Rise and Fall

Rise and Fall is a series of strategy games developed by Dama developer Inkwell Studios for personal computers. They combine turn-based strategy and resource management with real-time tactical control of battles. The first of the series, Rise and Fall: Warring Kingdoms was released in 2006. The most recent major game released was Rise and Fall: Azure Dawn II in 2020. As of 2022, the series has sold over 20 million copies.

Gameplay
The main series games are turn-based strategy games, in which players attempt to achieve one of several victory thresholds against other human or computer-controlled opponents. Rise and Fall uses historical aspects from wide spans of human history; on each "turn," players oversee their faction's government, determine what technology, culture, and civics the civilization should develop, engage in diplomacy with other civilizations, set production and place improvements within their territory, and move their faction's units across the game's map, often engaging in battle with other factions' units. Players select a faction led by a certain figure; the choice of faction determines their location and provides certain unique bonuses, units, and improvements. Depending on the specific entry in the series, players either start with a certain number of cities and must conquer others' to expand, or may found colonies elsewhere. Territories generate resources depending on their location and the size of their populations. Units include military units, commerce-based units to establish trade routes, and civilian-based units like diplomats or laborers.

Units move a set amount of space per turn, limited by terrain; marshes slow down units, while mountains can only be passed by a select few units without receiving a certain number of casualties per turn. Likewise, water can only be traversed by seagoing vessels that can carry other units. Combat occurs when any army moves into a space occupied by another unit that is not currently on diplomatic terms with that player. Once combat is initiated, the player drops down to a real-time battlefield where the units of their army do battle with their opponent's. If this battle took place on a city's main map space, then the attacker unit takes over the city for that faction, though some games in the series provide the option of razing the city as well. In this manner, a faction can be conquered by taking over all of its cities, at which point that player is out of the game. In more recent games, cities can also be taken over through the influence of culture or religion from a nearby opposing city. Several units are available for performing espionage work, which are hidden from other players unless certain conditions are met. These units can gain information normally hidden to other players, steal technology and culture, or create unrest in an opponent's city to make it easier to capture.

Rise and Fall: Warring Kingdoms
Released in 2006, Rise and Fall: Warring Kingdoms covers the events of Asidama's unification under the Kingdom of Hingu. Other playable kingdoms include those of Duya, Uchi, and Aya, with non-player factions including various smaller states and pirates. Although it was not the first history-based strategy game to be released, it was generally well-received thanks to the attention given to its setting and unique combination of turn-based and real-time strategy elements. Although the original game contained many software bugs, subsequent patches quickly resolves many of the problems and greatly expanded the playability of the multiplayer mode (although battle mode would remain the only part of the game playable in multiplayer).

Released in 2017, Rise and Fall: Warring Kingdoms, Remastered featured overhauled graphics, a remastered soundtrack, and improved gameplay (including a full multiplayer mode). It also added several one-off scenarios where players could control forces during various historic battles of the era. This includes a naval battle with Mudruvese pirates in the Ornyenka-Sthulista Strait, a battle between Gadram and Oztmark forces in what is now Gemurtrak, and more.

Rise and Fall: Azure Dawn
Rise and Fall: Azure Dawn was released in 2009 and expands the player map to most of the eastern hemisphere, starting in the year 1000 CE and ending in 1500. The game allows players to take control of Asidama as well as other major powers of the era, including the Gemurtrakian Empire, Imperial Mitruhmoer, the First Haksar Dayashafirate and Salia, among others. Azure Dawn saw an expansion of several mechanics and the addition of others compared to the original game, such as leader and general traits as well as new trade mechanics. Azure Dawn enjoyed considerably more commercial success than its predecessor, and is considered to be the entry which brought the game into the mainstream of strategy gaming. The game received numerous awards and accolades, and critics agreed that it expanded well on the original while maintaining its general atmosphere.

Although issues of unbalanced gameplay were raised, subsequent patches alleviated most issues. Its first expansion, Lords of the West, added the continents of Vidina and Tiridinia and their respective nations as playable factions. Likewise, its second and final expansion, Rise of Empires, added several new factions, mechanics, and open-source software for fans to use to create their own modules. As a result, the vast majority of fan-made content in the Rise and Fall series is a product of this software, including many modules set in fantasy universes such as that of Geschichte Chronicles: the Saga of Kirsa.

