Songs of Conquest

In a year that's slowly being dominated by indie releases, Songs of Conquest from Lavapotion is a stand-out hit.

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"Songs of Conquest" is a turn-based strategy game inspired by 90s classics, where players lead powerful magicians known as Wielders and venture to lands unknown. The game offers diverse enemies, valuable loot, and unique factions across contrasting biomes. Players manage resources, research new advancements, and plan their towns to match their playstyle, while engaging in deep combat using troop abilities and powerful magic.

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Play Modes

Reviews

73%

Audience ScoreBased on 8,432 reviews

gameplay567 positive mentions

grinding83 negative mentions

Beautiful pixel art and engaging soundtrack that enhances the overall experience.
Innovative magic system that ties spellcasting to unit composition, adding depth to strategy.
Captivating campaigns with intertwining stories that provide a rich narrative experience.

Limited number of factions and units, leading to repetitive gameplay.
Campaign difficulty spikes can feel unfair and frustrating, especially for new players.
User interface can be clunky and unintuitive, making navigation and management cumbersome.

gameplay
1,548 mentions
37 % positive mentions
59 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
The gameplay of *Songs of Conquest* has received mixed reviews, with many praising its nostalgic elements reminiscent of the *Heroes of Might and Magic* series, while others criticize it for lacking innovation and depth. Players appreciate the engaging mechanics, such as the unique magic system and tactical combat, but some find the gameplay repetitive and the AI unchallenging. Overall, the game offers a solid foundation with potential for improvement, particularly in balancing and expanding its mechanics.
- “Tl;dr: Songs of Conquest provides a good gameplay flow, some useful innovations, and nostalgic pixel graphics.”
- “The gameplay is both fun and addictive.”
- “The gameplay is very engaging and satisfying, including the original approach to the magic system.”
- “Unfortunately, the gameplay does not have the same rapid, exciting dynamics as the original.”
- “As you can see, the game seems and looks good, but absolutely fails in every aspect of gameplay.”
- “The gameplay is not fun at all.”
graphics
1,351 mentions
47 % positive mentions
48 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Songs of Conquest" have garnered mixed reviews, with many players appreciating the nostalgic pixel art style that evokes memories of classic games like Heroes of Might and Magic III. However, some users criticize the graphics for being too pixelated and difficult to interpret, leading to confusion in gameplay. Overall, while the art style is praised for its charm and detail, it also faces scrutiny for clarity and modernity, with some players wishing for a more polished visual presentation.
- “The graphics are sublime though.”
- “The pixel graphics are fantastic and there's enough content to keep you busy for many hours, even just with the main campaigns that are out so far.”
- “The art style, music and faction themes are testament to the attention to detail in this game.”
- “What amazes me is how the developers managed to emulate a game from the 1990s and somehow give it worse graphics.”
- “Dogshit primitive graphics make the game unplayable.”
- “The pixel graphics are probably the worst part of this game, but if you are able to look beyond the graphics this little gem packs quite the punch.”
story
1,294 mentions
25 % positive mentions
70 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
The story in "Songs of Conquest" has received mixed reviews, with some players appreciating its nostalgic elements and engaging character arcs, while others find it convoluted and forgettable. The campaign consists of four missions per faction, which some feel is too short to fully develop the narrative and characters, leading to a sense of abruptness and lack of depth. Additionally, the storytelling is often delivered through bard songs and cutscenes, which some players enjoy, but others criticize for being simplistic or lacking in variety.
- “The campaign and story are surprisingly interesting and well done.”
- “The developers managed to spin a tale about a captivating world, where all events are intertwined, and each mission has at least a couple of certain deja vu moments, where we can connect the dots and see the bigger picture after 'hearing' each song of conquest.”
- “The music, the incredible (but endearing!) 2.5D visuals, the unit/faction design, the battle maps, the story-driven campaigns, skirmish maps, and a powerful random map generator – it's all there, but it also innovates in crucial areas and isn't afraid to break from the original formula to be its own game.”
- “I was doing the rana campaign and it was just a very basic story, characters you don't really get invested in, and fairly boring gameplay loop.”
- “The campaign storyline is dull.”
- “The campaign is boring, the number of missions is small and the story and dialogue feels like it's written with chatgpt.”
music
1,254 mentions
45 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The music in "Songs of Conquest" has received mixed reviews, with some praising its atmospheric quality and integration into the gameplay, particularly the bard songs that play after missions, which many find charming and immersive. However, others criticize the soundtrack for being repetitive and lacking the iconic quality of classic titles like "Heroes of Might and Magic." Overall, while the music enhances the game's nostalgic feel and complements its pixel art, it may not meet the high expectations set by its predecessors.
