I've got to admit, although I'd heard good things about the first Kohan title, Immortal Sovereigns, I'd never quite gotten around to checking it out. So it was with some trepidation that I installed and started up Kohan: Ahriman's Gift, the second title in the series (not an expansion). I half expected either an Age of Empires or a Command and Conquer clone, as so many Real-Time Strategy (RTS) titles seem to be content with being, with a big helping of wizards, trolls and elves. Boy, was I wrong. Ahriman's Gift is a uniquely original game that, although it borrows from earlier titles, and perhaps stumbles once or twice, delivers a great story, eye pleasing graphics, and a different take on the RTS genre.

So, what is a Kohan, you ask? The Kohan are an immortal race, made by the great Creator's children. Unfortunately, some of these children became jealous, and were tempted by the Shadow, the Creator's mortal enemy. The Shadow has also managed to entice some of the Kohan to its side. This is where you step in. You must build your army, awakening any Kohan you can find, expand your empire, and prepare for the great battle.

Credit has to be given Timegate Studios and Strategy First for taking most of the tried and true conventions of RTS games, and tossing them right out the window. At times, this Ahriman's Gift plays more like a hex based military sim than a fantasy RTS, with concepts like Zones of Control and Supply playing a big part in your strategy. And for the most part this works, with a few exceptions. If you haven't played the first game, prepare to be confused in the beginning, although you will be playing like a pro quick enough, thanks to the very thorough tutorial. Instead of commanding single units, either alone or in a group, you put together Companies, which are groups of front line and support units and either a captain or a Kohan, and they are then commanded and battle as a squad. This means you don't have to micromanage and supervise each individual unit on the field, although more experienced players may find themselves frustrated at the lack of overall control. You move your units about the field, establishing new towns, harvesting various resources, exploring ruins, and attacking your enemies, the Shadow. Again, like a Military sim, your settlements are single units, rather than groups of buildings and structures. Of course, you still build new technologies and upgrade existing buildings, you just never see more than an icon added to the specific town's list. That doesn't mean there is nothing to look at. To the contrary, every unit and background element is rendered in great detail, and you will definitely have something to look at. Even the sound is top notch, with great voice acting and well written music that complements the action quite nicely. The only problem I had was the occasional lack of variety in your characters' lines. With every captain or Kohan saying a phrase every time you select or direct them, the repetition of certain phrases can be annoying.

At times Kohan: Ahriman's Gift feels like an epic adventure, with the fate of the world resting squarely on your shoulders. Unfortunately, at other times, you are all too quickly brought back to reality, and realize that its just a game. Once the initial confusion passes, and you are relatively sure of what's going on, Kohan: Ahriman's Gift is a highly entertaining, and only occasionally frustrating, game. In the end, this game is different and innovative enough to stand out in the increasingly crowded crop of RTS games, and the fact that it does it all so well, for the most part, means this game deserves a second look by anyone searching for something a bit different.  

Install: Easy
No surprises here. Very simple install, exactly what you'd expect.

Gameplay: 8.4
There are a lot of new concepts and gameplay here, which for the most part isn't a bad thing. There are a few times when you may find yourself wondering what the developers were thinking, but for the most part this game stands on its own.

Graphics: 8.7
Great graphics, especially on higher resolutions. Lots to see, and lots of little details make this one easy on the eyes. Nothing spectacular or mind bending, but it is just an RTS...

Sound: 8.2
Had to take a few off for the repetitive voice cues, but for the most part the sound is spot on. Great voice acting and a very fitting musical score make this a joy for the ears.

Difficulty: 7.2
Yeah, this ones a bit hard at first to just pick up and play. Once you've played through the tutorial and get a few games in, the difficulty evens out and this game hits its stride.

Concept: 8.6
The Kohan series really pushes the envelope and tries a lot of new things, with surprisingly entertaining results. A great story set in a fascinating universe really help flesh this game out - just be ready to rethink all your old RTS tactics.

Multiplayer: 8.1
Unfortunately, there isn't much here that you wouldn't expect from the genre. You select from a number of conventional game types, from the standards last man standing or king of the hill to collect the most gold or conquer the most cities, via LAN or GameSpy.

Overall: 8.3
You get a lot for your money here. A great story told through a number of campaigns, the skirmish-style scenarios, multiplayer and a level editor. A new way to look at RTS games and a great story that may change how you view those "other" RTS games.