Solium Infernum

89%
Game Brain Score Based on 912 reviews
  • gameplay
  • graphics
  • music
Solium Infernum Game Cover
In this devilish game of thrones, you scheme or suffer a terrible insult. And maybe put a few friendships on ice.
Starting at $18.99Buy now
Get on Steam

In Solium Infernum, play as a powerful Archfiend vying for the throne of Hell after Satan's disappearance. Engage in political intrigue, command legions, and cast sinister rituals to outmaneuver your rivals in this grand strategy game. With single-player and multiplayer modes, experience devious political machinations, sinister magic, and cunning strategies in your quest to become Hell's Dark Majesty.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

89%
Audience ScoreBased on 912 reviews
gameplay66 positive mentions
grinding12 negative mentions
  • Unique blend of strategy, politics, and betrayal that keeps players engaged.
  • Beautiful artwork and immersive atmosphere that enhances the gameplay experience.
  • Asynchronous multiplayer allows for flexible play, making it easy to fit into busy schedules.
  • AI is weak and does not provide a challenging experience for single-player mode.
  • Some mechanics and rules are poorly explained, leading to confusion for new players.
  • The game can feel tedious due to limited actions per turn and the need to manage multiple currencies.
  • gameplay251 mentions

    The gameplay of Solium Infernum is characterized by its deep and intricate mechanics, blending strategic decision-making with elements of diplomacy, deception, and resource management. Players must navigate a complex web of interactions and strategies, often requiring significant time to learn and master the various systems, which can be both rewarding and frustrating. While the game excels in its thematic presentation and offers a unique multiplayer experience, some players find certain mechanics tedious or unbalanced, suggesting a need for further refinement and clarity in gameplay.

    • “The gameplay is innovative and challenging in a good way.”
    • “The systems are unique and unfold in a natural way that keeps gameplay interesting throughout the match.”
    • “The core gameplay is great, as it was historically.”
    • “The gameplay is complex and simplistic at the same time.”
    • “The primary issues for me are the pace and the generally fussy, tedious nature of the gameplay.”
    • “Unfortunately, half the game design is bad: duels, high-level powers, generally obtuse mechanics, massive balance issues across the board.”
  • graphics160 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising the stunning artwork and atmospheric design that effectively convey a hellish aesthetic. While the 2D visuals and card art are often described as beautiful and immersive, some players find the 3D models, particularly of the archfiends, to be less impressive and somewhat cartoonish. Overall, the game's visuals are considered a significant improvement over its predecessor, contributing to a rich thematic experience despite some inconsistencies in graphical quality.

    • “The graphics and the gameplay create a fantastic atmosphere of hell, machinations, lies, and deception.”
    • “This game is brilliant - deep tactical strategy akin to the classic 'Civ' games and a delightfully dark and hellish art style that is strongly inspired by Dante's Divine Comedy and Milton's Paradise Lost - two of the greatest works of literature in human history.”
    • “The visuals are top tier with fantastic art and atmosphere.”
    • “Overheats my machine even though the graphics are nothing to write home about.”
    • “The game board, however, is less detailed, and with only three maps to choose from at the beginning, offers neither pretty visuals nor much variety.”
    • “My only real complaint about the remake is the aesthetic choice: some of the archfiends look like really bad, poor quality cartoon characters and are mismatched with the rest of the graphics which are otherwise quite suitable.”
  • music36 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its atmospheric and thematic depth, with many reviewers praising the haunting orchestral tracks and ambient sounds that enhance the hellish setting. Notable pieces like "Eternal Nights" and "Lamentation" stand out as exceptional, contributing to an immersive experience that complements the game's art and narrative. While some found the music to be merely adequate, the overall consensus highlights its effectiveness in creating a captivating and engaging atmosphere.

    • “The kind of game that makes you want to listen to dark organ music, twiddling your mustache while texting your friends to hurry up and take their turn already so your grand scheme can unfold to their horror and your amusement.”
    • “Featuring some somber, fittingly melancholic ambient tracks such as 'lamentation', but also grander tracks like 'eternal nights'—frankly, a song so good it has no right to be in a game of this genre.”
    • “The music is epic and an upcoming soundtrack will provide delight to all music fiends.”
    • “Sound: the music and sound effects are okay, but didn't stand out to me either.”
    • “Exquisite art and atmosphere, but the music is kind of mid and the cartoonish archfiends feel a bit out of place compared to the metal as hell artwork.”
    • “The game music also helps you relax while you fine-tune your strategies.”
  • atmosphere26 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its immersive and hellish setting, enhanced by stunning visuals and a captivating soundtrack. Reviewers highlight the dark, gothic aesthetic and the game's ability to evoke feelings of deception and intrigue within a demonic context. Overall, the meticulously crafted atmosphere significantly contributes to the game's appeal, making it a standout experience for players.

