Myth: The Fallen Lords

Myth: The Fallen Lords is a 1997 real-time tactics game developed and published by Bungie Software. Set in a dark fantasy world, it departs from traditional real-time strategy conventions by eliminating resource gathering and base building. Instead, players command a small force of units from the armies of the North against the undead legions of the Fallen Lords. Success hinges entirely on tactical positioning, unit synergy, and exploiting terrain.

The single-player campaign unfolds across numerous scenarios, each introduced by a narrated cutscene that advances the tale of heroic desperation. Unlike many RTS titles, the story is delivered with personality and humour, often through animated cartoons that manage to be both informative and amusing.

Multiplayer takes place on Bungie.net (and later on other services) with a variety of inventive game modes, including Body Count, Steal the Bacon, and Capture the Flag. Players purchase units from a shared pool of points, forcing careful army composition and on-the-fly adaptation.

Units are distinct and asymmetric: archers devastate from high ground but are helpless against fast melee ghouls; dwarves lob deadly molotov cocktails with short range; journeymen can heal allies or explode undead. The game's physics engine adds visceral weight: body parts roll downhill leaving blood trails, and the ground ripples when a wight self-destructs.

Released originally for Windows 95/98 and later Mac OS, Myth: The Fallen Lords was praised for its fresh approach to the genre and its atmospheric presentation. It remains a touchstone for real-time tactics games.