Solasta: Crown of the Magister

Solasta: Crown of the Magister is an authentic D&D experience, with great tactical combat and plenty of deep systems to chow down on.

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Roll for initiative, take attacks of opportunity, manage player location and the verticality of the battle field in this upcoming Tactical RPG by Tactical Adventures. In Solasta, you make the choices, dice decide your destiny.

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Reviews

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 11,985 reviews

story1,468 positive mentions

stability288 negative mentions

story
4,906 mentions
30 % positive mentions
63 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The story in "Solasta: Crown of the Magister" is generally described as straightforward and linear, often following typical fantasy tropes such as a quest to collect magical artifacts to save the world. While some players appreciate the nostalgic feel of a classic D&D campaign, many criticize the writing, voice acting, and character development as lacking depth and originality. The game features character-specific side quests that add some personal touch, but overall, the narrative is seen as a backdrop for combat rather than a compelling story in its own right. Players looking for a rich, immersive narrative may find the story underwhelming compared to other RPGs like Baldur's Gate 3 or Pathfinder.
- “A rich immersive world and captivating story; pay attention to your character's origin and watch how uniquely they interact with the world.”
- “The story is good and engaging.”
- “I give it high marks on storytelling, tactical combat system, and a certain intangible charm built into the party dialogues.”
- “However, for me, I am not understanding the storyline - or it's not compelling enough to follow.”
- “It's almost insulting, the appalling quality of dialogue and plot here, and the sheer stupidity of every single character, exacerbated by the amateurish voice acting and ridiculous facial animations.”
- “The story is stiff, the characters lack emotion, a disappointing story overall.”
gameplay
2,281 mentions
38 % positive mentions
58 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The gameplay of Solasta has been widely praised for its faithful adaptation of Dungeons & Dragons 5e mechanics, offering a tactical and engaging combat experience that resonates with tabletop RPG fans. Players appreciate the depth of character customization, the strategic use of light and verticality in combat, and the overall intuitive interface, although some have noted issues with cluttered screens and minor bugs. While the story and graphics may not be as polished as competitors like Baldur's Gate 3, the solid mechanics and gameplay loop make it a compelling choice for those prioritizing gameplay over narrative.
- “This is the closest game I have found to the D&D mechanics.”
- “The gameplay is fantastic, so addicting and fun.”
- “The mechanics are solid, and the dungeon maker is a cool idea.”
- “The gameplay is just horrible, and the interface is even worse.”
- “The gameplay feels very linear, and players have few options other than.”
- “The gameplay is simplistic for anyone new to CRPGs to pick up fairly quickly.”
graphics
1,520 mentions
29 % positive mentions
56 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
The graphics in "Solasta: Crown of the Magister" receive mixed reviews, with many players noting that while the environmental visuals and spell effects are generally well done, character models and animations often appear dated and lack detail, reminiscent of older games. The game's graphics are considered acceptable for an indie title, but they fall short compared to higher-budget games like "Baldur's Gate 3." Despite these shortcomings, many players find that the engaging gameplay and faithful adaptation of D&D 5e rules compensate for the visual limitations.
- “The graphics are surprisingly good considering the developer's budget.”
- “The graphics are good, yet the close up on characters is a bit off but for an early access game, I know this will change for the better.”
- “The graphics are decent and the voice acting is pretty on point.”
- “The graphics are mediocre to bad, the voice acting ranges from pretty good to terrible, the character animations are poorly done, and the plot is completely nonsensical at times.”
- “The graphics are a little poor but it has fun story lines and follows the rules in a classic turn based combat.”
- “The graphics are not the best and the storyline is a bit on rails, yet the fun turn-based combat keeps me coming back.”
stability
308 mentions
6 % positive mentions
1 % neutral mentions
94 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has been widely criticized, with many users reporting numerous bugs and glitches, particularly in multiplayer mode, which often disrupt gameplay and require frequent saves and restarts. While some players have noted minor issues that do not significantly hinder their experience, the overall consensus is that the game remains unpolished and frustratingly unstable, especially given its full release status. Many reviewers recommend waiting for further updates and patches before purchasing.
- “The base game was pretty bug free (we only encountered bugs with the DLC content).”
- “But now that it's fully released and updated, it runs great!”
- “I've had absolutely no glitches, not even the tiniest one, in about 10 hours of gameplay.”
- “I would not recommend purchase until Tactical Adventures sort out the final glitches, update the product and let us all progress to level 12.”
- “Despite all of that, it's very buggy; the game has been out for over 2 years now and it's still a buggy mess.”
- “The game is buggy, barely works as a co-op experience, the writing is uninteresting at the best of times, and much of the game's design is very tedious.”
humor
