Disciples II: Rise of the Elves

2003 Strategy First Strategy

Windows 11With a fix

MacNot sold

LinuxGold

Steam DeckUnsupported

Gamicality score

Metacritic 804

OpenCritic Not rated

Steam players 831

How it’s combined

Playability today

3.5

Runs today3/5

Design today3.5/5

Steam user reviews

Very Positive

87%

1,320 reviews1

Get it on Steam

Facts checked November 1, 2026

Does Disciples II: Rise of the Elves run on Windows 11, Apple Silicon Macs, Linux and Steam Deck?

Windows 11With a fix

Runs with a fix. See the steps below.1

Mac (Apple Silicon)Not sold

No Mac version is sold.

LinuxGold

Through Proton. ProtonDB: Gold, runs perfectly after tweaks.3

Steam DeckUnsupported

Unsupported, as rated by Valve.1

Played Disciples II: Rise of the Elves lately?

One click, no account, so the next player knows. How we check where it runs

How to get Disciples II: Rise of the Elves running today

Install the fan-made DisciplesGL wrapper, which moves the game's graphics to OpenGL and fixes lag, crashes, Alt+Tab and resolution problems on Windows 10 and 11 (PCGamingWiki).
In the wrapper's settings, pick a widescreen resolution and, if wanted, a faster game speed; without it the game is limited to 800×600, 1024×768 and 1280×1024 (PCGamingWiki).
For online or LAN play on Windows 10 and 11, follow the steps in this Steam guide thread.

Synopsis

Disciples II: Rise of the Elves is a standalone expansion for the dark fantasy turn-based strategy game Disciples II, adding the Elven Alliance as a fifth playable race with its own campaign. You lead heroes and small parties of units across a hand-painted map, capture resources and cities, and fight turn-based battles in which each unit gains experience and can be upgraded along a branching tree.

Developer: Strategy First
Released: 2003
Genre: Strategy
Where to get it: Steam

Reception

Critics in 2003 rated it well, with a PC Metascore of 80, praising the dark take on the Elves, the balance between the five races and the striking art, while some found the strategy shallow and little changed from earlier releases. Steam players are strongly positive and many call it a childhood favorite with timeless art and music, often asking for a remaster. The most common complaint is technical: the Steam version lags, crashes or shows the wrong resolution on current Windows until a fan wrapper is installed. Players also note that battles can feel repetitive and depend on luck.

Playability today

The average of two parts, each from 1 to 5. Tap a check to see why. How it works

Runs today

3/5

Sold or given away today by an official source
Needs fan patches to run well on Windows 11
?Not confirmed yetSingle-player works without an internet connection
No source covers the current version yet, so this check counts as open, not passed. Played it lately? Tell us
All of its content still works (servers, DLC, unlocks)
No content has been cut; the Steam version lacks the final 3.01 patch, and multiplayer works only through a manual workaround (PCGamingWiki).
No proper support for modern resolutions and widescreen
Only 800×600, 1024×768 and 1280×1024 are supported without the fan wrapper (PCGamingWiki).
No full controller support and no remappable controls
There is no controller support and keys cannot be remapped (PCGamingWiki).
Not Steam Deck Verified or Playable
No intrusive DRM or required third-party launcher account
No pay-to-win or pushy microtransactions
Known game-breaking bugs in the current version
Out of the box the game lags badly on Windows 10 and later, several Steam reviewers call it unplayable until the DisciplesGL wrapper is installed, and a Windows 11 player reports crashes when summoned units move (Steam reviews, Steam Community).

Design today

3.5/5

Controls feel natural on a modern controller or mouse and keyboard
The game is played with the mouse, with right-click details on any unit or item, which suits its turn-based design; keys cannot be remapped and there is no controller support. Source: pcgamingwiki.com, worthplaying.com.
Menus, text or interface are hard to read on today's screens
Without a fan wrapper the game runs only at old 4:3 and 5:4 resolutions, so the art-filled interface is small and boxed in on modern screens. Source: pcgamingwiki.com, steamcommunity.com.
Saving is fair: free saves or frequent checkpoints, little lost progress
The game can be saved at any time, with quick saves and automatic saves, so a lost battle can simply be reloaded. Source: github.com, worthplaying.com.
Hard to make progress without a guide
The in-game tutorial and manual give little help, and the deeper rules of unit upgrades and spells are learned by trial and error. Source: worthplaying.com.
Pacing holds up: little grind, filler or forced backtracking
Each turn is one day, parties are small and every unit levels up, so battles stay quick and campaigns move along steadily. Source: worthplaying.com, steamcommunity.com.
Camera and movement never fight the player
The game is played on a two-dimensional map that scrolls with the mouse, with a fixed battle screen, so there is no camera to fight. Source: pcgamingwiki.com.