    • “The graphics and the gameplay create a fantastic atmosphere of hell, machinations, lies, and deception.”
    • “It definitely captures the atmosphere and lore where you not only are battling with your fellow arch demons, but incursions by holy saints and angels in service of 'the tyrant'.”
    • “The designers have meticulously crafted a dark, immersive atmosphere that pulls you into the heart of Machiavellian demonic politics and warfare.”
    • “A grand strategy game dripping with hellish atmosphere.”
    • “Exquisite art and atmosphere, but the music is kind of mid and the cartoonish archfiends feel a bit out of place compared to the metal as hell artwork.”
    • “This game just oozes strategy and atmosphere from every evil pore.”
  • story20 mentions

    The game's story is minimal, lacking a cohesive overarching narrative, but it is set in a richly detailed hell where players navigate power struggles following Satan's mysterious disappearance. While the single-player experience offers engaging missions and character backstories, the true depth of the narrative emerges in multiplayer, where players engage in intricate diplomacy, betrayal, and strategic plotting. Overall, while some players desire a more developed storyline, the game's mechanics and player interactions create memorable and dynamic experiences.

    • “Also, I spent 2 hours reading each card's description, and the backstory of every demon and their host is amazing.”
    • “The story takes place in hell immediately after Satan (the prince of darkness) mysteriously disappears.”
    • “The intrigue and the self-appointed missions of revenge on those who refuse to bow to your majesty is wonderfully implemented in this intricate and multi-layered chess game in hell.”
    • “As with most games of the 4x—grand strategy—genre, there isn’t really a lot of storytelling involved; no overarching narrative as to how and why this development occurred, nor is there an aftermath as to how any chosen archfiend ends up ruling hell.”
    • “Its an 'okay' game, but it feels very early-access-y with just one map and no story whatsoever. Sure, it's a skirmish game, but some kind of story where one of them has a multi-battle rise of power would not have been that difficult to make, or some visualization when rising up the ranks. At this point, for this price, I sadly cannot recommend it.”
    • “I was hoping for some story, challenges, and well more flavor than the meat you provided.”
  • optimization18 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization has seen significant improvements since the beta, with many users reporting smoother performance and fewer technical issues at launch. However, some players still experience optimization problems, particularly on lower-end hardware, and there are lingering concerns about netcode bugs and memory leaks. While performance varies across different systems, many users are satisfied with the current state, especially those using higher-end setups.

    • “Performance issues have gone for me.”
    • “Happy to report performance at max settings without anti-aliasing is 100fps+ and I'm sure this will only get better in time with future updates.”
    • “The artwork is great, performance is excellent. I play on a 3-year-old laptop that was mediocre in specs when I bought it, and it plays flawlessly, and the gameplay loop is satisfying.”
    • “Poorly optimized for what it is and contains netcode bugs too (stuck legions, players getting disconnected).”
    • “I'm using an Asus TUF 15 gaming laptop model year 2020 to write this review and play Solium Infernum with all the settings on low and all other effects disabled with a resolution of 1600x400@144 Hz; the game still has optimization issues and memory leaks, especially in the later parts of the game.”
    • “My only complaint is optimization problems a few weeks after release.”
  • grinding12 mentions

    Players consistently find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and slow-paced, with many describing the gameplay loop as boring and frustratingly sluggish. The process of resource generation and token management is often seen as unnecessarily complicated, leading to a sense of monotony, especially in the early game. While some appreciate the flavor text, the overall sentiment is that the grind detracts from the enjoyment of the game.

    • “The primary issues for me are the pace and the generally fussy, tedious nature of the gameplay.”
    • “The gameplay loop is so boring and tedious it's hard to explain.”
    • “The resulting waste of turns generating random tokens and combining those tokens to just do basic things like buy units and upgrades for them felt needlessly tedious, and even more annoying when thinking about how to plan out bigger purchases.”
  • replayability10 mentions

    The game is praised for its exceptional replayability, offering endless strategic depth and a variety of tactics that keep gameplay fresh and engaging. Players highlight its unique mechanics and versatility, making it one of the most enjoyable and replayable strategy games available. Despite its price, many agree that the value lies in its infinite replay potential.

