Within the realm of the RPG, Spellforce has been a longtime pressure for fairly a while–20 years, the truth is–throughout which it is delivered three video games and loads of expansions. The distinctive trait of the collection has at all times been its fusion of real-time technique with role-playing, providing deep character creation and storytelling, whereas additionally participating us within the sort of epic fight we might examine within the best works of fantasy fiction–from Lord of the Rings, to Sport of Thrones.
Spellforce: Conquest of Eo is the newest recreation within the venerable collection. As its non-numerical title suggests nonetheless, it isn’t a traditional Spellforce entry, deploying a Civilization-style turn-based format (or 4X, because the hundreds of thousands of style followers name it) that expands the scope of the sport like by no means earlier than.
Listed here are 5 explanation why technique followers ought to set their sights on SpellForce: Conquest of Eo.
An epic fantasy story
4X technique video games do not at all times embrace storytelling, normally leaving you to create your personal head-canon as you search to beat the world. Conquest of Eo nonetheless, packs a gripping story into its marketing campaign. You play a mage, inheriting a tower out of your former grasp, and looking for to develop its affect by way of analysis, fielding armies, and discovering sources of Allfire–a mysterious magical power that fuels your ambitions.
However these ambitions will not go unrivalled. The world is stuffed with hostile forces, from Orcs to Undead; from New Purity cultists to granite dwarves. In the meantime, the mysterious Mages’ Circle additionally has designs for the Allfire, and would not take kindly to the schemings of a formidable upstart like your self.
Suffice to say, victory will not come simply.
Grand scale
One of many perks of the 4X format is that it permits for a far grander scale of recreation than real-time technique. For the primary time within the collection, you have got a large-scale overview over the fantastically crafted world map, letting you plot not simply your subsequent transfer, however sweeping methods that take in-game years to implement.
You traverse huge kingdoms, the place you’ll be able to ally your self with completely different fantasy races–every fleshed out by years value of lore and world-building created by the collection’ writers. The world is stuffed with mysteries; you will plunder ruins, mine for magical sources, and encounter heroes to embark on quests with. It is a large world with large prospects.
Intricate tactical battles
As you would possibly anticipate, ‘Conquest’ performs a key function right here. Armies collide, and grand-scale balances of energy can usually hinge on the end result of a single battle. It is solely pure that you will wish to oversee these battles, so, within the spirit of the nice Heroes of May & Magic 3, you get to zoom in on the motion, commanding your models on a tactically wealthy turn-based battlefield.
Take the excessive floor together with your archers, make use of heroes who break by way of enemy ranks, or cling again and play songs to awaken and heal your troops. There are numerous mixtures of spells, glyphs, and mortal and immortal models to harness, and infinite methods to rout your enemies, or seize victory from the jaws of defeat.
A brand new expertise each time
True to the style, Conquest of Eo’s marketing campaign is designed to be performed over and over. The procedurally generated worlds imply that every recreation would require a brand new method; you will have to adapt your technique primarily based on the sources obtainable to you, the heroes that cross your path, and the alliances that you just forge together with your neighbours. To not point out the a whole lot of side-quests on the market, every accompanied by tales that educate you about this fantasy world. You are not going to seek out all of them in a single run, that is for certain!
Crucially, you decide from considered one of three mage archetypes whenever you begin the sport, every with their very own playstyle. The Necromancer raises fallen troopers as undead, giving them huge numerical benefits; the Alchemist brews unbelievable potions to bolster their troops, whereas the Artificer tinkers with glyphs to adapt their armies to no matter threats face them. Which path will you select?
Take to the skies
From Bowser’s gunships in Tremendous Mario, to Howl’s Shifting Fortress, and a thousand works of steampunk fiction, flying fortresses have lengthy been a ‘factor’ within the well-liked creativeness. Nicely, Conquest of Eo embraces that idea in its personal particular manner.
As an alternative of conquering cities such as you would in a daily 4X recreation, you the truth is solely management one constructing–your Wizard Tower. However that is no common tower, as you’ll be able to break it freed from its foundations and fly it all over the world. Yep, your base of operations–the place you analysis tech, prepare troops, and craft spells–is a veritable flying fortress, creating strategic alternatives of the type by no means earlier than seen within the style.
SpellForce: Conquest of Eo is out now on Steam. Head over there to test it out, and begin planning your epic pursuit of the Allfire.