- “The music is fantastic.”
- “The art style and music are really pretty.”
- “The music, the incredible (but endearing!) 2.5D visuals, the unit/faction design, the battle maps, the story-driven campaigns, skirmish maps, and a powerful random map generator – it's all there, but it also innovates in crucial areas and isn't afraid to break from the original formula to be its own game.”
- “Firstly, there's something about the music that's just a bit 'off.' I had that uncanny valley feeling in spades and as I heard more music, I started to suspect all the bard songs were produced by AI.”
- “This would all be perfectly acceptable if the title of the game wasn't 'Songs of Conquest.' With a title like that, please put a tiny bit more effort into the music.”
- “The campaign in Songs of Conquest sucks: the plot is too simple and boring, served by some childish song of a bard in a tavern.”
replayability
123 mentions
32 % positive mentions
62 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The replayability of "Songs of Conquest" is a mixed bag, with some players praising its potential due to features like a map editor and random map generator, which could enhance replay value significantly. However, many reviewers express concerns about the current lack of content and depth, leading to a repetitive experience after a limited number of playthroughs. Overall, while there are elements that promise high replayability, the game currently falls short compared to classics like "Heroes of Might and Magic III."
- “Songs of Conquest is a rewarding title with a strong foundation for both singleplayer and multiplayer replayability.”
- “Replay value is insanely high with the included map editor.”
- “Playing against the AI and going through the campaign is fun, exploring all the factions, units, and wielders is engaging, and once they release a random map generator, the replayability will be immense.”
- “After 25 hours of playing, I have seen everything the game has to offer; there is zero replay value in the game for me, and I am done with it, saying this as someone who loved HOMM3 and replayed it multiple times.”
- “It totally lacks replayability because, as mentioned, every playthrough in skirmish is the same due to the inability to create different army compositions and the lack of unit variations and mixing options.”
- “This gets boring or old fast, and replay value is just non-existent.”
optimization
121 mentions
16 % positive mentions
69 % neutral mentions
15 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has received mixed feedback, with many players reporting significant performance issues, particularly during late-game turns and on larger maps, leading to lag and long wait times. While some users noted improvements over time and found the game generally smooth on certain systems, others experienced severe frame rate drops and glitches, indicating that further optimization is necessary, especially for early access. Overall, while the game shows promise, it requires substantial work to enhance its performance and stability.
- “The game is gorgeous looking and you can tell the animation and art was carefully optimized for the overall theme, very past the peak of satisfaction.”
- “Update: since this review, the game has gotten more optimized and runs better and with no game-breaking glitches.”
- “The performance seems to need some optimization and the game itself would benefit from more content, but the base is very solid.”
- “The performance can also be horrible at times, with my screen frequently freezing for 20+ seconds during battles at the end of a round.”
- “Currently the game seems poorly optimized and buggy.”
- “The game suffers from a few optimization issues such as FPS drops and problems loading assets when a large part of the map is explored, especially while zoomed out or during the AI turns.”
atmosphere
107 mentions
64 % positive mentions
34 % neutral mentions
3 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its enchanting and immersive qualities, enhanced by beautiful pixel art, compelling music, and thoughtful sound design. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke nostalgia while creating a unique fantasy world, with many noting that the visuals and audio work harmoniously to deepen the overall experience. Overall, the game's atmosphere is described as magical, captivating, and integral to its appeal.
- “The atmosphere is magical and enchanting.”
- “The music is truly atmospheric and beautiful, which makes it all the better.”
- “The sprite work and atmosphere of this game is incredible, with a charming aesthetic and excellent feel.”
- “I think it could be more prominent and more intertwined with the gameplay, which will add to the atmosphere the game creates.”
- “I was especially pleased with the pixel graphics, thanks to which a special atmosphere is created in the game, incomparable with the soulless 3D that other similar games use.”
- “The atmosphere is very well conveyed, and the soundtrack is beyond praise!”
grinding
87 mentions
2 % positive mentions
2 % neutral mentions
95 % negative mentions
Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, often leading to a lack of enjoyment, especially in the late game. Many reviews highlight the linear gameplay and unbalanced AI as contributing factors to the grind, with battles feeling more like resource farming than strategic encounters. While some improvements have been noted, the general sentiment is that the game can become excessively grindy, requiring significant time investment for minimal reward.
