A recent open beta test revealed that the game in progress builds on the strong points of its forerunner. Nival is obviously trying to hit the same high notes, while smoothing over the rough areas pointed out by prospective fans and reviewers like yours truly. That's a good idea, since the original was more the promise of a good game than a truly good game. Its odd strategy mode, crushing difficulty for anyone unaccustomed to CCG conventions, a reliance on unnecessary resource gathering, and a curious distance from the characters that undercut the game's fantasy underpinnings, made the game a hard one to love