Two years of early entry have been type Songs of Conquest. Its technique fundamentals have been already robust sufficient to impress me in 2022 that it has been fairly difficult to even bear in mind what’s modified. However there’s extra of it, and though after a lot reflection I believe it isn’t fairly, fairly for me, extra of a very good and strange factor is certainly sufficient to push me into a really practically wholehearted endorsement.
This full launch is extra a case of providing extra to your cash than dramatically increasing the way it performs. Two new story campaigns take us to 4 (one per faction), every with 4 very lengthy and elaborate ranges. There at the moment are a number of skirmish modes with preset or randomised maps (with an attention-grabbing choice to have “discover the thing” as a win situation, tilting a recreation’s focus in the direction of exploration and combating aspect battles over the normal direct bloodbath), and a set of problem maps that – no thanks, my life doesn’t want extra challenges. Because of its enhancing instruments, there are already a number of participant made campaigns and maps, too.
These are all centred on one idea: to assemble a handful of magical warlords (wielders) and have them alternate between hoovering stuff up on a giant world map, utilizing that stuff to construct and lift armies, and taking these armies to inform the opposite wielders what silly ugly jerks they’re by way of interpretive stabbing. Gamers of Heroes of May and Magic in all probability do not want the reference, but it surely’d be remiss to not make it.
The hoovering is the large factor, because it offers XP, sources, and artifacts to beef up your wielders. Because of some wonderful sound results, there’s at all times a tiny satisfaction in choosing wooden or magical rocks up even when you do not really want them. Troves are sometimes guarded by impartial, static armies the place you’ll be able to check out new ways. Assembly hostiles triggers a turn-based mini-battle on a hex grid, the place the already beautiful and vibrant pixel artwork lends itself to beautiful animations and results. Even the borders function beautiful animated surroundings you may by no means cease to note.
Wielders do not be a part of the ranks, however forged spells primarily based on the faculties you have educated/geared up them for, powered by mana from many sources, probably the most vital and tactically versatile being your troopers themselves. Every unit kind generates ‘essence’ to energy spells for particular faculties (about half the spellbook is for multi-school spells), even when that unit is right down to its final dude, which provides extra tactical selection to your capacity to both pile all of your crossbowmen, say, into one hardy unit that may endure and distribute extra injury, or to separate them into two and even three weaker ones that generate extra magic (and probably bathroom the enemy down in melee or a slower motion economic system).
Your wielders’ talent bonuses apply to their entire military too, so that you may specialise one for extra-powerful spellcasting, heavy melee offence, and even economics, both by passively producing sources or raiding and pillaging enemy settlements. You may even have one whose function is usually to ferry reinforcements out of your cities to your fight wielders. Map management is all the things, as cities (that are static, with strictly restricted constructing slots) are usually simply taken with no wielder in defence, however wielders sitting in defence aren’t going out incomes XP and goodies. You could be increasing and pushing at all times, as a result of something you do not hoover up can go to the enemy as a substitute. However they cannot be in all places, so even a weaker aspect can generally use harassing raids and feint ways to unnerve and undermine a stronger one.
Every faction’s unit roster is small however distinctive, and diversified sufficient to withstand lowering them to at least one gimmick or playstyle. Take the Rana, an alliance of oppressed swampy frog and lizard folks, whose mixture of very sluggish defenders and quick cavalry are backed by robust ranged spell chuckers, and spider riders who weaken adjoining enemies. They appear contradictory, since you’re not likely meant to recruit all the things; it is usually higher to have a big drive comprised principally of 1 or two key sorts paired with a wielder who can push their strengths additional. Some troops (particularly the undead faction’s) are at their greatest not even combating, however sitting on the again producing additional magic to your spells.
Between which abilities and magic your wielders stage into, their gear, what troops you give attention to, and what opposition you are up in opposition to, Songs of Conquest may be very a lot a recreation about studying all of the combos. However as every unit has just one or two quirks, and the foundations are usually clear and simple, it does not get too overwhelming or pedantic (though the battle log is disappointingly uninformative, and it is generally arduous to see a hex behind a line of big monsters, and with no order affirmation and such condensed battles, an occasional misclick may cause critical injury).
The sport rewards studying your method round, but it surely does not demand scholarship. You may, nonetheless, stack your chips all unsuitable and never discover out till fairly a way right into a match (professional tip: safety in opposition to spell injury is priceless). The extent up choices being partly randomised works much less properly than in e.g. Wildermyth, partly as a result of some abilities are dramatically worse than others. A little bit additional wooden, or extra {powerful} magic? Are you joking.
However that selection signifies that taking a number of knocks whilst you discover ways to plan your forces prematurely is a part of the enjoyable. And Songs of Conquest is a heap of enjoyable. I even loved the story, as every faction’s marketing campaign centres their very own battle and throws some recent mild onto the broader one. I admire that there is not any bathroom commonplace Human Empire or goddamn elves. Even the undead faction are a mix of cultists, rats, and spirits, with extra attention-grabbing motivation than “hey let’s awaken the Darkish Lord lol oh no my soul” once more. The Baryans, who might have been generic evil slavers come throughout like a ahead pondering, curiously legalistic tradition in distinction to the previous kingdoms, however with a mercantile bent that signifies that, yeah, even their most important marketing campaign wielder was enslaved.
I like Songs of Conquest rather a lot. I could not fairly find it irresistible, but it surely’s vibrant and wealthy in flavour and has extra strategic depth than at first seems. Its most important inspiration is obvious, but it surely greater than earns its personal place within the solar.
This evaluate is predicated on a duplicate of the sport supplied by the writer.