Rise and Fall: Birth of Empires
Released in 2011, Rise and Fall: Birth of Empires is set during the two centuries between 1700 CE to 1900. Unlike the two previous entries of the series, Birth of Empires focuses less on conquest of territory and places greater emphasis on the technological and cultural development of the society controlled by the player. Players can achieve victory through a variety of means, and unique "choice trees" allow players to combine different goals to achieve unique types of victories. Reception towards Birth of Empires was mixed; The Grana Times described it as "as entertaining as a history textbook, while the Eduran publication 'The Monthly Highlook' argued it was "one of the best looking games, much less a strategy game, currently on the market." A collector's edition of the game was sold as a pre-release reward for a select number of fans, including a hardcover artbook containing concept art and blurbs from several of the head artists and developers.

In 2019, the company released Rise and Fall: Birth of Empires, Remastered following the success of Warring Kingdoms' remastered version and in anticipation of Azure Dawn II. The remaster met with modest success and enjoys a small but dedicated online player base.

Rise and Fall: World at War
Rise and Fall: World at War was released 2015, and has the narrowest window of years in its setting, taking place between 1900-60 and being set during the duration of the First, Second, and Third World Wars. In contrast with Birth of Empires, World at War focuses almost entirely on military conquest and infrastructure. Players may train, customize, and command divisions or fleets consisting of various types of units. These divisions require equipment and manpower to fight properly. The game also attempts to recreate the complex diplomatic relationships of the day; nations may undertake a variety of diplomatic actions. They may sign non-aggression pacts, guarantee the independence of other nations, and offer or request military access, among other things. Countries may adopt various ideologies, namely Buff-Shade, Blue-Shade, and Non-Aligned.

Much as with Birth of Empires, World at War received generally positive to mixed reviews. Its near-total departure from economic elements and resource management was considered an overcorrection by many, and within a few months of its release its user base declined significantly.

Rise and Fall: Azure Dawn II
As the original Azure Dawn was the most successful entry of the franchise, Inkwell planned as early as 2011 to release a remastered version. However, what began as a remastered edition soon became something greater, and in 2020, Rise and Fall: Azure Dawn II was released. Azure Dawn II combined elements of military force, diplomacy, espionage, and economics all in ways that expanded on the original while adding new layers and elements. One main feature which was added was the decentralization of player-controlled regions, adding greater realism in that many features, from industrial production to technological advancement, would occur outside the capital of a province. Additionally, a new battle engine allowed for as many as 100,000 units to be deployed on screen in a battle. Along with its Main Campaign depicting the entirety of the world and beginning in 1000 CE, several regional campaigns were developed, set in East Alutra, West Alutra and Harad, Kasare and Harad, Skephon and Osamia, and North Vidina set during various eras.

Azure Dawn II enjoyed widespread critical success, both due to the reputation of its predecessor and its own quality. Numerous publications lauded it as more than a worthy successor, even saying that the, "future of the franchise [was] secured" in the face of mixed receptions to Birth of Empires and World at War.

Conquerors of the Sacred Grove
Conquerors of the Sacred Grove action-strategy game released in 2008 by Inkwell. Taking a simplified board-style interface, the game was released for arcade machines but also saw release for home computers. The game itself is set during the Asidama's unification, along the same time frame as Rise and Fall: Warring Kingdoms. Conquerors of the Sacred Grove, more simply referred to as Conquerors, features a strategic map of the island of Kuguni separated into several territories, where army units are moved around. In each province containing a post road station, there is a fort, the capture of which leads to the player overtaking the entire province. Otherwise, capturing a province involves simple movement, unless there is an enemy army present on the province's tile. If two antagonistic armies clash, it will result in a battle. Capture of forts as well as battle are resolved in a real time action element, in which players resolve the dispute in a duel between their respective fighters.

Ultimate Arena
Ultimate Arena is a free-to-play strategy digital collectible card game in which the player controls generals from across history in head-to-head battles against either another player or the game itself. Released in the leadup to the release of Azure Dawn II in 2019, Ultimate Arena was originally planned to lose support once the game was released. However, it developed such a devoted player base that, following public outcry, Inkwell agreed to continue supporting the website on which the game is played.