Play By Mail > Reviews (3)

Rather than review the industry as a whole I will focus on the one PBM game that I still play. The very fact that I do still play this in today’s technologically advanced society says a great deal. If you require an overview of exactly what PBM is then I suggest looking at the previous opinions.

The game is SERIM RAL, a fantasy wargame based in the mythical world of, you guessed it, Serim Ral. Basically you take control of several leaders and a castle and attempt to occupy more of the world by whatever means necessary. This could include building new castles or taking them in bloody combat.
Leaders come in various classes, Fighters, Wizards, Priest, Rangers and Thieves and there are even some sub-classes where, for example, you would have a fighter who upon reaching a certain level could change into a Paladin.
Castles are a major part of the play and are the main source of certain materials that you need to progress. Wood, stone, iron, food are all essential ingredients in order to create more castles or to extend the castles you already have. They are even used by Wizards to cast spells of which there are literally millions. The spell system is interesting and basically allows you to summon or destroy any other creature or resource in the game. Wizards gain their spells from visiting libraries and as stated before they require raw materials to cast.
Priest spells are similar but generally are given by the Gods, in order to cast Priestly spells your leader will need Spiritual Power which is dependent upon level and other factors.

There is a great deal more to the game than this simple synopsis suggests, diplomacy, treachery and magic all play their part. There are also a huge amount of creatures which you can control in your armies, these are usually different depending on which game you play but generally they are comprised of the standard fantasy set (Dragons, Trolls, Ogres etc).

This is a huge game that can be as complex as you wish to make it but on the other hand can be just simple, pure fun. The fact that you can also play this game by email now is also a big plus although some still prefer the thud of the envelope as it comes through their door. If you have never played a PBM before then I think you will find this an interesting gaming experience, if you have played and enjoyed PBM then I can’t think of better game for you to try next.

Visit http://www.incubusdesigns.com for more info.