Over Christmas I’ve been getting stuck into Solium Infernum – a turn based politicking game played on a hex grid based in Hell. So extremely Christmassy. It goes something like this: Lucifer has left and the crown for ‘King of Hell’ is up for grabs. 6 players are competing but it’s not a simple case of bashing each other over the head until there is one left. Solium works off a prestige system and after an amount of time (depending on a set game length and a few other variables to a minor extent) whoever has the most prestige is named King.
Getting prestige is where it starts to get complicated, and it’s not something I really want to get into here other than to say “It’s the fun times”. There is combat, plenty of numbers, and there are lots of rules and systems to twist your head around. Solium is a proper, almost old school, PC game. You will want for a pen and paper and you will be completely engrossed. It’s a game about dicking people over, abusing protocols, being tricksy, and grand strategy.
I’m going to reserve most of what I have to say until the inevitable review which will happen after some multiplayer but what I do want to say here is that first impressions are indeed good. I’m still waiting to get a play-by-email game going – which is what Solium is built for – but playing against the AI alone has been extremely fun.
The demo is freely available and you can buy the full thing for $29.99 (~£19) should you enjoy it. Which you will. Because you’re awesome. Also; if anyone does pick it up, be sure to let me know so we can sort out a game – players are thin on the ground at the minute.
If you haven’t got one up and running yet, try this thread http://www.quartertothree.com/game-talk/showthread.php?t=56161&page=12
Its seems pretty active :)
Me, Ed, and both Toms are currrently in a game which we will be talking plenty about later. Only on turn 6 and already it’s full of drama. Cheers though.