a sword and shield and diving into a combat‑heavy world. The game leans on an RPG‑style experience system where each battle bumps your skill with individual weapons, spells, and projectiles, while also topping up health, mana and overall power whenever you level up.

Spells are learned from scattered spell‑books, costing mana and leaving you briefly exposed while you chant. A standout mechanic lets you “empower” gear by attaching elemental, essence or aether talismans and runes—nine properties ranging from Fire to Dark—so you can tune attacks to the weaknesses of specific enemies. The world is visually split between the floating Citadel’s shell‑like towers and more grounded locales such as Duskwood and the Glaciers, each with its own thematic feel.

Three difficulty tiers affect Drake’s dodge and attack efficiency, and beating the game unlocks a New Game Plus “Special” mode that grants every weapon, spell, talisman and endless items from the start. Critics noted its action felt slower than titles like *Soul Reaver*, yet many appreciated the blend of third‑person combat, RPG depth and environmental puzzles.

Storyline

Crusaders of Might and Magic opens in the Fairfield Lowlands of Ardon, where the undead Legion of the Fallen razes a village. Young Drake survives the massacre, wanders into Duskwood and is taken in by the blind hermit Nomandi, who becomes his mentor.

In the PlayStation version Drake’s first playable moment is in Stronghold, where low‑rank undead called Shamblers capture him. He escapes with help from Celestia, Lady Archon of Citadel, and joins her crusaders.

Drake then journeys to the dwarven city of Corantha, allies with Prince Dain Stonefist against the Ironpick rebels, and discovers Dain’s brother Tor is a Legion agent. He retrieves the Coranthan Scepter of Regency from ogres in Duskwood with the insectoid Dashers, defeats the revenant of King Aiden in the deep mines, and earns the dwarves’ favor.

After securing the Star of Erathia talisman in the Glaciers, Drake battles the Legion in Stronghold’s final siege, follows Necros to a floating battleship, and destroys the interdimensional Kreegan Gate. He returns to Citadel crowned Lord Archon, leading the crusaders to victory.