Mixing tactics-based gameplay with RPG elements, Songs of Conquest is a truly remarkable game that has just entered early access. Clearly inspired by the Heroes of Might and Magic style games of the 90s, even in its early access state, there is a lot to like about what is on offer here.
How to Download Songs of Conquest
You can download the game from Steam. Click on the Download button at the end of this review.
The Game Review
The first thing I have to say that I love about Songs of Conquest is the awesome fantasy style that it has going on. There are two campaigns for you to play through and this is where I would advise that you start. One campaign is about this human female character that was ok, but not all that great, the other… lets you play as this interesting frog creature.
The frog campaign is awesome and has you trying to rise up after being held in what was basically slavery for a very long time. The campaigns are not super long, but they are entertaining and they have some fantastic writing and the way each has its own song is something that I found to be a great deal of fun.
As well as the two main campaigns, you can also make your own or download ones that others have made. The skirmish mode though is where Songs of Conquest is going to hook most people. No matter if playing against the AI or someone online or in a local co-op, you are in for a very fun time here. I have not had the pleasure to play against someone I actually know yet, but playing with randoms has been fun so far.
The tactics-based gameplay is just so deep, but so accessible at the same time. You have four different factions that you can use and each faction has its own main warriors and units to make use of. You can research new technologies, build a town and learn new abilities. There is a great deal going on with the gameplay, even in this early access state. The AI right now does need a little work as a few times I felt like they just ran into battle without any strategy.
I liked how I never really felt overwhelmed by the game’s mechanics. If you have played a game like this before, you will be able to get comfortable pretty quickly. It can hold your hand at first so you can learn the ropes, but I think that learning by doing is where you really get to have some fun in the early hours of the game.
The presentation in Songs of Conquest is really something special. The game is made with some of the most gorgeous pixel-style sprites I have ever seen. The character designs show a lot of imagination and there are various biomes so battles never start to feel too similar as you play for hours and hours.
I would have to say that if the state the game was in now was all that it had to offer, I would probably be ok with that. I know for some players the amount of content that is here in early access may not be enough. However, I think that by this time next year and after the various updates have been implemented, this could be one of the best games of this style.