256 mentions
99 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a mix of intentionally silly and unintentionally funny dialogue, reminiscent of classic tabletop RPG sessions. Players often find themselves laughing at the absurdity of character interactions and voice acting, which can range from charmingly awkward to hilariously bad. Overall, the lighthearted banter and quirky writing contribute to a fun and entertaining experience, especially when shared with friends.
- “My dwarf yells, 'I thought you can fight!' every time I roll a 1 in combat, which is both hilarious and oddly motivating.”
- “We're howling in laughter late into the night because of how utterly wonky it can get - this game is right up there with Oblivion among the unintentionally funny category of games, but it leaves memorable, beloved experiences.”
- “Dialogue is hilariously awkward, but seemingly partly generated from choices made at character generation - I found my characters to be talking in ways that I hadn't intended and it gave them a kind of life of their own.”
- “That's not funny... but you have to keep in mind the context of the situation.”
- “Basic things like intelligence, or even the formality of their language, have absolutely no effect on who says unfunny and cringe-worthy jokes.”
music
230 mentions
50 % positive mentions
47 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The music in Solasta has received mixed reviews, with many players praising its whimsical and atmospheric qualities that enhance the gameplay experience. While some describe the soundtrack as beautiful and fitting for the game's setting, others find it repetitive and lacking in variety, leading to moments of boredom. Overall, the music is generally considered good, contributing positively to the game's ambiance, though it may not stand out as memorable or groundbreaking.
- “Solasta's soundtrack is phenomenal, same as Baldur's Gate 3.”
- “The music is beautifully composed, which adds a lot to the fights.”
- “The music is fantastic, really evocative.”
- “The sound in this game can be summed up as 'meh.' The music is decent and serves its purpose.”
- “- soundtrack is underwhelming for an RPG.”
- “Music does not change throughout the whole game, even during bosses.”
replayability
203 mentions
33 % positive mentions
62 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is a mixed bag, with many players praising the extensive character customization, user-created campaigns, and dungeon maker tools that significantly enhance replay value. However, some critiques highlight a linear storyline and limited class options, which can diminish replayability for those seeking varied experiences. Overall, while the potential for replayability is high due to community content and diverse character builds, the main campaign's structure may not encourage multiple playthroughs for everyone.
- “Great game with amazing replay value; been running co-op campaigns and it's intense fun.”
- “The game is a blast, basically infinite replayability with the dungeon maker.”
- “Tons of replayability with multiple different campaigns to choose from and the workshop has anything from quick one-shots to fully fleshed out 90-hour user-created campaigns.”
- “Basically the player follows a linear progression with very little freedom, which results in low replayability even with its scalable character customization capability.”
- “No replayability at all, with so many backgrounds, races, classes, subclasses, and spells missing.”
- “The lack of impactful roleplaying options is a flaw that will no doubt reduce the replayability of this game.”
grinding
137 mentions
2 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
98 % negative mentions
The reviews highlight a significant divide in player experiences regarding grinding, with many finding aspects of the game tedious, particularly in inventory management, combat, and exploration. While some players appreciate the depth and mechanics that require grinding for experience and loot, others feel that these elements detract from enjoyment, leading to a slow-paced and repetitive gameplay experience. Overall, the consensus suggests that while grinding can be rewarding, it often becomes a tedious chore that hampers immersion and enjoyment.
- “The implementation of the 5th edition is great; the display of the rolls makes grinding feel less tedious.”
- “Grinding can be a bit grindy sometimes, but it adds depth to the gameplay.”
- “You'll need a second life for grinding, but the rewards make it worthwhile.”
- “The game is buggy, barely works as a co-op experience, the writing is uninteresting at the best of times, and much of the game's design is very tedious.”
- “Put all of these things together and you end up with a game that starts out fun and gets increasingly tedious as it progresses.”
- “World map travel is long and tedious.”
optimization
124 mentions
24 % positive mentions
55 % neutral mentions
21 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting significant performance issues such as stuttering, frame rate drops, and crashes, even on high-end systems. While some users noted that the game runs smoothly on lower-end hardware, others expressed frustration with the lack of polish and optimization, particularly in multiplayer scenarios and specific maps. Despite these concerns, a few players found the game to be relatively stable and enjoyable, suggesting that optimization may improve with future updates.
- “The game runs smoothly even on low-end hardware, and I have not experienced any bugs.”
- “With all the different classes, subclasses, feats, spells, weapons, armor, and other equipment, there is an endless amount of optimization you can do.”
- “As for optimization, the game is running exceptionally well for early access, and in fact, I can't recall any stuttering at all, only a few dropped frames here and there with mostly a solid 60 fps.”
