If you have already seen our preview of Baldur's Gate III, then you already know that Dungeons & Dragons can be safely used as a basis to create an interesting video game product. After all, a single player title could be interesting for those who can't find a group with whom to spend time playing D&D, or even for those who are simply passionate about the series.
This time we bring you the preview of Solasta: Crown of the Magister, an RTS published and developed by Tactical Adventures, also based on the hugely popular fantasy RPG just mentioned.
Before an event called "the Cataclysm" there were neither gods nor humans on the lands of Solasta, but later - perhaps due to a magical accident or the fault of an evil god - a rift opened. The Cataclysm destroyed the old empire of the High Elves, deforming the various lands to the point that they could no longer recognize them. Only the bravest (and the dumbest) today head to those places called Badlands, in search of ancient treasures.
In any case, something very strange is happening in the Badlands, and it will be up to a group of four adventurers to find out what it is.. This will not be easy at all, because there will be enemies to fight and obstacles to overcome on the path.
The creation of the character is extensive and articulated in terms of RPG mechanics, while there is little choice on the aesthetic aspect. After all, the game was designed to let the player use an adventurer who is very faithful to the "pen and paper" version, and it is therefore possible to say that the aesthetic aspect of the character is not for obvious reasons a main factor that the developers they considered for their title.
To be commended is the fact that the game in its explanations does not forget to tell the user even the smallest detail, thus making the gameplay clear and easy to learn. A wide variety of different items can be equipped and stored in the inventory, from crafting components to weapons and armor. While traveling from one side of the map to the other, it is possible to craft objects of various kinds such as potions or scrolls, as long as you have the components, tools and knowledge necessary to use them.
In Solasta: Crown of the Magister, fights take place in turns, and as it happens in these cases you win when all the enemies in the area have been defeated. After tearing apart every single enemy and completing a few quests, you can level up after a long rest. The way in which the stats increase is practically almost automatic, so the player will not have to be overly careful with the management of the leveling of the characters.
However, in certain moments, using violence and brute force will not necessarily be the best solution: it will in fact be possible to use different strategies in order to find alternative ways to complete a goal, such as using stealth to exploit the traps present in the environment, or pick locks and climb to reach strategic positions that favor combat. Obviously, to be successful for any such action, you need a roll of the dice that returns at least a certain value.
For the realization of Solasta: Crown of the Magister we have chosen to use the Unity graphics engine, which creates an environment rich in elements and details composed mainly of light colors for the outside, while the darkness is preferred for dungeons and caves . If you really want to find a flaw in the aspect of the game you have to look at the facial animations, quite woody, but it is still a fairly irrelevant detail for the proposed concept.
Nothing to say about the music, epic and suitable for the context, which add to the game's sense of epic adventure while at the same time making the gameplay seem less slow.
While there are some very minor technical problems, Solasta: Crown of the Magister seems to be a very promising RPG. The well-studied and hyper detailed mechanics allow you to fully enjoy the title based on Dungeons & Dragons, without having to worry too much about creating a perfect build for each of the characters belonging to the group of adventurers. The interaction with the environment makes the gameplay less linear and mundane than the old turn-based RPGs. If you are interested in the game, you can currently purchase it in early access on Steam.
► Solasta: Crown of the Magister is an RPG-Strategy-Tactical-Adventure game developed and published by Tactical Adventures for PC, The release is planned: TBA
