The trademark art is back and better than ever. Though all in 2D, the characteristic style is impeccably applied throughout all parts of the game and never disappoints. I wish these guys would design (and illustrate?) all my favorite fantasy lit titles. Spell effects support Direct3D and are well-done also. Multiple resolutions are supported to further expand the scenes in all their glory, and larger game maps (up to 144x144) are now supported as well. Your battle units improve dramatically in the splendor of their appearance and the drama of their attacks as they are upgraded, and heroes’ attacks are particularly appealing. The only improvement I could have suggested was a better death animation – each destroyed character turns to a little pile of bones in a whirlwind. Wouldn’t it have been amazing to see your enemy crumple over, burned alive by your spells, or arms flailing wildly as he searches for his head, just severed from his body by your hero’s mighty sword swipe? The music and effects definitely get the job done. None were particularly outstanding in either a good or bad sense, and while the music tracks fit the mood perfectly, they probably won’t end up gracing your MP3 player as separate audio files either. Solid performance all-around.