SpellForce: Conquest of Eo

About

"SpellForce: Conquest of Eo" is a single-player strategy game with RPG elements, set in the fantasy world of Eo. You build and manage your own stronghold, gather resources, and command forces in real-time battles. The game also features a dynamic campaign system, where your choices and actions shape the story and outcome of the game.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

+18

81%

Audience ScoreBased on 1,107 reviews

story72 positive mentions

grinding36 negative mentions

Engaging blend of RPG and 4X elements, providing a unique gameplay experience.
Beautifully crafted world with a rich lore and interesting quests.
Variety of classes and crafting systems that allow for different playstyles.

Limited replayability due to a single static map and predictable quest lines.
Auto-resolve feature is often inaccurate, leading to unnecessary manual battles.
Lack of a quest log and clear tutorials can make the game confusing for new players.

story
397 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
18%
77%
5%
The game's story is rich and engaging, featuring a blend of quests and character-driven narratives that enhance the overall experience, though it suffers from a lack of a quest log, making tracking objectives cumbersome. Players appreciate the immersive world and the variety of quests, but many note that the main storyline can feel repetitive due to its linearity and the static nature of the map. While the storytelling is generally well-received, some players find it lacking depth and character development, leading to a mixed reception regarding its overall impact on gameplay.
- “The story is quite cool as well, as you're definitely the underdog the whole time and treated as such by the mechanics.”
- “The game provides a unique experience with a story of dissimilar passage through three styles: necromancer, alchemist, and lord of runes.”
- “The storytelling is very good for a fantasy game and stays serious enough that the stakes feel like they matter.”
- “The biggest downside is the unfortunate use of save scumming because of the total randomness the player is left to face during different quest dialogues.”
- “There is no quest log so the map quickly becomes full of quest markers that mean little.”
- “The story isn't particularly very exciting, so don't expect to get some rich plot.”
gameplay
289 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
65%
4%
The gameplay of "Spellforce: Conquest of Eo" is characterized by its rich mechanics and strategic depth, offering a blend of turn-based tactics and RPG elements that keep players engaged. While the game features unique crafting systems and diverse mage archetypes, some players note a lack of depth in certain mechanics and repetitive gameplay as they progress. Overall, it provides a satisfying experience with a good balance of challenge and exploration, though some aspects may feel tedious or underdeveloped over time.
- “The gameplay is difficult but rewarding, and battles become more enjoyable as you learn each unit's strengths and weaknesses.”
- “The combination of well-crafted stories and challenging but not overwhelming strategy mechanics has been *chef's kiss*; I've not been able to put the game down since purchase and am already desperately hoping there will be additional content added in the future.”
- “The core gameplay is similar to the Age of Wonders series, but expanded with some new mechanics and subjectively better storytelling experience.”
- “The gameplay is fairly tedious and lackluster.”
- “There's basically a single map for the entire game and the same units, stories, and progression for every gameplay (which happens on the same map) with simply a different starting point.”
- “What a disappointing end to such a great series; if you liked the other games, I have bad news for you: this isn't like the rest of the series at all. At best, this is a knockoff of Age of Wonders, with basic mechanics and zero voice acting. This is a shameful pillaging of a great series of games.”
graphics
95 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
53%
44%
3%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the beautiful art style and immersive visuals, particularly in the world map and combat areas. However, some players criticize the graphics for lacking polish and variety, describing them as decent but not extraordinary, and noting issues with optimization and outdated elements. Overall, while the artwork is often highlighted as a strong point, there are concerns about graphical consistency and performance.
- “The graphics, music, and story weave together well in a satisfying game that caused me to want to keep going and lose track of time.”
- “From the moment you step into the rich fantasy world of Spellforce, you'll be captivated by the stunning graphics and immersive sound effects.”
- “Beautiful graphics for the world map and combat areas, along with appropriate epic music as a background to your adventures.”
- “For being released in 2023, this game is graphically challenged.”
- “Graphics are trash and not like in the screenshots.”
- “Some of the game assets look like they were scaled from 480p up to 1440p, and I was noticing some really strange jagged graphical irregularities.”
replayability
91 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
69%
4%
Overall, the game's replayability is a mixed bag. While many players appreciate the variety offered by different classes, starting locations, and randomized quests, the lack of procedural map generation and a single, fixed map can limit long-term replay value. Recent updates have introduced more randomized elements, enhancing replayability, but some players still feel that the game may not offer as much replay value as other titles in the genre.
- “The development team has done a great job with their recent additions, improving the replayability with more randomized obstacles and encounters.”
- “There is a lot of replayability with 4 mage types, different quests, multiple choices and outcomes, different starting areas, several difficulty levels, and mage customization.”
- “An already amazing game now features a non-static map, randomized to customizable degrees, which really does wonders for replayability.”
- “A fixed map helps with campaign narrative on your first few playthroughs - something annoyingly lacking in AOW4 and Planetfall, but the lack of random map generation massively hurts replayability in the base game.”
- “The only downsides are relatively high system requirements and practically only one map (which decreases replayability as after 1-2 playthroughs you know where to search for various resources and creatures you need and even the hardest difficulty becomes too easy).”
- “You do the same stuff all the time, there is only one scripted campaign so replayability doesn't exist.”
music
49 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
47%
47%
6%
The music in the game generally complements the atmosphere, with many reviewers noting its epic orchestral themes that enhance the immersive experience. However, there are mixed opinions on its memorability and variety, with some describing it as bland or generic, while others appreciate its cohesion with the game's visuals and story. Overall, the soundtrack is considered decent but lacks diversity, making it less impactful in the long term.