    • “My first impressions on this game were wonderful, with some really unique game mechanics and a ton of possible strategies and tactics for winning, making it very replayable and versatile in its gameplay.”
    • “The game is full of strategic depth and replay value.”
    • “It's a turn-based strategy game with a lot of depth, complexity, and replayability.”
    • “Solium Infernum has big '4-hour long deep and replayable board game that you're always trying to get your friends together to play, but nobody wants to meet up and sit down for that long when you could be doing other stuff.'”
  • stability9 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is mixed, with users reporting occasional bugs and UI glitches that can disrupt gameplay. While some players found that saving and reloading resolved issues, others recommended waiting for patches before purchasing. Despite these concerns, many noted that the game runs well on various platforms, indicating that stability may improve over time.

    • “The game runs great, the presentation is pretty slick, and the UI is decent, except for a few instances where I couldn't find the close window button.”
    • “Runs great on the Steam Deck too, other than the small text, which is always a concern with these kinds of games.”
    • “A bit buggy though, hopefully that improves with time.”
    • “Until bugs are resolved involving paying tribute and many end turn glitches, buy in 4 months when fixed.”
    • “Cannot throw money at unfun/buggy games so with regret I refunded.”
  • humor8 mentions

    The humor in the game is characterized by its clever use of bureaucracy and dark comedy, creating a hilarious atmosphere that enhances gameplay. Players enjoy the absurdity of situations and the mischievous dynamics with friends, leading to memorable and funny interactions. Overall, the game excels in delivering a comedic experience that thrives on player manipulation and the misfortunes of others.

    • “Every mechanic of this game is mired in bureaucracy, and it's hilarious and extremely fun.”
    • “The game is full of devilish humor and dark comedy, and you'll find yourself laughing at the misfortunes of your foes and the absurdity of the situations you'll encounter.”
    • “Jump into a game with people you know, however, and Solium Infernum is a magical experience that will provide an unending stream of funny anecdotes and memories to recount later.”
  • emotional7 mentions

    Players find the game emotionally engaging, appreciating its dark and gothic visuals, eerie atmosphere, and the thrill of unexpected chaos. The experience resonates particularly with those who enjoy intuitive role-playing over strict mechanics, creating a captivating blend of strategy and emotional depth. However, some express disappointment with the AI, which detracts from the overall emotional investment.

    • “As an emotional and intuitive role-player who does not care about rationalistic calculus, mechanics, and optimized pathways to victory, I find this game extremely fascinating, with its demon/gothic, dark and flame-red visuals, its eerie and sinister atmosphere, and soundtrack.”
    • “A pure strategy game - with all the emotional beats of civilization, but playable in 4 hours.”
    • “Ai is just heartbreaking to watch.”
  • character development5 mentions

    Character development in the game is highlighted by impressive character designs and a unique art style that draws inspiration from dark artistic influences. Players appreciate the immersive experience facilitated by the use of the occult language Enochian and engaging playstyles, although some critiques mention that certain character designs, like Beelzebub, fall short. Overall, the attention to detail in animations and unit cards enhances the game's atmosphere and encourages players to connect with their characters.

    • “The character designs and overall art style are fantastic, and the characters even speak the real-life occult language Enochian.”
    • “The character designs and playstyle, along with the messaging system, really motivate the player to get into character, which is a lot more fun than you may think.”
    • “The attention to detail and vibe created in the character designs, lenticular/2.5D unit cards, and animations is commendable.”
    • “Beelzebub is a literal fly because they are lord of the flies... yeah, the character design sucks.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The game is praised for its lack of microtransactions, offering a complete experience for the purchase price, which contrasts positively with practices of major publishers. However, its smaller development team may limit ongoing content updates, as they lack the revenue from microtransactions typically seen in AAA titles. Overall, it is seen as a refreshing alternative in the market.

    • “With no microtransactions.”
    • “This project is clearly made from talent and understanding of what makes TBS games fun. With ongoing prevalent issues of major publishers (looking right at you, Activision-Blizzard), it is a breath of fresh air with fun modes. Despite not being made by a AAA developer, it is a complete game with the money I purchased it for and I would recommend it.”
    • “This project is clearly made from talent and understanding of what makes TBS games fun, but ongoing prevalent issues with major publishers (looking right at you, Activision-Blizzard) mean that content for it is stalled because they don't have the resources to drain microtransactions from. Despite that, it is a complete game for the money I purchased it for and I would recommend it.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

89% average critic score

Buy Solium Infernum

Play time

13hMedian play time
18hAverage play time
6-24hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 6 analyzed playthroughs

Videos

Similar Games