Songs of Conquest is inspired by Heroes of Might and Magic and Total War

Songs of Conquest is an RPG inspired by Heroes of Might and Magic and Total War. It was revealed at the PC Gaming Show 2019 and you can check out the world-first footage above. I wanted to know more about the game behind that lovely pixel art and sent over a few questions to game designer Carl Toftfelt.

Carl Toftfelt, game designer: You kind of both have the focus on individual wielders, which is what we call our commanders, as well as on your kingdom as a whole. You’ll level up individual wielders as well as buildings and troops, while you choose the right strategy to pick off your enemies. We call it classic adventure strategy.

What is the Songs of Conquest universe like? We saw some neat monsters in the trailer.

It is a diverse and rich fantasy world with various distinct and different races and nations. Some civilizations are older than others. The terrain is as shifting and diverse as the inhabitants. There is plenty of conflict and strife, as well as riches, mysteries and adventure. A strong current of magic flows through all beings and objects. Treasures buried from civilizations long gone are waiting to be rediscovered.

How do you conquer? Is there combat? What form does it take?

Combat will be a major part of the game. You’ll raise armies and your wielder will bring them to the battlefield. The wielders harness a magic called “The essence” during combat. Meaning that you'll combine your wielders skills with the essence of the troops you bring to battle. That will give you access to powerful spells. Say if you want to use a spell to create obstacles on the battlefield, you'll have to bring say engineer troops and use their essence together with you wielders skills to cast the spell.

How will night and day affect the game?

In general, the game will be played during daytime and night will mainly be used for when you’re waiting for your turn. But, we’re still working on gameplay mechanics for the day/night cycle, so this might change. Some spells and events may cause night to become permanent which may give certain troops and Wielders specific buffs.

We've seen some undead in the trailer and some lizard folk, are there factions in the game?

Yes! Currently we are planning for four very different factions and you can see hints of them in trailer. Arleon is a faction of gallant knights, stout squires and formidable archers united with the magical Faey of the forest. Rana are the oppressed swamp frog people rising up to reclaim their mighty heritage. Doneria is a gold loving merchant nation armed with gunpowder, machines and mercenaries. And finally, the Barony of Loth is an unholy coalition between the dead and the living. Bringing death and a glorious afterlife to all who oppose them.

Did any games in particular inspire the creation of Songs of Conquest?

We are inspired by both classic adventure strategy games, such as Heroes of Might and Magic, as well as modern strategy games like Total War. We’d like the players to feel that nostalgic vibe but also get everything they’d expect from a modern title.

Are the 'Songs of Conquest' a mechanic in the game?

In our world, songs are sung about the Wielders and great deeds. The Songs of Conquest will be our way of telling the story of this world. Tales of the miracles, wonders and adventures that takes place in the scenarios and campaigns.