- “There is an immersive story, beautiful graphics for the world map and combat areas, and appropriate epic music as a background to your adventures.”
- “The graphics, music, and story weave together well in a satisfying game that caused me to want to keep going and lose track of time.”
- “Music is solid, great art style, and a huge amount of story and dialog for a strategy game.”
- “The soundtrack is very forgettable.”
- “Music isn't that pronounced but it's basically the same one theme of somewhat epic orchestral tune with zero diversity.”
- “The music is a bit bland and some sound effects could need some rework.”
grinding
37 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
3%
97%
The reviews highlight that while the game offers an immersive experience with extensive lore and strategic elements, it suffers from significant grinding and tedium, particularly in the late game. Players often find themselves overwhelmed by micromanagement of numerous units and resources, leading to repetitive gameplay and frustration. Despite these issues, some appreciate the game's unique mechanics that attempt to alleviate traditional 4X management burdens, though the overall consensus is that the grind can be excessive.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “At some point it becomes grinding; you need to manage a lot of slow-moving unit stacks around the map, harvesting resources or marching your heroes from boring quest to boring quest.”
- “This gets really frustrating and tedious trying to command them all, especially when enemy units can spawn anytime, anywhere, and screw you over.”
- “Late game is very tedious, mostly just too many stacks (on impossible), and auto resolve says I lose 99% of them.”
stability
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
86%
The game's stability is generally criticized, with numerous users reporting glitches, bugs, and freezing issues, particularly in the late game. While some players have managed to enjoy the game despite these problems, others have experienced game-breaking bugs and poor interface performance. Overall, the game requires significant improvements in stability to enhance the user experience.
- “Runs great on Steam Deck as well!”
- “No glitches and the tactical combat reminds me very much of Age of Wonders 3, with loads of upgrades for units, a nice variety of abilities and differing opponents. The way it is all structured into a story without removing your freedom to depart from the main quests is excellent.”
- “Poor interface, late game is extremely buggy.”
- “Have fun restarting this game as it continually freezes.”
- “Besides all the other bugs and glitches, I now run into a game-breaking blank page bug.”
optimization
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
36%
21%
Overall, the game's optimization receives mixed feedback; while some players report excellent performance even at high resolutions, others experience issues with load times and graphics that are demanding on hardware. Several users suggest improvements, particularly in implementing more advanced graphics technologies, but many also note a lack of crashes or significant bugs.
- “Also, the game is surprisingly well optimized.”
- “This game is actually very optimized and has a crazy amount to offer, highly recommend it.”
- “I'm playing this maxed in 8k with an RTX 4090 and it's flawless from an optimization standpoint.”
- “Giving this a no until they fix performance.”
- “Devs: if you read this, here's a couple of items that could really improve gameplay: more keyboard shortcuts for tower, artificing...etc, and optimization of load times.”
- “Performance does not feel very smooth either, even though my hardware is quite top notch.”
atmosphere
9 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
33%
33%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its immersive and charming qualities, blending elements of adventure with a rich lore that enhances the overall experience. Players appreciate the beautiful graphics and well-written quests, which contribute to a mature and engaging environment. However, some feel that minor details, like missing lore pages, can detract from the overall atmospheric experience.
- “I would recommend that game to everyone who loved AOW3 & 4, and in my opinion, Conquest of EO is a bit better because it's more different from the usual concepts and provides a better lore and atmosphere.”
- “I'm really impressed with the atmosphere and the streamlined and therefore effective features.”
- “Seemingly small elements like your grimoire have that lovely bit of charm in their presentation, and the overall feeling of being a renegade mage in search of his master's scattered, forbidden notes is very well done in terms of atmosphere, pacing, and mechanics.”
- “This plays very well on immersion in the atmosphere.”
- “-same about units - missing lore pages, it may be a small detail but combined with other parts it really hits the atmosphere in a bad way.”
- “Charming but mature atmosphere, the quests (there are quite a lot) are well written (same quality as Fantasy General 2).”
humor
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is described as both entertaining and unconventional, with players finding joy in the absurdity of certain situations and character interactions. While some aspects, like combat animations, can be frustratingly lengthy, they contribute to the overall comedic experience. Overall, the humor is a mix of hilarity and triviality, making for a memorable, if sometimes exasperating, gameplay experience.
- “That's really funny and above all unusual.”
- “Discovering combos is so much fun, spells are really well made, and Hokan being salty for failing to destroy me is hilarious.”
- “Combat prediction is kinda wonky and some animations take a hilariously long time, but I love it.”
monetization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
67%
The monetization model of the game is praised for avoiding common pitfalls such as microtransactions, pay-to-win mechanics, and loot boxes, contributing to a more enjoyable experience. However, some users perceive it as a cash grab, suggesting that while the game is free of toxic monetization features, there may still be concerns about its overall value.
- “It is also free of the toxic game features that poison the current gaming environment: microtransactions, pay-to-win, and loot boxes.”
- “What a cash grab!”
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
50%
Character development in the game is generally viewed as lacking depth, with apprentices described as generic and not meeting the standards of more developed titles like Thea or Expeditions. However, the inclusion of RPG elements, such as dialogue choices, does provide some added excitement to the experience.
- “The RPG elements, such as character development and dialogue choices, add an extra layer of excitement to the game.”
- “Character development is engaging and allows players to form deeper connections with the characters.”
- “Apprentices are generic as hell; if you expect the Thea or Expeditions series level of character development, you won't find it here.”
emotional
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users report experiencing emotional distress due to odd occurrences within the game, indicating that these moments significantly impacted their emotional engagement.