The strategy/RPG mixture Rage of Mages is one of the most popular games of 1998 that has played a big role in changing the course of the entire video game industry…

… In Russian-speaking countries.

And while it was also popular in some neighboring lands like Poland, internationally Rage of Mages didn’t even win Gamespot’s ‘Best Game No One Played’ award. At least it WAS nominated.

To be fair the Gamespot review in particular was actually pretty positive, which makes sense given the nomination, but overall the game’s international reception both among the press and players was pretty mixed at best. 

One of the reasons why Rage of Mages was much better received locally is that after Tetris it was, if not the first, then at least one of the first video games developed in the region to get a widespread global release. Not to mention it was made in just 15 months and released literally against all odds.