Herzog Zwei

1989 · Strategy · Genesis

Overview

Herzog Zwei (1989) is Technosoft's Mega Drive strategy game, in which the player pilots a transforming mech that buys and airlifts units into battle. The makers of Dune II and Warcraft cite it as an influence.

Deep Dive

Each player pilots a transforming mech that buys ground units, airlifts them onto the battlefield and gives them orders such as patrolling or capturing a base. Nine permanent outposts are the only places that produce units. The game can be played against the computer or by two players.

Developer Story

Technosoft made it as the sequel to Herzog for the MSX and PC-8801, and Sega released it in Japan on 15 December 1989 and North America in March 1990. It sold poorly, partly because of weak marketing and its release early in the console's life.

Did You Know?

Sega-16 called it "very probably the finest video game you've never played".
Game Informer gave it 9.75 out of 10 in 1999, its highest score for a Genesis game.
It is also considered a precursor of the MOBA genre.