- “The optimization was so poor and the map so weird that I quickly realized that whatever team made this game weren't professionals.”
- “Performance crashes, frame rates stutter and then hard crash.”
- “My PC can run Elden Ring better than it can run this; it's a bit baffling how unoptimized the performance is.”
character development
106 mentions
22 % positive mentions
59 % neutral mentions
19 % negative mentions
Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with some praising its depth and integration of D&D mechanics, while others criticize the lack of complexity and refinement in character design and narratives. Many players feel that the character designs are subpar and contribute to a sense of detachment from the characters, leading to a perception of them as disposable. Overall, while there are enjoyable aspects of character development, such as customization options and role-playing elements, many reviewers express a desire for more meaningful narrative growth and improved design quality.
- “Bg3 is a masterfully crafted story, with a heavy focus on character development and immersion, and is definitely my new favorite video game ever.”
- “The depth of character development is where this game shines.”
- “Great role-playing game with an emphasis on tactical combat and character development.”
- “The lack of complexity and refinement in both character design and narratives makes it even harder for roleplaying.”
- “There is basically no character development, no interesting story developments... it just kind of drags on.”
- “The game is shallow and boring; you have very little character development and it turns out to be just a fighting game with shallow, one-track-only missions.”
atmosphere
55 mentions
42 % positive mentions
49 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the atmospheric music, detailed environments, and the nostalgic feel of a tabletop RPG, while others criticize the outdated graphics, awkward dialogue, and lack of immersive storytelling. Many highlight the game's ability to create a sense of adventure and tension, particularly in combat scenarios, but note that inconsistencies in voice acting and character interactions detract from the overall experience. Overall, while the game has strong atmospheric elements, it struggles with execution in certain areas, leaving some players feeling disappointed.
- “The atmosphere the game is trying to establish is a problem.”
- “Explore ancient ruins, traverse treacherous forests, and navigate sprawling cities, each brimming with atmospheric details and hidden secrets.”
- “The atmosphere and the initial conversation in the tavern.”
- “That game really doesn't create any form of atmosphere.”
- “Lack of atmosphere is how I would describe it.”
- “The atmosphere the game is trying to establish, or lack thereof, is a problem.”
emotional
36 mentions
86 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
14 % negative mentions
Overall, players express mixed feelings about the emotional depth of the game. While some appreciate the nostalgic and wholesome aspects reminiscent of tabletop RPGs, many criticize the weak character development and lack of impactful storytelling, leading to minimal emotional attachment. The game is seen as a fun experience but often falls short of delivering the emotional resonance expected from a rich narrative.
- “This game made me feel like I was on an adventure and I wanted to keep playing to find out what was happening in the story.”
- “Very true to the tabletop, both mechanically and emotionally as everyone misses each other for 5 minutes when you only need to hit one more time to win.”
- “That creates a deeper emotional attachment to your party and makes the story highly immersive.”
- “Poorly built world with a lot of empty areas, boring story, a handful of NPCs with absolutely horrible voice acting, where you move from one place to another to have a fight.”
- “Really want to test another playthrough but the weak and boring story kind of weighed me down.”
- “This game takes the worst aspects of 5e, adds in bad homebrew and a boring story.”
monetization
14 mentions
21 % positive mentions
7 % neutral mentions
71 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game has received mixed reviews, with some users labeling it a "shameless cash grab" due to the presence of locked classes requiring in-game purchases, while others appreciate the absence of microtransactions and the value offered by community-generated content. Critics express frustration over the game's unfinished state and perceived exploitation, contrasting it with smaller studios that focus on quality without aggressive monetization strategies. Overall, opinions vary widely, reflecting a divide between those who feel exploited and those who find value in the game's offerings.
- “No microtransactions, endless content options through the community and rough around the edges in the way only a video game can get away with.”
- “While the AAA industry cannibalizes itself with all their live service models, small companies are making incredible pieces of software that capture what AAA can't do anymore because they are more worried about continual monetization to appease stockholders.”
- “I definitely enjoyed the game; it's relatively easy to get into if you're at all familiar with D&D or similar games such as Divinity: Original Sin. This was a very refreshing take on the D&D world, and it's nice to see games like this come out amidst all the free-to-play monetization, MMO fads, and e-sports focus.”
- “First of all, this is not an RPG; this is a shameless cash grab.”
- “Asking paying customers for cash for 'new classes' or other such minor things seems like a cash grab.”
- “I'll wrap this up because I've wasted way too much of my time with this sorry excuse of a game already; this game is unfinished, unoptimized, full of game-breaking bugs, and has been designed as an attempt to be a BG3 wannabe clone cash grab.”