- “The game is enjoyable from the start, with very cool artwork and easy navigation, making it free from tedious management.”
- “It's not fun to spend 2 hours grinding through a mission to get overwhelmed so easily.”
- “The game looks great but it's just a tedious, unfun game to play.”
- “Even though the maps are fairly well designed to offer you some freedom of movement, the gameplay feels linear both on the strategic map and the tactical battles; this is because 'outsmarting' enemies clearly takes a backseat over just grinding up some more resources and scaling up your power level.”
stability
50 mentions
20 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
80 % negative mentions
The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with many players reporting frequent freezes, crashes, and various bugs, particularly in multiplayer and during campaign play. However, some users noted that it runs well on specific platforms like the Steam Deck and MacBook Air M2, with no game-breaking issues. Overall, while the game is still in early access and shows promise for optimization, it currently suffers from significant stability problems that detract from the experience.
- “Runs great on the Steam Deck, with most controls being implemented well.”
- “Although still in early access, what is present works and is relatively bug-free.”
- “For those wondering, this runs great on MacBook Air M2 8GB.”
- “Extremely buggy game, campaign is riddled with soft locks and an unholy amount of 'uncaught exception' errors.”
- “Freezes too much and crashes.”
- “Currently the game seems poorly optimized and buggy.”
humor
33 mentions
100 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is often described as nostalgic and whimsical, with players enjoying the absurdity of unique unit combinations and funny scenarios, such as fielding armies of hyenas or using clever spells to outsmart opponents. While some aspects of gameplay can become tedious, the overall experience is enhanced by unexpected comedic elements and delightful storytelling, making for a hilariously entertaining time. However, there are mentions of performance issues that can add an unintended layer of humor during gameplay.
- “It is so fun to stack modifier upon modifier to make some really funny combinations.”
- “All in all, my favorite thing was being able to field an army of just hyenas, because watching my 9 stacks of laughing doggos maul everything was great.”
- “The literal songs of conquest after campaign missions were unexpected, funny, and delightful.”
emotional
19 mentions
89 % positive mentions
11 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Players describe the game as a heartwarming experience that evokes nostalgia and emotional connections, particularly for fans of the Heroes of Might and Magic series. Many express gratitude towards the developers for creating a game that resonates with simpler, more meaningful times in their lives, while also highlighting its unique charm and complexity. Overall, the emotional aspect is characterized by a blend of warmth, nostalgia, and a desire for deeper engagement with the game.
- “I seriously want to give my heartfelt thanks to the developers for helping me somewhat connect to the simpler times in youth before going to war and before my dad passed.”
- “... and I recommend to anyone who loves true heartfelt games to support games like these.”
- “All considered, this game is a heartwarming surprise, and I would love to see more campaigns, more factions and I am anxious to try the multiplayer soon with my friends :-)”
character development
9 mentions
67 % positive mentions
33 % neutral mentions
0 % negative mentions
Character development is highlighted as the standout feature of the game, with an impressive leveling system that enhances the overall experience. The character and army designs are noted for their quality and variety, contributing to a visually appealing and engaging gameplay. However, some reviewers feel that pacing and level design may detract from the overall impact of these strong character elements.
- “The character development and leveling system is by far the highlight of the game.”
- “Slick UI, excellent character design, art on point, and the armies feel meaningfully varied, so this means it hits every note you would want from a HOMM-like with pitch-perfect accuracy.”
- “While many of the component parts of the game (sprite work, sound design, character design) are extremely impressive, the pacing and level design seem to be more than a counterbalance.”
monetization
8 mentions
0 % positive mentions
25 % neutral mentions
75 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game has been criticized as hostile and greedy, with many players feeling it resembles a blatant cash grab, particularly in light of the game's unexpected success. Longtime fans express disappointment, hoping future content will justify the current approach but remain skeptical about the potential for additional DLCs.
- “I am extremely disappointed as I am a longtime HOMM and strategy game fan in general and was excited to play this game at the premise of an interesting game; however, instead of that, this honestly feels like a blatant cash grab after an unexpected success was reached.”
- “But their monetization model is extremely hostile and greedy.”
- “Do not support this cash grab.”