We recently had the chance to play Solium Infernum at Gamescom, but ahead of Steam Next Fest in a few days, we’ve got another updated look at the strategy game like no other. I’ll try to stay away from the points I made in my previous preview, but if you want to try a strategy game at this next Fest, Solium Infernum is a standout hit.
Now, if you’re not a strategy fan, but you see Solium Infernum’s admittedly gorgeous style and brilliant devilish art and think you want to get in, it’s worth mentioning that this game does take a minute to master. I’m not a strategy fan, but I’ve invested a lot of time in Civilization V and Total War, so I’d say I have a fair amount of experience in this type of game. Even so, I had to put on my thinking cap for Solium Infernum to grasp what it has to offer.
You play as an archevil, a lord of hell, who hopes to obtain the ultimate prize of Pandemonium after the demon goes missing. I honestly have no idea why anyone would want to take over Hell, with all the backstabbing and political intrigue going on behind the scenes, but I’m not a power-hungry devil so I don’t need to worry about that.
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If you step into this game, see all the cute and terrifying unit art, and think you’re in for a giant battle to decide the Lord of Hell, well, I’m sorry, but Solium Infernum is not that. There’s some combat, and it has some slick little animations, but mostly you’re playing a shady game of politics. You can’t even enter another player’s territory without a valid reason, so it’s really about what’s going on behind the scenes.
This is where I can really imagine Solium Infernum’s PvP to shine, because in addition to the options you get in regular play, you can use your silver tongue to convince allies to betray each other, making other players look like Public Enemy No. 1, At the same time you grow into the biggest threat in the game. The single-player options you get are solid, too. Rituals, requirements, etc., to stay ahead of your opponents and solidify your own position as much as possible so that when war comes, you’ll be as ready as possible.
As mentioned before, Solium Infernum does take some getting used to. There are a lot of different systems, and only being able to place two orders in a turn can feel very limiting. You really have to prioritize your actions rather than just doing everything you want in one turn. It’s strategic chess, really, when you’re thinking two or three steps ahead and hoping your opponent doesn’t screw up your overall plan. Of course they do, but that in itself is half the fun. A heavy tutorial can really illustrate that you have a handle on everything that’s going on, but even then it’s easy to slip up after learning the basics.
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Master strategists will spend hours honing their tactics to take over Hell, and Solium Infernum encourages you to spend long hours on each match. Thank god I don’t mind spending time in hell. As mentioned, the visuals here are impressive, especially in the art of the loading screens, unit cards, and Archdemon skins. Hell itself is rather drab, gray and unwelcoming, but also beautiful in its own horrific way. It’s seductive in a way it shouldn’t be, which feels perfect for the atmosphere Solium Infernum is trying to create. Really, no one should want to play this great game of demonic politics, but if they don’t play, they can’t win.
As someone who’s always been fascinated by the setting of Hell, Solium Infernum does a great job of creating this sense of horrific bureaucracy that feels almost too real to the point where it only belongs in Hell. Note that this doesn’t mean the game is boring. Pressing next turn creates anxiety as you wait to see what moves your opponent makes and hope they’re no better than you. We’ll see if it can impress across multiple games as we play more, but as of two brief sessions, it looks like it’ll be great for fans of the genre looking for something different. A unique strategy game.
