First, whereas WOM was a 4 or 5 (nice game, but boring), FE is much improved and and has the potential to be a 7 or 8.

1. Opening game is more exciting with monster lairs, recruitable or slayable champions and a wider varierty of treasures and quests to find.

2. I really like the technology progression, the slow pace means that a player's choice has a real impact on game play. Do I choose to research 3 or 4 fast reasearch technologies or 1 powerful but time consuming tech.

3. The traits system is good and really differentiates play as the player if forced to choose.

4. Combat, even in this beta is much improved with the enemy using archers and darkling shamans casting magic.

As I play through it more I will post suggestions; however, at this stage (aside from game crashes to be expected in a Beta) it has the makings of a great game.